There is little doubt that people have changed their opinion about King Viserys I Targaryen after seeing House of the Dragon Episode 8. Although the king had appeared to be a pushover who isn't fit to rule Westeros, the latest episode proved that he maintained a good heart all this time. But what exactly happened in Viserys' final moment? Paddy Considine has revealed the truth behind the king's last line in The Lord of the Tides.
In House of the Dragon Episode 8, it was confirmed that Viserys' health has truly gone downhill and that he is constantly medicated with milk of the poppy to deal with chronic pain. Still, this didn't stop the king from presiding over Vaemond Velaryon's petition to be named the next Lord of the Tides and having a nice dinner with his family.
Unfortunately, this proved to be the last supper for Viserys, who slowly died in his bed by the end of the episode. With his final breath, the king reaches up into the air and whispers "My love" before passing away.
Naturally, fans believed that Viserys saw his beloved first wife Aemma welcoming him into the afterlife. Paddy Considine told The New York Times that this was something he believed in.
“I always had an idea in my head, whether it was useful to the story or not, that the last thing Viserys sees before he dies is the person who comes to collect him from this mortal life. When he dies, he sees Aemma, and he says, 'My love,'” Considine said.
Although it seemed like the perfect way to end Viserys' story, Considine admitted that it wasn't part of the script but he decided to do it anway.
“I just kind of improvised that line, and reached out a little bit, because this to me is a tragic love story, in many ways. But I kept that private; I never actually disclosed that in the end. I just thought, 'If they use it, they use it,' and I hear it’s made the cut, so I’m really grateful, because it ends that story quite beautifully,” he said.
“The narrative I had in my mind was that he never really gets over Aemma, that he’s devastated for the rest of his life,” Considine concluded.
The latest episode of House of the Dragon is now available on HBO Max. House of the Dragon Episode 9 is titled The Green Council and is set to premiere on Sunday, October 16, 2022, at 9:00 PM EST.
Related: House of the Dragon Episode 8 Poignant Viserys Moment was Improvised by Matt Smith
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!