House Of The Dragon's Biggest Dummy Just Made His Stupidest Mistake Yet

This article is dark and full of spoilers. Read only after watching the latest episode of "House of the Dragon."

There's a famous saying among the smallfolk of Westeros that every time a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air and the entire world holds its breath. That, of course, refers to the royal house's predilection for incest and the alarmingly high percentage of rulers who ended up with a loose screw or two. (Mad King Aerys, we're looking at you!) Now, if only whoever coined that phrase had factored pure, unbridled buffoonery into their calculations as well.

"House of the Dragon" season 2 has much in common with the original "Game of Thrones" as it tells another story about various claimants vying for the Iron Throne ... but, unlike its predecessor, the costliest mistakes in this prequel series can't simply be chalked up to flaws in one's genealogy this time around. No, the big and bloody battle of Rook's Rest that closes episode 4 instead comes with one particularly life-or-death decision made entirely through much more relatable shortcomings. We're talking about King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) and his spectacularly ill-advised impulse to fly into war on the back of his dragon Sunfyre. This level of recklessness has been brewing all season long, to be sure, as it's become increasingly clear that Aegon just isn't cut out for the responsibilities of taking the throne. From smaller warning signs like naming his moronic friends to the Kingsguard to massive red flags such as dismissing Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) as Hand of the King, Aegon's piling up mistakes at a rate we haven't seen since Joffrey himself.

So, what exactly motivated his foolhardy actions over Rook's Rest? We're glad you asked...

You know, maybe everybody should've listened to Aegon when he first told us who he was. When Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) enacted her coup to install her son as king in "House of the Dragon" season 1, the young heir went on a drunken bender in an attempt to avoid his destiny. To the amazement of his younger brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), he admitted he had no taste for power and no interest in taking charge of the realm. That unwillingness to serve has since curdled into an outright inability to rule, as season 2 has emphasized again and again. This began with Blood and Cheese murdering his young son and heir Jaehaerys and his horrific decision to have every rat-catcher in King's Landing hanged, turning public opinion against himself during what should've been his most sympathetic moment. Not to be outdone, his then banished Otto as second in command and left himself bereft of the only voice of reason in King's Landing.

But all that pales in comparison to what truly sets Aegon on a course for self-destruction. We see this final straw earlier in the episode, when his prior humiliation of Aemond in a brothel comes back to haunt him. While at a Small Council meeting to discuss their military strategies, the king's lack of experience is further exacerbated by Aemond intentionally leaving him in the dark about his and Criston Cole's (Fabien Frankel) plans to take Rook's Rest. Undermined and embarrassed in front of his closest advisors, Aegon turns to his mother Alicent. "They don't care what I think," he grouses to her. Instead of sympathy, however, he receives a stinging rebuke of his many failings: "Do simply what is needed of you: nothing."

So, naturally, that's the exact opposite of what he does.

Pride and power are a dangerous combination for someone so young who's been handed the keys to kingdom. Tragically, Aegon learns this the hard way at the cost of grievous injury — if not his very life. Remember, Aegon nearly pulled the same stunt in an earlier episode this season when he chafed at his Small Council's advice to be cautious rather than risk open war between deadly dragons, Westeros' equivalent of nuclear weapons. Intent on riding his dragon into war, the king is only dissuaded at the last second when Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) talks him out of it ... with a fair amount of overt manipulation thrown in there to appeal to his pride, as he warns that leaving King's Landing would make many believe that Alicent and Aemond are truly ruling the Seven Kingdoms. This time, even that can't stop him from his desperate need to regain a modicum of control.

Clearly overmatched and rendered impotent by Aemond, it's no surprise that Aegon decides on the rashest possible action and flies headlong into battle against Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best). What he couldn't have predicted, however, was that the vengeful Aemond would enter the fray atop his superior dragon Vhagar and promptly attack both airborne combatants — killing two birds in one stone and creating a direct path to the Iron Throne himself. The episode ends on an ambiguous note, leaving viewers to wonder whether Aegon's been left gravely injured or dead, but this is "House of the Dragon." Even if he survives, expect him to have to deal with the consequences throughout the rest of his life. Hope it was worth it, Aegon, you absolute dummy.

New episodes of "House of the Dragon" air on HBO and stream on Max every Sunday night.