With House of the Dragon closer to its August 21 premiere, star Paddy Considine shared that changes were already made to King Viserys that deviate from the original ideation from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood. Of course, this is not unusual, considering the original series, Game of Thrones, also dealt with similar storyline changes from the source material, either altering some events or completely removing characters.
Nevertheless, the showrunners have plenty of source material to grab from the books, especially to bring to life the infamous Dance of the Dragons event among the Targaryen family. With the series likely to make a few significant changes, there may be a few original storylines and characters that book fans have never read before, allowing some Reddit fans to share their predictions on what the show will entail.
The Game Of Thrones Season Finale Means Nothing
Many fans are excited with many positive reactions to the House of the Dragon trailer. However, some viewers are skeptical of House of the Dragon's performance because of the poor final season of Game of Thrones.
Reddit user TeddysRevenge said, "We all know the debacle that was the later seasons of GoT. However, I think it’s unfair to use that as the main reason to think they’ll do a bad job [adapting] this story." Many audience members don't want to relive another disappointing season like the Game of Thrones finale, but these fans don't think the audience should give up on the spinoff for this reason. Already, the prequel series has different showrunners from Game of Thrones, which alone could be a good sign and likely learned a lesson on what not to do when executing a story as complex and large as G.R.R.M's masterful universe.
The Narrative Could Be Bad
Many fans of Martin's Fire & Blood appreciate the narrative focus on the politics behind the war within the Targaryen house. But these readers aren't convinced that the narrative will be as exceptionally done as the novel counterpart.
Reddit user NatalieIsFreezing said, "On a narrative level, I am rather worried (relatively, this is still a tv show after all), about possible narrative divergences." It's always a valid concern for booklovers that the series may not represent the narrative they enjoyed. However, the series will likely have to diverge from the main plot to give the show enough range as it goes through different seasons.
The Changes Will Be Similar To Game Of Thrones
While there were many aspects of Martin's Thrones series that were incorporated into the TV show, there were also some details that were left out. These decisions are strategic choices made by the creators to fit the tone of their adaptation. Many fans are hoping for major aspects of Fire & Blood to be incorporated into the show, but others are skeptical they're going to see everything from the source material.
Redditor spyson said, "I'm totally expecting them to tone down a lot like how they did in GoT and I don't think it's a bad thing." Not everything in novels can be adapted well for the screen, but the books serve as great guidance to set the events of the TV series, the same way that Game of Thrones did with the War of the Five Kings. However, too many diversions could ruin the pacing and storyline consistency, which was the case with the final two seasons missing the material of the yet-to-be-released final two books, and there were noticeably issues as a result of this.
Rhaenyra's Character Will Be Different
There are many burning questions after the House of the Dragon trailer that fans want answers to, and many of them focus on the Targaryen characters. Fans of the novels appreciated Rhaenyra's stubborn, brazen personality, but some are concerned the show won't represent her in a similar way.
Reddit user Jon-Umber said, "I worry that they'll soften Rhaenyra a bit too much. I adore the character and would hate for them to remove some of her edge." Some fans think the original series had characters very different from the novel characters, like Cersei, and are concerned this prequel won't properly represent distinct personalities.
The Targaryen Characters Will Be Great
There are many things to know from Fire & Blood that will help understand the TV series better, especially when it comes to the dynamics within the Targaryen family. There's a lot of skepticism around this upcoming series, but fans are optimistic the Targaryen characters will be great.
One Reddit user said, "Most of the Targaryen characters will be likable, due to the ability of a character's competence almost always makes them likable even if they do despicable things." Some of the Targaryen characters might be perceived as villains because of their decisions. However, these fans think that the complex, intelligent nature of the characters will still make them likable.
The Characters Won't Be As Relatable To Those In Games Of Throne
There were many controversial characters within Game of Thrones, but there were many characters for the audience to relate to. Due to the complex, harsh nature of many Targaryen characters, some predict the characters won't be as relatable in comparison.
Reddit user DeBatton said, "Having characters like Arya, Jon and Bran involved from the beginning made GOT instantly relatable to the audience. HOTD might not really have any audience surrogate characters..." It always seems a bit difficult to relate to characters that are mainly royalty, though there's a good chance that, given some time, the audience will get to know the personalities of the main characters. It's too soon to make this judgment call, especially when the series has not yet been released, and the dysfunctional family matter may be the most relatable part about the Targaryen family.
Fire & Blood Sets Up The Storyline
In Fire & Blood, the storyline explicitly outlines the civil war within the Targaryen history and the infamous events in the Dance of the Dragons. There are several prominent scenes in the novel that drive the storyline and played a role in the war.
Many fans awaiting the series think the novel perfectly outlines a great storyline and have little doubt the show will be great if the showrunners stick to the major plot. Reddit user TeddysRevenge said, "If they can keep the (possibly unpopular) actions and motivations of their characters honest, then I think narratively it will have a chance."
There Will Be Distinct Good And Bad Guys
As mentioned, the Targaryen bloodline bore several complex, harsh characters that aren't as obviously good or bad. Each character may have respectable aspects, but both sides of the war weren't distinctly right or evil.
One Reddit user said, "They'll make Rhaenyra's side explicitly the good guys in the right and the Greens will be explicitly bad and in the wrong, removing a lot of the moral/legal complexities." Many fans are excited to see Rhaenyra fight for her claim to the Iron Throne, but this also reasonably makes people fearful there won't be enough complexity, and the ending will be more obvious.
It Won't Work Without A Focus On Politics
There are many scenes from Fire & Blood that fans want to see in the screen adaptation of this history, and several of them focus on the politics within Westeros. While some fans believe the politics bogged down the storyline in Game of Thrones, others think it's essential to the storyline.
Reddit user zdubb87 said, "What made GoT is the real characters and the politics." The whole storyline behind the Dance of the Dragons is deeply involved in politics. For this show to stay true to the source material, it's likely the best results will be focused on the politics of Westeros. Furthermore, politics is a key part of what conceptualized the Game of Thrones lore in the first place, with different households or members quarreling over the Iron Throne and their overall power in the Seven Kingdoms.
George R.R. Martin's Themes Will Be Represented Properly
There have been a few interviews with George R.R. Martin regarding the creation of House of the Dragon. He has expressed excitement for the upcoming series, particularly because his involvement allows more of his original themes to shine through.
Reddit user NetherRocker said, "George has mentioned in recent blog posts that he's seen rough cuts of the episodes and is very excited, and I trust him." The opinion of the original writer often holds a lot of weight when it comes to fans of the novels watching the screen adaptation. With the promise of Martin enjoying the first episodes, fans are expecting his themes to be represented properly.