House of the Dragon vs Fire & Blood: Book changes in Episode 208, “The Queen Who Ever Was”

As a long-time fan of George R.R. Martin’s masterpiece, I must say that this latest adaptation of “Game of Thrones” prequel, House of the Dragon, has been an intriguing rollercoaster ride so far. The character development and plot twists have kept me on the edge of my seat, and I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia as I watch this epic story unfold yet again.

Please be advised: This article reveals key plot points from episode 2×08 as well as forthcoming events detailed in “Fire & Blood” by George R.R. Martin. Proceed with caution if you prefer to avoid spoilers.

As a dedicated gamer immersed in the world of House of the Dragon, I must admit that the finale exceeded all my expectations, especially for book readers like myself. In this latest episode, dubbed “The Queen Who Never Was,” a title bestowed upon Princess Rhaenys, which also serves as the name of Corlys’ new warship, we witnessed a storyline that veered significantly from George R.R. Martin’s Fire And Blood. Frankly, I never imagined the narrative could unfold in such unexpected directions.

Camp Green

We can start right at the end: in a scene that mirrors that in episode 2×03, where Rhaenyra infiltrated King’s Landing in the hopes of brokering peace with Alicent, the Queen Dowager reaches Dragonstone to plead with Rhaenyra for her freedom, Helaena’s and little Jaehaera’s. Sick of the schemes she herself has set in motion that she can no longer control and horrified at Aemond’s ruthlessness, Alicent wishes to erase herself from the narrative and wash her hands of all consequences. She wants out, she craves safety for the innocents in her family, which Rhaenyra grants, scoffing. On one point they must disagree: Rhaenyra cannot let Aegon live, no matter how broken he may be. The season’s premiere is recalled as Rhaenyra mutters, “A son for a son.” Alicent regretfully consents (is this what Helaena was forgiving her for, a couple of episodes back?), and convinces Rhaenyra to fly to the capital in three days’ time, when Aemond will be off to the Riverlands and Alicent will see that the Red Keep surrenders to Rhaenyra without bloodshed. 

As a gamer, I pondered if any such events unfolded in “Fire And Blood”. However, if Alicent had ventured to Dragonstone or Rhaenyra to King’s Landing, it would have led to their immediate imprisonment. In the series, though, they meet under the guise of their past friendship and the late King Viserys’ fondness for them both. This twist I can comprehend within the show’s narrative.

If Alicent remains true to her promises, there’s no need for these events to unfold. However, if she reneges on her word and experiences another change of heart, things might become even more complex, with the writers portraying her as a pawn manipulated for their narrative convenience in each episode. Interestingly, Alicent does beg for mercy from Rhaenyra in the book, but not until after Rhaenyra has seized King’s Landing and to save her own life. She proposes convening a Great Council to determine who should rule, but when this proposal is rejected, she relinquishes control of the city to Rhaenyra.

Criston Cole acknowledges that he harbors regret as he witnesses the devastation wrought by this war, a conflict he knew theoretically would involve dragons but had not observed their power until Rook’s Rest. The destruction they cause is overwhelming, and though he understands that countless lives would have been lost regardless of dragon involvement, Cole appears resigned to this fact. In the narrative, there comes a point where he contemplates laying down Aegon’s banner and surrendering, but only when it becomes clear that the enemy has a more formidable force. It remains to be seen whether Cole’s guilt in the series will develop into something new or if he will continue living with his regrets and bitter feelings towards his own actions and decisions.

In the story, much like the book, Aegon and Larys have vanished from sight, but it’s uncertain whether they departed together – I find the series’ interpretation more convincing where they did – and in the book Fire And Blood, Aegon’s child, Maegor (yet to be born on the show), and daughter Jaehaera are also missing. The series hints that Sunfyre, Aegon’s dragon, has perished. Contrarily, in the book, the dragon endures and remains crucial. We’ll have to wait and see if Sunfyre resurfaces in the series, given Aegon’s bond with his dragon, it seems peculiar that he wouldn’t sense his presence.

In the series, Aemond insists and then politely asks Halaena to ride with him on a dragon to battle Daemon. However, Halaena declines and warns Aemond of his doom – being consumed by the God’s Eye. This warning aligns with the storyline, hinting that she might have seen it in a prophetic vision. I wonder why Halaena was present in Daemon’s tree-vision. I secretly hope for a confrontation between them; perhaps Halaena would ride her dragon to challenge her nephew, but not under Aemond’s conditions. She is not one to seek revenge for her son Jaehaerys, and at this point, she cannot tell Daemon anything that Alys hasn’t already told him. Yet, I wish for a conversation between them; for Halaena to disclose his destiny. Alas, it’s just wishful thinking now; they can’t fight, and I don’t want to imagine Halaena meeting her end at Daemon’s hands or taking her own life as depicted in the book.

1. Amidst the devastated campground, it’s evident that Aemond is the sole one who continues to advocate for the ongoing war. Aegon yields to Larys’ persuasion and decides to escape to preserve his life, waiting out the civil conflict. Armies bearing green flags advance from King’s Landing, Casterly Rock, and Old Town, preparing to meet in the Riverlands. Tyland Lannister manages to secure mercenaries in Essos, a duty that Otto Hightower had carried out via raven in the book… Incidentally, who is it that captures Otto? As for the differences from the novel, Sharako Lohar, the commander of the Triarchy’s fleet, is female in the TV series. This woman expresses her desire to have children with Tyland through his wives. I sincerely hope we won’t be forced to watch such a scene unfold; if they choose to omit a conversation between Rhaenyra and Daemon, but include this particular scene, I fear there will be widespread unrest in the streets.

