When it comes to Westeros, the one thing you don’t do is grow too attached to characters. During House of the Dragon Season 1, we grew to love Rhaenyra Targaryen’s three illegitimate sons, Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey Velaryon. In the finale, Luke is killed after his uncle, Aemond, loses control of Vhagar.
Upon the news of the middle Velaryon’s death reaching the Black Queen, Rhaenyra silently vows vengeance. We won’t get the aftermath until 2024, but we can talk about Jace and Luke and how they’re the opposites of Aegon and Aemond.
Before we begin, we’ll cover the trouble with Aegon the Elder and Aemond in another post. So, let’s get into it.
The Situation With Vhagar
After the death of Laena Velaryon, the mother of Rhaena and Baela Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen’s second wife, Lucerys and Jacaerys, are sent by their mother to comfort their cousins. Later, a fight breaks out between Luke, Jace and Aemond when the middle son of Viserys and Alicent claims Vhagar.
This was a snub to Rhaena, who was meant to claim her mother’s dragon as she didn’t have one. An argument assures between the children, with Lucerys jumping in to defend Rhaena. Meanwhile, Jace grabs a knife, but it gets knocked out of his hand. Luke manages to capture the weapon and accidentally blinds Aemond with it.
When the accident gets back to their parents, Alicent demands that Luke’s eye get taken in exchange for her son’s. Aemond manages to stop her and says he might’ve lost an eye, but he gained a dragon in Vhagar. However, this doesn’t stop her from attacking Rhaenyra, who has a scar on her wrist after the queen slashes her with Viserys’ dagger.
Differences Between Jace And Luke And Aegon And Aemond
Here are the differences between Lucerys and Jacaerys and their uncles.
Aegon and Aemond would never defend a woman. Luke and Jace would. Aegon sees women as playthings as he raped a maid. Aemond’s just a savage trained by Criston Cole, who is still bitter because Rhaenyra refused to marry him all those years ago. Also, the boys’ upbringing reflects on their mothers.
Luke and Jace are also polite to their aunt, Helaena. Jacaerys asks the princess to dance during Viserys’ last supper. She is happy to do so as she says Aegon ignores her half the time.
The Velaryon boys also don’t treat their female counterparts like trash. When Jace is trying to learn High Valyrian, a handmaid is seen sitting on the floor with little Joffrey. Jace and Luke also take the hands of Rhaena and Baela at their mother’s funeral. The foursome also appears to smile when it is made public that they are betrothed.
Before the boys depart in the finale, they swear their allegiance to their mother, addressing Rhaenyra as “Your Grace.”
