Spoiler Warning: Spoilers For House of the Dragon Episode 2 AheadHouse of the Dragon has included everything great about Game of Thrones. From massive visual spectacles, including soaring dragons and towering castles, to betrayals and shocking alliances. Through two episodes, House of the Dragon has brought back the GOT audience, proving to be a worthy successor to HBO's mega-hit series.
In the first episode, we saw King Viserys (Paddy Considine) naming his daughter successor to the Iron Throne following the death of his wife and newborn child. In the second episode, which aired on Aug. 28, audiences expected Viserys to remarry. However, fans were shocked at the revelation once we learned who his bride-to-be was. Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), the best friend of the King's daughter, is set to become the Queen of the realm after forming a close relationship with Viserys. This will cause problems down the line for all the Targaryens, as the matter of succession continues to become more and more confusing.
During an interview with EW on the West of Westeros Podcast, Carey discusses her excitement for the plot twist and what it means for the future of the series. She says, "I'm so glad I can talk about this now. This is a big one. It changes one of the branches of the show, if that makes sense." She continues, "It pushes things in a different direction. And for my character, it's, of course, a massive turn." She would continue to dissect the relationship between Viserys and Hightower, saying, "they bring out a softness in one another."
"They find this emotional vulnerability with one another that I don't think they really find with anyone else. There's an underlying guilt from both sides, especially when it comes to the point of marriage... But I think they bring out a softness in one another."
The Marriage of Hightower and Viserys Targaryen Will Have Massive Implications
Through two episodes, several moves have been made for the Iron Throne. Corlys Velaryon plotted to have his daughter marry King Viserys to strengthen their family and give himself a direct bloodline to the Iron Throne. Daemon Targaryen, the brother of the King, may plan to wage war against his own house to claim his right as the heir to the throne. And finally, Otto Hightower, the father of Alicent Hightower, has carefully planted his child into an emotional relationship with the King, which concludes with Viserys wishing to marry Alicent.
With eight episodes left in House of the Dragon season one, fans should expect plenty of alliances to be forged and broken, and bloodshed spilling left and right. The line of succession will only become muddier if Alicent Hightower produces an heir, and the series will see even more political drama ensue, just as Game of Thrones did before it. You can watch House of the Dragon and all its twists and turns, premiering every Sunday at 9 pm E.T. on HBO Max.