House of the Dragon spoiler thread

[Older Beholder]

I thought inbreeding was accepted practice for Targaryans, Deamon intimated it was their way and sibling unions seemed to be normal-ish in their lineage.

Sure, if we’re taking Daemon’s word on things. Alicent isn’t Targaryen though, so I can understand her point a view on the matter, like I said above, there are a number of reasons she’s mad about what Rhaenyra did. It’s not just moral judgment, there’s also jealousy, etc.

Pukunui said that Alicent‘s moralising did not compute with him because of the tapestries. I was explaining why I thought it made sense that her character would act that way.

 

[Zardnaar]

I thought inbreeding was accepted practice for Targaryans, Deamon intimated it was their way and sibling unions seemed to be normal-ish in their lineage.

In comparison You’ve got an old king taking his daughters teen companion as a replacement queen in a room hung with erotic tapestries, that seems equally scandalous really - especially with the added scandal of her being pimped out by he father The Hand…

You're judging it with modern values. Nobility often didn't have to much choice in terms of marriages. In some cases the law drastically narrowed down the options.

Valyria is more like the Romans with incest being fine, Westeros not so tolerant of incest.

It's a feudal society but not monotheistic and their pornographic images in the background isn't any worse than what they've found in Pompeii.

 

[billd91]

I thought inbreeding was accepted practice for Targaryans, Deamon intimated it was their way and sibling unions seemed to be normal-ish in their lineage.

It is, and if the show follows the book, there's more to come.

That said, marrying a couple of closely related Targaryans in an incestuous relationship to protect the bloodline is one thing. From Viserys's perspective, your brother having extramarital sex with your unmarried daughter who is supposed to be a virgin bride for whomever you can forge a beneficial political bond with - that's entirely different. And the bitter words between Viserys and Daemon alludes to the differences in expectations in their patriarchal society.

 

[Stalker0]

It is, and if the show follows the book, there's more to come.

That said, marrying a couple of closely related Targaryans in an incestuous relationship to protect the bloodline is one thing. From Viserys's perspective, your brother having extramarital sex with your unmarried daughter who is supposed to be a virgin bride for whomever you can forge a beneficial political bond with - that's entirely different. And the bitter words between Viserys and Daemon alludes to the differences in expectations in their patriarchal society.

Yeah the issue is not that Rhenera slept with her uncle, it’s that she slept with anyone.

Ruining her virtue greatly weakens her prospects and is another weapon for her enemies to use to weaken her claim to the throne.

And yes it’s exceedingly unfair, but it’s also exceedingly true.

 

[Zaukrie]

The last two episodes were so much better than the previous ones it's almost hard to believe they are the same show.

 

[pukunui]

According to actor Paddy Considine, Viserys is suffering from leprosy.

Perhaps it’s just because he’s the king, but I’m surprised Westeros doesn’t isolate lepers from the rest of society like medieval Europeans did.

King Viserys is suffering from a form of Leprosy, says actor Paddy Considine

King Viserys Targaryen is shown to have a sore on his back in the first episode of House of the Dragon. Throughout the series, we see the sore gradually worsen, and fingers are lost. What exactly is this? Paddy Considine, the actor who plays the character King Viserys Targaryen, recently...

wikiofthrones.com

 

[payn]

According to actor Paddy Considine, Viserys is suffering from leprosy.

Perhaps it’s just because he’s the king, but I’m surprised Westeros doesn’t isolate lepers from the rest of society like medieval Europeans did.

King Viserys is suffering from a form of Leprosy, says actor Paddy Considine

King Viserys Targaryen is shown to have a sore on his back in the first episode of House of the Dragon. Throughout the series, we see the sore gradually worsen, and fingers are lost. What exactly is this? Paddy Considine, the actor who plays the character King Viserys Targaryen, recently...

wikiofthrones.com

Yeap, that is what I guessed after the episode. I originally thought it was some type of allergic reaction to the iron throne. That would have been more poetic.

I'm guessing they went to lengths to hide it from people because he is the king. Anybody else would have been shipped off.

 

[pukunui]

Yeap, that is what I guessed after the episode. I originally thought it was some type of allergic reaction to the iron throne. That would have been more poetic.

Leprosy is a bacterial infection. Medieval hygiene being what it was, Viserys must have had the bacteria on him when he got cut by the throne. (Or the throne has mystically cursed him with it for being unworthy, if we want a more fantastical explanation.)

 

[payn]

Leprosy is a bacterial infection. Medieval hygiene being what it was, Viserys must have had the bacteria on him when he got cut by the throne. (Or the throne has mystically cursed him with it for being unworthy, if we want a more fantastical explanation.)

Im not sure I agree with the unworthy take on King Viserys. Nor the idea he made many mistakes. Perhaps sat on the fence at times he ought to have acted, but he never did anything rash, or terrible, or stupid. My take was more that Viserys was a good man, and thus the throne rejected him for that sin alone.

 

[pukunui]

Im not sure I agree with the unworthy take on King Viserys. Nor the idea he made many mistakes. Perhaps sat on the fence at times he ought to have acted, but he never did anything rash, or terrible, or stupid. My take was more that Viserys was a good man, and thus the throne rejected him for that sin alone.

Absolutely! What the throne considers to be unworthy might not be the same as what we would consider to be unworthy.

That being said, I view the whole “the throne rejects the unworthy” thing as a superstition. I don’t think there’s meant to be anything supernatural about the throne in actuality.