With the last time jump of season 1 of House of the Dragon, six years have passed since episode 7, and King Viserys’ condition has only worsened. At the end of episode 8, fans say goodbye to Paddy Considine’s King Viserys, the first of his name and the current ruler of Westeros.
But in his last moments, King Viserys may have unknowingly lit the match to the fire that will consume the House of the Dragon, i.e., the House of Targaryen.
Episode 8, titled “The Lord of the Tides,” dealt with the hastened succession of Driftmark following Lord Corlys taking ill and barely hanging on to life. A matter to be resolved with words alone turned bloody when Lord Vaemond disputed the King’s last assertion, and Prince Daemon slayed Corlys’ brother.
King Viserys, maybe knowing that his end is near, demands his family to have a dinner together. The last supper seemed to be going well enough, with a glimmer of hope to reunite the Green and Black Queens, but alas, it was not to last.
Following a fight instigated by Aemond discreetly teasing his “strong” and wise nephews, viewers know for sure that Alicent and Rhaenyra’s children will carry on the Dance of the Dragons.
But Viserys’ words on his deathbed are what may have started the civil war much before the children of House of the Dragon could have begun.
During the episode, when Rhaenyra sought his belief in the Song of Ice and Fire and her succession to the Iron Throne, Viserys had not been able to console her coherently. However, he did make his belief in Aegon’s dream known, his genuine belief that Rhaenyra was the one promised in Aegon’s dream.
But one flaw he did not notice was that his words were spoken not to Princess Rhaenyra but to Queen Alicent, who promptly took his words as a blessing to crown their son Aegon as the Iron Throne’s next king.
And with Rhaenyra gone to Dragonstone, unknowingly missing her father’s death, and Alicent’s scheme taking hold, Viserys may have started the Targaryen civil war – though not on purpose.
And now, his death and words mark the true beginning of the Dance of the Dragons. Things might not turn bloody immediately, but fans can expect the drama to increase tenfold every Sunday on HBO Max.
About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
Source: HBO Max
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