House of the Dragon threatened to switch off within minutes of the new series after a dog was kicked and yelped in pain.
The first episode of the highly-anticipated second series of the HBO’s hit fantasy show, a spin-off of Game of Thrones, aired on Monday (June 17). But it sparked uproar among viewers when a dog was brutally attacked.
With Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) determined to secure her reign and avenge the death of her son Lucerys, assassins Blood and Cheese were hired by her ruthless husband and uncle Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) to hunt Aemond Targaryen in the Red Keep.
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Aemond, the brother of King Aegon II, accidentally killed young Lucerys in the first season of the hit HBO show when his dragon Vhagar bit and killed the teen’s dragon Arrax, in what was an explosive finale.
(Image: HBO)
Lucerys’ body was never found but when Queen Rhaenyra found out about his death, she was raging and thus war was declared. Blood and Cheese are known in the Game of Thrones fandom but the pair didn’t go down well with viewers.
Lots of viewers took to X to complain when Blood and Cheese went too far during their hunt for Aemond, with Cheese (Mark Stobbart) kicking his dog that yelped in pain. The four-legged pup is the third forgotten member of the rat-catcher’s duo with Blood (Sam C. Wilson).
Plenty of loved characters have suffered horrific fates in George R. R. Martin’s Thrones franchise, from favourite Eddard Stark to “Mhysa” herself, Daenerys Targaryen. But the dog kicking proved too much as many fans threatened to switch off entirely.
“I feel like this episode really would’ve felt fine and complete without that rat catcher kicking the dog”, one of them penned while another agreed: “And the purpose of kicking the dog was what exactly? This show remains mid at best.”
(Image: Sky)
A third viewer wrote: “Worst moment of this episode was watching this poor dog get kicked.” One fan fumed: “A lot of bad things happen on this show but they have crossed the line having that man kick his dog.”
Things only got worse with the murder of toddler Jaehaerys, the son of King Aegon II and his sister-wife Helaena, another act of revenge for Lucerys’ death ordered by Prince Daemon Targaryen.
“I got p***** more at seeing the dog getting kicked than hearing a baby getting murdered”, a viewer wrote while another added: “Why am I more upset about the dog getting kicked than Aegon’s heir.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
