(House of the Dragon spoilers will be found below.)
After a long and brutal eight episodes of suffering, despair, and maggot-infested wounds, King Viserys finally succumbed to the illness that plagued him for seemingly decades (though the timeline is a bit uncertain). Paddy Considine’s portrayal of the king was already applauded by George R. R. Martin, and it seems like he is finally ready to say goodbye to the show and the inevitable mess he caused while on his deathbed.
Considine took to Instagram to post a final goodbye to the character and the “incredible adventure” that he had while working on the series. He also gave a special shout-out to Sian Brooke (Queen Aemma Arryn) who helped allow his story to come full circle. Considine wrote:
Thank you for the kind words. I cannot reply to every comment, but I’d like to acknowledge that they haven’t been lost upon me. It was an incredible adventure where I made lots of new friends that will be with me for the rest of my life. I’d like to thank the creators for allowing me the freedom to make Viserys my own. I have never loved a character so much. I want to give massive love and respect to @brooke.sian who came in for only a few days, but changed the course of my character with her brilliant performance and commitment to the work. The impact stayed with me until my final improvised words. She unlocked the missing piece of the puzzle for me, and allowed my story to come full circle. From the moment she dies, so does Viserys. It was a love story. That’s the secret I carried with me. As sick as he gets, he never, himself, demands any cure. He quietly accepts his suffering, never forgiving himself for putting his beloved wife through such torture in her final moments. Viserys was a gift. I am so honoured he found me. Now, no more.
The actor paired his goodbye note with photos from his short but solid reign on the show. While he’s not the first character to say their goodbyes, he did play a vital role in the first half of the season, so he will be missed. Including for his brilliantly sad reaction photos.
