Yeah, that would've made it even better. When you look at it that way, it does seem kind of half-assed. I still like it though.
I think the main issue is Bran telegraphed it like a mfer. So Baelish should have bailed after that little convo.
Bran Stark pretty much read Petyr Baelish's entire browser history during that conversation you speak of. Lol
House of the Dragons has it first cast member https://ew.com/tv/game-of-thrones-house-of-the-dragon-paddy-considine/ Paddy Considine has been cast for the role of King Viserys Targaryen. An interesting choice given that Viserys is often described as much more plump but as we know HBO really isnt into being totally true to the books when it comes to the charcters looks and ages from the book, but Cosidine is 47 and Viserys died when he was 52 so not a huge departure. The first season is set to air in 2022 and will be 10 episodes long, no detail on how many episodes Cosidine will appear in look like he is this series Sean Bean, bigger name actor not too long for the series but a major role. The fact that Viserys will appear apparently alive in the first season means that we are not going to be jumping right into the Dance of the Dragons and there will be a season long build up. I wouldnt be surprised though if he were in the majority of season following the GOT formula of killing him off in episode 9 and the infamous small council meeting of 129 being the season finale.
I have no idea who Paddy Cosidine is . . . we all knew Sean Bean though from too many villainous movie roles. I'm not sure if I like this pick but it could work as I had no idea who Mark Addy was and he was Emmy Worthy as King Robert in "Game of Thrones". I have always viewed King Viserys as a prototype version of King Robert but far less lascivious and far, far less accomplished militarily too. As I stated earlier . . . King Viserys I was as much to blame for the eventual ruin of his House as anyone. Why force your beloved first born into a loveless marriage where your grandchildren will be ever imperiled by a father who doesn't love their mother . . . or even lust her? They all knew Prince Laenor preferred the company of men and not by a little bit either.
Why force her into that marriage, simple money, power, and peace. House Velaryron was very much at the height of their power during this time. They were the richest family in the 7 Kingdoms and they were also a great military power, their navy was the most powerful, take into consideration that the Sea Snake Corlys Velaryon was very close to Daemon Targaryen(prince and before Rhaenyra was named heir he was the presumed heir) he supported Daemon's conquest of the stepstones even married his daughter off to Daemon, he was also married to Rhaenys Targaryen who was passed over for the throne, and their son Laenor was also passed over for the iron throne. House Velaryon could easily have posed a great threat to the iron throne, they had already been gathering forces during the time of Jaehaerys to "defend" Laenor claim to the throne, and the reason it did not go further was the great council was called to resolve the issue of who was to be Jaehaerys' heir. During that council they were supported by Starks and Baratheons as well as House Blackwood(major riverlands family militarily more powerful than the Tullys). Plus we can not forget they also had Dragonriders of their own. Viserys wanted to keep the peace and prosperity of Jaehaerys going and a political marriage to unite arguably the two most powerful families in the 7 kingdoms seemed like a good idea. Yeah everyone did know Leanor was gay but his family and most other thought that being married to the heir to the iron throne would put a little starch in his pants for her. They were totally wrong of course. The Dance of the Dragons was inevitable looking at the the scenarios someone was going to be pissed when Viserys died and was going to try to take the throne from whoever sat on it. Daemon had ambition to sit on it, Corlys wanted someone from his family to sit on it, Rhaenyra wanted to sit on it, ironically Aegon II apparently didnt want to be King and had to be talked into it. Too many factions vying for one throne Viserys was screwed no matter what he did during his reign.
I am well aware of the aforementioned information and agree to a lesser degree to some of the pros . . . but the cons far outweighed them on the basis of Viserys' line of succession: How can you put your GRANDCHILDREN in perpetual jeopardy by assigning them a father and head of household who does NOT love their mother and would have the synergy and marital union of a legitimate family? The issues of their legitimacy would be undoubtedly inherent from origination! Viserys should have sought another solution to the Velaryon issue like make Daemon's marital children of House Velaryon preferred royal issue should future Queen Rhaenyra fail to produce healthy children who survive infancy from her marriage to a suitable male descendant of House Hightower, House Gardner or House Baratheon . . one of unquestionable heterosexuality and far better suited to propagate children of legitimate marital union for his beloved Princess Rhaenyra. They need not be the very best of friends . . . but there should be not the slightest whisper in the royal court and throughout the Realm that her children weren't legitimate because her husband was a known homosexual with an established history of prominent male paramours . . . but no female paramours whatsoever from his adolescence to his adulthood.