Game of Thrones fans are used to a lot: decapitated heroes, burned children, mediocre weddings. But they also know their limits. In the case of the spin-off House of the Dragon, however, these are not murdered children, but a kicked dog in the opening of season 2.
Some fans were so outraged that they were about to inform PETA and/or John Wick. But Was the lovable dog actor really in danger?
Not the dog! Fans of House of the Dragon put up with a lot – but not animal cruelty
In the episode A Son for a Son, the henchmen Blood (Sam C. Wilson) and Cheese (Mark Stobbart), hired by Daemon (Matt Smith), sneak through the corridors of the Red Keep as rat catchers. They are supposed to kill a descendant of King Aegon II in retaliation for the prince killed in the first season finale. Before they can get into the royal chamber, however, Cheese kicks his dog in frustration.
Many Fans were not amused by thisalthough in the minutes that follow, infinitely worse things are done to people. “Why does the kicked dog make me angrier than Aegon’s descendant?”asked one viewer on X . On the same social media platform, another viewer clarified: Incest and murdering innocent people = thumbs up, kicking a dog = angry emoji:
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On Reddit, some even worried about the acting dog and wondered, whether he was really kickedIn this regard, we can give the all-clear almost 100 percent, even without a source. The treatment of animals on film sets is strictly regulated and if a dog had really been mistreated, several organizations like Wolves would be after those responsible and HBO.
CGI dragons, fantasy worlds and dog kicks: the tasks of the special effects department are diverse
How exactly they tricked the film with special effects and editing may become clear once we see the bonus material including the making-of for season 2. A Reddit user responded to the dog lovers’ concerns with wonderful sarcasm: “That was a real dog getting kicked. Just like a real child getting decapitated. HBO has the budget for it!”
HBO
Ouch!
If anyone wants an indication of whether the dog had fun during filming or not: Take a close look at how the very good boy wagging his tail as he runs out.
For some, however, that doesn’t seem to be the main point. Some simply don’t want to see innocent animals mistreated. Even if it means making a character a hate figure in a simple way – or the worst things are done to two-legged creatures in the same series.