Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2.
It hasn’t been a bad time to be Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) inHouse of the DragonSeason 2. Aside from Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) stark warning to the prince in the final scene of last week’sSeason 2, Episode 7, “The Red Sowing,“Aemond has managed to both banish his brother, Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), toa state of indefinite bedrest and secure his own regency in the latest outing ofRyan Condal’sWesterosi spin-off. By fleshing out the character’s vulnerabilities with scene partners like brothel keeper Sylvi (Michelle Bonnard), theGame of Thronesprequel has spent much of Season 2 examining Aemond’s conflicted layers, inviting scrutiny on a more personal level for the character. Despite the regent’s recent ascension, Alicent’s second son has yet to embrace the full scope of his new role, begging the question:what happened to Aemond’s fiancée fromHouse of the DragonSeason 1?
Fans with a good memory will remember thatAemond actually got betrothed to one of the daughters of Lord Borros Baratheon(Roger Evans) in one of the final scenes ofHouse of the DragonSeason 1, Episode 10, “The Black Queen.“Securing the match in order to win Storm’s End to the Greens' side and undermine his nephew, Prince Lucerys (Elliot Grihault), the marriage agreement seemed poised to introduce a fresh face to the Greens' embattled Red Keep inHouse of the DragonSeason 2, but, despite a brief mention at the beginning of the season’s first episode, Lord Borros’s daughter has yet to make an appearance. Instead, Westeros’s most eligible usurper has sat the Iron Throne alone, making the state of the Greens' arrangement unclear inHouse of the Dragon’smost recent episodes.
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Where Is Aemond’s Baratheon Fiancée in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2?
Ironically, even though she only appears onscreen once,House of the Dragon’sstoryhas actually done more to characterize Aemond’s fiancée than authorGeorge R.R. Martin’ssource material,Fire and Blood, by giving her a name. The Season 2 premiere confirmsAemond is betrothed to the Lady Floris Baratheon(Megan-Rose Barter), a detail which is unaccounted for in the original novel and may also explain the lady’s absence from the Red Keep. UnlikeGame of Thrones’Sansa (Sophie Turner) or the marriage pacts arranged between Rhaenyra’s sons and Laena’s (Nanna Blondell) daughters, Floris’s pact to her royal prince is made during a time of war, meaning the pair don’t have time to get to know one another while the realm tears itself apart. As a result, it’s likely that Floris has remained at Storm’s End for her own safety throughoutHouse of the DragonSeason 2.
While this exclusion does detract from the escalated stakes ofHouse of the Dragon’sSeason 1 finale,Floris’s absence from Season 2’s court drama makes sensethroughout the first few episodes. As the betrothed to the Greens' royal spare, Floris’s presence in King’s Landing wouldn’t be deemed essential, thoughHouse of the Dragon’s Otto Hightower(Rhys Ifans) does also confirm that he awaits the Stormlands' sworn declaration of their allegiance to King Aegon in the same small council meeting that confirms which Baratheon daughter Aemond is turning into a princess. This delay could signify some strain on the agreement or simply be a throwaway line hinting at the Baratheons' later involvement in the war, but regardless,House of the Dragonglosses over the key relationship once Aemond assumes the title of regent.
Floris Baratheon’s Absence Is a Missed Opportunity for ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2
As Aemond has not yet been technically coronated as Westeros’s king, there’s no urgent need for him to present the realm with his queen, thoughFloris’s lack of character development is unusual for someone in such close proximityto him. While former fiancées to the series' main royals, such as Helaena (Phia Saban) and Laena, have received more than their fair share of attention due to their Targaryen blood, Floris’s arrival at the Red Keep could have drawn an amusing contrast to these earlier engagements by showing how difficult it is for an outsider to adjust to the House of the Dragon’s chaotic family politics.Floris’s presence would also have given viewers insight into a very different side of Aemond, asWesteros’s rogue prince in trainingwould have had to balance his personal desire for Sylvia with his political duty to the Baratheon princess.
