As a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s work, I couldn’t be more thrilled about the exceptional dragon battle sequences in House of the Dragon. Last week’s episode took my breath away with its intensity and grandeur, and it was truly validating to hear George himself praise it as the best dragon fight in history. The Dance of the Dragons has always been a favorite aspect of A Song of Ice and Fire lore, and seeing these magnificent creatures clash in epic battles is a dream come true for me.
This article contains Spoilers for House of the Dragon
Summary
- George R.R. Martin praises
House of the Dragon’
s dragon battle sequence, calling it the best in dragon battle history. - The popular HBO spinoff follows the rise of the Targaryens, surviving the Doom of Valyria.
- Martin criticizes the series for using four-legged dragons in heraldry instead of his two-legged wyverns.
The epic saga of “House of the Dragon” wouldn’t be fully realized without some thrilling dragon battles. Last week, viewers were treated to an awe-inspiring two-vs-one battle scene, and it seems that this exhilarating sequence has won over none other than the series’ creator, George R.R. Martin, himself.
Martin expressed his high regard for the episode on his blog, going so far as to declare that no other dragon fight could compare to the scene’s exhilarating portrayal. In an impassioned statement, he praised the sequence’s impact.
“Has any dragon battle surpassed the intensity of that depicted in ‘Reign of Fire’? I remember a few instances where over a dozen dragons soared through the skies in this film. While those scenes may have featured more dragons, I doubt they delivered a more thrilling battle. Our heroes certainly rose to the occasion and fought valiantly within the castle walls. The dragons, in turn, met their match.”
I was utterly captivated by the intense battle sequence last week, marking the first official engagement of the Dance of the Dragons. Although Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) had been striving to prevent dragons from being involved in the civil war, she reluctantly acknowledged the futility of her efforts and dispatched Rhaenys (Eve Best) with her dragon, Meleys, to confront Ser Criston Cole’s (Fabien Frankel) army. Sadly, this proved to be a trap as both Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) appeared on their dragons, Sunfyre and Vhagar, respectively. The outcome was disastrous, with Rhaenys and Meleys losing their lives at the hands of Aemond and Vhagar. Meanwhile, Aegon and Sunfyre sustained grievous injuries in the battle.
House of the Dragon’s Adaptational Changes
House of the Dragon, based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” generally stays true to the source material but introduces some creative modifications. In a recent post, Martin expressed some reservations regarding one aspect of the series: the dragon design. Unlike the show’s dragons with their four legs and wings spread wide, Martin’s dragons are depicted as wyverns – creatures resembling dragons but possessing two legs and two wings, more akin to birds.
Martin disagreed with the depiction of House Targaryen’s heraldry in “House of the Dragon.” In contrast to the two-legged dragon symbol in the source material, the producers chose to display a four-legged dragon on the Targaryen coat of arms. As stated by Martin, the representation of Targaryen heraldry in “House of the Dragon” deviates from the original but aligns with the portrayal in “Game of Thrones.”
In retrospect, it seems someone wasn’t as meticulous as they should have been. Or, to put it another way, someone dipped into the heraldry manual but didn’t quite master the art, resulting in confusion. The adage “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” rings true in this case. Fast forward a few years, and HOUSE OF THE DRAGON opted for inconsistent heraldry with GAME OF THRONES, choosing the flawed design over the correct one. I could only shake my head and lament, “oh no, not that again.” And to add insult to injury, those additional legs have found their way onto the book covers, despite my strong objections.
Martin’s objections to adaptational modifications are widely recognized. He frequently emphasizes the importance of keeping show storylines distinct from those in the books. The debate over draconic emblems might seem trivial, but it seems Martin was making a broader statement about alterations to his original content. In closing, he cautionedly states, “Neglect the canon, and your constructed world will disintegrate like frail tissue paper.“
House of the Dragon continues on HBO and Max on Sunday.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-07-13 17:32