George R.R. Martin takes aim at changes in House of the Dragon season 2

As a longtime fan and devotee of George R.R. Martin’s masterful storytelling, I share his concerns about the direction House of the Dragon is taking. I have spent countless hours immersed in Westeros and Essos, and I can’t help but feel a pang of unease as I watch the show deviate further and further from the source material.

Recently, George R.R. Martin, the mastermind behind Game of Thrones, has pledged to share with fans all the missteps related to House of the Dragon – HBO’s prequel series based on his book Fire & Blood. He is now keeping this promise in a fresh blog post titled “Beware the Butterflies.”

In this article, it appears Martin is discussing a significant alteration in the second season of “House of the Dragon” episode titled “A Son for a Son”. This episode concludes with the tragic demise of Helaena Targaryen’s son Jaehaerys, killed by mercenaries named Blood and Cheese. These assassins were reportedly dispatched to the Red Keep by Helaena’s uncle Daemon Targaryen. The unfortunate death of Jaehaerys is a regrettable consequence of the ongoing conflict between his brother and husband Aegon, who is at war with Daemon’s wife Rhaenyra, and niece Rhaenyra

Before we go any further, I don’t want to act like Martin is condemning House of the Dragon entirely here; he consulted on the production, and he called the episode itself “terrific.” He does have problems with the Blood and Cheese scene, though, and thinks it’s weaker than the book version. “The two killers are crueler in the book,” he writes. “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.” He also didn’t enjoy how the show depicted Helaena’s reactions to the event. “I would also suggest that Helaena shows more courage, more strength in the book, by offering her own own life to save her son. Offering a piece of jewelry [as she does in the show] is just not  the same.”

In the original scene, a significant character named Maelor was missing, as he is one of Helaena and Aegon’s children in the book. The absence of Maelor significantly alters the dynamics of the sequence, as it involves a heart-wrenching choice between their sons Jaehaerys and Maelor in the novel, where they are forced to decide which son should die. This emotional scene includes a tragic twist, as Helaena offers her life instead, but the two characters choose to kill Maelor. However, in the show, this entire sequence is different. Instead of asking Helaena to make the difficult choice between her sons, Blood and Cheese ask her to identify which of her twin children is a boy. When she correctly identifies Jaehaerys, they tragically take his life. Martin expresses his displeasure about losing this impactful scene, stating that it was one of the darkest and most intense parts of the sequence in the book. He also mentions that many fans share his sentiment

Martin initially opposed the suggested modification when showrunner Ryan Condal discussed it years prior, however, Condal’s reasoning managed to appease him

Ryan had what seemed to be practical reasons for it; they did not want to deal with casting another child, especially a two-year old toddler.  Kids that young will inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications.   Budget was already an issue on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, it made sense to save money wherever we could.   Moreover, Ryan assured me that we were not losing Prince Maelor, simply postponing him.   Queen Helaena could still give birth to him in season three, presumably after getting with child late in season two.   That made sense to me, so I withdrew my objections and acquiesced to the change.

Nevertheless, Martin discloses that following the original plan to eliminate Maelor, a significant alteration occurred. The prince’s birth wouldn’t simply be delayed until season 3; instead, he would never be born at all. Consequently, the younger son of Aegon and Helaena would never make an appearance

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but feel the impact of Maelor’s complete exclusion from the show, not just a delay in appearance. This modification to the storyline has left me pondering about its consequences. According to George R.R. Martin’s perspective, it seems this change might negatively influence the narrative. Proceed with caution as the following discussion may reveal significant SPOILERS regarding Fire & Blood

George R.R. Martin warns of the butterfly effect on House of the Dragon

Martin expresses worry that eliminating Maelor from the narrative could negatively influence subsequent events in the story. Prior to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s attack on King’s Landing, Alicent Hightower arranges for Helaena’s remaining children — Jaehaera and Maelor — to be secretly moved out of the city due to concerns about their safety. Jaehaera manages to reach her destination safely, but Maelor and his guard, Ser Rickard Thorne of the Kingsguard, encounter difficulties. Rhaenyra has announced a reward for Maelor’s return to King’s Landing. Travelling undercover, Ser Rickard and Maelor are recognized in the town of Bitterbridge, leading to their capture and eventual death at the hands of an angry mob

