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How Viserys Targaryen Just Proved Himself A Better King Than Robert Baratheon
By MICHAEL BOYLE
It's easy to find comparisons between King Robert Baratheon from “Game Of Thrones” and Viserys from “House Of The Dragon,” but unlike Robert with Cerci, Viserys has had no problem standing up to his sometimes tyrannical wife Alicent. This is no more apparent than how they each handled the maiming of their children and a request for the execution of “justice” or lack thereof from their wives.
Despite not being the one who injured “his son,” Joffery, Robert was more than willing to kill Sansa's direwolf Lady at Cersi's behest. However, after Aemond lost his eye during an altercation with Rhaenyra's children, Viserys denied Alicent's request for "an eye for an eye." He then declared the matter “settled” and decreed that anyone who spoke of it again or questioned Rhaenyra's kids' legitimacy would lose their tongue.
It's a moment that reminds us just how poorly Robert handled his similar predicament, two hundred years later. Although his wife demanded Lady die in Arya’s direwolf’s stead, Robert did not need to listen to her, as "House of the Dragon" just illustrated. Despite all his faults, Viserys stands by his convictions as much as he does his family and friends — something Robert would fail to do, years later.