In "House of the Dragon," Mysaria's neck scar isn't explained directly. Theories suggest it could be from a slave collar, violence in prostitution, or an attempted hanging. This detail isn't in the book "Fire & Blood."
In "House of the Dragon" Season 2, Episode 2, viewers notice a significant scar on Mysaria's neck, yet the series doesn't provide a direct explanation for it. While Mysaria, also known as the White Worm, avoids discussing the scar's origin when questioned by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, several theories arise from the context of her background and previous episodes.
Little Mysaria detail I noticed while combing through photos: before the timeskip, she's always wearing necklaces or high collared-dresses to cover the scar on her neck. After, she forgoes them, displaying her scar outright. pic.twitter.com/pIUijaZKgm
— chel (@destiniesfic) November 17, 2022
Slave Collar: Mysaria mentions to both Daemon Targaryen in Season 1 and Rhaenyra in Season 2 that she was once a slave. This background suggests that the scar could be from a slave collar, which is often depicted as a brutal and dehumanizing device that could leave permanent marks on its wearer.
Violence in Prostitution: Before becoming a powerful information broker, Mysaria worked as a prostitute. Given the dangerous and violent nature of her line of work in the brutal world of "House of the Dragon," it is plausible that a client or abuser might have strangled her, leaving the scar.
Attempted Hanging: Another theory is that Mysaria survived an attempted hanging. As an information broker, she undoubtedly made enemies who might have tried to kill her. A botched hanging could easily result in a neck scar.
Interestingly, George R.R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," the source material for "House of the Dragon," does not mention Mysaria having any neck scars. The detailed descriptions provided by Martin in the book make this omission significant, indicating that the scar is a creative addition by the showrunners, George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal, for the TV series.
This isn't the first time the show has diverged from the book. For instance, in the show, Mysaria's birthplace is listed as Yi Ti, whereas, in the book, she is from Lys. Additionally, the TV version of Mysaria does not recall her homeland, contrary to the book's portrayal.
These deviations highlight how adaptations can introduce new elements to characters and storylines, offering fresh perspectives and narrative twists not present in the original texts.