House of the Dragon
MAJOR SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2 , episode 1 !
Summary
TheHouse of the Dragonseason 2 premiere showcaseda polar upshot referred to as " Blood and cheeseflower , " and it disagree significantly from how it unfolded in the Scripture . House of the Dragonis base on the bookFire & Bloodby George R.R. Martin , which documents thefictional history of House Targaryen . It ’s written like a genuine - creation historical text , meaning it does n’t come after a refreshing format and rather take a zoomed - out look at events fence the Targaryen dynasty , leave behind certain constituent up for rendering . House of the Dragonthen show what could ’ve actually happened .
Because the text leaves certain details vague , House of the Dragonseason 2 makes several book alteration , such as show what Aegon II ’s leading as Billie Jean King was actually like . In the case of Blood & Cheese , Fire & Bloodoffers a elaborated story of what happened , and the TV adjustment makes changes disregardless , many of which were due to other original character electric discharge they set up . For example , in the book , Helaena does n’t see visions in her dreams , and Alicent and Criston Cole do n’t have a romantic relationshiprecorded .
9Helaena Envisions Jaehaerys Being Killed By “Rats”
Helaena’s Visions Foreshadow Blood & Cheese
A scene too soon in theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 premiere has several fascinating details that could be sluttish to miss . In it , Helaena Targaryen expresses concern to Aegon II that she ’s scared of " rats " rather than tartar . Season 1 saw her have multiple prophetic dreams , but her words here are still passed off as weirdness and are cut . This panorama is entirely original to the show , portend the horrific event to come later in the episode and lay the base for how Helaena reacts to line of descent & Cheese .
she ’s seen knitting a veil in this scene , which she ’s shown endure at a funeral in theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 poke
Immediatelyafter Helaena says,“Not the dragons … the rats,“her eye shift over to Jaehaerys ' cot , where her Word is butchered later in the sequence . Also , she ’s see knitting a veil in this tantrum , which she ’s read wear at a funeral in theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 trailer , implying that it ’s the one she ’d wear thin for her Word ’s funeral . The point here is incredible and really mouth to the power of Helaena ’s subconsciousness , offering a fascinating mystical factor toHouse of the Dragon’sworld .
8Rhaenyra Demands Vengeance For Lucerys
Rhaenyra’s Words Initiate The Blood & Cheese Event Despite Her Intentions
Rhaenyra spends much of theHouse of the Dragonseason 2 premiere search for Lucerys ' dead body to mourn after her death . She take in her time to grieve , deciding the best course of action give out forward . In the latter half of the instalment , Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone and says,“I want Aemond Targaryen . “This start the chain of events for origin & Cheese , which is notably dissimilar than the interlingual rendition in the record , where Rhaenyra basically has nothing to do with it , and her feeling in the aftermath of Lucerys ' death are n’t explained .
InFire & Blood , Daemon Targaryen has already beguile the castle of Harrenhal before Aemond kill Lucerys . Rhaenyra receives a letter from Daemon that plainly states,“A son for a son,“and he handles the operation through his connections . Rhaenyra ca n’t be blamed for the butchering of a child , as she still had nothing to do with organizing assassins . She could have envisioned luring a trap for Aemond and Vhagar where they could fight him on dragonback , but Daemon took matters into his own hands .
7Aemond Is Blood & Cheese’s Intended Target
Aemond Isn’t The Target In Fire & Blood
The idea of Aemond Targaryen being the intend quarry for rip & Cheese make some sense . While"A son for a son"could imply Rhaenyra and Aegon both fall back a son , House of the Dragon’sframing hold more sensory faculty if it ’s Alicent ’s son instead . While Rhaenyra and Aegon are the two likely successor , House of the Dragonhones in on the duality between Rhaenyra and Alicent , so there ’s thematic potential in Alicent ’s son being the target . Not to mention , Aemond is directly creditworthy for killing Lucerys and is a far big threatthan little Jaehaerys .
The only defect to Aemond being the object is that he ’s a much bigger scourge for two assassins to kill . Aemond is a trained hero who could in all likelihood battle Blood & Cheese if he was armed . Daemon specifies that he’s"good in a fight,“and Blood & Cheese would have an advantage if they were to get the jumping on him while he ’s unarmed at dark in a little corridor , but other fate could see Aemond easy cutting them both down . There ’s no reason to carry that Cheese , in particular , would have any attainment crusade against a trained swordsman .
House of the Dragon time of year 2 break a Game of Thrones custom , and I think it help emblemize the prequel show ’s distinct identity .
Custom image by Simone Ashmoore
6Mysaria Didn’t Operate Blood & Cheese
Mysaria Is Way More Complicit In Fire & Blood
Mysaria is different inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 , with change made to her role to make her more sympathetic . Her story picks up after the issue in season 1 , instalment 9 , where she makes a transaction with Otto Hightower to help the Greens find Aegon for his coronation . Mysaria has escaped King ’s Landing after her organization was burn down , andDaemon blames her for set Aegon on the throne . After Rhaenyra declares she wants Aemond , he goes to her for information .
InHouse of the Dragon , she only throw Daemon information about Cheese because she has to in purchase order to know .
InFire & Blood , Mysaria is still operating in King ’s Landing , and she contracts Blood & Cheese on Daemon ’s behalf , resulting in much of the rap for the incident being direct on her . The show alternatively depicts Mysaria as a lowborn cleaning woman doing what she can to survive in King ’s Landing ’s coarse political mood . InHouse of the Dragon , she only gives Daemon info about Cheese because she has to in monastic order to live .
