As a devoted fan of George R.R. Martin’s epic saga, I must say that the creators of House of the Dragon have truly outdone themselves in their adaptation of the source material for Season 2. The character development and plot twists they’ve introduced are nothing short of astounding!
Transforming any novel into a TV show can be challenging; take “Game of Thrones,” for instance, which faced significant backlash following its departure from George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, particularly in its final seasons (2019). However, the initial spin-off and prequel, “House of the Dragon,” based on Martin’s Targaryen family history “Fire & Blood,” has received more positive reception so far. Despite this, the show, now led by “Game of Thrones” alum Ryan Condal, is still encountering some major issues in terms of staying true to the source material.
It’s worth mentioning that “Fire & Blood” has a style more akin to an oral history rather than a conventional narrative found in George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, making it slightly more challenging for adaptation. Despite the difficulties, showrunner Ryan Condal and his team have made significant alterations in the second season of “House of the Dragon,” which coincides with the start of the Targaryen civil war called the Dance of the Dragons. This season features a steamy royal affair, as well as two unexpected reunions – here’s an overview of the major changes introduced in adapting “Fire & Blood” for Season 2.
Contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon” Season 2
Alicent Hightower’s secret affair isn’t in the source material
The friendship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower, portrayed initially by Milly Alcock and Emily Carey, becomes complex following a indiscretion by young Rhaenyra with Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). This incident seems to pique Alicent’s interest in the skilled knight. As the series progresses in Season 2, we discover that adult Alicet (Olivia Cooke), who is now a widow following the demise of her husband and Rhaenyra’s father King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine), has formed a secret relationship with Ser Criston. This relationship is kept hidden from others.
In essence, “Fire & Blood” predominantly focuses on political matters and the ongoing civil war, rather than exploring personal details or passionate royal relationships. However, it’s interesting to note that the creators, led by Ryan Condal, included a romantic subplot between Alicent and Ser Criston. This romance serves an important purpose as it keeps Ser Criston preoccupied with Alicent, while at the same time, assassins threaten the dowager queen’s daughter and grandchildren within the royal stronghold.
The murder of Prince Jaehaerys is far worse in the book
It is indisputable that the finale of “House of the Dragon” Season 2’s premiere portrays a more distressing situation in the book. In the closing moments of Season 1, Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault) is tragically killed on dragonback by his uncle Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), who is also second-born to Alicent. This event leaves Rhaenyra seeking vengeance and expressing her feelings to her husband Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). He then sets out to recruit assassins within King’s Landing, but provides them with few specific details other than an order to eliminate a prince. The hired killers — Cheese the ratcatcher (Mark Stobbart) and Blood the swordsman (Sam C. Wilson) — fail to locate Aemond, but instead come across Alicent’s daughter Helaena (Phia Saban) and her two young children, Prince Jaehaerys and Princess Jaehaera.
Towards the end of the episode, the villains decapitate Prince Jaehaerys while Helaena flees with her remaining child. If you found it distressing to witness this in “House of the Dragon,” be prepared for a similar scene in “Fire & Blood.” In the story, Blood and Cheese imply they will commit heinous acts against Jaehaera. Although they make Helaena indicate where young Prince Jaehaerys is on screen, they compel her to choose between her sons off-screen. When she elects to sacrifice her younger son Maelor (a character exclusive to the book), the killers ridicule her and slay Jaehaerys. It’s important to mention that in the book, Jaehaerys is murdered in Alicent’s bedroom, where she and her maid are bound and silenced. In contrast, in the show, Alicent is with Ser Criston Cole instead.
Helaena and Alicent never go on a macabre sympathy tour
Following the tragic death of Queen Helaena’s son, she is deeply grieved, particularly since her husband, King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), is her own brother. In a cruel twist of events, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Aegon’s chief advisor, sees an opportunity to gain the favor of the citizens of King’s Landing, who are affected by the ongoing royal family war. His plan involves forcing Helaena and Alicent to walk through King’s Landing, accompanied by a town crier announcing that Rhaenyra is responsible for the death of Prince Jaehaerys.
As a historian who has spent years studying the Targaryen dynasty, I find it rather questionable and unfair to portray Rhaenyra as a cold-blooded murderer, especially when she had no intention of causing harm to Helaena or her son. In fact, Rhaenyra expresses her concern and empathy towards them upon learning about the plot against her family. However, this portrayal seems designed to generate sympathy for Alicent’s faction, which I find troubling as it distorts history and misrepresents the complexities of the situation.
The show makes Mysaria a major player in Arryk versus Erryk
In essence, it can be accurately stated that Mysaria, portrayed by Sonoya Mizuno, holds a more substantial role in “House of the Dragon” than she does in George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood.” While the White Worm is briefly mentioned in the original work, her character evolves significantly in Season 2 of the HBO series. In contrast to “Fire & Blood,” Mysaria aligns with Team Black and becomes an invaluable ally to Rhaenyra. This transformation occurs when she raises the alarm about a plot to assassinate Rhaenyra, which earns her the queen’s gratitude and loyalty—an event that does not occur in “Fire & Blood.”
