House of the Dragon Season 2: All Major Changes From the Book Explained

As a devoted reader who has traversed the pages of Fire & Blood and now the screens of House of the Dragon, I must say that this latest season has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The clash between the three dragons, Aegon’s Sunfyre, Rhaenys’ Meleys, and Aemond’s Vhagar, was nothing short of heart-wrenching. It’s as if George R.R. Martin himself decided to give us a taste of the bittersweet reality he so skillfully weaves in his stories.

Disclaimer! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2

House of the Dragon’s Season 2 concluded with a significant battle inspired by George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, paving the way for a turbulent beginning in Season 3. In contrast to the book, Alicent (played by Olivia Cooke) was the key piece that initiated Rhaenyra’s (portrayed by Emma D’Arcy) impending assault on King’s Landing. For the second time, they secretly met, this time at Dragonstone, where Alicent pleaded with Rhaenyra to seize King’s Landing and bring an end to the conflict she had started.

The momentum had swung in Rhaenyra’s favor, for Daemon (Matt Smith) had mobilized an army in the Riverlands. Moreover, she had discovered three additional dragonriders for Seasmoke, Vermithor, and Silverwing, and Corlys’ naval forces were poised to attack.

In the second season of House of the Dragon, the upcoming key incidents of the Targaryen civil war were simmered and prepared, paving the way for a significant clash in the following season. Throughout this brewing process, several alterations were introduced to the original book narrative. Here’s a breakdown of some of these changes:

Criston Cole and Queen Dowager Alicent in ‘Fire & Blood’

In the book, there’s no indication or hint of a romantic relationship between Lady Alicent and Ser Criston Cole following King Viserys’ death. The initial connection between Rhaenyra and Criston in Season 1 is not detailed extensively in the book either, but it does mention they had a disagreement at some point, the cause of which remains uncertain. This dispute could possibly be related to emotional turmoil, although the specifics are left unclear. The book also doesn’t provide any similar suggestions about Alicent and Criston having a romantic involvement.

Daemon’s harrenhal visions

In the storyline, Daemon assembled a force at Harrenhal after much exertion; however, his prophetic dreams are not found in the chronicles of Westeros. As the narrative is shaped around Targaryen history through individual tales, it’s logical for creative liberties to be taken. Interestingly, the books don’t document these visions. It was intriguing how the show portrayed Harrenhal as haunted, offering a reason to reintroduce characters like Milly Alcock, Nanna Blondell, and Considine, along with introducing Daemon and Viserys’ mother, Alyssa (Emeline Lambert).

The imagined sequence from Aegon the Conqueror’s dream, depicting the three-eyed raven, the Night King, and Daenerys Targaryen with her newly hatched dragons, never materialized in the Song of Ice and Fire. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to draw a parallel between this vision and the world of Game of Thrones.

Daemon’s relationship with Alys Rivers

In contrast to the series, Daemon does not share a substantial relationship with Alys (Gayle Rankin) in the book. Instead, it is Helaena who highlights their past during Season 2 when she appears at the conclusion of the Song of Ice and Fire vision. The introduction of Alys this season seems to be aimed at portraying another character with similar abilities as Helaena, although her unique skills are not fully explained in the storyline.

Rhaenys’ death at the Battle of Rook’s Rest

In terms of deviations from the original storyline this season, “Blood and Cheese” and this series have the most significant differences. In the book, a dramatic battle between dragons takes place at Rook’s Rest involving Aegon and Sunfyre, Rhaenys and Meleys, and Aemond and Vhagar. However, in this adaptation, it is the brothers versus Rhaenys. The twist here is that Aemond betrays Aegon, weakening Rhaenys’ final stand.

As a lifestyle expert, I find myself reflecting on the dramatic turn of events during the fateful clash between our dragon-riding warriors. In this intense encounter, three riders and their magnificent beasts plummeted to the ground. Regrettably, Rhaenys and her loyal companion Meleys were fatally wounded in this skirmish, while Aegon and Sunfyre suffered grievous injuries. Remarkably, Aemond and Vhagar emerged from the chaos with their lives, much like the story unfolds in both the novel and the series.

Rhaena’s quest for a wild dragon

Phoebe Campbell’s character, Rhaena, aims to locate a wild dragon that devours the ending of Season 2. As she follows the remains of charred sheep, it appears she’ll meet the dragon from the book known as Sheepstealer. However, in the novel, Rhaena does receive a dragon but not this one. The rider of Sheepstealer is called Nettles, while Morning’s mount bears that name instead.

It remains undecided whether the character Nettles will feature in House of the Dragon, and there’s even speculation that he may not be included at all. Some viewers are worried that Nettles could be eliminated from the storyline, with Rhaena potentially being given a dragon instead – if the dragon she discovered in the finale is indeed Sheepstealer. Interestingly, Rhaena didn’t attempt to claim this dragon in Episode 8; she merely stumbled upon it. If this pattern continues into the next season, there’s a possibility that the dragon might reject her.

Aegon’s shocking revelation

In the final episode, Aegon claims his dragon has perished, marking another significant alteration from the book. Since no one contradicts him, it’s assumed he’s telling the truth. However, we haven’t witnessed Sunfyre’s demise, suggesting he might still be alive. Sunfyre plays a crucial role in the novel that the series hasn’t reached yet, so we fervently hope Aegon is mistaken. To avoid spoiling non-book readers, let’s simply express that Sunfyre’s death would bring about a monumental shift in the storyline.

Alicent’s secret deal with Rhaenyra

There was another secret meeting between Rhaenyra and Alicent in the last scene of the season, which did not occur in Fire & Blood. Again, these secret meetings would not be known to history, so this change is acceptable. In exchange for helping Rhaenyra take King’s Landing, Alicent consents to Rhaenyra killing Aegon.

In my loyalty, I strive to rectify the turmoil sparked by my actions, leading to this civil war. I yearn for anonymity, a peaceful existence with Helaena and Jaehaera by my side. As recorded in the book, Aegon was clandestinely taken from King’s Landing by Larys (Matthew Needham), but unfortunately, his daughter was not with him. Determined to safeguard my daughters, I will make every effort to extricate them from King’s Landing before Rhaenyra’s forces launch their attack.

2024-08-06 11:10