This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 9, "The Green Council," which debuted Sunday, Oct. 16 on HBO.
As the saying goes, "the King is dead, long live the king!" House of the Dragon killed off King Viserys in Episode 8, "The Lord of the Tides," and set off the Dance of the Dragons civil war. While he may not have been the best husband or father in the sense that he struggled to make hard decision, King Viserys was actually a pretty great king for the people of Westeros. So much so that when announcing his death in the small council, Otto Hightower called the departed monarch "King Viserys the Peaceful."
Outside of conflicts at sea -- one of which was unsanctioned -- the people of Westeros enjoyed a time of peace under Viserys' reign. He also -- after years of ignoring her and yearning for a son -- worked to mend his relationship with his daughter Rhaenyra; she was his connection to first wife, not just a good candidate as a ruler (though, that was important too). In fact, being a "good" King seemed to be Viserys' prime motivation throughout his rule. He often went out of his way to avoid conflict and unnecessary cruelty, even at the cost of saving face. As a student of history, he knew how violence only begets more violence. He tried to rule in a way that ensured continued peace and -- for the most part -- he succeeded. If anything, King Viserys was the victim of terrible advice. Even his most egregious action at the start of the series was the result of him trusting the word of someone whose motivations were clouded by the callous cruelty of a patriarchal monarchy.
King Viserys Spent His Life Making Up for Queen Aemma's Death
In his fruitless quest for a "pure" Targaryen male heir, King Viserys gave the maesters permission to perform a deadly c-section on his wife Aemma to save his son. Whether there was truly nothing they could do to save Aemma or not, Viserys made a choice that aligned with both his personal desires and what he thought was good for the realm. In the wake of that, he truly did seem changed. He named his daughter heir to The Iron Throne and devoted himself to training her to take up the solemn duty of ruler and protector. Since his own crown came from being "chosen" by his predecessor, he'd naturally follow that example in order to prevent war between his brother and children. As he grew closer to the daughter he ignored, he began to understand that she was no less wise or competent than any son could be. This is why he trusted her with the secret of A Song of Ice and Fire.
Even after his marriage with Alicent produced sons, Viserys stayed true to his decision and continued to put his faith in Rhaenyra. He never wavered and even dismissed Otto Hightower as his Hand after he suggested she was "compromised" for having sex with her uncle, aka Viserys' brother Daemon. On that note, any other ruler would have put their brother to sword for just one of the offenses Daemon inflicted upon King Viserys. But even when they actually fought, Viserys would have never harmed his brother.
King Viserys loved his family, and every decision he made from marriage to succession was to protect them. He even decided against cruelly taking a pre-pubescent child as his second wife just for political convenience. In fact, a lack of cruelty is a defining trait in King Viserys' rule. In most cases, when given the chance to spare a life, Viserys chooses to do so. Unlike his advisors and family plotting against him and each other, he understands that true strength lies in mercy, not murder.
Viserys Loving His Family Made Him a Better King
Being the King of Westeros is not a plum gig, given how many people want to sit on The Iron Throne. Even if he wanted the crown desperately at the time he was named heir, by the time he faced his own line of succession choice, he was over it. Season 1, Episode 8's Targaryen Family Dinner was perhaps the only time the king had been happy since the birth of his last child.
While his desire for a son came from a religious devotion to prophecy, in the end, he realized that his family was what made being king worth all the effort. He would consistently defend them, especially Rhaenyra, anytime someone expressed doubts. When the family fought -- such as when Aemond lost his eye -- his goal was not to "punish" but ensure family harmony. Despite this excellent quality, however, thinking it was achieved so easily was also his biggest blind spot.
Throughout House of the Dragon King Viserys is surprisingly empathetic for a fantasy ruler. Having known both joy and loss, he appreciates life in the ways those scheming for power, riches or glory does not. Even though he failed to prevent a war between his heirs, to the people of Westeros, King Viserys the Peaceful did a pretty good job of protecting the realm.
House of the Dragons debuts its Season 1 finale Oct. 23 at 9 PM Eastern on HBO and HBO Max.