re: House of the Dragon : Season 2 - Episode 1 (Spoilers Welcome)

quote:

---

Yes, but it was supposed to be much worse.

---

Since this is the spoil thread, what happened differently in the book?

This is from the ASOIAF Wiki

quote:

---

Cheese led Blood into the Red Keep through a forgotten passageway, and creeping through walls, they entered the chambers of Aegon's mother, Queen Alicent Hightower, in the Tower of the Hand. After Cheese bound and gagged the Dowager Queen and Blood strangled her bedmaid, the assassins waited for Aegon's wife, Queen Helaena Targaryen, and her children to arrive.[1]

Blood killed Helaena's guardsman once she arrived, and Cheese grabbed her youngest son, Prince Maelor Targaryen. Cheese asked Helaena which of her sons she wanted them to kill. Helaena offered herself but Blood refused, stating it had to be a son. When Helaena prevaricated, Cheese warned her that Blood would rape her six-year-old daughter, Princess Jaehaera Targaryen. Although Helaena eventually named her youngest son, Maelor, Blood beheaded Prince Jaehaerys instead. Blood and Cheese then fled through the secret passages with the prince's head in hand.[1]

---

Since they cut out one of the sons it was changed obviously. And they skipped binding Alicent.

But it was pretty brutal. And honestly we’re going to see plenty of gnarly shite this season so I’m ok that we only just heard them sawing off his head.

I'll say it. They fricked up Blood and Cheese.

Not in the sense that it was a total disaster but the deviations from the book were disappointing.

I don’t think rooks rest is going to be in the final episode. Theyre only doing 8 this season. And they’ve shown a a massive amount of it in various trailers. Just doesn’t seem like something they’d do for their end of season battle. I think they put it in episode 4, and with more emphasis coming for Baelas character having to watch her grandma die will make her take bold action which is going to be them beginning to lay the seeds for way latter when she escapes captivity and challenges Aegon on dragonback

Have you read fire and blood? He’s not exactly Joffrey but he is by no means a good person in anyway whatsoever I think the show is building to it.

quote:

---

Hard to come to terms with a kids head getting sawn off not being sinister enough but you're correct. Forcing her to choose between sons and getting the opposite is wicked shite and they pulled their punch.

---

Not to mention that additional cruelty plays an important part in Helaena's story in the books. I understand they've written her differently in the show and I don't have a problem with that but I wish they had kept Blood and Cheese as written because it was perfect.

Again, I don't think it ruins the show or anything. Just a bit disappointed they deviated here.

For those asking how Blood and Cheese was different in the books.

quote:

---

Who are you?” she demanded of the two.

“Debt collectors,” said Cheese. “An eye for an eye, a son for a son. We only want the one, t’ square things. Won’t hurt the rest o’ you fine folks, not one lil’ hair.Which one you want t’ lose, Your Grace?”

Once she realized what he meant, Queen Helaena pleaded with the men to kill her instead.

“A wife’s not a son,” said Blood. “It has to be a boy.”

“Pick,” he said, “or we kill them all.”

On her knees, weeping, Helaena named her youngest, Maelor.

Perhaps she thought the boy was too young to understand, or perhaps it was because the older boy, Jaehaerys, was King Aegon’s firstborn son and heir, next in line to the Iron Throne.

“You hear that, little boy?” Cheese whispered to Maelor. “Your momma wants you dead.” Then he gave Blood a grin, and the hulking swordsman slew Prince Jaehaerys, striking off the boy’s head with a single blow.

The queen began to scream.

---

Ok. Ok. I'm done now. Still excited for this season.

quote:

---

Give the people what they want, give us something focusing on the north.

---

They'd have to go original here but I'm down to see some Stark-Bolton warring.