House of the Dragon is already living up to its predecessor, Game of Thrones, and even arguably surpassing it. For fans of the original series and anyone familiar with the source material, it’s no surprise that the fantasy series is particularly brutal and violent. Though Game of Thrones had eight seasons to develop an unsettling and callous storyline rife with war and battles, the prequel series is already equally as disturbing.
Not all the scenes in House of the Dragon that are difficult to watch are about battles and war. However, many of them outline the pervasive hatred and cruelty among the houses of Westeros, and especially within the tumultuous Targaryen family. From the various discomforting births to the acts of unbridled brutishness, there are many disturbing HOTD scenes within the season and a half currently aired.
13Corlys Wanting the King to Marry His Child Is Disturbing
Season 1, Episode 2
In the first episode of Season 1, Viserys loses his first wife in childbirth. In the second episode, Viserys makes the ultimate decision to marry Alicent Hightower.
The demise of Aemma Targaryen was an uncomfortable scene in the first season of House of the Dragon. However, what followed the queen’s demise was also stomach-turning. In the second episode, Viserys is pressured by his council to choose another wife, having to endure the persistence that the king needs an heir while he still grieves.
All the more shocking was the number 1 candidate for Viserys’ next wife: Corlys and Rhaenys Velaryon’s 12-year-old daughter, Laena. Lord Corlys pushed this idea relentlessly, insisting it was best to continue to strengthen the Targaryen’s claim by intermingling the two Westeros houses with Old Valyrian blood. The Sea Snake’s reasoning may be solid, but that didn’t make it any more unsettling to see him passionately push for a grown man to marry his child.
12Aemond Losing an Eye Was a Brutal Sequence of Scenes
Season 1, Episode 7
Later in Season 1, Aemond Targaryen is the only child of King Viserys to not have a dragon. After Laena Velaryon died, he took the opportunity to claim her dragon, the oldest one in the world, Vhagar.
Aemond claiming and being accepted by Vhagar was a triumphant moment in House of the Dragon that was short-lived when the prince is confronted by an enraged Rhaena Targaryen, who wanted to claim her late mother’s dragon for herself. A fight ensued between Aemond and Rhaena, Baela, Jacaerys, and Lucerys. Though Aemond initially overpowered the smaller children, Lucerys eventually had the winning blow by stabbing Aemond’s eye out.
This gross act of violence was a major mistake that caused the Dance of the Dragons. There were several factors that resulted in the Targaryen civil war, but this was certainly a turning point for the dysfunctional family. This night of bloodshed resulted not only in Aemond’s injuries, but an unforgettable moment in which Alicent attacks Rhaenyra with a dagger, injuring her huband’s heir out of short-sighted revenge.
11Criston Brutally Murders Joffrey In a Fit of Rage
Season 1, Episode 5
In Season 2, Episode 2, “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” Aegon removes Otto Hightower, his grandfather, as Hand of the King and appoints Criston Cole, his Captain of the Guard.
Criston Cole quickly devolved from a likable, honorable character into a brutal, relentless hypocrite with no redeemable qualities. This fall from grace began in Season 1, when he was outraged Rhaenyra wouldn’t run away from her home and birthright and instead wanted to continue their sexual relationship after her marriage to Laenor Velaryon.
When Joffrey, Laenor’s lover, subtly mentions the two of them being lovers to the betrothed couple, Cole suddenly attacks the young man, brutally beating him to death. This act of unbridled violence was shocking, especially since Cole chose to use force to slowly kill Joffrey. At this point, the audience knew Criston Cole would be one of the most dangerous players in the upcoming war.
10Lord Lyman’s Sudden Demise Was Another Cole Offense
Season 1, Episode 9
Lord Lyman Beesbury was a lord of Westeros who sat on the King’s Council prior to Aegon Targaryen’s reign.
As soon as Viserys died in Season 1, Episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides,” Alicent and his council got to work ensuring Aegon would succeed him, usurping Rhaenyra’s rightful claim to the Iron Throne. However, not every council member agreed with this decision. Lord Lyman Beesbury proved to be an honorable man by being enraged by this action to overturn Viserys’ decision only hours after the king’s demise.
During Beesbury’s speech in the council meeting, Criston Cole demands the elder sit down. When Beesbury continued speaking, Cole forcefully hit the old man’s head off the table, killing him instantly. The shock of this scene was emphasized by the other council members’ obvious discomfort over the sudden and brutal demise of their companion. This was another unjustified slaying at the hands of Criston Cole.
