RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 7 sourcesTommy Flanagan and Archie Barnes as Roderick Dustin and Oscar Tully in "House of the Dragon." Theo Whiteman/HBO
HBO's "House of the Dragon" is adapted from "Fire & Blood," a fictional history of House Targaryen.
Multiple deaths in season three are notably different from their descriptions in the book.
In earlier seasons, the deaths of characters like Laenor and Rhea were portrayed in unexpected ways.
Warning: Major spoilers through the "House of the Dragon" season three finale.
" House of the Dragon " has returned for its third season, continuing its tradition of expanding on the source material.
HBO's flagship "Game of Thrones" spinoff is based on George R. R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," a fictional history of House Targaryen . The book is written as an overview of major events during the dynasty's reign.
Unlike Martin's main series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," which inspired "Game of Thrones," "Fire & Blood" is not told from the major characters' points of view but is recounted in retrospect by maesters, members of the royal court, and other third-party observers.
As a result, "Fire & Blood" readers don't get definitive causes or clear motivations for why characters take certain actions — and, in some cases, the book may be missing key in-universe information. As the "Fire & Blood" narrator frequently notes, not even eyewitness accounts are entirely reliable. His sources often disagree, each saddled with unique baggage, blind spots, and biases.
This means the TV writers hired for HBO's adaptation had a lot more leeway with the story and an opportunity to create a consistent canon of events.
Let's take a closer look at some of the pivotal "House of the Dragon" deaths so far, and how they compare to the details found in "Fire & Blood."
Aemma's final moments of life are made more brutal in the show, with Viserys opting for a C-section.
Paddy Considine and Sian Brooke as King Viserys and Queen Aemma in "House of the Dragon" season one. Ollie Upton/HBO
In the show: Director Miguel Sapochnik says the scene that killed Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke) was designed to show how King Viserys (Paddy Considine) "effectively murdered" his beloved wife.
When Aemma goes into labor, her baby is facing the wrong direction, and the maesters can't get it to turn. This means Aemma will certainly die, but there's a small chance they can save the baby by cutting it out of her.
The maester offers the choice to Viserys, who picks the surgery without consulting Aemma or telling her what's about to happen. Instead, she's dragged down on the bed and restrained while the maester cuts open her belly. She bleeds to death as the baby is "born."
In the book: Death by childbirth is fairly commonplace in Westeros, and it's treated as such in the text. "Fire & Blood" provides no details or context to Aemma's death, and doesn't mention Viserys being a part of the labor and delivery process at all:
"Queen Aemma was brought to bed in Maegor's Holdfast and died whilst giving birth to the son that Viserys Targaryen had desired for so long. The boy (named Baelon, after the king's father) survived her only by a day, leaving king and court bereft."
Rhea's death in the book is regarded as a "hunting accident" instead of cold-blooded murder.
Daemon and Rhea in "House of the Dragon." HBO
In the show: In season one, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) is married to Lady Rhea Royce (Rachel Redford), though neither is particularly happy about it.
Hoping to marry his royal niece instead, Daemon sneaks up on Rhea during a hunting trip and spooks her horse. After she's thrown, Rhea is paralyzed from the neck down and unable to fight back. She lobs insults at Daemon until he picks up a rock and bashes in her skull.
In the book: According to the historical record, Rhea's death was "a tragic mishap." Daemon is not suspected of being involved:
"The 'bronze bitch' of Runestone, Lady Rhea Royce, fell from her horse whilst hawking and cracked her skull upon a stone. She lingered for nine days before finally feeling well enough to leave her bed…only to collapse and die within an hour of rising."
Joffrey is killed by Criston in both the show and the book, but in "Fire & Blood," his death happens under the guise of a tourney.
Solly McLeod and Fabien Frankel as Joffrey Lonmouth and Criston Cole in "House of the Dragon" season one. HBO
In the show: While still teenagers, Lord Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate) and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) agree to get married — not out of love, but duty to their families. They also secretly agree to keep their marriage open, since Laenor is gay, and Rhaenyra is having an affair with Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel).
Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod), Laenor's lover, outs himself to Criston as the future king consort's boyfriend. Big mistake.
Cole, embarrassed and infuriated by the exposure of his own secret tryst with Rhaenyra, lashes out and beats Joffrey to death in the middle of the wedding welcome feast.
In the book: "Fire & Blood" historians recall that Joffrey was killed by Criston during a tourney, during which Criston had been "fighting in a black fury" against all his opponents. Joffrey's relationship with Laenor isn't mentioned as a possible motivation for his death:
"Cole's favorite weapon was the morningstar, and the blows he rained down on Ser Laenor's champion cracked his helm and left him senseless in the mud. Borne bloody from the field, Ser Joffrey died without recovering consciousness six days later."
Harwin and Lyonel canonically die in a fire at Harrenhal, but the show clarifies the arsonist.
Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin "Breakbones" Strong in the sixth episode of "House of the Dragon." HBO
In the show: House Strong controls Harrenhal, the largest castle in the Riverlands. It's where Ser Harwin Stro...
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