When word of this reaches King’s Landing, Rhaenyra is shocked, while Helaena suffers greatly. She has lost another child. Already in a delicate state, this devastating news pushes her over the edge, leading to her taking her own life. This tragic event, in turn, sparks a significant occurrence: the citizens of King’s Landing, who hold dear Helaena for her gentle nature but are displeased with Rhaenyra at present, rise up in revolt following a rumor that Helaena didn’t end her life voluntarily but was murdered. The unrest spreads and eventually forces Rhaenyra to abandon the city

But if the show doesn’t have Maelor, it can’t have the Bitterbridge scene, which means Helaena’s motivation for killing herself will be undercut, or so Martin thinks. “In Ryan’s outline for season 3, Helaena still kills herself… for no particular reason,” he writes. “There is no fresh horror, no triggering event to overwhelm the fragile young queen.”

Maelor by himself means little.   He is a small child, does not have a line of dialogue, does nothing of consequence but die… but where and when and how, that does matter.   Losing Maelor weakened the end of the Blood and Cheese sequence, but it also cost us the Bitterbridge scene with all its horror and heroism, it undercut the motivation for Helaena’s suicide, and that in turn sent thousands into the streets and alleys, screaming for justice for their “murdered” queen.   None of that is essential, I suppose… but all of it does serve a purpose, it all helps to tie the story lines together, so one thing follows another in a logical and convincing manner.

What will we offer the fans instead, once we’ve killed these butterflies?   I have no idea.   I do not recall that Ryan and I ever discussed this, back when he first told me they were pushing back on Aegon’s second son.   Maelor himself is not essential… but if losing him means we also lose Bitterbridge, Helaena’s suicide, and the riots, well… that’s a considerable loss.

George R.R. Martin warns of “more toxic” changes to come on House of the Dragon

Just as George Martin published his blog post, HBO released an episode of their House of the Dragon podcast discussing book-to-screen adaptations, which might be an effort to address any potential issues. Given that Martin is an experienced TV professional, it’s unlikely there’s genuine animosity between the parties involved. However, this sequence of events can create the perception of a dispute between creator and showrunner, which isn’t ideal for the series’ image

It’s uncertain how the disappearance of Maelor will shape the storyline of House of the Dragon moving forward. However, I imagine that Helaena’s suicide could still carry significant weight without the news of her youngest son’s death. After all, she has already suffered the loss of one child, and when she takes her own life while confined to her home, it speaks volumes about her state of mind. There are many plausible explanations for why her mental health might deteriorate further

Apart from recognizing that the creators of “House of the Dragon” have already made significant alterations to the source material, I suspect they may not have always chosen the most effective changes. If I were to speculate, I believe Helaena’s suicide in season 3 might be connected to her newfound ability for prophecy, a characteristic introduced by the show that was not present in the book. While this could potentially be compelling and emotional, I have concerns because the series seems to overemphasize prophecy as a motivation for characters, rather than delving into their personal motivations. This makes me apprehensive about how it will unfold

In the podcast discussion, Condal emphasizes the need to honor the original content while distinguishing it from idolization. In my opinion, House of the Dragon season 2 strays beyond this boundary. Instead of minor adjustments, they frequently go against George R.R. Martin’s writing in the books. For example, Alicent and Rhaenyra, who were once enemies in Fire & Blood, now work together in the show. Additionally, Daemon Targaryen, who easily captures Harrenhal in the book, struggles consistently in season 2. The series seems to elicit more sympathy for characters on both sides of the conflict in Fire & Blood, whereas House of the Dragon portrays Rhaenyra’s cause as righteous while her half-brother Aemond is shown as a vengeful and abandoned figure. This deviation appears to go beyond adding personal touch or fine-tuning for television; House of the Dragon seems to be veering quite far from its source material, which explains Martin’s concern

Martin may be hinting at potential conflicts ahead for “House of the Dragon,” if certain changes proposed for seasons 3 and 4 are implemented. He foreshadows these alterations as potentially larger and more contentious, similar to the contrast between light and dark. This could lead to a period of disagreement or tension among the creative team, fans, and possibly even fans against each other. The journey towards season 3’s release in 2026 might become a challenging one due to these potential differences

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2024-09-04 20:53