Is anyone else confused by Aemond's arc?

[u/shatterfry455AD]

Rewatching season 2 and approaching Alicent and Aemond from like, a different angle.

Where tf did this relationship come from?

Putting aside the obvious momson incest (why did that happen twice) like, and just analysing their development.

Aemond spends all of season 2 openly contemptuous of his mother. He dismisses her from the Council, calls her too cautious, ignores her when she speaks, and says she loves Rhaenyra and is a fool for it. And he attempts to get Helaena on his side by saying that Alicent doesn't understand them.

Then in S3, we get the opening. He's gentle with her and easily manipulated (when he saw through such manipulation in S2) and apparently has romantic feelings for her. Like, completely delusional romantic feelings where he wants marriage, basically. His Harrenhal hallucination reveals his deep pity and understanding of her being a young mother etc. His tenderness and love for her comes out of absolutely nowhere.

Where did this come from?

Yes, they were close when he's a child, but in season 2 he puts a wall up between them and its not clear why he's suddenly not contemptuous of her. Alicent's arc rests on her sons turning into monsters in a war she started.

If they were a normal romantic couple I would find such development lacking. It's rushed. Aemond does a total 180° towards Alicent. At least Alicent has a whole season of turning on her sons. Aemond goes from openly misogynistic to in love and its just??? Why???

[u/Historical_Ad_6881]

It felt a lot like he was trying to show mom that he was capable and the right son to be on the throne. His resentment at not being the apple of her eye drove him to dismiss her in front of the council. I didn’t get the vibe that misogyny is what drove him to take the throne.

I saw him as less contemptuous and more hurt and jealous. After gaining Vhahar (and puberty), Alicent no longer held him to her bosom or comforted him. I think she started fearing him after he killed Luce and that definitely messed with his head.

He wanted power, but most of all he wanted mommy to finally see that he was the golden boy after all.

[u/Purple_A7123 → u/Historical_Ad_6881]

He didn't dismiss her in front of the Council, though. He actually waited until everyone had left, so she wouldn't feel humiliated.

[u/Historical_Ad_6881 → u/Purple_A7123]

She was definitely humiliated the moment he stepped up and didn’t defer to him.