One of the most challenging barriers to entry intoGame of ThronesorHouse of the Dragonis the tremendous cast of characters. Most shows ask fans to know ten or fifteen central figures, perhaps with a few supporting players or one-off appearances.House of the Dragonpacks dozens of knights, lords, and ladies. The impressive depth and quantity draw eyes to a short, moving story like that of Queen Aemma Arryn.
The teams behindGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragontook liberties with the source material, but always within reason. Barring the ill-fated final seasons of the original HBO adaptation, most creative choices sacrificed little to gain much. InHouse of the Dragon, a scene that earned little focus in the book became one of the series' most moving moments. Queen Aemma stars in one of the best adaptive choices in either show.
Who Was Rhaenyra’s Mother?
Queen Aemma Arryn is Rhaenyra Targaryen’s mother. She was the first wife of King Viserys I Targaryen. Aemma was born to Lord Rodrik Arryn and Princess Daella Targaryen in 82 AC. Rodrik was the patriarch of House Arryn, Lord of the Eyrie, andDefender of the Valewhen he had Aemma. Daella was the eighth child of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, giving Aemma Targaryen blood. Incest is a routine in House Targaryen, a tradition inherited from the dragonlords of Old Valyria. The ruling family of Westeros frequently married close relatives to keep their bloodline pure, but that grotesque decision resulted infrequent and insurmountable congenital problems. Her parents married her to her cousin Viserys in 93 AC when she was eleven. The circumstances of their relationship were cordial, yet nightmarish, as Aemma faced the sad truth of her expectations as Queen consort of the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.
Aemma’s life was dedicated almost entirely to the cause of giving Viserys a healthy male heir. Her inability to do so caused many to lose faith in her, placing constant strain on herposition in the Red Keepand her marriage. She suffered numerous miscarriages. In 97 AC, she gave birth to her first and only healthy child, Rhaenyra Targaryen. Medical science being what it was at the time, no one suggested the poor girl’s age or direct blood relation to her husband as potential factors in her many problematic births. Aemma and Viserystreasured Rhaenyra but neededa son to serve as an acceptable heir to the Iron Throne. The timeline shifts between the series and the books. In the show, Aemma becomes pregnant five more times after Rhaenyra, but none of the infants survive. Her life was reduced to the “duty” of providing her husband with an heir, and her tragic inability to do so rendered her miserable. She describes her feelings on the matter like this:
I know it is my duty to provide you an heir, and I’m sorry if I have failed you in that. I am. But I’ve mourned all the dead children I can.
Was Aemma Arryn a Dragonrider?
Aemma Arryn never claimed or rode a dragon. The books and series never spell out the reason explicitly, but several theories exist. Aemma had Targaryen blood, but her parents raised her in theVale with House Arryn. Her only connection to House Targaryen came through her mother, Daella. Daella also never claimed a dragon. She was a timid and fearful young lady prone to breaking down in tears. She developed a lifelong fear of cats when her childhood kitten scratched her. Daella’s soft heart would never allow her to approach a dragon, meaning the only person in Aemma’s early life with any connection to the mighty beasts would have been too afraid of them to offer guidance.
When Aemma left home to marry Viserys, she grew no closer to dragons. Viserysselected his dragon, Balerion, the same year he married Aemma, but the Black Dread died the following year. Viserys never picked a second dragon. The only person close to Aemma who rode a dragon was her daughter Rhaenyra. Aemma regularly expressed distaste for her daughter’s hobby, suggesting a broad dislike for dragon riding. Spending most of her time bearing children, Aemma never pursued dragon riding.
What Happened to Queen Aemma?
Aemma’s story ended the only way it could have. After one healthy child and several unsuccessful births, Aemma died in childbirth. In the books, she passes away from unexplained complications, leaving her daughter and husband distraught. The show’s brilliant adaptive flair combines her fate with that of Queen Alyssa Velaryon to capture new dimensions. As Aemma prepares to give birth, Viserys beginsexperiencing prophetic dreamsof his potential heir. He assures her that she’s carrying the next king, while she promises him that she can’t mourn another child.
Aemma goes into labor, but the fetus is breech. Aemma’s condition is rapidly declining, and Viserys is faced with a choice. The maester can perform a rudimentary cesarean section to save the fetus, but doing so will kill Aemma.Viserys reluctantly instructsthe professionals to save his son. Aemma dies on the birthing bed, screaming in agony as she bleeds her last for the cause that ruined her life. Viserys is devastated, but the true horror of his actions only dawns on him a few hours later when his newborn son Baelon dies. It’s one of the most upsetting moments in a franchise universally known for its shocking deaths.
Much ofHouse of the Dragonis about women’s place in the patriarchal monarchy. Aemma’s grim fate demonstrates the nightmarish fate of even the mostpowerful ladies in Westeros. She loses everything for her husband’s dream. Her freedom, home, bodily autonomy, and life become necessary sacrifices for the benefit of a man who claims to love her. Rhaenyra is her legacy, a woman who experienced sexism and mistreatment firsthand. Her campaign of vengeance and resistance is the only rational response.
