An exhaustive list of all Viserys evils on "House of the Dragon"

There are many pressing questions as we approach the final episodes of 'House of the Dragon' Season 1: Will Alicent and Rhaenyra kill each other? Is Helaena possessed? What happened to Mysaria?

But maybe none of these questions are as critical as one: what's wrong with Viserys (Paddy Considine)?

As the relatively trouble-free ruler of the Seven Kingdoms ages, he's plagued by a litany of ailments, from old-fashioned festering wounds to blackouts to what could be textbook consumption (pulmonary tuberculosis). In a world that recently lost its monarch, one can't help but be nervous for the old king and wonder what new hell each episode has in store for him. Medically, this could all be a long-term problem, but if so, what is it? And how will it end?

And so, here's a comprehensive list of what ails King Viserys, what it could mean, what happened to him, and what could be next - complete with a second opinion from a licensed physician (a friend) who sends live SMS to this reporter every Sunday.

Related Related Episode 1: Unidentified Skin Disease

Episode 1 of "The House of the Dragon" introduces Viserys, a remarkably kind and level-headed leader who is obviously doomed, because it's about Westeros. Sure enough, Viserys has some kind of open, oozing sore on his back which he believes is due to him sitting on the throne all day. It may or may not have to do with the grayscale of "Game of Thrones", which was not only disgusting but terminal. Grand Maester Mellos (David Horovitch) picks up the goop and sends it to the lab (or equivalent), and we also get a mention of "leech." Mellos' assistant suggests cauterizing as the wound will not heal otherwise, but onlookers are miraculously spared a scene of this process.

A second opinion: "I would believe a wound that turned into a badly healed wound in someone whose nutrition or cleanliness probably wasn't great. At this point, I was mostly thinking how did Could he have hurt himself? Are they going to explain that? Then they bring this close-up where the Iron Throne cuts his finger - I thought he was sure he died of tetanus, but then he appears in the previews of the next episode? Tetanus would have caught him sooner."

Episode 2: Rotting Flesh

"House of the Dragon"

HBO

The leeches are out and the maggots are in. In Episode 2, Viserys' hand appears to be dying, a slow decay that results in delicious maggot meals. Once the maggots eat the rotting flesh, the infection...