WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1 and George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood!House of the Dragon actor Steve Toussaint reveals a deleted scene centered on Corlys in battle. Lord Corlys Velaryon (Toussaint), also known as the Sea Snake, serves as the head of House Velaryon in the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. As the Lord of Driftmark and leader of an ancient, proud House which contains the blood of Old Valyria, something they have in common with the Targaryens, Corlys has been shown to possess great ambition, which only grew since his wife Rhaenys (Eve Best) was passed over for the Iron Throne. The character has seen great tragedy in House of the Dragon, with his daughter Laena (Nanna Blondell) dying during childbirth, his son Laenor (John MacMillian) presumably being killed (though viewers know he is alive), and his brother Vaemond (Wil Johnson) being killed.
In season 1, episode 8, a six-year jump occurred, revealing that Corlys had been grievously injured and battling blood fever after having fought in the Stepstones for several years. Though Rhaenys took to ruling Driftmark along with their granddaughter in his stead, this was not viewed as a permanent solution, and the question of the inheritance of Driftmark was brought up. Viewers grew increasingly concerned when Corlys failed to appear or be mentioned in episode 9. However, the season 1 finale saw Corlys alive and well, if a little worse for wear, as he considered and ultimately pledged his assistance to Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy).
While speaking with TVLine, Toussaint was asked why the show didn't cut to Corlys in episode 8 to signal to audiences that he was, in fact, alive. The actor revealed that a deleted scene depicting the Sea Snake's fate was ultimately cut from the episode. Though he doesn't offer a reason for the scene being cut, it's possible that the showrunners preferred to leave his fate ambiguous while talk of Dirftmark's succession loomed to make the matter more urgent. See what Toussaint had to say below:
"[Laughs] I don’t know. That’s really a question for [showrunners] Ryan [Condal] and Miguel [Sapochnik]. Originally, there were plans to keep the actual, when he gets injured. I had this conversation with Geeta [Vasant Patel], the director of Episode 8. She explained this wonderful scenario where Corlys falls into the sea, into the water. Underwater, we see his throat gashed and he’s bleeding, and then he’s saved by his men. It was really a beautiful piece… They couldn’t do it in the end. So, we had what we had."
Corlys' House Of The Dragon Season 2 Future Explained
Based on what Toussaint describes, it's also possible that the violent and moving scene was cut to prioritize another expensive or heavily produced sequence in the series. Regardless of why Corlys' fall was deleted from episode 8, it's a relief for fans of the character to see that the Sea Snake is back to being a key player in the upcoming events. In the source material for the series, George R.R. Martin's 2018 novel Fire and Blood, Corlys continues to support Rhaenyra's claim to the throne fully until the tragic death of his wife, Rhaenys. After that personal loss, Corlys becomes disillusioned with the queen, though he reaffirms his loyalty to her when he becomes her Hand.
It's not yet known what the reach of season 2 will be, but since showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that there would be no more time jumps in House of the Dragon moving forward, the death of his wife will likely be an important event in Corlys' season 2 story. Given the focus on the Velaryon blockade in the season 1 finale, season 2 may also feature the Triarchy attacking that blockade. Considering Corlys' uncertainty about Rhaenyra's leadership capability after what happened to his son, season 2 may also focus on his relationship with and trust in her. In the following seasons of House of the Dragon, Corlys' control of the sea will become a crucial asset for Rhaenyra, proving that she was right to work for Corlys' support.
Source: TVLine