The Change Weakened The Sequence

Author George RR Martin, best known for his Game of Thrones (GOT) novels, now adapted as a television show, has some insights to share about House of the Dragon Season 2. The HBO series that wrapped up its second installment on (August 4) is based on George RR Martin’s Fire & Blood book. In a now-deleted blog titled Beware the Butterflies, the author has pointed out “everything wrong” with the second segment and how the book-to-screen alterations have weakened the potential of the plot for Seasons 3 and 4. His views also bear a clash of opinions with House of the Dragon’s co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal. 

According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, George RR Martin was dissatisfied with Blood & Cheese’s storyline in Season 2. In the show, Helaena and Aegon are the parents of 6-year-old twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. But the Fire & Blood novel mentions three children — a 2-year-old son Maelor was also there. As per the author, the omission of the character has resulted in a  “butterfly effect” of consequences. In the book, Helaena is forced to give up on Jaehaerys, who was killed by the Blood & Cheese and save Maelor. In the show, Helaena tries to bribe the killers and the hired assailants kill Jaehaerys.  

Speaking about this particular scene, George RR Martin wrote, “I still believe the scene in the book is stronger. The readers have the right to that. The two killers are crueler in the book. I thought the actors who played the killers on the show were excellent, but the characters are crueler, harder, and more frightening in FIRE & BLOOD. I would also suggest that Helaena shows more courage, more strength in the book, by offering her own own life to save her son. Offering a piece of jewelry is just not the same. As I saw it, the ‘Sophie’s Choice’ aspect was the strongest part of the sequence, the darkest, the most visceral. I hated to lose that. And judging from the comments online, most of the fans seemed to agree.”

George RR Martin added, “I argued against it, for all these reasons. The change weakened the sequence… And Ryan had what seemed to be practical reasons for it; they did not want to deal with casting another child, especially a two-year-old toddler. Kids that young will inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications. Budget was already an issue on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, it made sense to save money wherever we could. Moreover, Ryan assured me that we were not losing Prince Maelor, simply postponing him. Queen Helaena could still give birth to him in season three, presumably after getting with child late in season two. That made sense to me, so I withdrew my objections and acquiesced to the change.”

One of George RR Martin’s major concerns is how Maelor’s absence could impact House of the Dragon’s following two seasons. Detailing some references from the novel, he wrote, “Will any of that appear on the show? Maybe, but I don’t see how. The butterflies would seem to prohibit it. 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. Maelor by himself means little. He is a small child, does not have a line of dialogue, does nothing of consequence but dies, but where and when and how, that does matter.”

Apart from being the co-creator of House of the Dragon, George RR Martin is working for HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.