The House of The Dragon premiere shocked viewers with a graphic, disturbing birthing sequence, and this week's second episode has also come in for some backlash for a scene which showed King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) taking a little stroll with one of his new suitors.
What's wrong with that, you may ask? Well, the girl in question is 12-years-old!
Viserys’ cousin Rhaenys (Eve Best) offered the King the hand of her daughter Lady Laena Velaryon (Nova Foueillis-Mose) in an attempt to strengthen her family's position. Viserys was visibly uncomfortable at the prospect of marrying a child, but even the mere suggestion was enough to stir up quite a bit of outrage online, and his actual choice of bride didn't help matters.
Towards the end of the episode, Viserys announces that he is to marry Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), much to the dismay of his daughter Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock). Alicent is 15.
The episode concludes with Laena's father Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) forging an alliance with Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), which may not end well for the King or his daughter.
It's worth noting that George R.R. Martin's novels are set in a world where this kind of thing is common (Dany is quite a bit younger than she was depicted in the show, for example), but many have argued that a fictional society - inspired by our real history or not - shouldn't feel the need to take things in such a creepy direction. Then again, "fictional" will the operative word there for others.
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