George R.R. Martin Shares, Deletes Post About His Problems with HOUSE OF THE DRAGON

As a long-time fan of George R.R. Martin’s work and someone who has witnessed the fallout from the final seasons of Game of Thrones, I can understand his concerns about House of the Dragon. It’s not easy to see your beloved world being adapted without your direct involvement, especially when changes are made that you feel undermine the essence of the story.

George R.R. Martin hinted to fans in July that he would soon share his thoughts on the issues surrounding “House of the Dragon”. This intriguing hint implied that Martin was ready to reveal a great deal, and indeed he did. The author discussed more than just his concerns about the divisive second season; he expressed fierce concern in a now-deleted blog post about what showrunner Ryan Condal has planned for the series’ final two seasons. This passionate outburst was reminiscent of the Night King bringing down the Wall in its destructive power

In a swiftly removed post titled “Exercise Caution with Butterflies” on his “Not a Blog”, Martin discussed the mixed responses to the “Blood and Cheese” sequence in House of the Dragon’s first episode from season two. Some spectators felt the television adaptation fell short compared to the more emotionally intense version seen in Martin’s Fire & Blood. (I had previously stated that the series entirely botched the scene.) However, Martin was more diplomatic in his evaluation, offering numerous compliments for the series’ interpretation, acknowledging that book readers are correct when they say “the scene in the book is more powerful.”

Martin’s text additionally discusses the pragmatic rationale provided by Ryan Condal for these alterations, as well as the plan to bring back a character omitted from the pivotal scene at a later point in the series

In a balanced yet straightforward manner, the author’s critique on “Blood and Cheese” episode of House of the Dragon by George R.R. Martin seems to be both critical and supportive. He expresses genuine concerns but also acknowledges the reasons behind certain alterations. His review appears to be entirely diplomatic in tone

In other words, “diplomatic” is not an accurate term for the tone he used in his writing. Instead, it was either very critical or even hostile, displaying signs of frustration or anger

Martin mentioned that his conversation on alterations to “Fire & Blood” was brief because Condal disclosed his intention to introduce a new character, Maelor, later in the story. This unseen child, a younger son of Aegon and Helaena, significantly changes the distressing sequence for all characters concerned. Similarly, Maelor’s future role holds importance for the unfolding narrative as well

Though Maelor isn’t the main character, he plays a significant role in upcoming happenings. Initially, Condal seemed to consider bringing Maelor into the storyline, but later changed his mind and decided against it. This decision has evidently upset Martin

In his write-up, he delved deeply into the far-reaching consequences, or “Butterfly Effect,” that the enigma known as “The Missing Maelor” is expected to have in future events. To maintain spoiler-free discussions for those who haven’t read Fire & Blood and are yet to watch House of the Dragon, we’ll keep our explanations concise here. However, Martin’s post does not hold back, so be cautious if you plan on reading it in full

Martin expressed clear signs of displeasure, bordering on annoyance and dissatisfaction, towards Condal, the series, and even HBO, as he hinted at financial constraints affecting their production. Below are some striking quotes from his post (emphasis added by us):

…Could maybe make Maelor a newborn instead of a two year old, but that would scramble up the timeline, which is a bit of a mess already. I have no idea what Ryan has planned — if indeed he has planned anything…
From what I know, that seems to be what Ryan is doing here. It’s simplest, yes, and may make sense in terms of budgets and shooting schedules. But simpler is not better.
In Ryan’s outline for season 3, (character) still kills (themself)… for no particular reason. There is no fresh horror, no triggering event to overwhelm…
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 (multiple major moments) well… that’s a considerable loss.

Instead of rushing headlong, Martin arrived aboard Balerion the Black Dread. This was the case even before his last act ignited Westeros into an inferno. He fired a warning salvo at Ryan Condal and “House of the Dragon” well beforehand

And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…

…Yeah. Yeah.

George R.R. Martin suggests that House of the Dragon may be facing a similar downfall as Game of Thrones, having experienced significant issues in its last two critically-panned seasons

It’s unclear whether Martin’s post is more about his dissatisfaction with the prequel itself or a reaction to the ending of Game of Thrones. However, given that he admitted he wasn’t as involved in the later seasons of the original series, and since he appears powerless to prevent significant changes during House of the Dragon’s first two seasons, it seems this might be his way of steering the series back on track before any irreversible mistakes are made

Is it going to have a positive outcome? Or could his removed post create problems for him? Will it further alienate him from HBO, Condal, and the series, and if so, will it negatively impact other spinoffs, such as the ongoing “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”?

Martin found it uncomfortable not being listened to privately, so he openly discussed numerous personal issues publicly. It’s uncertain if even Meslidandre herself can predict the outcome of such actions

Mike Walsh, a staff writer at TopMob, fully concurs with George R.R. Martin’s views on this subject. You can keep up with his thoughts on Twitter and Bluesky under the handle @burgermike. Additionally, you may find him among those ranking the Targaryen kings

2024-09-04 23:03

Read More