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House Of The Dragon Hides The Real Reason Viserys Won’t Go To War
Viserys Targaryen refuses to go to war in House of the Dragon, but it isn’t just because it’s his duty as king to avoid it. Tensions rise both within and outside House Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 2’s ending, with Corlys Velaryon and Daemon Targaryen forming an alliance once Viserys chooses to marry Alicent Hightower. After Viserys rejected the proposal to marry Laena and ignored his pleas to combat the troubles in the Stepstones, Corlys Velaryon left for Driftmark to meet with Daemon, where the two decided to take matters into their own hands and wage war against the Crabfeeder and the Triarchy.
House of the Dragon’s first two episodes saw Lord Corlys repeatedly bring up the Crabfeeder and the troubles he and the Triarchy were causing in the Stepstones, but the small council ignored his concerns. As his frustrations were rising, King Viserys finally explained that he would appeal to Pentos, but that it was his job as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms to not enter war unless unavoidable. Viserys explicitly states in House of the Dragon that refusing to go to war in Game of Thrones' important Stepstones is an act of duty for the realm at large, but his conversations with Rhaenyra about marriage reveal the true reason.
Following the disclosure of Aegon’s dream, House of the Dragon has made Viserys’ real motivations as king abundantly clear: He needs to produce as many heirs as possible while ensuring the survival of House Targaryen. Viserys informs Rhaenyra at the end of House of the Dragon episode 2 that he must remarry and have more children to due the fragile nature of the Targaryen family line, which must be kept strong in order for Aegon’s dream to be fulfilled. This moment also subtly connects back to why King Viserys steadfastly refuses to go to war, as he can’t risk the deaths of himself, his brother, his daughter, and his cousin – the only remaining Targaryens. As headstrong dragonriders who are quick to prove their worth, Daemon and Rhaenyra would undoubtedly use their dragons to lead the battlefronts, with Viserys himself being the most vulnerable on the Iron Throne. Viserys learned well from his grandfather King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, whose reign was primarily peaceful and avoided unnecessary losses of members of House Targaryen. Going to war with the Stepstones doesn’t simply make the crown vulnerable; it means Viserys risks losing his last Targaryen heirs.
What Daemon & Corlys’ Alliance Means For House Of The Dragon
Daemon and Corlys – both of whom have been spurned by King Viserys – teaming up against the Crabfeeder is an exciting development outside of King’s Landing. The two have discussed how they need the War for the Stepstones to prove their worth, which means they’ll be relentless in taking control of the important region. It also sets up Daemon and Corlys to heighten the stakes of their alliance – perhaps with the marriage union that Viserys had rejected from Corlys.
While Viserys produces new heirs in King’s Landing and Rhaenyra continues to hold onto her position as heir to the Iron Throne, Daemon and Corlys will be gearing up for the real war to come. As both Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen find matches in House of the Dragon’s Velaryon characters, the bonds on this side of the family strengthen while their loyalties to Viserys and his new heirs weaken. It seems the most important consequence of Daemon and Corlys’ alliance in the War for the Stepstones is that it continues to set up their positions in the upcoming, devastating Dance of the Dragons.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max.
