House of the Dragon boss explains why they made Alicent and Rhaenyra the “central characters”

House of the Dragon boss explains why they made Alicent and Rhaenyra the "central characters"

As a historian with a penchant for unraveling the intricacies of medieval politics, I find myself at odds with the creative decisions made in ‘House of the Dragon’. Having spent countless hours delving into the lives and times of the Targaryens, I can’t help but feel that the characters are being manipulated to fit a narrative that is less about historical accuracy and more about making a statement.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but express my thoughts about the recent conclusion of “House of the Dragon” season 2. If you’re well-versed in the original storyline – George R.R. Martin’s book “Fire & Blood” – you’ll understand that the series deviated quite significantly from its roots. The changes were so profound that even the author himself voiced his criticisms, creating a divide within the fandom that seems uncertain to heal. The atmosphere among fans is certainly tense these days.

To address Martin’s criticisms, HBO produced a podcast episode featuring House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal explaining his justification for certain adaptation decisions, such as centering a significant portion of the narrative around Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. These characters are crucial in the book, yet they hold the primary roles in the series. For instance, while Rhaenyra and Alicent do not encounter each other during the events depicted in season 2’s storyline in the books, they meet twice in the show. An instance where Rhaenyra disguises herself as a nun to infiltrate King’s Landing and visit Alicent was met with some skepticism by fans (including myself), appearing somewhat implausible.

“I’ve said from the beginning that Alicent and Rhaenyra are the two central characters of the show,” Condal said on the podcast. “I mean, look at the poster for season 2. And that is stated, I think pretty clearly not only in the pilot but certainly through the course of the first season of the show. It’s a story about these two women who are essentially children when we meet them. They’re raised in this heavily patriarchal society by two powerful men. I mean, one literally has absolute power in Westeros: [King Viserys], Rhaenyra’s father. And then his number two, the Hand of the King Otto Hightower, [Alicent’s father]. And how they are both, Rhaneyra and Alicent, intentionally or unintentionally depending on your point of view and which character we’re talking about, being wielded as political pawns by their scheming fathers.”

So as dramatists, we were very interested in seeing beyond what exists in the text of the book and following these two characters through this very compelling narrative that we felt was very different than the core themes and concepts behind the original Game of Thrones. I mean, if we’re going to tell this story, we need to have a reason to be. Why are you telling the story beyond just everybody wants to see the Targaryen history? Telling the story centered around two powerful women sitting at the forefront of this and then just coming up as friends and then breaking apart and becoming foes and being on the two sides of this terrible civil war, the worst civil war that’s ever been fought in Westeros. That was all very interesting to us.

In my opinion, the first season of the series skillfully handled this particular storyline. Originally, Rhaenyra and Alicent were close friends, but their bond was strained by events beyond their control and personal ambitions. However, I felt that the narrative took an unexpected turn in the second season, as the show portrayed actions from Rhaenyra and Alicent that weren’t suggested in the original text at all. But we’ll have to wait and see what more Ryan Condal has to share on this topic.

The showrunner further explained, “As we delve deeper in our discussion with the text of Fire & Blood and history itself, we ponder how women are often omitted from histories like this. Is it because they didn’t contribute or their contributions were not recorded? Was it deliberate or accidental? This question serves as a theme for us throughout the show. When you consider it, reading Fire & Blood, you notice that these two women are blamed for the negative outcomes of this war. This seems like an intentional contradiction we wanted to explore. Instead of viewing it as a burden, we chose to embrace it and ask, ‘what surprising aspects can this bring to our narrative?’

I think Alicent in the book is an interesting character. I think in the show, hopefully we are honoring where her historical character came from. But you’re also showing deeper layers and more complexity and frankly, more conflict, internal conflict within her about what role she wants to play in this history and how she wants to be seen at the end. And she’s one of the characters, I think in this story that’s aware that she’s playing a major role in a history that’s going to be written about and is wondering how she is going to be portrayed in that in the end.

House of the Dragon boss explains why they made Alicent and Rhaenyra the "central characters"

The problem with making Alicent and Rhaenyra the “central characters” of House of the Dragon

As a devoted fan, it’s evident that Condal and his team are committed to exploring the complexities of Rhaenyra and Alicent’s characters in “House of the Dragon.” Their pursuit of something fresh and unpredictable reached new heights in the season 2 finale, where Alicent covertly met with Rhaenyra and consented to open King’s Landing’s gates for her. Remarkably, she even proposed sacrificing her disabled son, a formidable adversary for the Iron Throne alongside Rhaenyra’s brother, King Aegon II Targaryen, in the hope that as queen, Rhaenyra could bring an end to the devastating Dance of the Dragons civil war.

In the first season, Condal and their team introduced fresh aspects while staying faithful to the content of “Fire & Blood”. I found this enhancement enjoyable and engaging. However, in season 2, they transformed Rhaenyra and Alicent from adversaries into allies, a change that contradicts the source material. This is where I begin to feel disconnected. It’s acceptable to bring depth and nuance to a relationship, but it becomes problematic when characters behave contrary to their book personas. At that point, I question whether the show can genuinely be considered an adaptation.

I share a different perspective on Condal’s interpretation of “Fire & Blood.” To me, it seems oversimplified to attribute the dire outcomes of the war solely to Rhaenyra and Alicent; the narrative is multifaceted with numerous events unfolding prior and throughout. Moreover, I find his discussion on women being “erased,” “overlooked,” or “undervalued” in history questionable. While that may be accurate for some historical records, it’s not the case with “Fire & Blood.” Rhaenyra and Alicent are central characters from beginning to end, even if they don’t always take center stage.

In an effort to balance what seems like excessive blame towards Rhaenyra and Alicent for all wrongdoings, Condal and his team appear to have adjusted their narrative significantly. For instance, Alicent initially opposes Rhaenyra, but this is due to a misinterpretation of her husband Viserys’ final wishes rather than any personal animosity. Instead of the typical escalating cycle of violence and retaliation that characterizes most of the book’s characters, these two are aiming for reconciliation. This alteration isn’t just fine-tuning around the edges; it’s a fundamental shift in the story’s structure.

This scenario results in various strange predicaments, such as trying to portray Alicent as honorable and selfless while she deceives her family by supporting a former friend over her own sons as a ruler. This is despite the fact that she sets one of her sons against Rhaenyra’s husband earlier on, without admitting her role in fostering their hostility, or acknowledging that Rhaenyra’s husband attempted to assassinate Alicent’s grandson previously. It seemed implausible to me.

In 2026, we can expect to see the third season of “House of the Dragon.” Since the series has strayed quite a bit from its original source, I must admit that I’m unsure about the fate of characters like Rhaenyra and Alicent in the upcoming episodes.

2024-09-17 17:41

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