‘House of the Dragon’: Paddy Considine Believes Viserys’ Illness Is a ‘Metaphor for What Power Does’
TL;DR:
- King Viserys Targaryen suffers from a serious illness throughout House of the Dragon.
- According to Paddy Considine, his character’s condition is a “metaphor” for power.
- Viserys may have fared better if he’d rejected the crown and its pressures.
House of the Dragon has bid farewell to King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) after eight episodes of him grappling with an illness that slowly deteriorated his body. By the time Viserys took his final bow, he’d lost multiple fingers and an eye, developed skin lesions, and aged considerably. According to actor Paddy Considine, his condition is “a metaphor for what power does to people.” And given the state of his house, it’s possible Viserys should have passed on the opportunity to rule.
[Warning: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon Episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides.”]
What illness does King Viserys have in ‘House of the Dragon’? He’s dealing with leprosy
From House of the Dragon Episode 1, it’s clear that King Viserys Targaryen suffers from a degenerative illness — though viewers don’t know which one off the bat.
During an appearance on EW’s West of Westeros podcast, Paddy Considine cleared up any confusion. He revealed that Viserys has “a form of leprosy,” going on to say, “His body is deteriorating. His bones are deteriorating.”
But despite King Viserys’ illness, Considine’s character makes it well into House of the Dragon Season 1. He looks older and older with each of the prequel’s time jumps, but he continues to hold the kingdom together. Of course, even with Viserys, the House of the Dragon is hanging by a thread. And according to Considine, his character’s condition is meant to highlight the downside of power.
Paddy Considine says King Viserys’ deteriorating health is a ‘metaphor’ for power
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Paddy Considine discussed King Viserys’ death in House of the Dragon — and the illness that caused it.
The actor noted that Viserys’ condition serves as a “metaphor,” aging him in a way that represents the negatives of power, even when wielded responsibly:
“And it’s a metaphor for what power does to people, even though he doesn’t use it for his own personal gain. He doesn’t get drunk on the power, he’s responsible. But the demands of being a king take their toll on the physical body. So it was interesting playing that decline in him. He’s just trying to do good. He gets to say a few words before he leaves, which I was grateful for.”
It’s fortunate that Viserys gets to say his piece before his time comes to an end. However, it won’t be enough to stop the war looming in House of the Dragon. It leaves viewers to wonder whether Viserys should have passed on the opportunity to be king — especially since Rhaenys (Eve Best) was meant to inherit the Iron Throne.
Should Viserys have passed on the Iron Throne?
With his reign taking a massive toll on King Viserys — and House Targaryen in general — one has to wonder whether Paddy Considine’s character would have fared better without such pressure. After all, Princess Rhaenys was set to inherit the Iron Throne. And that might have prevented the current rift within the Targaryen family.
Considine has previously spoken about Viserys’ shortcomings as king, and he reiterated the point during his interview with THR.
“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.’”
Sadly, that’s not how Viserys’ life goes. And despite his best intentions, House Targaryen will remain fractured as the series approaches the Dance of the Dragons.
New episodes of House of the Dragon debut every Sunday on HBO.
