Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Season 1 of House of the Dragon.
House of the Dragon is an epic tale of a young girl's tumultuous ascension as a pillar of cultural change and historical revolution. At the same time, it is also a deeply emotional exploration of the sacred bond between a father and daughter.
It's quite clear the relationship between Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock and Emma D'Arcy) and Viserys (Paddy Considine) is strained. While they were much closer before her mother, Queen Aemma's (Sian Brooke) death, the show hints at a subtle tension arising between the two early on. There are a number of reasons for this, all of which become magnified after their family falls apart.
Whatever connection they share, while it certainly remains, becomes further fractured as the years wear on. In their own ways, they try to mend what's been broken, but true closeness always seems to intercede them. Their relationship is as complicated as it is heartbreaking and drives a huge part of the show’s plot and the fate of the two characters. House of the Dragon is nothing short of a story detailing the struggle of a father and daughter as they attempt to rebuild in the midst of unimaginable grief.
Viserys and Rhaenyra's Desires Drive Each Other Away
Despite the love they have for each other, their desires often tear at the wound between them — Viserys, especially, as from the beginning of the show it's clear his want for a male heir distracts him from what's truly important. This is something Rhaenyra has always been able to sense, and it sows seeds of resentment towards her father. In the end, this unrelenting desire to produce a male heir is what contributes to the destruction of their family unit, and ultimately drives a deeper wedge between Viserys and Rhaenyra. It doesn't help matters that, at the time she needed him most, he pushes her away.
As Viserys drowns in his own regret, he becomes blind to the needs of his daughter. When he makes Rhaenyra his heir, it's not only a transformative moment in the history of the realm but also an attempt to make amends for the pain he's caused his only living child. The extent of honor provided by this opportunity is immeasurable, as is the depth of his love. But the act appears less sincere when he turns around and marries Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke). In this action, he not only leaves his daughter adrift and alone, but robs her of her dearest friend.
Grief Marks the Decisions Damaging Their Bond
House of the Dragon is widely centered around grief and its disastrous effects. Rhaenyra and Viserys are no exception, and the show emphasizes just how deep the pain goes. After Aemma's death, the distance between the two is greater than that of the Narrow Sea. Their actions in this aftermath are a commentary on despair and the ways in which it influences, or misguides, our decisions. With every step Rhaenyra and Viserys take away from each other, House of the Dragon displays how the rawness of pain can devour the sanctity of family.
As the years pass, there is a loneliness shared between Viserys and Rhaenyra — one that is palpable, and all-consuming. This feeling drives most of their interpersonal decisions, such as Viserys marrying Alicent and eventually Rhaenyra's recklessness with her "virtue." Each of these decisions proves to have lasting effects on not only the realm but the bond between them. Through his actions, Rhaenyra lost the only person who understood her. Through her actions, Viserys risks his stability as ruler of the realm. Neither of them has truly moved on from the loss of Aemma, nor have they acknowledged or dealt with the loss they experienced within each other. Through other people, they seek the closeness they once had as a family.
Even in Distance, They Mirror Each Other Whole-Heartedly
Despite the emotional and eventual physical distance between the two, Rhaenyra and Viserys undoubtedly share a similar heart. This is evident in her behavior throughout the years, as she exhibits the same selfishness as her father when it comes to her love life and how she handles her emotions. It's also clear in the way she governs the kingdom. Even though Rhaenyra does in fact embody Daemon Targaryen's (Matt Smith) fiery resolve, she's inherited the peaceful nature of Viserys. Instead of following Daemon's first instinct and starting a war, she seeks reconciliation for the good of the kingdom, to honor her father's memory, and ultimately to protect her family. But just like Viserys, Rhaenyra becomes blinded by a misguided desire for peace which in turn puts the ones she loves most in the way of danger.
Too many times, Viserys proved himself to be oblivious to the true conflict within his family. Instead of dealing with the issues head-on, he hid behind his passiveness, which leads to the monstrous explosion after his death. In the finale, Rhaenyra makes this same mistake. She upholds a false ideal of a truce, and because of that, she loses those who mean the most to her.
House of the Dragon is many things and promotes many foundational ideals. But the show details the trauma and tragedy of desperately trying to put a family back together and attempts to answer the question of whether it's even possible. The bond between Viserys and Rhaenrya is a hard one, a painful one, and in reality, the strain was never fully mended between the two before his death. In her ascension to the throne and her newfound rage, Rhaenyra has the opportunity to break the cycle of grief in her family and instill a new beginning.
The first season of House of the Dragon is now available to stream on HBO Max.