Childhood traumas have more hold on us than we would like to admit, and understandably so, as these formative experiences contribute to our worldviews and how safe we feel in the presence of another. None of the Targaryen/Velaryon kids experienced normalcy while growing up; they were all thrust into a world of duty, power, responsibility, and deceit even before they could connect with themselves or comprehend their innermost instincts. However, some, like Aemond, have always felt invisible despite putting substantial efforts into shouldering responsibility or looking out for their own.

In stark contrast, Aegon has never shouldered serious responsibility despite being the first-born. He has been sexually abusive, drowned himself in liquor instead of processing sorrow, and flaunted his callous attitude whenever confronted. Even as a young kid, he contributed to Aemond being viciously bullied when he teamed up with Rhaenyra’s children to mock his lack of a dragon, thus twisting the knife of resentment deeper. In the present, as King of the Iron Throne (a title that simply fell into his lap), Aegon’s bristling, impotent anger hurts him during significant decision-making and leaves him vulnerable to manipulation — traits that only prove that he was never fit to be a ruler.

Aemond’s reasons for resenting his brother do not simply lie in the past; he is also a silent observer of the current inadequacies that render Aegon ineffective which simultaneously informing his decisions as King. Aemond is objectively more deserving of the King’s mantle; he is not susceptible to unchecked emotions or manipulations, and is a formidable strategist and military advisor. A culmination of these factors hurls Aemond towards a simple goal: forceful usurpation when the opportunity presents itself, which is exactly what transpires during the Battle at Rook’s Rest.