Warning! SPOILERS ahead for House of the Dragon.House of the Dragon's very first episode includes a tragic birth scene that is important for reasons beyond how it sets the story's main conflict in motion. A prequel to HBO's Game of Thrones, this new series is set roughly 200 years prior to the events of the previous show. House of the Dragon chronicles the family history of House Targaryen during their time ruling over the Seven Kingdoms, specifically focusing on the reign of Viserys I and the war for succession that erupts following his death.
Given the significance House of the Dragon places on deciding succession and who should be heir to the Iron Throne, births are going to play a large role in the story. Sons are generally favored over daughters when it comes to succession, and House of the Dragon's premiere highlights this by making a celebration of the expected birth of the king's son. Tragically, however, the birth does not go as planned and Viserys remains without a male heir. This sets in motion a course of events that will ultimately lead to civil war, but the scene is important for another reason as well.
In House of the Dragon season 1, episode 1, "The Heirs of the Dragon", Aemma Targaryen dies during a traumatic birth, as does her infant son, Baelon, just a day later. For King Viserys, it's heartbreaking to lose both his wife and son—and for the realm it will be catastrophic—but there's another reason this scene is so important: it illustrates the very real dangers women can face when giving birth. This was especially true in the medieval era from which House of the Dragon draws inspiration, but childbirth remains dangerous for many women even today. And for a story that will see many births in the quest to sit an heir on the Iron Throne, it's important to have those dangers recognized.
House Of The Dragon's Birth Scenes Are Crucial To The Show
The death of Aemma and her son will not be the last time childbirth features prominently in House of the Dragon. While episode 1 ends with Rhaenyra being named heir, any other male Targaryen could conceivably argue a stronger claim. Already, House of the Dragon has teased Viserys' brother, Daemon, as a contender, but in the years (and episodes) to come, the birth of more Targaryens—especially more male Targaryens—will challenge Rhaenyra's place as heir. Not to mention, Rhaenyra will have children of her own as she seeks to shore up her claim. Each of these births will have ramifications for the future of House Targaryen, and luckily, not all will be as horrific or tragic as the one that kills Aemma in House of the Dragon episode 1. As executive producer Miguel Sapochnik said previously to THR, "We have a number of births in the show and basically decided to give them different themes and explore them from different perspectives the same way I did for a bunch of battles on Thrones."
With this in mind, it's clear the scene of Aemma dying in childbirth is meant to set up more than a fight over succession – it establishes a status quo where a woman's life is seen as less important than the children she can have. When pressed by the maester to forgo any attempts at saving his wife's life in exchange for the chance to save his son, Viserys chooses his son. As a result, Aemma's death is violent and painful as she's forced to undergo a c-section. It's true Viserys is faced with an impossible choice, and it's one many must still make today, but by not even including a still conscious Aemma in that decision, House of the Dragon makes it clear her life isn't considered as important as that of a potential male heir. It's a foreboding message for the women who remain, especially those involved in securing the Targaryen line of succession, and it's just one way House of the Dragon will use its many birth scenes to explore themes surrounding women and their role in society.
New episodes of House of the Dragon release Sundays on HBO/HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET.