We are one episode away from the finale of House of the Dragon, and so much has happened this season. The most tragic part of the show has been the decline of King Viserys (Paddy Considine). In episode eight, we saw Viserys take his emotional final breath. This week, his death was confirmed. But viewers are asking “How did the King die?”.
Leading up to episode eight of House of the Dragon, we saw Viserys’ health slowly deteriorate.
At first, he was a strong and healthy king. However, after his first wife died in childbirth along with their newborn son, Viserys’ health began to decline. This was foreshadowed when he cut himself on the Iron Throne.
As time passed, Viserys became increasingly ill. All the while disputes over his rightful successor simmered in the background.
On one side is Rhaenyra Targaryen, Viserys’ eldest daughter and heir. On the other are Rhaenyra’s half-siblings, the children of Viserys and Queen Alicent.
As Viserys lay dying, he confused Queen Alicent for Rhaenyra. He told her about Aegon’s dream. Due to Alicent’s son being named Aegon, she misunderstood (or chose to believe) that Viserys was telling her Aegon should be king.
In the latest episode, we saw the impact of King Viserys’ confused comments. Alicent and her father, Otto Hightower, took advantage and had Aegon crowned King of the Seven Kingdoms.
However, for many House of the Dragon viewers, confusion remains around King Viserys’ death and what caused it. So, let’s answer “how did the King die?” in House of the Dragon…
How Did The King Die in House of the Dragon?
As mentioned, we saw Visreys’ health decline over the course of the season.
While it only took several episodes from our perspective, he was actually deteriorating for nearly 20 years in the show’s chronology.
In episode eight, we saw the severe state of the King’s health. Since Princess Rhaenyra had last seen him, he had become bed bound and had lost his right eye.
At the episode’s climax, King Viserys died. But the show never explicitly said what caused his death.
So, how did the King die in House of the Dragon? King Viserys succumbed to a long-term leprosy infection and associated ailments.
This was confirmed by Paddy Considine when he appeared on EW’s West of Westeros podcast and explained the King’s condition: “He’s suffering from a form of leprosy. He’s suffering. His body is deteriorating. His bones are deteriorating.“
Leprosy is an illness that has blighted mankind for thousands of years. It is a bacterial infection that can lead to nerve and tissue damage. It also affects the eyes and respiratory tract.
The nerve damage may result in an inability to feel pain which may explain why Viserys frequently cut himself on the Iron Throne. As we saw, these cuts, while minor at first, became infected. This only exacerbated the King’s condition and hastened his decline.
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