As everyone was starting to get over the atrocious Game of Thrones finale, HBO wasn’t done giving us adaptations of George R.R. Martin’s works. There came the idea of a prequel, a prequel that would tell the story of the infamous house that ruled over the Seven Kingdoms before Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark’s rebellion. The house whose people are closer to gods than men. The house that tamed the greatest power the world has seen- dragons. The house our Mother of Dragons – Daenerys Stormborn belonged to: House Targaryen or rather House of the Dragon. The show’s events are set 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen. The prequel focuses on King Viserys I’s rule. The rule that was going to give us the Dance of the Dragons. However, the show isn’t there yet.
The show is based on another book of George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood. The pilot of the prequel became HBO’s biggest debut and has since continued its glorious run with each episodes seeing a rise in viewership numbers. The latest report suggests that the show has an average audience of 29 Million per episode, making it the biggest hit after Game of Thrones. Episode 6 & 7 were both shocking as well as screenwriting genius. We got a lot of deaths, plotting, treachery, violence, politics… basically we got Game of Thrones. However, throughout all the episodes, spanning various time jumps, ,one thing that remained constant was King Viserys’ disease and his slow decline towards death but what disease did he have? Let’s find out.
House of the Dragon: Paddy Considine Confirms Viserys’ Disease!
King Viserys’ reign finally came to an end in episode 8 after suffering with his disease for a long time. Viserys’ send off was perfect as he got what he always wanted his family happy and together. The episode had many heartfelt scenes, Viserys coming through for Rhaenyra one last time, Daemon helping his brother and putting crown on his head and then the moment of Viserys’ death. All that being said, what did he die off? House of the Dragon rarely explains what ailment did the old have?
Thankfully, actor Paddy Considine who plays Viserys revealed that Viserys’ disease that is an important plotline is actually a fictionalized version of Leprosy. And to be honest this makes a lot more sense then “Dragonpox”, I mean come on guys. Leprosy has existed for as long as humans have while it is very treatable and rarely fatal due modern medicine, at the time when House of the Dragon is set Leprosy was a big threat for anyone who comes across it. While the disease is not exactly like leprosy but it is the closest we have in real life.
However, Viserys’ chronic wounds and gradual loss of limbs are very much accurate to the disease. In reality, leprosy doesn’t really eat away at flesh so much as destroy nerve endings and damage muscles, so the version of leprosy Viserys has in House of the Dragon is a much more extreme version than one would see in real-world history. Although, if someone suppose that someone is injured or contracted an infection on a spot with soft tissue like their face, it is possible that they would require the removal of some of their skin.
Rather than simply rotting away, Viserys might have endured an injury that required a doctor to remove his skin and eye, which would be very medically accurate. The mask Viserys’ wear is very much inspired from lepers in real life throughout history who used to wear masks to hide their disfigured faces and possibly to stop the disease from contracting as well. Although, I don’t know how the masks would stop the contraction but House of the Dragon’s portrayal of Leprosy is pretty apt so far.
Viserys’ slow death as well is accurate as lepers don’t die immediately. They suffer for many years with the disease slowly eating away their entire body until finally they’re freed from this curse by death itself. Keeping all this medical talk aside, Viserys’ disease is supposed to be metaphor of what the Iron Throne does to the person who sits on it. Being a King or ruler itself affects the health of the person as the amount responsibility he or she has is enormous. Viewers have also pointed out the symbolism of Viserys’ face rotting on the side that faces the placement of the historically toxic Hightowers during his big family dinner.
To wrap up, Viserys was one of the best characters in House of the Dragon’s first season. I have to appreciate Paddy Considine to play Viserys to such perfection. He started out as one of the most hated characters after what he did to his wife but over the course of eight episodes, the character grew and I feel for him. His death while inevitable was very emotional and it gave us some of the most heartfelt moments you’d find in the entire GOT universe. However, his death is just going to kick-off the Dance of the Dragons.
House of the Dragon has an incredible ensemble cast that includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Fabien Frankel, Sonoya Mizuno, and Rhys Ifans. Along with the main cast, the supporting cast of the show includes- Milly Alcock, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Emily Carey, Harry Collett, Ryan Corr, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Wil Johnson, John Macmillan, Graham McTavish, Ewan Mitchell, Theo Nate, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Phia Saban, Gavin Spokes, Savannah Steyn, and more.
The first eight episodes of HOTD are currently streaming on HBO Max or Disney+. New episodes will debut on every Sunday or Monday on HBO and HBO Max or Disney+ Hotstar depending on the region you live in, at 9 pm or 6.30 am.
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