The House of the Dragon episode 8 ending will have enormous ramifications for not just episode 9 and season 1, but ultimately Game of Thrones itself. However, viewers will undoubtedly have questions — most notably, did King Viserys die in House of the Dragon episode 8? How will this affect episode 9? And why did he say those dangerous things to Queen Alicent?
Is King Viserys dead in House of the Dragon?
King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) indeed dies at the end of House of the Dragon episode 8.
It’s natural that many viewers might be unsure about his fate because the Game of Thrones prequel series has faked or teased the King’s death a number of times, such as at the end of episode 5 when Viserys collapsed after the marriage of Rhaenyra. However, it is definitely true this time. Director Geeta Patel confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that Viserys is definitely gone now, so the last element holding back a civil war is done.
What does the King’s death mean for House of the Dragon episode 9?
With the death of King Viserys Targaryen, the famous civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons is about to begin. This war is referenced in Game of Thrones but properly covered in George R.R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood, on which House of the Dragon is based. This war will devastate the Targaryen line and ultimately lead to its downfall just prior to the events of Game of Thrones.
Despite Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) seemingly looking to patch things up, the King’s final words to the Queen have only exacerbated matters. The confused King thought he was continuing the early conversation with Rhaenyra about their ancestor Aegon, but Alicent thought Viserys was confirming that their son Prince Aegon was destined to claim the throne.
House of the Dragon episode 9 releases on October 16, and expect to see the start of a full war in the Seven Kingdoms.
