The following article contains multiple spoilers for the first season of House of the Dragon.
Among the many beautifully dramatic events that transpired during the first season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, perhaps the most tragic was the gradual downfall of King Viserys. Whether or not you read George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, which chronicles the history of the Targaryens, viewers were still awestruck by the riveting and tragic story of Viserys. A kind and sympathetic man who never wanted the crown, but still completely understood the importance of his position and did his utmost to uphold it, no matter how much it would weigh him down mentally and physically. Viserys’ actor Paddy Considine carried the role with absolute grace, right up to his incredibly tragic end, and audiences everywhere commended his performance. In a new interview with Variety, Considine finally revealed what the illness was that literally made Viserys deteriorate before our eyes, and why portraying it so vividly was so important to the underlying message of the show.
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Audiences grappled with the severity of Viserys’ illness as it progressed throughout the season, but the actual illness was never outright declared on the show. Theories circulated with many believing that it was a form of leprosy that took his life. Actor Paddy Considine has now confirmed this during his interview, and described how the character’s unresolved grief throughout the season exacerbated his withering health.
“How she met her end was something that haunted him for the rest of his life. When he started to become sick early on, it was almost a manifestation of the guilt that he felt over Aemma’s death. So he just allowed himself to get sicker and sicker. He never asked for a cure. He never asked for help. Viserys almost accepted his fate, really, as punishment.”
He also remarked how, when he went back to watch episode 8, the final scene reminded him of his father’s tragic battle with cancer.
“The end, when he lies in the bed, it was very shocking to me, because I looked [like] the image of my dad when he was dying of cancer…I remember one day looking into his eyes, and I just said to him, “Dad…” — this is very difficult. [Long pause.] But I said, ‘Dad, just let go. Just let go, Dad.’ And he couldn’t. He didn’t want to let go…But sometimes when people pass, I feel like they know. It’s like when a dog goes away to die on its own. And I felt that very much with Viserys.””
The second season of House of the Dragon is currently in production, and is preparing to bring all-out war between the Blacks and the Greens, beginning with vengeance by Daemon and Rhaenyra for her murdered son, Lucerys. Leaks of at least one crucial scene being filmed have already begun appearing on social media, though with principal photography having since wrapped, it’s likely that further leaks will be sparse as shooting resumes largely behind tightly locked doors back in Belfast.
The new season will premiere sometime next year and has already been said to be unaffected by the ongoing writer’s strike by author George R. R. Martin.
You can view the original article HERE.
