Since the beginning of the show, House of the Dragon, King Viserys’ health is steadily worsening. He even ends up losing two fingers in a bid to stop what is affecting him from spreading further. So far, nothing has been confirmed by the show or the showrunners. When fans don’t get an explanation, they come up with one themselves. And some fans think it is necrotizing fasciitis.
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Fans have theorized that this diagnosis is the most plausible one since King Viserys is seen suffering from pain all over his body, and blackened spots and extremities. Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare disease where a bacterial infection spreads throughout the body, causing the tissues to rapidly deteriorate. This kind of bacterial infection is most commonly spread through burns, cuts, and scrapes. This reminds us of episode 1 of House of the Dragon where the King gets a small cut on his back and finger from sitting on the throne, exactly where the blackened skin is first seen.
The decaying skin has to be removed surgically to prevent the further spread of the bacteria. But it’s highly unlikely that the Maesters know how to effectively treat such a rare disease. Viserys reigned over the most prosperous era of the Seven Kingdoms but was still not considered a great king. He paid too much heed to his council instead of making his own decisions. In the book, Fire & Blood, the King passed away during a nap and was said to have a peaceful death. Is this the showrunner’s subtle way of saying that the Iron Throne, not an enemy or a battle, killed King Viserys?
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