‘House of the Dragon’: George R.R. Martin and HBO cross swords in public disagreement
George R.R. Martin, the bearded, New Jersey-born world-builder of the “Game of Thrones” realm, is a relic of a different time. As a science-fiction and fantasy writer he was nurtured in the pages of journals like Galaxy and Analog, with its bare-knuckle letters to the editor sections and rebuttals from authors that could stretch on for months. He was also an early adopter of the internet—indeed, the dude still maintains a blog. All of which is to say, he is probably at this point biologically incapable of keeping his opinions to himself.
It was on said blog that he let rip with some criticism concerning the second season of “House of the Dragon,” the “Game of Thrones” prequel based on his “Silmarillion”-like history text “Fire & Blood” about one of the central bloodlines, House Targaryen, in his shared universe. Before deleting his post, he nitpicked several of showrunner Ryan Condal’s decisions about the series’s second season, which received something of a muted response from many viewers.
After Martin let loose his criticism against HBO, he eventually thought better of it and removed the missive. He does, after all, have several projects in development with them. HBO, somewhat surprisingly, still made an official statement in response.
First, here’s what Martin said. Looking at this wall of text will remind you why some of his books go on for 700 pages:
“I promised you some further thoughts about Blood and Cheese and Maelor the Missing after my commentary on the first two episodes of ‘HotD’ season 2, ‘A Son for a Son’ and ‘Rhaenyra the Crue’l,” he wrote on his blog. “Those were terrific episodes: well written, well directed, powerfully acted. A great way to kick off the new season. Fans and critics alike seemed to agree. There was only one aspect of the episodes that drew significant criticism: the handling of Blood and Cheese, and the death of Prince Jaehaerys. From the commentary I saw online, opinion was split there. The readers of ‘Fire & Blood’ found the sequence underwhelming, a disappointment, watered down from what they were expecting. Viewers who had not read the book had no such problems. Most of them found the sequence a real gut-punch, tragic, horrifying, nightmarish, etc. Some reported being reduced to tears. I found myself agreeing with both sides.”
He continued: “In my book, Aegon and Helaena have three children, not two. The twins, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, are six years old. They have a younger brother, Maelor, who is two. When Blood and Cheese break in on Helaena and the kids, they tell her they are debt collectors come to exact revenge for the death of Prince Lucerys: a son for a son. As Helaena has two sons, however, they demand that she choose which one should die. She resists and offers her own life instead, but the killers insist it has to be a son. If she does not name one, they will kill all three of the children. To save the life of the twins, Helaena names Maelor. But Blood kills the older boy, Jaehaerys, instead, while Cheese tells little Maelor that his mother wanted him dead. Whether the boy is old enough to understand that is not at all certain.”
Taking a deep breath now, he went further. “That’s not how it happens on the show. There is no Maelor in ‘House of the Dragon’, only the twins … both of whom look younger than six, but I am no sure judge of children’s ages, so I can’t be sure how old they are supposed to be. Blood can’t seem to tell the twins apart, so Helaena is asked to reveal which one is the boy. You would think a glance up his PJs would reveal that, without involving the mother. Instead of offering her own life to save the kids, Helaena offers them a necklace. Blood and Cheese are not tempted. Blood saws Prince Jaehaerys’s head off. We are spared the sight of that; a sound effect suffices.”
Then for the kill: “I still believe the scene in the book is stronger. The readers have the right of 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’.”
Later in the day, HBO responded, writing, “There are few greater fans of George R.R. Martin and his book ‘Fire & Blood’ than the creative team on ‘House of the Dragon’, both in production and at HBO. Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow. We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.”
That “format and limitations” mention may work as a reminder to some that “Fire & Blood” is not a rich, meaty novel like the earlier “A Song of Ice and Fire” books that were adapted for “Game of Thrones,” but is more of a “historical account” text. On the official HBO “Thrones” podcast, Condal said, “We have to construct this three-dimensional reality and this full story for the world to inhabit and provide the characters with internal lives and flaws and desires that might not necessarily have made it into the historical account. Now there are plenty of opportunities in reading Fire & Blood to say, well, there was actually a flaw or a desire or something that does not make it into the record, but it’s often an incomplete picture.”
As with anything involving Martin and a keyboard, many online were quick to point out that the guy is years—years!—behind on his due date for “The Winds of Winter,” the sixth “A Song of Ice and Fire” book that, let’s face it, will probably never be completed.
“House of the Dragon” Season 1 was nominated for one Primetime Emmy (Outstanding Drama Series, so a biggie) and had seven Creative Arts Emmy nominations plus one win, for Outstanding Sci-Fi/Fantasy Costumes.