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5Daemon Went To King’s Landing Himself
In The Book, Daemon Is Already At Harrenhal
As antecedently mentioned , Daemon Targaryen is already at Dragonstone when Blood & Cheese happens in the Word , so he ’s too lost to be direct involved . This ties in with his use of Mysaria ’s connection to enact the assassination . In the TV serial , Daemon pose on his inconspicuous strong-armer and locomote to King ’s Landing himself , meeting with line & Cheese and distributing their defrayal .
Daemon wants blood , and he ’s uncoerced to get his hands dirty .
This is a massive danger for Daemon , as he ’s bank on the data that members of the City Watch wo n’t favor the Hightowers and that he can use Blood to escort him through the city . It ’s act as out in a elbow room that ’s a bit commodious for the storytelling , but it ’s reinforced by portion of time of year 1 that show how in touch Daemon is with the low - born parts of King ’s Landing . This is a world he screw how to navigate , and he ’s never been one to shy away from a endangerment . Daemon wants blood , and he ’s willing to get his hands muddy .
House of the Dragon time of year 2 , episode 1 has a very substantial scene from George R.R. Martin ’s Fire & Blood , but the show ’s interpretation is dissatisfactory .
4Blood Is A Gold Cloak, Not A Butcher
Blood’s Occupation Is Different In The Book (Sort Of)
InHouse of the Dragon’sseason 2 premiere , Blood is introduced at a logic gate in King ’s Landing , letting Daemon into the metropolis . He ’s shown to be a member of the City Watch , also known as the Gold Cloaks , with whom Daemon has had a relationship since time of year 1 when he was their Lord Commander . Daemon previously utilized the City Watch to brutalize felon , and his tearing tendency seem to convey some free weight , as Blood still agnise him and pertain to him as " Commander " roughly two decade later .
It play to Daemon ’s convenience that rip is a Gold Cloak , as he ’s able to be escort through the city safely . InFire & Blood , Blood was a sergeant in the City Watch , but he was removed from the organization for murdering a prostitute . He then became a sad sack , hence his name being " Blood " and the rat catcher ’s name being " Cheese . "
3Maelor Targaryen Doesn’t Exist
House Of The Dragon Leaves Out One Of Helaena’s Sons
The dynamic wall Blood & Cheese pop one of Helaena and Aegon ’s children is changed drastically by the fact that one fry has been wholly omitted from the show . In the book , they have another son named Maelor . When Helaena is recount to choose inFire & Blood , she selects sister Maelor because he ’d be too untried to know what ’s happeningand would therefore suffer the least .
This would ’ve total complication to the prospect in the TV show , asHouse of the Dragonchanged the conflict to see Blood & Cheese unsure of who the male baby was . In the serial , their goal change to killing the business leader ’s heir , and Maelor not be makes this easier for them to figure out . It ’s also a harsher blow to the Greens , as Aegon no longer has an heir outside Aemond .
Helaena Targaryen is force to make an insufferable decision in House of the Dragon season 2 , episode 1 – here ’s why she go bad with that choice .
2Blood & Cheese’s Dynamic With Helaena Is Different
Helaena Chooses Maelor In Fire & Blood
In the television series , Helaena is held with a tongue at her throat by Cheese , and the pair of assassinator need that she give up the male heir . She tries to offer up her necklace or else , but they take it anyway and still demand that she repoint out who her manly Word is . She point to Jaehaerys , and while ancestry intend she ’s lying , Cheese can tell Helaena is telling the truth . InFire & Blood , the fate are almost whole different . First , Helaena offer herself to Blood & Cheese instead of her childrenin the book .
They end up kill Jaehaerys anyway .
They wane , and Helaena is forced to choose between her two sons , so she chooses Maelor . They end up defeat Jaehaerys anyway . In the process , Blood & Cheese also jeopardize to rape Jaehaera if she does n’t decide fast enough , whereas they are n’t quite as threatening in the TV show . The series disembarrass Helaena of some of her representation in this scene , as it seems that she discover Jaehaerys for them because she hump he ’s going to die from her visions . She then elude with Jaehaera without her or the miss seeming to be at risk .
1Alicent Wasn’t Present For Blood & Cheese
Alicent Isn’t With Criston In The Book
Alicent Hightower ’s quixotic relationship with Criston Cole is an idea that ’s original to the serial , causing her to miss out on the Blood & Cheese action . InFire & Blood , Helaena and her children are in Alicent ’s chambers when the event occurs , and Alicent is link up and gagged , pressure to look on the whole affair . Blood & Cheese specifically take this elbow room because they knew Helaena ’s children visited with their grandmother on a nightly base .
This massive shift tones down how dark and traumatic the situation is , with Alicent not being forced to watch it unfold . Helaena then rush into Alicent ’s sleeping accommodation after Blood & Cheese have kill Jaehaerys , walking in on her and Criston . House of the Dragon’sinterpretation sees many changes to Blood & Cheese that arguably make it a less gruesome upshot , as the book reading likely would ’ve been the most withering case depicted in either the prequel orGame of Thrones .
take place about 172 age before the events ofGame of Thrones , House of the Dragontells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens , the only menage of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria . The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replace by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke , who play the older interlingual rendition of the theatrical role . Also starring in the series is Matt Smith ( Prince Daemon Targaryen ) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra ’s founder , King Viserys Targaryen .
Image via Max
Image via Max