Such a conflict between duty and desire would have offered a fresh parallel to the themes best expressed throughGame of Thrones’Jon Snow(Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), while also testing Aemond’s assertion fromHouse of the DragonSeason 1 thathe would have no problem entering into a marriage as lovelessas that between his brother and Helaena. Moreover, Floris’s greater presence in the series could have tested Aemond in even greater ways. WhileHouse of the Dragonalso briefly showcases Lord Borros’s four daughters,Fire and Bloodbriefly delves into the basic traits of their personalities, with Aemond choosing Floris for her prettiness instead of her clever sister, Maris.
In the book, Maris actually helps to incite Aemond’s attack on Lucerys, mocking him for his lost eye and asking if Lucerys hadn’t taken his manhood instead. Therefore, if Floris brought Maris with her to the Red Keep, the seriescould have highlighted the childhood insecurities that Aemond alludes to with Sylvi, which cause him to torch Aegon duringHouse of the Dragon’sbattle of Rook’s Rest. The Dowager Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) herself acknowledges that Aemond’s cruel actions seem largelydriven by a sense ofretribution for the bullying he experiencedas a boy, such as when his Targaryen playmates mocked him with a pig when he was one of the few Targaryen children without a dragon inHouse of the DragonSeason 1. Maris’s connection to Floris could have allowed Aemond to confront his trauma directly, though the Baratheon sisters' absence still enables the series to showcase Westeros’s glaring sense of social inequality.
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Aemond’s Long Engagement Demonstrates the Greens’ Hypocrisy in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2
Outside of Floris’s significance to Aemond’s upbringing, the fact that Aemond is able to spend so much ofHouse of the DragonSeason 2ducking responsibility for his engagementemphasizes his privilegeas the Greens' male heir to the Iron Throne. While Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy) goes so far as to suggest Alicent marry Dalton Greyjoy to secure the Iron Islands' navy in Season 2, Episode 6, the small council puts no pressure on Aemond to rely upon his pre-existing marriage pact to hastily bolster the Greens' military strength. Just as Daemon (Matt Smith) points out that he and Viserys were permitted frequent visits to King’s Landing’s Street of Silk without social repercussions as young men, Aemond is unfaithful to Floris due to his maternal reliance on Sylvi, yetthe prince’s personal life never comes under invasive scrutinybyHouse of the Dragon’spatriarchy.
The lack of attention given to the state of Aemond’s marriage inHouse of the DragonSeason 2 underscores the vastly different and unjust realities experienced by Westeros’s royal sons and daughters, especially with the current season’s renewed focus on Helaena. The last of Alicent’s children in the Red Keep not actively scorning or being scorned byHouse of the Dragon’s tragic mother,the series' latest episodes have gone to great lengths to demonstrate the toll that Helaena’s social position has taken on her mental health. Not only was Helaena forced to marry and give Aegon children as an early teenager inHouse of the DragonSeason 1, but personally witnessing the murder of her firstborn son at the hands ofBlood and Cheese in Season 2further punished Helaena for the status she never asked for. Yet, while the Greens' small council enforces toxic traditions onto Westeros’s female leads,it is alsowilling to overlook Aemond’s own obligations and infidelities.
House of the Dragonhas therefore not completely forgotten Floris Baratheon, but for all intents and purposes, the Greens have certainly made it easy for the audience to overlook the betrothed princess. A younger daughter of Lord Borros who plays a symbolic role in securing Aemond the Stormlands, Floris’s absence fromHouse of the DragonSeason 2 glosses over one of Season 1’s most impactful introductions at a time when the show is dedicating more screentime to unlikely side characters likeDyana (Maddie Evans)and the short-lived leaders of House Darklyn. The lack of attention Floris has received in relation to Aemond emphasizes the double standard applied to the prince in comparison with his traumatized sister, and with his regency coming to a head in this weekend’s upcoming finale,it’s unlikelyHouse of the Dragonfans will ever get to see what royal marriage looks likefor the sapphire-studded prince.
House of the Dragonis currently streaming on Max. New episodes air every Sunday night.
