‘House Of The Dragon’s Benjamin Evan Ainsworth On Season 3, Episode 6

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains details from episode 6 of House of the Dragon on HBO.

With only two episodes left of the third season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, the pieces are falling in to place for Ormund Hightower (James Norton) as Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) watches in the wings.

In the first half of the season, Targaryen kept his guard up and was mindful of his actions in front of his captor, fearing harm may come to him by Hightower if he mades any missteps. On Sunday’s episode, he is finally able to tell someone these fears as his uncle, Ser Gwayne Hightower, vistits Tumbleton to give updates on the war throughout Westeros.

Daeron makes it clear to his uncle that he has only been following Ormund’s orders and agreeing with his decisions for self-preservation, not because what Ormund is doing is right. He also lets it be known to Gwayne that while Ormund tells him all this is being done so Daeron can take his seat on the Iron Throne, he is very aware that the chances of becoming king one day are highly unlikely.

The episode also features a failed assassination attempt on Ormund by Rhaenyra that is thwarted by Gwayne. The scene ends with a number of dead bodies and also shows Gwayne and Daeron how Ormund feels about lost limbs and blood as he vomits in front of them.

Ainsworth sat down with Deadline to discuss this week’s episode, including if his character admires some of the schemes Ormund is plotting, his first season on the show, and whether there is more drama to come in Tumbleton before the season comes to an end.

DEADLINE: Congrats on the first season Ben, how are you finding it so far?

BENJAMIN EVAN AINSWORTH: Well, it’s been it’s been an honor, really. I was a huge fan of Game of Thrones and the first two seasons of Dragon, so I kind of came into the audition process as a fan. So when it came to doing the audition, it was like, the coolest thing ever in itself, but now to be here, having wrapped and watching these episodes come out and seeing the reception, it has been kind of like a whirlwind, but a dream come true.

DEADLINE: So the first five episodes, it’s pretty clear Daeron is minding his steps when he’s around Ormond. This is the episode where he’s finally able to say, “I feel like a puppet” and “I’m only doing these things so he doesn’t harm me.”Is he in complete survival mode right now? Or is there a part of him that kind of like weirdly admires the way Ormond is playing the Game of Thrones?

AINSWORTH: I think the relationship he has with Ormond is twisted and controlling and manipulative in many ways, but I think it has a bedrock of love that’s binding it together. However warped it may be, I remember in episode 4 where in the beginning he’s kind of talking to the people of Tumbleton and gelding the man who had who had done wrong. There’s almost like a pride and an admiration there in a moment like that. But then the complete opposite, in another moment, where he’s being forced to kill Leo by Ormond. I think he has his guard up all the time with Ormond. He has to, because anything could happen at any moment. He’s had to learn how to deal with him as a character out of survival. There is an aspect of him which has an admiration and wants to be admired by Ormond as well. He’s a 17-year-old kid who’s has no parental figures. He’s sent away from his mother and I think he longs for that kind of affection.

DEADLINE: So Ormond’s assassins are raising havoc in King’s Landing, killing Daemon’s men under Ormond’s orders, but in the name of King Daeron. Do you actually think he has the aspirations to be king or, if he had a choice, would he rather just be a high lord and just not have bear the responsibility?

AINSWORTH: If you asked him two weeks before Season 3, he would never have dreamed of being king. It wasn’t on his mind. This kind of prospect has been thrust upon him in this season. He’s been thrown in the middle of the dance between Hightower and Targaryen. I think he’s still kind of grappling with the shock of it as well as questioning himself. What do I want? I find kind of that one was more interesting than the answer in many ways, the aspect of him coming of age and figuring out who he is through this chaotic time. But if he were to think about being king, it comes from a position of almost getting out of this domineering relationship. Like a sense of freedom away from that. I suppose leading with his awareness, with his kind of empathy, but also I think he has no idea nor decided on any path.

DEADLINE: You’ve spent a lot of this season basically talking a lot; there’s not a lot of action going on. You get your first big set piece even though you’re not quite involved, more of an observer. While it’s an awesome scene, there’s a very important moment, I feel, where we see how Orman reacts when he’s in a situation like this. The actual sight of blood and dead bodies makes him vomit. I’m curious, while Daeron looks rattled because of what he just witnessed, he looks over and part of me wonders, does Daeron now see Orman as a weaker leader, and not this powerful person? Does that moment give Daeron thoughts about how he can control the situation and maybe get out of this because of how Orman reacts in that moment?

AINSWORTH: I think it’s definitely a change in the way Daeron is seeing things. A lot of it is the shock of the moment, but also there is certainly something to the idea that I’ve been controlled and kind of molded by this person. As soon things become real and dangerous, he’s debilitated. And so there’s almost a frustration with that. How can I be controlled by someone who has been taken out this easily? I don’t think it computes to something directly I can use against him in that moment, but I suppose it really feels like a kettle boiling in this episode. The power dynamics are really kind of teetering and getting closer to switching the other way.