'House of the Dragon': Decoding drastic differences between the show and George R R Martin's books
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is set to stream on HBO on Sunday, June 16, 2024. This highly anticipated series is based on the book 'Fire & Blood' by George R.R. Martin.
Both the book and the series delve into the history of House Targaryen before the events of 'Game of Thrones' take place.
'House of the Dragon' Season 1 kicked off with the reign of King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), and the succession to his throne emerged as the central plot point.
Viserys' daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and son Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), supported by his mother Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), vie for the throne.
While the series follows a similar narrative to the book, the creators have taken some creative liberties to adapt the story for the screen, ensuring its suitability for television audiences.
Here, we explore the major differences between the book and the show.
Rhaenyra and Alicent's age and relationship
In the series, Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship begins with a friendship as they are shown to be of the same age. This differs from the book, where there is a notable age gap between them.
In the book, Alicent's character is depicted as being 9 years older than Rhaenyra, and they initially share a friendly stepmother and step-daughter relationship before Alicent gives birth to her sons.
Alicent's character is portrayed differently in the book, with rumors about her alleged relationship with King Viserys before his wife's death. Additionally, there are rumors of her involvement with Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith).
Daemon's character and murder of Lady Rhea Royce
There is a notable difference between Daemon Targaryen's character in the series and the book. In the book, Daemon grapples with impotence, while in the series, his character is depicted as the opposite, often frequenting brothels.
An important event in Daemon's character arc is the murder of his first wife, Lady Rhea Royce (Rachel Redford). In the series, he is depicted as explicitly committing this act, whereas in the book, he is still fighting at Stepstones when his wife dies.
Laenor Velaryon faking his death
In the series, Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan) conspires with Daemon and Rhaenyra to fake his death by being burned alive, allowing him to escape to Essos and live freely as a homosexual. This also paves the way for Daemon and Rhaenyra to get married.
In the book though, however, Laenor dies in the fire and Daemon is rumored to have killed him so that he can marry Rhaenyra. This deviation from the book is significant because it creates the possibility for Laenor to potentially return later in the series.
Fire at Harrenhal
'House of the Dragon' makes it very clear that the fire at Harrenhal that killed Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) and his father was planned and executed by Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham).
The book however doesn't blame anyone directly for the fire but names Larys, Demon, Lord Corlys Strong (Steve Toussaint), and King Viserys as the possible suspects who could have been involved in instigating the fire.
Alicent wearing the green dress
Alicent Hightower wears a green dress at Rhaenyra and Laenor's wedding, symbolizing her intent to go to war, as green is traditionally associated with the war cry of the Hightower House.
In the book though, she unveils the green dress during a tournament held to commemorate her fifth anniversary with King Viserys. This is a major change from the book as Rhaenyra and Laenor's wedding is commonly referred to as the 'green wedding' among fans of 'House of the Dragon'.
How to stream 'House of the Dragon' Season 2?
'House of the Dragon' is streaming on HBO Max on Sunday, June 16, 2024. To watch the series, you will need a Max Subscription
The streaming platform typically offers three packages that you can choose from depending on your budget.
The low-cost plan that supports advertising costs at $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually.
The second package, which does not support advertising, costs $15.99 per month or $149.99.
Meanwhile, the third package, titled Ultimate Ad-Free, costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 annually.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Trailer
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max on Sunday, June 16.