‘The House of the Dragon’ 1×08, Will Smith’s ‘cameo’ on the Iron Throne

The HBO Max series The House of the Dragona series, remember, of fantasy fiction, with a political and geographical setting far removed from any contemporary element (there are no Starbucks cups here), could not have more nods to the present in episode 8, the lord of the tides, to the United States in 2022. We are going to put aside, at least for now, how the series is dotting its episodes with its modern (although patriarchal in its execution) vision of abortion (remember that we are in an American series and that it is being broadcasting in 2022, at which time abortion has opened a heated political debate in most states), and we are going to stay with one of the most celebrated deaths by viewers, which has led to the popular imagination (that is how they have left constancy in forums and networks many viewers of the series) to the Oscars 2022 and to Will Smith’s legendary aggression against humorist Chris Rock. Matt Smith’s character, Daemon Targaryen, transmutes for viewers into Will Smith at the Oscars in the scene where Corlys Velaryon’s brother, Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), after shouting from the rooftops the bastardy of grandchildren King Viserys (Paddy Considine), turns up the heat and decides to insult his wife, Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). If the scriptwriters in the series had not given so much importance to this scene, which it does not have in the novel, perhaps it would have gone unnoticed by the viewers. in the novel fire and bloodIt was Rhaenyra, according to the testimonies, who had ordered Daemon to cut off Vaemond’s head and then throw it to his dragon Syrax to be flambéed and eaten. And Vaemond, in the book, was Corlys’s nephew and not brother (by making him a brother there is a certain parallelism between Daemon and Vaemond, because of inheritance rights). That, ahem, is raising the stakes and putting all the focus on this character (it can also be explained that the series has wanted to simplify all the candidates of the Velaryon family and concentrate them on a single character…). And if Vaemond hadn’t been given more weight, he might not have clicked on some viewers’ heads either, to the point of starting to spawn memes linking the moment of Vaemond’s character’s death at Daemon’s hands to Daemon’s assault. Will Smith to Chris Rock.

In the series, Vaemond points his finger at Lucerys. He does not recognize him as a nephew. Viserys reminds him that he is Driftmark’s second son. Vaemond continues to light up. He mentions Strong’s paternity to those present and then insults Rhaenyra, and there is also an accusing finger. The camera has given us close-ups of the character of Matt Smith also lighting up while Vaemond speaks, giving us to understand that something is going to happen, that he does not like what you are hearing (come on, they are not random shots). That takes the spotlight away from Rhaenyra as the executioner and draws it directly towards him, without any confusion (there are no exchanges of glances). Then it is the black sister, Daemon’s sword, who decides to settle the insult. Neither Rhaenyra’s order nor Syrax dragon involved. Daemon acts alone. Be careful, King Viserys is not in the novel either brandishing his dagger, threatening from a distance to punish the insult to his daughter, his great love (that’s “my love”, not Alicent, Olivia Cooke, in case I hadn’t given you bill). But the viewers have only had eyes in forums for Daemon Targaryen.