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George RR Martin Says House Of The Dragon's Viserys Is Better Than His Own
Warning: SPOILERS for House of the Dragon Episode 8 - "The Lord of the TIdes"
George R.R. Martin thinks House of the Dragon's version of King Viserys is even better than the one he created. Played by BAFTA-winning actor and director Paddy Considine, Viserys has spent much of his time throughout season 1 of the Game of Thrones spinoff stuck in the middle of his family's inner feuding. Despite Viserys making every effort to unite his loved ones throughout the season, House of the Dragon episode 8 proved a turning point for both Viserys and his family.
The episode - while boasting some of the tensest Targaryen in-fighting yet - also gave fans a touching swan song for one of the show's standout characters. With Viserys' health declining with each passing episode, House of the Dragon episode 8 finally saw the King of the Seven Kingdoms succumb to his illness, passing away following one last family gathering. Before his death, Viserys also unwittingly issues parting words to his wife Alicent, words that will go on to have devastating repercussions for the future of House of the Dragon.
Viserys' depiction on House of the Dragon hasn't escaped perhaps the show's harshest critic - Martin himself. In his latest blog post, Martin describes the show's take on the character as more "fully-fleshed" than his own version. Singling out of Considine's performance, Martin also expressed that the actor's episode 8 performance was Emmy-worthy. Check out Martin's full quote below:
Quote:
Sunday’s episode, “Lord of the Tides,” was everything I hoped it should be. Kudos to Eileen Shim, the scriptwriter, to Geeta Patel, the director, to our incredible cast… and particularly to Paddy Considine, for his portrayal of King Viserys, the First of His Name. The character he created (with Ryan and Sara and Ti and the rest of our writers) for the show is so much more powerful and tragic and fully-fleshed than my own version in FIRE & BLOOD that I am half tempted to go back and rip up those chapters and rewrite the whole history of his reign. Paddy deserves an Emmy for this episode alone. If he doesn’t get one, hey, there’s no justice. Meanwhile, I am going to give Archmaester Gyldayn a smack for leaving out so much good stuff.
What Viserys' Death Means For The Future Of House Of The Dragon
Viserys' death is perhaps the most pivotal moment in House of the Dragon's journey so far, with the King's passing serving as the catalyst that will begin the Targaryen civil war. Despite Rhaenyra's solid claim to the Iron Throne being arguably unquestionable, Alicent's growing determination will no doubt push her to challenge the rightful Queen's position - especially following her final conversation with her late husband. Of course, House of the Dragon could also stray away from its source material, meaning at this point, the Iron Throne is up for anyone to take.
Although likely the last time fans will see Viserys in House of the Dragon, episode 8 allowed Considine to fully flex his acting credentials, giving the King a fitting finale. While undoubtedly biased, Martin's kind words toward Considine and the show's creators have also been echoed by fans online, with many others calling for the Viserys actor to receive an Emmy for his incredible performance. With the show approaching the end of season 1, it's been an impressive start for Game of Thrones' first spinoff, and with perhaps the biggest episodes yet to come, House of the Dragon looks to be every bit as good - or possibly even better - than its predecessor.
