House of Dragon viewers 'disgusted by f***** up' relationship story line

Viewers were only just getting over the brutal birth scene from last week

House of Dragon fans are disgusted by a "f***** up" storyline in this week's episode, with many saying the introduction of a potential new love interest for King Viserys Targaryen was just too "gross" to stomach. And they were just getting over last week's horror show of watching his pregnant wife, Aemma Targaryen get butchered during child birth, and ultimately die. Games of Thornes fans have got use to violence and unorthodox relationships – from forbidden lovers and forced marriages to incest - but Monday's plot left many "gasping". At the end of the last episode, Viserys, played by Paddy Considine, was eyeing up as his new bride, following the death Aemma (Sian Brooke).

Many people feared for the worst when Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) took the king to one side to put forward his daughter as wife and queen – not least because Lady Laena (Nova Foueillis-Mosé) was also related to Viserys. But it got worse, when it became clear just how old she was which was revealed during a stroll through the gardens. First, the obvious height difference was apparent, as the camera tracked them from behind. Then, the age gap. Laena is 12. Looking up earnestly at the king, Laena, rattled off the lines her parents had told her to say, including a promise to give him "many children". Recognising his discomfort, she also assured him that her mother had told her that he "wouldn’t have to bed" her until she turned 14. https://twitter.com/HOTDfr/status/1564091468767166466 "She's a baby. This is so f**king gross. How anyone can even consider this is awful. #HOTD #HouseoftheDragon," one person tweeted. Another wrote: "The King Viserys and Lady Laena scene is so cringeeeee. I know it’s based 1000s of yrs ago, but the age gap is disgusting #HouseOfTheDragonHBO." Another said the potential marriage was 'super f**ked up', while a fourth added: "Omg Lady Laena is young young. I hate this idea #HOTD." https://twitter.com/CinemaNookPod/status/1564095042192654336 https://twitter.com/mintyreads/status/1564205632407871491