Camp Black

Following allegations that she was overly lenient by refusing to deploy her dragons, Rhaenyra contemplates an assault… yet faces scrutiny. Baela persuades Jace to snap out of his gloom and back their mother, just for her to challenge Rhaenyra’s strategy amid the dragonseed gathering when Rhaenyra suggests aerial combat, which Baela had appeared eager to engage in. This seems contradictory; given Baela’s unwavering loyalty to Rhaenyra and her understanding of the significance of maintaining unity, questioning the Queen (in front of others) suggests that she may be overstepping… but is she truly?

While Daenerys isn’t explicitly commanding rainfire on commoners but rather seizing power from enemies, the comparison is being made, as evidenced in this GQ interview where “murderous turn” and “religious fanaticism” are highlighted. People are increasingly referring to Rhaenyra as a “mad queen” akin to Daenerys, for her ambition to claim what’s rightfully hers. However, when it comes to Aemond, people are less critical because a man can easily destroy cities and kill innocents without question, while a woman who uses dragons in self-debate is labeled as mad.

As a seasoned observer of power dynamics and political intrigue, I find it intriguing to see Mysaria, who has always been the champion of the smallfolk, counseling Rhaenyra Targaryen, the heir to the Iron Throne. Her pragmatic advice that some losses are inevitable and acceptable for a just cause is reminiscent of the hard-nosed realism I’ve encountered in my own life. However, her sudden shift towards such cold-blooded calculations at this early stage in the story leaves me wondering if there’s more to her actions than meets the eye.

In this narrative, we follow Rhaena as she persistently hunts down Sheepstealer in the Vale, seemingly for an extended period, with no signs of her group searching for her. However, the story does not reveal whether she ultimately claims the dragon. This season has led many viewers to presume that Rhaena would seize Sheepstealer, a departure from the books where it’s Nettles, a character of mystery and potential dragonseed, who takes possession. We eagerly await the revelations about Rhaena and Nettles in season 3 if the latter exists within the show’s universe.

At Harrenhal, Ser Alfred Broome, an emissary and advisor to Rhaenyra, covertly proposes treason to Daemon, urging him to claim the throne as a means of defeating the usurpers. However, Alys provides Daemon with a vision from the heart tree, a sacred Old Gods’ relic, which instantaneously connects with a Valyrian devoid of First Men blood. In this vision, Daenerys Stormborn is depicted hatching dragons, revealing her identity to Daemon. This could either be Emilia Clarke declining a nude cameo or the show not approaching her for one, possibly due to anonymity allowing Daemon to perceive Daenerys as Rhaenyra herself or their potential offspring. The recurring nightmares of Daemon’s past mistakes further influence his decision, but his resolution is now unwavering. Interestingly, it was Viserys and later Rhaenyra who were hesitant to trust Daemon with the prophecy, but visions involving both of them and the prophecy ultimately persuade Daemon to abandon his plans.

When Rhaenyra arrives at Harrenhal, Daemon promptly kneels before her without a moment’s pause. Their conversation in public is brief and it appears they have much more to discuss – details like the location of their children, the newly appointed dragonriders, the progression of the war, and so on. One might expect a private, in-depth dialogue between them, but instead, we witness a humorous scene where Tyland Lannister’s name is mispronounced thrice by a mercenary, suggesting that perhaps the writers considered this moment more essential than a deeper conversation between Rhaenyra and Daemon.

In the story, it’s Alyn, not Corlys, who addresses his half-brothers about their relationship. This is a change from Corlys’ usual calm and knowledgeable demeanor. Alyn has grown tired of avoiding the truth and dealing with his lord father’s favoritism while he and his brother spent their lives without his support. Interestingly, in the book, Corlys acknowledges the boys as his family only after Addam claims Seasmoke, claiming they are Laenor’s bastards, not his own, and making Addam his heir. It seems that in the show, the roles of Alyn and Addam might have been switched; it would make sense for Alyn to be older, given his behavior, and for Corlys to choose him as his heir because they spend more time together, while Addam has already received a dragon and the promise of knighthood. This scene offers a refreshing twist to the character of Corlys.

In this episode, we had an unexpected conclusion to the series. It appears that the writers have carefully woven together all the decisions made earlier into this climax, which seemed unevenly paced throughout the season. The first season finale hinted at an approaching war… and here we are, in the second season finale, with armies finally mobilizing, suggesting another war is imminent. While the writers may have aimed to shock viewers by having characters like Daenerys, the Others, and Daemon Targaryen saying “winter is coming” (a bit predictable), fans might be more interested in fresh content instead of revisiting the excitement from the original show. I feel that, with a few exceptions, they might have experienced something called the second-season slump, which many viewers online describe as lackluster. However, I’m hopeful that the third season will offer more thrilling moments as there is plenty of material left to explore.

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2024-08-05 09:42