According to much of his progress, the house of the dragon will try to surpass, in approach and also in ambition, Game of Thrones. Which, of course, is almost unavoidable. The series will narrate the golden age of the Targaryens, the most powerful and fearsome rulers in the entire bloody history of Poniente (Westeros). In addition to thoroughly exploring the fictional continent imagined by George RR Martin. And that includes its brutality, crudeness and all the vision about violence that made the premise of the production that precedes it famous.
But regardless of all that, the series is a controversial point. The series will try to take the formula of the original story to a new dimension. Make it darker, starker and cruel. After all, the family, with dragon fire in their veins, endured a devastating and prolonged period of interim wars of considerable violence. And much of his power was sustained by the horrors he could inflict. A point that showrunners Ryan County Y Michael Spochnik they want to show in detail. Also, being much more explicit than it ever was —or could be— Game of Thrones.
Except that, the house of the dragon, will face a very different audience than its predecessor. One, whose discussions and sensibilities are far more specific than the one who was shocked by the wild scenes of Game of Thrones. On this occasion, the HBO production will have to deal not only with the scrutiny of its plot or staging.
At the same time, he will do so with a critical look at the resources he uses in his story. How will the audience react to the already predictable scenes of non-consensual sex, explicit violence, bloodshed? What will be the limit for the exploitation of brutality on female characters, a complicated element in Martin’s work?
Contradictions come and go: the house of the dragon in the center of the hurricane
Weeks ago, Miguel Sapochnik aroused considerable discomfort by stating in an interview that there will be sexual violence in the program. Brutal and explicit in nature, too. Only under a new type of “analysis and context.” In fact, the producer insisted that it was “a necessary point” for understanding the plot. And he pointed out that the brutalities that women suffered in a hard time could not be “ignored.”
Which, of course, made the specialized press wonder what historical moment it could refer to. The same way that Game of Thronesthe Serie the house of the dragon is set on a fictional continent. One in which, in addition, magic proliferates as a real element and there are dragons as battle weapons.
And while Sapochnik was clearly referring to the plot’s medieval setting, his explanation seemed like a soft justification for a larger problem. Especially when the last seasons of Game of Thronesthey faced a public discussion about the use of sexual violence to prop up the plot.
From the non-consensual sex that Daenerys Targaryen suffered during the first season – which was romanticized in the series – to the rape of Sansa Stark in a traumatic explicit scene. Women in Westeros didn’t just become the target of a script that prioritized brutality for immediate effect. At the same time, it sparked a debate about the perception of sexual aggression as a way of evolving its characters. By season eight, the nudity and violent sex scenes on the show had all but disappeared from the storyline.
But controversy continued to surround the story. Specifically in a scene where we see Sansa Stark admitting that being raped had “made her stronger.” And also, to Daenerys Targaryen, insisting on her love and the fullness of her bond that united her with Khal Drogo. Time and time again, the perception that the brutalization of women in the series was considered necessary became the center of public discussion.
A dragon about to fly over the controversy
So Sapochnik’s statements are at least contradictory to early descriptions of the house of the dragon. By the time the series began production, there were comments from the team involved that the new story would be more focused on storytelling. And especially, I would put aside sexual abuse and gratuitous violence. But at Comic-Con 2022, it became clear that the latest exploration of Westeros will be much more raw than might be assumed.
In particular, after writer George RR Martin again insisted that misogyny is “historically accurate.” That, coupled with Sapochnik’s statements, brought to the fore the scrutiny about the perception of women and sex in production. Later, Sarah Hess, executive producer, was forced to clarify what the team had said.
And that included pointing out, that unlike Game of Thrones, there would be much more care in analyzing the idea of sex, consensual and rape. both in the book fire and blood as in the series, queen Alicent Hightower, is a teenager to marry Viserys I Targaryen.
the house of the dragon and a more sensitive public
Hesse was quick to clarify that the story would try to avoid the fact that the series’ female leads “seemed coerced and manipulated.” Which doesn’t seem to have happened. In fiction, the regent’s second wife appears to be used as a pawn by her powerful father to influence the elderly regent of Westeros. Which includes a marriage between the two in what is evident a considerable age difference.
The contradictions continued. Matt Smith, who plays Prince Daemon Targaryen, admitted to rolling stone that there was “abundant sex” in the series. And he confirmed that not always, he was consensual. And despite the fact that he later qualified the information by talking about “intimacy coordinators” to avoid “excesses”, the point caused concern. Later, in Esquirethe actor delved into the subject again and admitted that sexual violence would continue to be part of the world of Poniente.
Discussions, dragons and debates in Westeros
In parallel, the series goes through another awkward point. The diversity of its cast. Game of Thrones it had no racialized characters. In fact, the idea of a cast of Caucasian actors was defended for “fidelity to the work”. The world of George RR Martin, is set for the most part in places similar to Denmark and Norway. Or at least, that’s what the writer said. But for the house of the dragonthe topic changed and created more problems.
Steve Toussaint, an African-English actor who plays Corlys Velaryon, Lord of the Tides and husband of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, faced online harassment. A significant number of toxic fans considered it unnecessary for a black actor to be part of the cast. But apart from Toussaint, racial diversity in the house of the dragon is for the first time a point of debate. And again, the theme about the fact that it is a story set on a fictional continent, stirred up old questions about the plot.
Is there historical accuracy in a fantasy world? The producers of the series seem to think not, or at least not strictly. And now the members of the house of Westeros have members of different ethnic groups. Something that confronted the most purist readers with the screen version of the iconic story.
What issues will you have to deal with? the house of the dragon? The series will likely have to measure itself against the long shadow of its predecessor. But also, with the point of a much more critical audience than Game of Thrones ever had. What, in the long run, can be the starting point of a large-scale conflict around one of the most anticipated series of the year.