House of the Dragon is the story of the Targaryen dynasty and all of its political drama. Famously, however, the Targaryens also practice extreme degrees of familial intermarriage. Author George R.R. Martin jokingly spoke out about the depiction of incest in his universe.
House of the Dragon features a Westeros where royal incest is normalized. The Targaryens are considered to be above the normal laws of men, proclaiming themselves the "blood of the dragon." In a tradition reminiscent of the real-life practice of "god kings," the Targaryens wed brother to sister, even niece to uncle or aunt to nephew, to keep their bloodlines "pure." There's also the matter of marriages between cousins, which occurred commonly in real-life European noble dynasties. Even by the time of Game of Thrones, when the Targaryens have been overthrown, incest remains a key story beat, with characters like Jaime and Cersei Lannister engaging in the practice, though Jon Snow falters when he discovers his lover, Daenerys, is actually his aunt.
In a red carpet interview that was shared on the House of the Dragon subreddit, Martin spoke out about his own thoughts on the matter. "Not the way they do it in Westeros! I say avoid incest, at all costs," Martin joked. "I may write about incest, but I do not endorse it - let's make that perfectly clear!" His comments are a playful reminder for fans that although House of the Dragon features incest and highlights it (including in its take on the iconic Game of Thrones opening, which is a symbolic Targaryen family tree), creator and crew alike do not endorse it.
The incestuous themes present in the series have long been a topic of great controversy. Martin, who recently revealed he had concerns about the Game of Thrones production, has some control over the franchise and, of course, complete control over the novels. However, he has made it clear that the incestuous couplings are meant to unnerve the audience and explore the darker aspects of human nature.
It's not the only time the franchise has courted controversy. Other aspects of the Game of Thrones franchise that have come under scrutiny include its depiction of sex and violence, to the point that the House of the Dragon showrunners promised that the series wouldn't have 'gratuitous' sex and violence. Martin, however, has also defended his inclusion of sex and violence in his universe. He has particularly taken issue with sex scenes being so scrutinized, feeling that it is natural and healthy to include them in a story, especially when the violence actually draws in fewer complaints than the sexual content.
House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9 PM EST on HBO.
Source: r/houseofthedragon/Reddit