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TL;DR:

  • War is brewing in House of the Dragon now that King Viserys is dead.
  • According to Paddy Considine, his character made one huge mistake.
  • King Viserys’ choices will have a lasting impact on House Targaryen.
Paddy Considine as King Viserys in 'House of the Dragon' Episode 8 for our article about how his illness is a 'metaphor.' He's wearing a mask that covers half of his face and leaning on the Iron Throne.
Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen | Ollie Upton/HBO

House of the Dragon has been building to a Targaryen civil war since its very first episode, and now it’s finally on our doorstep. After King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) death in House of the Dragon Episode 8, the knives are coming out, just as Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) predicted. Despite Viserys’ best efforts to keep the peace — within his kingdom and his court — the matter of his succession threatens to tear House Targaryen apart. And according to Paddy Considine, his character made one major mistake to get here.

[Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon Episode 9, “The Green Council.”]

War follows King Viserys’ death in ‘House of the Dragon’

King Viserys Targaryen takes his final bow during House of the Dragon Episode 8, and the death of Paddy Considine’s character kicks off a chain of events that there’s no turning back from.

Now that the one person holding House Targaryen together is gone, the two factions of Viserys’ court have begun to reveal their true intentions. Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and his followers have been planning to usurp Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) throne for years. They’re finally making their move, and Rhaenyra is likely to retaliate once she learns about it.

Needless to say, Viserys’ death has left the realm in chaos, something viewers could have predicted after the events of House of the Dragon Season 1. To the king’s credit, he tries to prevent this from happening. But according to Paddy Considine, Viserys made his biggest mistake before most of the show’s rivalries even existed.

Paddy Considine says King Viserys made 1 big mistake

Although King Viserys tries his best to make peace within his family before his death, one could argue that most of the conflict in House of the Dragon stems from his decisions. His request that Rhaenyra and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) set aside their differences is too little, too late. In a sense, Viserys’ kindness and desire to keep everyone happy backfire dramatically.

But those aren’t the things Paddy Considine points to when thinking about where the king went wrong. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Considine revealed the one mistake his character made: according to him, Viserys shouldn’t have been king in the first place.

“The only mistake he made was becoming king,” Considine told THR. “He should have said, ‘No, give it to Rhaenys. I don’t want it. I’m going to fly some dragons and have a good time with the ladies in nefarious places of town.’”

That certainly would have proven more relaxing, and it might have led House Targaryen to a better place. Considine shared a similar sentiment during an appearance on Entertainment Weekly’s West of Westeros podcast, where he noted that being a good person isn’t enough to lead in Westeros.

“He’s the sort of man who’s king, but he shouldn’t really be a king,” the actor explained. “Because he’s not a natural leader. He’s just a good man, and that’s not the quality you need to rule that kingdom.”

Unfortunately, Viserys did decide to rule — and his family may suffer the consequences of that choice for years to come.

The events of ‘House of the Dragon’ will have a lasting impact on House Targaryen

Related

‘House of the Dragon’: Paddy Considine Believes Viserys’ Illness Is a ‘Metaphor for What Power Does’

Paddy Considine makes good points about King Viserys’ weaknesses, but it’s too late to correct his actions in House of the Dragon. In the wake of his reign, the two factions of his court will fight over the Iron Throne. And their war will no doubt have a lasting impact on House Targaryen, one that weakens its foundations and eventually leads to its downfall.

There’s a reason Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and her brother are in exile when Game of Thrones opens, and the Dance of the Dragons inevitably leads to the demise of their family line. It also serves as the beginning of the end of dragons in Westeros.

That’s not what King Viserys intended, but it’s an indirect result of his decisions. Perhaps if Rhaenys had ruled, as Paddy Considine suggests, the Targaryens’ history would have turned out differently.

Alas, then we wouldn’t have A Song of Ice and Fire.

New episodes of House of the Dragon air every Sunday on HBO.

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