We Love Henry Cavill, But Casting Him as Aegon Would Ruing Everything

But does the part really suit him? And why Aegon the Conqueror anyway?

Should Aegon I make an appearance in the series, it will be via a flashback, given that the Dance of the Dragons comes some hundred years after his death.

And while this is not necessarily a problem, given the influence of Aegon I Targaryen on everything that followed his reign, it would seem like a waste of Cavill who would be far better suited to playing a young Robert Baratheon.

Aegon I was, of course, a great warrior, but like all Targaryens he is slight of build with much of his strength in leadership coming from qualities other than his physical size and power.

Robert Baratheon, on the other hand, was an all-out warrior. His size, strength and fighting ability were what made him the warrior and king that he became. So much so that years later, as we saw in Game of Thrones, his reputation and influence continued long after he had let himself go physically and had become too fat for his armour.

What we also saw in Game of Thrones was that Robert Baratheon was, in fact, a terrible king. Ultimately, his skill on the battlefield could not compensate for his inability to rule a kingdom. So, with the correct build and image to play another key individual in the history of Westeros, casting Henry Cavill as Aegon I would ruin everything.

Firstly, it would fail Aegon who could (and should) be so better represented on screen. But more than that, it would deny fans the opportunity to have arguably the most apt actor to play the part of the young Robert Baratheon when the time comes for his part in the story to be told.

Then there is the elephant in the room that is Henry Cavill’s adaptability as an actor. Superman is pretty one-dimensional and seems to suit the actor. Robert Baratheon would appear to be a similar role to play in that it’s quite straightforward with not too many internal conflicts going on. Robert knows what he is, likes what he is and is happy to use his talents to get what he wants.

Targaryens are generally more complex. And I’m not saying Henry Cavill definitely couldn’t play the role successfully. But his existing filmography and reputation would mean he has unnecessary obstacles to overcome when it comes to winning over some fans.

And those fans who utterly adore him would most likely struggle to watch him play Aegon I with the open-mindedness that feels like it will be necessary.