The creators of House of the Dragon defend this bloody birth scene

The The house of the dragon the pilot’s graphic birth scene elicited a visceral reaction even at the show’s gala premiere. Showrunner Ryan J. Condalwho is the creator of Game of Thrones background with George RR Martin, noticed a strong reaction in the theater and says people were quick to discuss it afterwards. “Many people had something to say about the birth of Baelon, Prince Baelon,” he said Vanity Fair.

Now that the show has made its debut on HBO, everyone can share in the devastation. The creators insist that this ominous moment is a necessary way to mark the beginning of “The Dance of Dragons,” the family civil war that not only tears the mighty House Targaryen apart, but ultimately destroys dragons from the skies of Westeros.

In the context of the story, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) needed a male heir to maintain a clean line of succession in the patriarchal dynasty. The death of the baby and of the king’s wife, Queen Emma (Sian Brooke), during the failed birth, creates a void that the other family members rush to fill, brandishing swords and fire-breathing monsters to gain the upper hand.

The The house of the dragon the birth scene goes even further than Martin’s description in 2018 Fire and bloodwho inspired Game of Thrones background story. “Queen Aema was taken to bed in Maegor’s keep and died while giving birth to the son Viserys Targaryen had desired for so long,” Martin wrote in the fictional story. “The boy (named Baelon, the king’s father) survived her only a day, leaving the king and court destitute.”

Those two sentences were extended into a forced C-section, with Aema screaming in agony as she was held and cut open by doctors and midwives hoping to save the breech baby even at the cost of her life. Viserys tries to comfort the frightened, suffering woman after giving permission for the brutal procedure without ever consulting her about it.

“That scene is… you don’t want to use the word ‘nice’ for a scene like that, but it’s incredibly affecting,” says Martin. “It’s visceral and it will rip your heart out and throw it on the floor. It has the kind of impact that the Red Wedding had. It is a beautifully made scene of something terrible.

Here’s what else The house of the dragon creators had to say:

I have re-read the relevant parts of fire and blood and the death of the baby, the “heir for a day”, is much more violent in the series than in the book. Why was this scene important?

Ryan Condall: Indeed, this particular story is Viserys’ story. It starts with him believing he will have a new male son after years and years of trying, stillbirths and miscarriages and all [his wife Queen Aemma] experienced as a mother. Finally the answer will come. He is very confident and sure about it. Just like that, mother and son die in childbirth. Suddenly everything changes and turns the chess table.