9Viserys and Alicent’s Intimate Moment Was Grossly Enlightening
Season 1, Episode 4
In the first minor time jump between Episode 1 and Episode 2, Alicent and Viserys were married and had their first child, Aegon.
From the very beginning of House of the Dragon, viewers knew that Alicent’s relationship with Viserys began due to her father’s insistence that she earn the king’s favor. Otto Hightower’s meddling worked, resulting in Viserys choosing to marry Alicent over other favorable options. Throughout their marriage, Alicent is seen as a doting and compassionate wife who honestly cares for her husband despite her father’s pressures to marry him.
However, the audience saw an eerie side of Alicent and Viserys’ relationship in Episode 4 when Viserys summons the queen to his chambers, and she is visibly upset about it. The show gave a glimpse of their sexual encounters, including Alicent looking quite disconnected and uninterested in this coupling. Though Alicent is not the most likable character, this highlights how her personality is controlled by her sense of honor, even if her perceived duties are not pleasurable or welcomed.
8Vaemond’s Beheading Was a Sudden Act of Violence
Season 1, Episode 8
Vaemond Velaryon was the brother of Corlys. He believed himself to be the rightful heir to Driftmark due to the rumors of Rhaenyra’s sons being ‘bastards,’ which is substantiated by their resemblance to Ser Harwin Strong.
When Corlys is out at sea during a tumultuous time in the Stepstones, he’s unheard of for several months, leaving his family to presume he’s dead or at least unable to perform his duties as Lord of Driftmark. Though Lucerys was next in line to inherit his family’s titles and throne, Vaemond took the opportunity, knowing of Viserys’ ailments, to petition Otto Hightower to make him heir to Driftmark.
Rhaenyra returned to King’s Landing from Dragonstone to defend her son’s claim. This angers Vaemond, who throws insults at Rhaenyra. In retaliation, Daemon cuts off Veamond’s head, severing it at his jaw instead of his neck. This was one of the goriest scenes in House of the Dragon, which outlined the brutality it takes to maintain power in this world.
7Maelys Being Slain By Vhagar Was Devastating
Season 2, Episode 4
The first battle, including dragons, was in Season 2, Episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold.”
The first battle between dragons occurred when Criston Cole led Aegon’s army to take over the Crownlands in an attempt to surround Rhaenyra at Dragonstone. Though Prince Jacaerys volunteered to go and fight, Rhaenys decided to stand up for the Blacks on the back of her dragon, Maelys. She succeeds in destroying a significant number of Aegon’s troops with dragon fire alone.
When Aegon showed up on Sunfyre, the smaller dragon was no match for Maelys. However, Aemond and Vhagar surprised Rhaenys, and despite their efforts to get away, the massive older dragon crushed Maelys’ neck, sending both dragon and rider to their death. The death of Rhaenys was heartbreaking, but the audience was spared from seeing her bloody end, unlike Maelys’ gory and detailed conclusion.
6Rhaenyra’s Walk After Birth Was an Unsettling Power Move
Season 1, Episode 6
After the major time jump, which began in Season 1, Episode 6, Rhaenyra has three sons: Jacaerys, Lucerys, and infant Joffrey.
The opening scene of Episode 6 featured Rhaenyra giving birth to her youngest son from Laenor Velaryon (or, rather, Harwin Strong), Joffrey. She has only a moment of joy with her newborn before a servant comes to inform her that Queen Alicent has demanded the infant be brought immediately to her. Unwilling to relinquish her child, Rhaenyra walked through the castle right after her afterbirth, leaving a trail of blood in her wake.
This was a humiliating thing for Rhaenyra to endure, and it was disgusting to learn that Alicent wanted to see the infant simply to prove that it was another child who didn’t resemble Laenor. This was not only a scene that literally showed Rhaenyra’s blood, sweat, and tears but also emphasized how tense and toxic the relationship between the two women had become.
5Rhaenyra Mourns in Labor Is Another Unsettling Birth Scene
Season 1, Episode 10
At the time, Rhaenyra has a miscarriage and loses her unborn daughter; she has five sons.
