‘House of the Dragon‘ is undeniably one of the most controversial adaptations ever. George R. R. Martin has himself come forward to criticize the changes it made to his ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ franchise.
But at the same time, fans have come forward to support the showrunner’s decision to take creative liberties. The debate is ongoing and heated, but the show’s brilliance is undeniable. Here are the most controversial changes ‘House of the Dragon’ made to George R. R. Martin’s books.
5. Viserys’ Disease Was Invented
One of the most tragic figures in the show was Viserys Targaryen because of his physical illness that slowly made him wither away. He was shown as a sickly figure all the time, always suffering from pain.
However, the show completely created this plotline on its own because Viserys wasn’t sick in the book. His deterioration was more psychological and emotional, caused by the burden of politics. However, even in the books, he suffered a lot before facing a very slow and painful death.
4. Alicent’s And Rhaenyra’s Friendship Never Happened
Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen are depicted as very close friends, which became the emotional backbone of season 1 of the series. This made the eventual betrayal and rivalry even more intense, giving it a far more personal dimension.
But in Martin’s original book, the two women were never close friends. Their relationship was only cordial at best. Many fans called out this added layer in the series, even pointing out that the romantic undertones and the shared history with Ser Criston Cole actually affect the natural tone of their rivalry too much.
3. Daemon Targaryen Was Softened In The Show
All thanks to Matt Smith’s charismatic portrayal, Daemon Targaryen became a little too much of a beloved antihero in the series. Here, he is passionate and emotionally layered.
But the book paints a much colder picture. Daemon is significantly more calculating, ruthless, and politically motivated. Fans often criticize the show’s decision to give the character such redemption qualities, which seems to downplay the severity of his actions.
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2. Aemma Arryn’s Childbirth Scene Was Too Graphic
This one brutal death in the show is something we will never get out of our heads. Moreover, the way the show merged her traumatic childbirth with the celebratory tournament happening simultaneously was too disturbing.
These two scenes never happened at the same time in the book, and fans have criticized the show for taking such a horrific path. Some have even compared it to the equally controversial ‘Game of Thrones’ moment where Sansa Stark is sexually assaulted by Ramsay Bolton.
1. The Blood and Cheese Murder Was Heavily Toned Down
The infamous Blood and Cheese murder sequence in the series was expected to be its darkest moment. Instead, the series decided to make some very significant changes that left both fans and Martin unsatisfied.
In the books, the assassins were far crueler, forcing Helaena into making an impossible choice—pick one of her sons to be killed, even threatening to assault Jaehaera. The most important element of the scene was Helaena choosing Maelor over Jaehaerys. The intensity of this scene was greatly reduced as most violent stuff happened off-screen, and Maelor was not even there.
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