One HoTD Major Change That Took Away A Huge Bit Of Rhaenyra Targaryen's Character
The fandom is still bittersweet about this decision.
When writers have to work on a book adaptation, it's not uncommon for them to make some changes. Most of the time, they are needed to keep the story dynamic and complex enough to be worth following but also simplified enough to look good on screen.
However, when it comes to Game of Thrones prequel, House of The Dragon, fans were especially wary of any changes being made to the original material.
After the huge flop that was the original series finale, no one was willing to see that happen again, and George R.R. Martin had much more faith in the fandom than the showrunners.
Although no one has really seen what the author had in mind for the finale of the story, since the final book in the series has yet to be published, people believe it will be much better than what we got on the show.
Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, but what the fans have proven once again is that the showrunners can't be trusted. Once again, the changes to the original written material proved to be tragic for the character development of the main character, Rhaenyra Targaryen.
In order to focus the show more on the relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Queen Alicent, the writers had to change their ages. While Alicent Hightower was aged down slightly, Rhaenyra was aged up from 9 to 14 when the series began.
Although this decision provided a more stable basis for their relationship, many believe that it made Rhaenyra much more bland as a character in her own right. Instead of telling the tragic story of a young girl who lost her mother and was given the burden of inheritance as a child, the show tried to make Rhaenyra seem like a spoiled teenage brat.
Her rebellious spirit stood out even more in contrast to the shy and obedient Alicent, making her truly unlikable to half the fandom. Did this create conflict between the teams? Yes, but for all the wrong reasons.
House of The Dragon is currently in the midst of filming season 2. Keep an eye out for important news, announcements, and behind-the-scenes updates!