George R.R. Martin didn't just write a villain when he created the King of Scabs. He wrote a tragedy. Most people watching Game of Thrones or reading A Song of Ice and Fire see a screaming old man obsessed with wildfire, but that's just the messy ending. The real story of Aerys II Targaryen is way more complicated—and honestly, way more depressing—than just "he went crazy."
He wasn't born a monster.
In his youth, Aerys was the breath of fresh air the Seven Kingdoms desperately needed after the tragedy at Summerhall. He was handsome. He was ambitious. He was, by all accounts, a man who wanted to leave a legacy that would dwarf his ancestors. But ambition without focus is a dangerous thing, especially when you've got the Targaryen coin-flip hanging over your head.
The Early Years: Why Everyone Actually Liked Aerys II Targaryen
It's weird to think about now, but people loved him at first. When he took the throne in 262 AC, the realm was optimistic. He replaced the old, stodgy advisors of his father’s reign with younger, more energetic men. His biggest win? Naming a young Tywin Lannister as Hand of the King.
They were friends. Best friends, really.
Aerys had these massive, world-changing dreams. He talked about building a new Wall further north to claim more land. He wanted to bring water to the deserts of Dorne and turn the sands into a garden. He even floated the idea of building a second King's Landing entirely out of white marble on the other side of the Blackwater.
None of it happened.
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That’s the thing about Aerys—he had the attention span of a goldfish. He would start a project, get bored, and move on to the next shiny thing. While he was dreaming of marble cities, Tywin Lannister was actually running the kingdom. And that's where the rot started. People started saying Tywin was the real king. They said Aerys was just the figurehead. For a man as proud and insecure as Aerys, that was a death sentence for their friendship.
The Defiance of Duskendale: The Day Everything Changed
If you want to pinpoint the exact moment Aerys II Targaryen lost his mind, look no further than the Defiance of Duskendale. It was 277 AC. Lord Denys Darklyn of Duskendale wanted certain rights for his town and stopped paying taxes to get the King’s attention.
Aerys, eager to prove he didn't need Tywin, decided to handle it himself.
It was a disaster.
He was captured and thrown into a dungeon for six months. Six months of being mocked, possibly tortured, and living in filth while Tywin Lannister sat outside the city walls with an army, basically waiting for Aerys to die so Rhaegar could take the throne. Eventually, Ser Barristan Selmy pulled off a legendary solo rescue mission, but the man who came out of that dungeon wasn't the man who went in.
He wouldn't let anyone touch him. Not even his servants. His hair grew into a matted mess, and his fingernails turned into long, yellow talons. He became obsessed with fire because he didn't trust blades. He saw traitors in every shadow, especially in his own son and his Hand.
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The Wildfire Obsession and the Alchemists' Guild
By the time the tourney at Harrenhal rolled around, Aerys was a shell of a human. He was skeletal and terrified. He started surrounding himself with the Alchemists' Guild—the "pyromancers"—because they were the only ones who could produce the "substance." Wildfire.
He called it "the fruits of the dragon."
- He burned Lord Chelsted.
- He burned Qarlton Chelsted.
- He burned countless others just to watch the green flames.
He didn't just use fire for executions; he used it for sexual arousal. Every time he burned someone, he would visit Queen Rhaella. The accounts from the Kingsguard, particularly Jaime Lannister, describe these nights as horrific. The King was no longer a person; he was a collection of phobias and cruel impulses wrapped in a crown.
The Fall: Robert’s Rebellion and the "Burn Them All" Command
The kidnapping of Lyanna Stark (or the elopement, depending on who you ask) was the spark, but Aerys was the fuel. When Brandon Stark rode into the Red Keep demanding Rhaegar "come out and die," Aerys didn't see a disgruntled nobleman. He saw a conspiracy.
He arrested Brandon. Then he summoned Brandon’s father, Rickard Stark.
What happened next is the most famous scene of his reign. He promised Rickard a trial by combat. Rickard showed up in his armor, expecting a duel. Aerys chose "Fire" as his champion. He hung Rickard Stark from the rafters and lit a blaze underneath him while Brandon was strapped into a strangling device, reaching for a sword just out of reach to save his father.
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They both died. And Aerys laughed.
That was the end. You can't murder the Warden of the North and his heir in cold blood and expect the rest of the lords to sit tight. Jon Arryn raised his banners, Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark followed, and the Targaryen dynasty began to crumble.
Why the Mad King Still Matters for Westeros
Aerys II Targaryen isn't just a historical footnote. His reign defines the trauma of the entire current generation in the books and show.
- The Jaime Lannister Arc: Jaime’s entire identity is forged in the moment he drove a sword through Aerys's back. He broke his vows to save half a million people from the wildfire caches Aerys had hidden under the city. He’s the "Kingslayer," a title of shame for an act that was actually his most heroic moment.
- The Daenerys Shadow: Every choice Daenerys makes is haunted by the fear of being her father’s daughter. "I am not my father," is practically her mantra until the bells ring in King's Landing.
- The Lannister Power Base: Tywin’s coldness and ruthlessness were a direct reaction to being disrespected by a man he once considered a brother.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Lore Buffs
If you're trying to piece together the full history of the Mad King, don't just rely on the show's snippets. There's a lot of nuance in the text that explains the "why" behind the "what."
- Read The World of Ice and Fire: This book provides the most detailed account of the Duskendale crisis. It reads like a history book and gives you the political context the show missed.
- Analyze the Jaime chapters in A Storm of Swords: This is where we get the first-hand account of Aerys’s final days. It’s the most reliable source for his actual behavior during the Sack of King's Landing.
- Study the "Great Council" history: Understanding how Targaryen succession works helps you see why Aerys was so paranoid about Rhaegar potentially calling a council to depose him.
The Mad King wasn't a cartoon villain. He was a man with a fragile psyche who was broken by the pressures of a crown he wasn't strong enough to wear and a friendship he wasn't secure enough to keep. When you look at the ruins of the Red Keep or the wildfire pits still hidden under the streets, you aren't just seeing the remnants of a war—you're seeing the physical manifestation of one man's descent into the dark.
To really understand the current state of Westeros, you have to look at the scars Aerys left behind. They haven't healed yet. Maybe they never will.