House of the Dragon star Matt Smith had a particular scene in the latest episode of the series that is gaining hilarious reception on the internet. Life imitates art. In the same way, art often tends to imitate life. To say that the decapitation scene in Episode 8 was reminiscent of the Oscars slap gate would be an understatement.
In a scene that guaranteed cut-throat tension, Daemon Targaryen brought about a twisted, violently humorous shift. The Doctor Who alum has brought about an intriguing flair to the House of the Dragon cinematic narrative which has been attracting applause and appreciation from all the fans of the franchise.
Before we proceed, spoiler warning for House of the Dragon Episode 8!
The Decapitation Scene In House of the Dragon Episode 8
Without going thoroughly into details, all we can reveal is that Ser Vaemond Velaryon fell right through Daemon Targaryen’s trap. In the episode, Princess Rhaenys comes to learn that Lord Corlys Velaryon, has suffered an injury in the Stepstones. While he has not met his demise yet, it is presumed that he might. This brings us to a sequence that details the potential heirs’ case for Driftmark’s succession.
Lord Corlys’ younger brother, Vaemond happened to be one of the heirs to the Driftmark throne, despite being a Second Son. Therefore, much like the others, Vaemond, who has been embodied by actor Wil Johnson, was expected to make a case before Queen Alicent and Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower, who arranged the petition for the inheritance of Driftmark.
Alas, much to the Hightowers’ dismay, King Viserys put an abrupt stop to the proceedings in style despite his failing health. He makes his way to the Iron Throne and attempts to bring matters to their rightful conclusion. Viserys’ mind was already made. Rhaenyra has already been recognized as his heir. Undoubtedly, her offspring will inherit Driftmark. Therefore, the island would pass through Ser Laenor Velaryon to Lucerys Velaryon, as affirmed by Princess Rhaenys.
However, Vaemond rose to oppose Viserys’ decree. What happens then constitutes what could be deemed the biggest blunder ever made. He challenged the King’s decisions and ended up calling Rhaenyra’s children “bastards.” To make matters even more, he called the princess herself a “wh-re.”
Wrong move, Vaemond.
King Viserys exclaims, “I will have his tongue for that!” Before he can do so, something else happens instead. In the next sequence, with a bizarre tone shift, we see Daemon Targaryen slice Vaemond’s head off in a clean stroke. The scene is visually structured in such a way that it adds to the punchline that is then delivered by Matt Smith‘s character, “He can keep his tongue.”
Upon viewing this particular scene, fans of the franchise rushed to make memes about it and compared it to a real-life incident we are all aware of.
Matt Smith’s Scene is Being Compared to The Oscars Slap
This episode, which was titled ‘The Lord of the Tides’, was memorable for more reasons than one. However, fans were particularly captivated by the decapitation scene that occurred between Matt Smith and Wil Johnson’s characters. People have taken to Twitter and affirmed how the scene matches the vibes of the 2022 Oscars controversy which involved Will Smith and Chris Rock. In a “keep-my-wife’s-name-out-of-your-mouth” fashion, Daemon Targaryen severed Vaemond’s head.
While the action may have been more drastic than a slap, it sure as hell was entertaining.
Take a look at the fans’ reactions:
While the memes and the comparisons make others laugh, one must take a moment to acknowledge the sheer talent exuded by Matt Smith. His portrayal of Daemon Targaryen has been precise, crisp, and solid from the start. Although having only a few lines in this episode, he excels in body language. His nonverbal acting techniques have impressed the fans time and again.
It would be intriguing to see what the future brings for his character in the series. With only two more episodes left, one can only anticipate greatness.
House of the Dragon is available to stream on HBO and HBO Max, with the next episode slated for a 16th October 2022 release.
Source: Twitter
