Explained: How King Viserys I Targaryen Was Responsible For The Dance Of The Dragons

Is King Viserys I Targaryen responsible for the Dance of the Dragons? We think that his callous attitude towards his family contributed to it

By Ishita Chatterjee
November 10,2022
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King Viserys I Targaryen was a kind ruler who reigned peacefully for over 40 years in Westeros. But just because he was a kind king doesn’t mean he was ultimately a good one. After all, his callous attitude towards his children with Alicent Hightower and his preference for Rhaenyra plunged the realm into chaos, and brought about the Targaryen civil war called the Dance of the Dragons. Not sure if you agree? Let us explain.

King Viserys I Targaryen Only Loved One Of His Children

King Viserys and Rhaenyra Targaryen
King Viserys and Rhaenyra Targaryen

In Episode 8, when Viserys is almost at death’s doorstep, he asks to have supper with his family. During that scene, he gives an impassioned speech that’s meant to bring together the two feuding sides of his family- Rhaenyra and Alicent. But his words on their family staying together so the realm can stay strong rings hollow because the Dance of the Dragons could have been avoided if he was an attentive father and husband.

The show makes it abundantly clear that Viserys is biased towards Rhaenyra. He goes against tradition to name her heir, ignores her dalliances and bastard children, and even reinforces her kids’ legitimacy over the Iron Throne and Driftmark. In contrast, we don’t have any scenes of Viserys showing the same love and care to his and Alicent’s children. Many fan theories say that his excessive preference towards Rhaenyra is because of his love and guilt towards Aemma.

Aemma Targaryen
Aemma Targaryen

If Viserys wasn’t hell bent on having a son, then Aemma wouldn’t have died being cut open. She was dying either way, but Viserys’ insistence on having the child made the situation barbaric. And maybe to compensate for the act (since he gave the orders) and for his guilt, he showers his love on his daughter.

But his love for Rhaenyra blinds him to his other children. He’s so unbothered about them (or his guilt for Aemma is so strong) that he doesn’t apoint his son, Aegon II, as heir even though that decision would have kept the kingdom united. And neither does he take any steps to ensure that Aegon II doesn’t challenge Rhaenyra’s claim.

How The Situation Could Have Been Different 

Aegon II Targaryen and King Viserys I Targaryen
Aegon II Targaryen and King Viserys I Targaryen

It’s clear that he doesn’t care about his children with Alicent. But if he did, the civil war could have been avoided. After all, one of the reasons why Alicent goes from supporting the Targaryens back to the Hightowers is because she sees that her husband, the King, is openly biased towards Rhaenyra. And this prompts her to take action to secure her children’s lives.

Her father, Otto Hightower’s poisonous words and Rhaenyra’s lie also tip the scales of her decision to support her own house. But it’s also clear that Viserys open biasedness towards Rhaenyra drives her further into madness for the throne. So if Viserys had created a harmonious family where he loved all equally, maybe Alicent wouldn’t need to be so domineering and power hungry. Along with this, maybe Alicent wouldn’t have forced her son Aegon to be King. After all, Aegon II had already said in episode 6 that he didn’t want the throne.

Aegon and Aemond Targaryen
Aegon and Aemond Targaryen

Also, Visery’s attentiveness towards his other kids could have strengthened Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne since there wouldn’t have been any opposition to it. Also, if Viserys was an attentive father, he would have realized that Helaena was a dragon dreamer. And even though she spoke in riddles, her dreams did come true. They could have bonded over being dreamers, and he could have told her about the Song of Ice and Fire. Both of them could probably have discerned its meaning as well.

Maybe his children would have also heeded his last words to stay together as a family, if they actually cared about him. But they don’t. During the scene where he hobbles towards the throne, neither Aegon II, Aemond, nor Helaena look moved by his pitiful condition.

In one scene, he asks Otto Hightower if the history books will be kind to him. We think that’s debatable. After all, he’s definitely to blame for the tragedy that befalls his house after his death.

What do you think? Let us know.