House of the Dragon had a series of unsettling birth scenes, which were not looked upon favorably among many viewers. In one of the most dramatic scenes in the first season, Rhaenyra finds out her father has died, and The Greens have usurped her throne. Though that was enough to make her grieve and enraged, Rhaenyra goes into labor, trying to grapple with the harsh reality of the current political status while being reminded that she went into labor earlier than she should have.
The show doesn’t pull any punches, having the audience witness Rhaenyra give birth to her stillborn infant. This entire sequence is entirely gut-wrenching and disheartening. It has the necessary intent, portraying a woman who has an incredible amount of responsibility and important decisions to make while suffering through the unbearable tragedy of losing an infant in childbirth.
4Lucerys’ Death Scene Was the Most Unexpected Demise
Season 1, Episode 10
Lucerys died in HOTD, like his character in Fire & Blood, losing a battle between Aemond and Vhagar.
After Rhaenyra’s throne is usurped by her brother, The Blacks set out to figure out which houses will still swear allegiance to her over Aegon. Lucerys is sent to Storm’s End to negotiate with the Baratheons, where he encounters Aemond and has a tense encounter with the man who has a score to settle after the other took his eye out when they were children.
The two end up on a high-speed chase in the skies, Lucerys fleeing on the back of his smaller dragon while Aemond pursues on dragon back. Though it initially seemed like Lucerys had evaded the two, they weren’t any match for Vhagar, the strongest dragon in Westeros and the biggest in the world. This demise may not have been shocking for the book fans, but the viewers, none-the-wiser, were appalled to see Lucerys and Arrax destroyed between Vhagar’s powerful jaws.
3The Killing Spree In King’s Landing Was a Bloody Display
Season 1, Episode 1
Before this bloody scene in Episode 1, Daemon Targaryen’s first appearance features him greeting Rhaenyra while sitting on her father’s throne.
Daemon had many titles at the beginning of the series, which were stripped away as Viserys grew increasingly paranoid about his brother’s violent and impulsive behavior. One of these honorable titles was Commander of the City Watch. One of his first acts in Episode 1, when he returns to King’s Landing after a long journey away, is to scour the city for various criminals who had previously not been punished.
Daemon may have been performing the duties he felt he was responsible for, but there’s no denying his outlook on handling criminal activity was particularly violent. He ordered horrendous and bloody acts, such as having various body parts, including heads, cut off. This scene is the bloodiest in the series, even more so than the battle sequences, offering close-ups of carts and piles of gory dismembered limbs.
2Prince Jaehaerys’ Murder Was an Egregious Act
Season 2, Episode 1
After the slaying of Lucerys, Rhaenyra expresses her desire to get revenge on Aemond. Daemon hires assassins to go into the Red Keep and murder the prince, resulting in the infamous story known in Fire & Blood as “Blood & Cheese”.
At the beginning of Season 2, Rhaenyra is seen still mourning the demise of her son. In her time of grief, she demands revenge for the loss of her child. The unintelligent assassins Daemon tasked with this mission end up unable to find the prince but instead discover Helaena in the room with her two toddlers, Jaehaera and Jaehaerys. When forced to tell them which of the near-identical children is the boy, the queen chooses to be honest and saves her daughter.
This is one scene the creators were right not to show in bloody detail. However, it was still chilling to see Helaena carry her daughter down the hall as she listened to the murderers behead her son. Out of all the heinous acts committed in the short runtime of House of the Dragon, this is the most brutal act of violence and depravity.
1Aemma’s Death Scene Is Still the Most Unsettling HOTD Scene
Season 1, Episode 1
Queen Aemma had several pregnancies throughout her marriage to Viserys, but her only living child was their daughter, Rhaenyra.
From the beginning of House of the Dragon, there was a foreboding tone surrounding Aemma Targaryen’s pregnancy, especially after the mention of her several miscarriages and stillbirths and Viserys’ desperate need for a male heir. This intense build-up comes to a devastating conclusion when Aemma is in labor, and the Maester reveals to Viserys that the unborn infant is breech and will not survive a natural birth.
The king makes the devastating decision to sacrifice his wife to save his child. The show didn’t leave anything up to the imagination, having the audience witness the Maester cut open Aemma’s abdomen and pull out the infant. Viserys’ sorrow is only matched by the joy of meeting his son, Baelon, which is short-lived when the infant dies minutes after his mother. Despite the numerous gory and bloody scenes, Aemma’s disturbing death scene continues to be the most unsettling moment in House of the Dragon.
