The Tiny Viserys Detail You Missed In House Of The Dragon
"House of the Dragon" has made its debut on HBO. The "Game of Thrones" spin-off entered development in 2019, with book writer and franchise architect George R. R. Martin at the helm alongside writer Ryan Condal (via Deadline). The series is largely based on Martin's "Fire & Blood," a text which details the origins, lineage, and legacy of the tumultuous House Targaryen, Westeros' long-time ruling family and Daenerys Targaryen's ancestors.
While the controversial final season of "Game of Thrones" — considered by many to contain one of the worst series finales in television history — may have soured fans, they still showed up in droves to watch "House of the Dragon," to the point that they crashed HBO Max. Season 1 has earned positive reviews from critics and fans alike, who all seem eager to return to the Seven Kingdoms.
People are once again invested in the world of "Game of Thrones." And how could they not be? "House of the Dragon" takes a magnifying glass to the power struggles of one of Westeros' most powerful and tragic families. Episode 1, "The Heirs of the Dragon," makes it clear just how complicated the Targaryen reign truly is, especially under the control of King Viserys I (Paddy Considine). The fifth king of the Seven Kingdoms is struggling to find a suitable heir, which threatens to send the realm into chaos. While the broad strokes of this conflict will surely feature in coming installments, a tiny detail in the debut episode hints that the king might have even bigger issues than finding an heir to face.
Viserys cuts his finger on the Iron Throne
If there's one thing the "House of the Dragon" premiere makes clear, it's that King Viserys I needs to cement someone as his heir. Much of "The Heirs of the Dragon" is spent discussing this quandary from a variety of perspectives. His brother, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), openly vies for the Iron Throne and is adamant that Viserys' council, led by Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), has nefarious plans for their king. Otto dislikes Daemon in turn, seeing him as a vicious brute. This power struggle casts doubt on Viserys' ability to rule; it's no surprise plenty of people don't seem to think he's king material.
As the episode comes to a close, Viserys condemns Daemon for labeling his late son as "the heir for a day," then cuts himself on the Iron Throne. As "A Song of Ice and Fire" purists know well, Martin's books often note that the Iron Throne almost appears to be able to reject those it deems unworthy. Reddit user u/richterfrollo pointed out how and why the most coveted seat in Westeros is capable of doing this, explaining, "People who are unworthy might just express behaviour that causes them to get cut more easily [...] lazy kings because they slouch over it, arrogant kings posture themselves so that they get cut, etc." Indeed, in the relevant scene, Viserys leans back into the throne as his brother walks away, carelessly brushing his arm against a razor-sharp blade. While this is clearly a pivotal moment, there's another significant detail about this wound that many viewers might have missed.
King Viserys wraps his wound, but it may not be enough
In a post in the "House of the Dragon" subreddit, user u/piksert pointed out that Viserys is later seen sporting a bandage around the cut on his pinky finger. "He cut his little finger. Could also correspond to the hand of the king," noted u/bendy2023. This Redditor is, of course, referring to Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) from "Game of Thrones," a character known for his cunning schemes and desire to get ahead in high society. Episode 1 of "House of the Dragon" certainly doesn't shy away from introducing similarly calculating characters: Conniving Otto Hightower, who seems to have his own plans when it comes to Viserys, is a particularly vivid example.
It's possible that Viserys' pinky wound has even darker implications, however, and that it might not heal with the simple application of a cloth bandage. The opening minutes of "The Heirs of the Dragon" reveal that the king of Westeros is also suffering from a pernicious wound on his back. The Targaryen leader attributes the seeping cut to the Iron Throne's sharp edges. As we explore in our deep dive into the small details of "House of the Dragon," many believe a ruler who earns such brutal injuries on the Iron Throne isn't meant to occupy it. It's entirely likely that Viserys could pass away from such an infected cut, or at the very least become weak from his wounds as he continues to come into contact with the deadly chair's vicious blades. Only time will tell if a few flesh wounds will kickstart the downfall of House Targaryen.