House of the Dragon's big series premiere showed us castles, jousts and dragons gliding through the air, but for some fans out there it was a brothel scene that stole the show. The HBO series kicks off just as lewd as Game of Thrones ever was, but fans weren't expecting nudity from star Matt Smith in the very first episode. Fair warning: there are spoilers for House of the Dragon Episode 1 below.
Smith plays the infamous Prince Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon, and it's the perfect role for him to break out of any typecasting concerns. The swaggering, arrogant, violent Daemon couldn't be any different from Doctor Who or the other roles Smith is best known for. Sometimes nicknamed "The Prince of the City" or the "The Prince of Flea Bottom," Daemon is the commander of the "Gold Cloaks" – the city guards and local police force – and he is known for his corruption. To those that read the book, it should be no surprise that we see Daemon in a "pleasure house" in the first episode.
Still, even the biggest fans of Martin's work may be a little taken aback that an A-lister like Smith agreed to do nudity in the very first episode. It's an incredibly vulnerable scene as well – we find Daemon having sex with Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), but he ends it abruptly and stands up, apparently agitated by something. There is a long, lingering shot of Daemon standing in front of the moonlit window before he grabs some kind of silky blanket and covers his head and upper body. Mysaria then comes to comfort the prince.
This is one of the first hints we get that the show's depiction of Daemon will be more nuanced than his historical description in the book. House of the Dragon airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max. Here's a look at some of the most incredulous fan reactions to Daemon's big scene in the premiere episode.
Context
Some fans felt like Daemon's sex scene came out of nowhere considering the earlier events of the episode.
Appreciation
Many fans shared very straightforward approval and appreciation for Smith's nude scene, including some tweets that transcended language.
Poor Fit
On the other hand, some fans felt like they could have done without Smith's sex scene altogether.
Previous Roles
Because Smith is best known for more wholesome roles like Doctor Who, the sex scene was jarring for some longtime fans.
How Much More?
Fans did not expect Smith to do a nude scene, and some began to wonder if he would be doing this a lot during the series.
Characterization
Around the time of the sex scene, some fans began to remark that they were just realizing that Smith would be playing a villainous character in this show. Some were disappointed.
Making Up For Lost Time
Finally, some fans speculated that Smith was making up for lost time, in a way, by taking this violent and villainous role after a career of more wholesome performances. House of the Dragon airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.