Did Aegon Die in the Battle at Rook’s Rest?

House of the Dragon finally delivered its first major battle of Season 2, and it was as full of fire and blood as the cast and crew have promised. But one question remains: Is Aegon Targaryen dead?

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Did Aegon die in the Battle at Rook’s Rest: What happened on the show?

Following his appointment as Hand of the King, Criston Cole ( Fabien Frankel ) decided that the Greens’ best course of action was ambushing the Blacks at Rook’s Rest, the seat of House Staunton. He did not, however, want Aegon ( Tom Glynn-Carney ) to join him at the front, because it would be too dangerous for the king to enter a battle this early in the game.

Aegon, always deaf to good advice, ignored Criston and flew to battle anyway on the back of his dragon, Sunfyre. While having a dragon would usually give him an advantage in war, Sunfyre is young and thus has no battle experience — unlike Meleys, whose rider is Rhaenys ( Eve Best ).

As was bound to happen, Aegon and Sunfyre faced Rhaenys and Meleys in the air, and things weren’t looking so great for the king until his brother Aemond ( Ewan Mitchell ) showed up on Vhagar. Vhagar is the oldest dragon currently living in the Seven Kingdoms, meaning she’s bigger and meaner than the rest of them, and most crucially, she’s seen plenty of battles.

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Aemond, noticing an opportunity to rescue and/or kill his brother, commanded Vhagar to breathe fire at Meleys so that she’d stop attacking Sunfyre. That plan worked, but it also left Sunfyre so injured that he fell out of the sky with Aegon on his back. (Whether Aemond cared that dropping a "dracarys" in this moment would also potentially kill Aegon is for the viewers to decide, but he seems to know Vhagar’s orneriness gives him some plausible deniability.)

After the battle wrapped up, Criston found Aemond kneeling near Sunfyre, who was still breathing but severely maimed. “Where’s his Grace?” Criston asked. In response, Aemond pointed to Aegon, who was lying on the ground with Sunfyre curled around him. The episode then ended before it was established whether Aegon was still alive.

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What the books tell us about Aegon's fall

Spoilers ahead for fans who haven’t read Fire & Blood : Aegon survives his injuries, but only barely. He’s so badly burned that he has to be carried back to King’s Landing, where he spends the better part of a year in bed, refusing to see anyone but Alicent ( Olivia Cooke ) and Criston.

Sunfyre, meanwhile, couldn’t be moved back with him, so he takes up residence in the woods near Rook’s Rest. Criston eventually sends men to guard him and feed him (after he finishes eating the bodies of the dead from the battle).

After realizing that Aegon won’t be returning to his king’s duties, Criston encourages Aemond to act as regent in his stead. He does so until his own death, after which Aegon eventually reclaims his crown.

How closely House of the Dragon ’s writers will follow the book remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely they’d veer so far off course as to kill Aegon now . It does seem like he’ll be out of the picture for a while, though, especially given the hints that Aemond has been fiending for a chance to grab his brother’s power. With Aegon presumably on the sidelines, it might finally be Aemond’s moment.

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