The author and creator of the renowned Game of Thrones universe George R.R. Martin opened up about the problem he found in the second season of the GOT’s much-awaited prequel ‘House of the Dragon.’ After the successful first season the second instalment of HOTD which was based on Martin’s highly acclaimed novel ‘Fire & Blood’ notably disappointed a lot of fans for the drastic change from the original plotline. Like the fans, the author and creator of the HBO drama has also expressed his disappointment over the changes.
On September 4, the writer noted in his blog that co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal has made a key change, which he strongly disagrees with. However, the post was deleted within an hour leading to HBO issuing a statement about Martin’s statement in defense of co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal. Let’s check out what the author has said in his now-deleted post.
George R.R. Martin believes the scene in the book is stronger
The American authors pointed out the pilot episode of the second season where Aegon and Helaena Targaryen’s son Jaehaerys get killed by Daemon Targaryen’s hired assassins Blood and Cheese in response to the death of his wife Rhaenyra Targaryen’s son Lucerys Velaryon.
In the book, the “Blood and Cheese” sequence is totally different from the show. In the show Aegon and Helaena have two young children, 6-year-old twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, however, the original story pointed out the presence of their other son, 2-year-old Maelor, which the show removed due to making it easy for them to remember the characters. For Martin, this decision resulted in a “butterfly effect” of consequences.
The sequence is more horrific than the show has depicted as the two assassins offer Helena to choose between one of her two sons whom she wants to save. The unfortunate mother chooses her youngest son Maelor to be killed but they kill Jaehaerys instead making the Queen paranoid for her entire life. Helaena even offers her life to try and save her child, in contrast, the show depicts that she tries to bribe them which is not up to the mark according to the author.
The author noted of the scene, “I still believe the scene in the book is stronger. The readers have the right of that. The two killers are crueler in the book. I thought the actors who played the killers on the show were excellent… but the characters are crueler, harder, and more frightening in FIRE & BLOOD. … I would also suggest that Helaena shows more courage, more strength in the book, by offering her own own life to save her son.”
He added, “Offering a piece of jewelry is just not the same … As I saw it, the ‘Sophie’s Choice’ aspect was the strongest part of the sequence, the darkest, the most visceral. I hated to lose that. And judging from the comments online, most of the fans seemed to agree.”
Although he appreciated the first two episodes, ‘A Son For A Son’ and ‘Rhaenyra the Cruel’, calling them “well written, well directed, powerfully acted,” he mentioned the criticism that the show garnered after the “handling of Blood and Cheese” isn’t totally baseless.
The author cryptically ends the post writing, “And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4.”
Seasons 1 & 2 of House of the Dragon can be steamed on Jio Cinema and Max.
