Ewan Mitchell’s House Of The Dragon Nude Scene Had An Uncomfortable Problem
Sex and the “Game of Thrones” franchise go hand in hand, serving as scandalous material while also revealing something about the characters. This is fully apparent in “House of the Dragon” Season 2, Episode 3 — “The Burning Mill” — when Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is embarrassed by his brother, King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), at a brothel when it’s revealed he’s getting intimate with a woman. It doesn’t sound like getting nude was necessarily an issue for Mitchell, as he’s used to being hot while wearing leather all day. Conversely, the primary issue was the surprisingly cold temperature.
Mitchell appeared alongside Fabien Frankel on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” where he talked about his big scene. “I had a nude scene in Episode 2 and 3, so I thought I’d walk it and that’d be like the perfect temperature for those scenes,” Mitchell explained. “But during the shoot day, we went past our normal studio — we went to a different studio, Studio F, and it’s like a fridge freezer.” Baring all and walking away after the embarrassment with his head raised high is an integral part of Aemond’s character, giving deeper meaning to Mitchell’s full-frontal “House of the Dragon” nude scene to serve the plot while grabbing the audience’s attention.
Fallon’s viewers might laugh, but no one wants to be cold when it’s all just hanging out. “It was a shock to the system,” Mitchell continued. “A shock to the naked body. I hope you enjoyed it — and I hope my mother is okay with it.”
Ewan Mitchell’s nude scene serves as a catalyst for what happens next
Perhaps being cold assisted Ewan Mitchell’s performance for his big “House of the Dragon” nude scene. It’s a vulnerable moment for Aemond, with Aegon ruining a place that brought him comfort, and he has to show it doesn’t bother him by walking naked through the area. Aegon has certainly given Aemond difficult times throughout their lives, which makes it obvious why Aemond tries to kill Aegon in the following episode when the two are caught in the Battle of Rook’s Rest atop their dragons. It’s a culmination of a lifetime of emotional torture, and as evidenced by Season 2, Episode 5 — “Regents” — everything has come up Aemond, at least for the time being.
Aegon is alive but healing, meaning Aemond becomes Prince Regent and Protector of the Realm to oversee the machinations of the ongoing war between the Greens and the Blacks. Whether Aemond intentionally meant to harm Aegon could be up for debate, but Aegon’s health issues clearly benefit Aemond in the short term, as Mitchell elaborated in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It was no secret that he felt like Aegon was inferior to himself,” he said. “He felt like Aegon lacked the perseverance to be a leader.”
It’s an incredible arc to witness, as Aemond is at an exceptionally low point. He goes from being shown naked in front of many to effectively becoming the king (even if the title remains with Aegon for the time being). And this could just be the beginning. There are things about Aemond only hardcore “House of the Dragon” fans know, and he could grow more ruthless with each passing episode.