‘House Of The Dragon‘ is currently airing its second season, and its keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats after gaining heavy acclaim and love. Although it has a huge fandom for a prequel already, it hasn’t quite overdone the original show ‘Game Of Thrones‘ — or so the fans argue.
While both shows are based on well-acclaimed books by George R.R. Martin and are equally well adapted on screens, there still are certain parameters that put one show above the other. Here’s a list of seven things that are fundamentally better about the original show compared to how ‘House Of The Dragon’ is currently performing.
7. Twists And Turns
The main charm of ‘Game Of Thrones‘ was the uncertainty of the show that took many by surprise, time and again, always with an equal blow. From the very first season, whenever a character seemed likeable, the creators, as if intentionally, killed it off. Other than Ned Stark’s death, the Red Wedding remains one of the most shocking turn of events in the series. So does Daenerys Targaryen’s death in the season finale at the hands of Jon Snow. How can we forget when Jon Snow’s true identity was revealed? With so much on the list of the original show, ‘House Of The Dragon’ just has one major incident under its name — Aemond Targaryen’s decision to kill his brother Aegon. It’s safe to say the prequel has come nowhere near to the original show when it comes to plot twists.
6. Character Diversity
When it comes to diversity in characters, ‘Game Of Thrones’ tops the list. The show not only featured the royalty but also the Dothraki, the White Walkers, the Wildlings — a long list indeed. The diversity not only adds a cultural layer to the show, but also enriches the plotline. The prequel, however, lacks this diversity. ‘House of the Dragon’ majorly focuses on the people of King’s Landing and the Targaryens. That’s another factor the prequel is lagging in.
5. Supporting Cast
Both ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘House of the Dragon’ feature a star studded ensemble cast. However, ‘Game Of Thrones’ had a more brilliant set of supporting characters, that added value through their contributions to the story. They added depth to the proceedings, ranging as far as beyond the Wall, all the way to the corners of Essos.
‘House Of The Dragon’, on the other hand, mostly features the internal dynamics of House Targaryen with a limited cast. However, the show is seemingly expanding its choices with supporting cast like Mysaria, Addam of Hull, and Alys Rivers, among others joining the team. The competition in this regard isn’t exactly close, though there’s significant improvement from team ‘House of the Dragon‘.
In Case You Missed: King Joffrey From ‘Game Of Thrones’ Had Already Warned Fans Of Rhaenyra’s Fate In ‘House Of The Dragon’
4. Locations
Through Daenerys Targaryen’s travels, the viewers got to see a lot more of the mysterious land of ‘Game Of Thrones’. Not just the grandeur of Westeros, but the show also blew our minds with the beauty of the mysterious lands of Essos. The North was portrayed as a cold but serene place, which also added to the beauty of the show.
In ‘House of the Dragon‘, the story is mostly confined to Dragonstone and King’s Landing, because of which the viewers barely get a glimpse of the North or the Eyrie so far. Although the story has now involved Harrenhal as well, the locations are still comparatively less diverse compared to those in ‘Game of Thrones‘.
3. Battles
When it comes to visuals, ‘Game Of Thrones’ and ‘House Of The Dragon’ are at a cutthroat competition. However, the prequel is yet to give us a battle as epic as the Battle of Blackwater or the Battle of Hardhome. Many viewers also consider The Battle of The Bastards as one of the bloodiest and greatest moments on the show. The battle beyond the wall stands a close second.
Dragon or no, ‘Game Of Thrones‘ nailed their battle sequences, both in terms of visuals and what it entailed for the show’s plotline. The Battle of Rook’s Rest is no doubt one of the most stunning wars on ‘House of the Dragon’, but viewers are still waiting for some epic dragon battles.
2. Villains
There is no shortage of great villains in either of the shows. Many characters are detested by viewers. The Lannisters, including King Joffrey and his mother Cersie Lannister, remain one of the most hated characters on ‘Game Of Thrones‘ along with Ramsay Bolton, Warden of the North. It is safe to say that Daenerys was also no less than a villain when Jon Snow decided to kill her for the world’s good.
‘House Of The Dragon‘ also hasn’t fallen short of delivering detestable characters — but still hasn’t reached quite there yet. The Greens, Criston Cole, and Larys Strong are a few examples of some of the most notorious characters on the show. But the character arcs of the villains are much more complex and complicated on the original show.
1. Political Drama
While ‘House Of The Dragon’ is not short of political drama, it does not come anywhere close to that in ‘Game of Thrones‘. The Greens usurping Rhaenyra’s throne involved a lot of planning and plotting on Alicent and Otto Hightower’s part. However, the Lannisters using their cunning minds in ‘Game of Thrones‘ was a treat to watch. The original show involved a lot more political planning, plotting, and diplomacy — even at the expense of leaving viewers disgusted with several incidents of incest. It gave us a window into how dirty royal politics is, and how Westeros it is much bloodier and nastier than it has been in the past.
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