HBO Max’s House of the Dragon is one of the latest additions to the network’s long list of book to series adaptations. The hit show is based on the book Fire & Blood, written by the same mind that gave us Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin.
The tale of the Targaryen’s continues to unfold in House of the Dragon. Set 200 years before its predecessor Game of Thrones, fans get an inside look on the ancestry of one of TV’s most beloved characters, Daenerys Targaryen.
The show doesn’t fail to give audiences what they want, much like the book it adapts. More family drama, more battles for the crown, and most importantly, more dragons. Surely, they will miss some details in the retelling of a story as grand as this one. Some, fabricated. Let’s see which made it to the show and which you’ll need to read the book for.
1. Rhaenyra & Alicent
House of the Dragon introduces us to the deep friendship Rhaneyra and Alicent have. The show makes them close in age. This makes Alicent’s eventual marriage to the king that much more hurtful to Rhaenyra. Fans see it as the first attack in a long list of moves and countermoves that would eventually put an end to the reign of the Targaryens.
In Blood & Fire, Rhaenyra and Alicent are almost a decade apart. The two don’t go on walks in the courtyard or fawn over boys, and the main conflict involves Rhaneyra and her half-brother Aegon II.
The show intensifies the sibling rivalry by highlighting Aegon II’s mother and half-sister’s strained relationship, making it secondary to their rift’s main cause – Alicent’s marriage to their father. In the book, they have little connection with each other until Rhaenyra loses the crown her father promised her.
2. Rhaenys breaking out of the dragonpit during Aegon II’s coronation
King Viserys has died, and Aegon II’s crowning is looming over the whole of King’s Landing. In the crowd, we see a shaken Princess Rhaenys navigating the streets.
Alicent previously imprisoned the Princess and tried to get her to switch her alliance from Rhaenyra to her brother. She remains locked in her room after refusing, where she eventually escapes after a knight helps her. Eager to tell Rhaenyra of the news, she makes her way to the dragonpit where her dragon, Meleys, lies waiting.
In an epic moment, the Princess and her dragon burst through the floors of the dragonpit. The “Greens” are visibly under duress, awaiting dragon flame to swallow them whole. The Princess engages in a staredown with Alicent and her family, before leaving to Driftmark atop her dragon.
In the book, none of this happens. In the show, it’s so sick!
3. Lucerys’ death
The season 1 finale of House of the Dragon showed us the tragic death of Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys. His uncle Aemond and his dragon Vaghar kill the young prince.
In a showdown-gone-wrong, the show implies that the two boys (all dragonriders really) yield less control of their dragons than they were taught to believe. Aemond yells “no” at Vhagar upon the dragon chomping down on his nephew, and the season ends with a shocked look plastered across Aemond’s face.
In the book, Aemond claims this death as a victory. Luke took out his eye when they were children, and it is well-known that he’s always sought revenge.
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4. Alicent’s affair with Criston Cole
Helaena’s eldest child was just murdered. In a state of shock, she does the only thing she can think of which is find solace in her mother. She runs to Alicent’s room and there, we see the Queen and the knight Ser Criston Cole intertwined.
This affair makes sense as far as the direction the showrunners have taken. Cole was Rhaenyra’s lover, Alicent was her best friend, and now they have teamed up in their hatred for her.
This affair does not exist in the book.
5. A Song of Ice and Fire
A Song of Ice and Fire is a dream that Aegon the conqueror had, the Targaryens’ forefather. This dream foretold an event in which the dragons would be key to saving the whole world, the same exact events that unfold in Game of Thrones.
This is essential because the late King Viserys, her father, tells Rhaenyra about the dream. It adds an important layer to her claim of the throne, which becomes the point of contention for all of the characters involved. The whole series, really.
However important this nugget of information is in the show, it does not exist in the book.
6. Mushroom
In the book, Mushroom was a court jester who knew more than he let on. Royals to ordinary citizens opened up to him in ways they probably shouldn’t have due to his unserious nature. Archmaester Gyldayn, the “narrator” in the Fire & Blood universe, utilizes Mushroom as one of his sources because of this. The show does not include him.
7. House of the Dragon vs. Fire & Blood
House of the Dragon and Fire & Blood differ mainly in how they’re told. Where the book gives a stories-heard-round-the-campfire vibe, the show is more matter of fact.
The book often teeters between reality and hearsay. It works perfectly given there’s no way one person could’ve seen everything that happens during a war. For example, there’s never one reason why someone kills a character or why that politically arranged marriage fails.
In the show, it seems there’s one explanation for everything. This might’ve been purposeful given House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones. Some storylines must connect or align with themes already explored.
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Whether you’re loyal to “The Blacks” or you’ve sided with “The Greens,” the epic retelling of the Targaryen dynasty’s downfall is one you can’t miss. There’s drama, romance, and a slew of morally grey characters. But what’s all of that compared to the only family in the world who can ride dragons?
The race to the crown continues in House of the Dragon season 3. While you wait for its release date, House of the Dragon seasons 1 and 2 are available for streaming on HBO Max.
Source: HBO Max, Rolling Stone, Variety, Cosmopolitan, Collider, Screen Rant, Mental Floss, CBR, Pop Sugar
