Theory: Rhaenyra Was Cut By The Iron Throne Because It Rejects Unworthy Rulers
The Iron Throne is said to reject unworthy rulers.
On House of the Dragon, King Viserys was cut by the throne during a heated argument with Daemon. If you don’t know the lore of the books, it could seem to be simply symbolic of Viserys’s deteriorating health. However, now that Rhaenyra has also been cut, it’s time to dig into Westerosi superstitions surrounding the Iron Throne.
In Westerosi tradition, there is a belief that the Iron Throne rejects unworthy rulers by cutting them when they sit upon it. The idea comes from the throne’s construction: Aegon the Conqueror had it forged from the swords of his defeated enemies, leaving thousands of jagged blades exposed. The throne is said to be dangerous because a careless or unworthy ruler may be wounded by it. That’s exactly what happens to both Viserys and Rhaenyra.
Actress Emma D’Arcy even seems to hint that the Iron Throne cut was the cause of the illness that killed Viserys. Speaking on Rhaenyra’s cut, she said, “Viserys kept his own condition very private. I don’t know how she could know that the throne was the root of his illness.”
Long after the Dance of Dragons, Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King, is said to have been frequently cut by the throne during his reign. His tenure ended with him screaming to burn down King’s Landing, so I think it’s safe to say he was a bad king. If the superstitions around the Iron Throne are true, he would definitely be an unfit ruler it would reject.
However, the books and show leave the truth ambiguous. The Iron Throne is not confirmed to have magical powers, and there are plenty of cruel or ineffective rulers who were not famously cut (ex: Aegon the Unworthy, Joffrey). The superstition says less about the throne itself and more about Westerosi belief that kingship is a burden requiring worthiness: a ruler who cannot command respect, maintain order, or serve the realm may be seen as someone the throne itself refuses to accept.
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