House of the Dragon wasted no time earlier than organising the a number of conflicts plaguing the Seven Kingdoms. But one of many largest threats to King Viserys Targaryen’s rule is essentially enjoying out within the background.

[Ed. note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon and Fire & Blood.]

In the collection premiere, we study that Viserys has a small wound on his again from sitting on the Iron Throne. As the maesters tending to Viserys observe, the reduce mysteriously refuses to heal. In reality, it’s spreading. Viserys receives a second reduce from the throne in the identical episode, which equally turns into contaminated and results in the amputation of two of his fingers.

The purpose Viserys’ wounds received’t heal is extra symbolic than something as routine as bacterial an infection. The significance of being reduce by the Iron Throne truly has deep roots in Targaryen historical past and Game of Thrones lore, courting all the way in which again to the throne’s creation.

What does it imply to be reduce by the Iron Throne?

Image: HBO

Viserys’ ancestor Aegon I Targaryen constructed the Iron Throne out of a thousand damaged blades he had taken from his enemies. The “ironwork monstrosity,” as George R.R. Martin referred to it in Game of Thrones, was constructed with the intention of inflicting excessive discomfort. “A king should never sit easy,” Aegon the Conqueror defined within the first A Song of Ice and Fire e book.

Aegon’s son Aenys succeeded his father, however was finally killed by his brother, the usurper Maegor. Six years into Maegor’s infamously merciless reign, his nephew Jaehaerys Targaryen raised banners towards him. After only a few homes got here to Maegor’s help, he selected to spend the night time brooding alone on the Iron Throne. The subsequent morning, one among Maegor’s many wives, Elinor, discovered him useless within the seat with one of many throne’s blades impaled by means of his neck and his forearms slashed open by a number of different spikes.

There are a number of theories about Maegor’s demise, together with that he took his personal life or that Elinor murdered him. But many imagine that the Iron Throne itself is what killed Maegor. This is what originated the favored superstition that the throne chooses who’s worthy or not of ruling Westeros, and that those that are deemed undeserving endure harm by its blades.

Does everybody who will get reduce on the Iron Throne die?

Image: HBO

No — or at the very least not as a direct results of their wounds.

Maegor and Viserys should not the one two folks to have been reduce by the Iron Throne. Daenerys Targaryen’s paranoid father Aerys II Targaryen was generally generally known as The Mad King, however as a result of he reduce himself so typically on the Iron Throne he was additionally dubbed King Scab. However, the Mad King wasn’t discovered useless on the throne nor of an an infection from one among his many cuts. Rather, his demise got here on the finish of Jaime Lannister’s sword.

So, whereas being reduce by the Iron Throne might symbolize the unworthiness of a king or queen, the Iron Throne isn’t a supernatural choose, jury, and executioner that disposes of the ruler itself. That being mentioned, anybody who sits on the throne is already at a better than common probability of demise. If they’re on the throne and never a match ruler, these odds go up exponentially.

What does Viserys being reduce by the Iron Throne imply?

Image: HBO

It doesn’t take Viserys being reduce by the Iron Throne to make it clear he isn’t essentially an amazing king. Having ascended throughout peaceable instances, Viserys is pushed by a want to please and prefers to keep away from points moderately than confront them head on, akin to his dismissal of the risk the Crabfeeder and Triarchy pose. When Viserys does make daring choices — like naming Rhaenyra as his successor or deciding to wed Alicent Hightower — these decisions solely sow extra dissent towards him.

Viserys’ first reduce from the Iron Throne occurred at an unknown time, however the timing of his second harm is of specific significance, coming instantly following his determination to take away Daemon from the road of succession. This ruling is among the key choices that finally results in the primary Targaryen civil battle. The second reduce could possibly be a sign that Viserys’ poor judgment will solely result in destroy — for himself, his household, and his kingdom. It may additionally simply be one other solution to reinforce what Daemon instructed his brother — that Viserys is a weak king who isn’t as much as bearing the burden of his personal energy. Either means, it’s a really unhealthy omen for Viserys’ future.

Currently, Viserys is much less involved along with his well being than with political machinations and the devolving stability of Westeros. However, Viserys has already misplaced two fingers from his cuts from the Iron Throne. Only time will inform the true price he’ll pay for his failings as king.