In the series “House of the Dragon,” the real-life twins Elliott and Luke Tittensor portray siblings Erryk and Arryk Cargyll. As the story unfolds, these brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the Dance of the Dragons, with Arryk supporting Aegon’s claim to the throne and Erryk backing Rhaenyra, the original heir of Viserys. Being identical twins, their resemblance allows Ser Criston Cole to devise a plan where Arryk infiltrates Dragonstone pretending to be his brother with the intention of assassinating the Black Queen. This plot might have been successful if not for Mysaria’s observation of Arryk entering Rhaenyra’s stronghold. Upon learning that Erryk was already within the castle, Mysaria alerts him about his twin’s plan to kill the queen, leading to a deadly confrontation between the brothers. In the book, however, Mysaria does not participate in this conflict at all.
Daemon’s visions at Harrenhal only happen in the show
In Season 2 of “House of the Dragon,” Daemon finds himself distanced from his wife Rhaenyra and their faction, known as Team Black, due to his capture of Harrenhal, a strategic location in the war that’s also an aged, crumbling castle with a chilly atmosphere. To make matters worse, it seems to be haunted, given Daemon’s recurring strange visions while he’s there.
As a captivated viewer, I can’t help but marvel at Daemon’s bizarre visions. Ranging from intriguing encounters with a younger Rhaenyra (brilliantly portrayed by Milly Alcock in a delightful return to the series following her impressive debut in Season 1) to unexpected dreams that seem to blur the lines between reality and fantasy involving his own mother, these visions are nothing short of extraordinary. And let’s not forget about the extended hallucination he experiences during the gripping Season 2 finale – talk about mind-bending stuff!
At Harrenhal, Daemon is guided by Alys Rivers, the castle’s friendly resident witch (Gayle Rankin), towards a weirwood tree. This scene evokes well-known images from “Game of Thrones” for viewers, such as Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) emerging from flames with three small dragons and the Night King leading an army of wights. However, it’s important to note that these visions are not mentioned in “Fire & Blood,” so they are a creative addition of the TV series adaptation.
The whole thing with the dragon eggs is different in the book
In the narrative of “Fire & Blood,” Rhaenyra Targaryen makes the strategic decision to dispatch her stepdaughter, Rhaena Targaryen (portrayed by Phoebe Campbell), away from Dragonstone during the ongoing conflict. She sends a small entourage that includes three dragon eggs for safekeeping and protection of some young heirs to the throne. In the series “House of the Dragon,” it’s revealed that Rhaena and the young Targaryen princes depart with not just three, but four eggs. Interestingly, three of these eggs are crucial elements in the events leading up to the well-known “Game of Thrones” timeline.
In an interview with Mashable, director Geeta Patel disclosed that three dragon eggs from the episode “The Burning Mill” in the series “House of the Dragon” ultimately belonged to Daenerys Targaryen. Remarkably, these eggs hatched under her care much later in time, well after dragons had become a familiar sight in Westeros. As ardent fans of “Game of Thrones,” the production team found it thrilling to film this particular scene.
As a devoted game-lover immersed in the world of “Game of Thrones,” I couldn’t help but notice an intriguing detail during the scene where Daenerys’ dragon eggs were shown. The colors — red, gold, and green — perfectly match her dragons: Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal. This might seem like a small thing, but it marks another departure from “Fire & Blood.” In the book, Daenerys’ dragon eggs follow a different journey, ending up with Elissa Fairman, a sailor who falls for Rhaena Targaryen — someone other than Daenerys. Still, I was thrilled to see how “House of the Dragon” cleverly connects these eggs to the original series.
The first reunion between Alicent and Rhaenyra doesn’t actually happen in Fire & Blood
In the story “The Burning Mill,” Rhaenyra chooses a daring move and discreetly enters King’s Landing undercover to encounter Alicent. Her objective is to persuade the dowager queen to halt the unnecessary war. To avoid recognition, she disguises herself as a septa and covers her distinctive white-blond Targaryen tresses. While praying in a sept, Rhaenyra encounters Alicent—her erstwhile friend—and though Rhaenyra is armed with a knife for safety reasons, she harbors no ill intentions towards Alicent.
In the heat of our heart-to-heart conversation, I implore Alicent to reconsider her military moves and seek a tranquil resolution for this devastating conflict that claimed both Rhaenyra’s son and her grandchild’s life. As we delve into the memories of King Viserys’ last moments, a startling revelation strikes me:
1. Alicent refuses to bring an end to the conflict, asserting that all hope for resolution has passed, and urges Rhaenyra to depart the city quickly lest she’s discovered. The acting skills of Olivia Cooke and Emma D’Arcy are remarkable, making their portrayal as bitter adversaries in “House of the Dragon” particularly compelling. Regrettably, this scene is not depicted in “Fire & Blood;” Rhaenyra doesn’t secretly enter King’s Landing, and the two characters do not have this tense conversation.
Where’s Nettles? This major book character may never appear in House of the Dragon
In the series “House of the Dragon,” Rhaena Targaryen frequently finds herself in less favorable situations compared to her older sister Baela (Bethany Antonia). One key reason for this is because she doesn’t have a dragon, unlike her sister who rides Moondancer. As a result, Rhaena is left caring for Rhaenyra’s youngest offspring. However, as Season 2 comes to an end in the episode titled “The Queen Who Ever Was,” things begin to change for Rhaena when she discovers there’s a dragon nearby that has been burning and eating sheep. Seizing her fate into her own hands, Rhaena confronts the dragon, leading viewers to speculate that by Season 3, she will likely be riding the untamed and fierce dragon known as Sheepstealer in the “Fire & Blood” books.
As a passionate game-of-thrones fan, let me share some intriguing insights about “House of the Dragon.” In the book “Fire & Blood,” Sheepstealer is saddled by a new character instead of our beloved Nettles, whom I’ve always cherished. It seems Rhaena may be taking over Nettles’ role, which is quite possible given that Daemon Targaryen is her dad, and the show might not delve into such a complex relationship for Rhaena.
Mysaria and Rhaenyra’s relationship never evolves
In the sixth episode of “House of the Dragon” Season 2, named “Smallfolk,” characters Rhaenyra and Mysaria have a heartfelt moment alone in the queen’s chambers. They open up about their personal struggles (Mysaria discloses the hardships she endured at her father’s hands, and Rhaenyra expresses her concerns over the family conflict), leading to an emotional bonding and a kiss. As such, within the narrative of the show, Rhaenyra and Mysaria are portrayed as a queer couple – a representation not found in the original “Fire & Blood” books. This scene also marks a unique and unseen event in the series compared to its source material.
In an interview with Vulture following the episode, I shared that the unexpected moment wasn’t part of the original plan. It wasn’t written as a kiss; instead, it was intended to be an intimate scene that took an unexpected turn. Emma D’Arcy and I both felt we didn’t want it to seem like a subtle nod towards queer representation, but rather something genuine and unplanned. However, it just felt right, and in the end, it became a kiss. Although Season 2 doesn’t delve deeper into this moment after “Smallfolk,” it could hold significance later on, and rest assured, it’s not derived from George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood.”
Alys Rivers’ role is majorly expanded in House of the Dragon
In the book “Fire & Blood,” Alys Rivers is indeed present, but the character portrayed by Gayle Rankin in “House of the Dragon” shares very few similarities with her book version throughout Season 2. In fact, the book suggests that while Daemon was at Harrenhal, Alys kept a low profile and her supposed magical abilities seemed to have no effect on him: “Despite whatever powers she possessed, it appeared that Daemon Targaryen was resistant to them, as there is little mention of this sorceress during his time at Harrenhal.” Later in the story, Alys becomes entangled with Aemond Targaryen, who, despite their significant age difference, still chose to sleep with her.
In “House of the Dragon,” Daemon is not exempt from Alys’ influence. Her magical abilities, as we know, enable him to witness visions of Daenerys Targaryen and the Night King at the weirwood tree. Moreover, it seems that Alys may be tampering with Daemon’s meals and drinks, which allows him to have these visions while in Harrenhal. Unlike her portrayal in “Fire & Blood,” Alys is far more active in “House of the Dragon.”
Alicent’s deal with Rhaenyra is another major change
Towards the finale of “The Queen Who Ever Was,” it falls upon Alicent to secretly enter the adversary’s fortress and negotiate with them. Following her dismissal from the small council at the hands of her cunning son, Aemond, and some time spent reconnecting with nature, Alicent reaches out to Rhaenyra to discuss terms. Although Alicent promises Rhaenyra that she’ll persuade a gravely wounded Aegon to pledge allegiance, Rhaenyra proposes an alternative—Alicent should present her with Aegon’s head and enable Rhaenyra to claim the Iron Throne. In a dramatic twist of fate, Alicent consents to behead her own child, inviting Rhaenyra to arrive at King’s Landing in a few days as a victor.
In the book “Fire & Blood,” the dramatic scene where Alicent asks Rhaenyra to escape together and the romantic tension that followed is not present. Instead, when Rhaenyra takes advantage of Aemond’s absence to seize King’s Landing effortlessly, Alicent confronts her with a threat: “Lowering her head in submission, Queen Alicent handed over the castle keys and instructed her knights and soldiers to sheathe their swords. ‘The city is yours, Princess,’ [Alicent] is said to have declared, ‘but you won’t keep it for long. The mice frolic when the cat is gone, but Aemond will return with destruction.'” This unexpected twist in “House of the Dragon” Season 2 paves the way for an intriguing conflict in Season 3, however, such a development is not found in the original source material.
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2024-08-08 15:02