The HBO series “House of the Dragon” is based on the book “Fire and Blood” and, although it did not adapt the story letter by letter, episode 7 changed a very important event: the death of a character.
The interest between Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her uncle Daemon Targaryen is visible from the beginning of the series, culminating in episode 4, in which Rhaenyra escapes with Daemon for a night in the streets and brothels of King’s Landing, which ends up leaving her. vulnerable to attack. voices.
But despite Daemon asking King Viserys I, her brother and father of Rhaenyra, to let her marry, the prince’s offer was rejected and Rhaenyra married Laenor Velaryon, son of the Sea Serpent and heir to one of the most powerful houses in Westeros.
Marriage alone turned out to be just a facade, with Rhaenyra and Laenor finding lovers to satisfy their desires. This led to the birth of all three of their children with dark hair and a striking resemblance to Harwin Strong, the captain of the City Watch.
In episode 7, which arrives this Sunday (2), Laenor promises Rhaenyra that he will be by his side and will dedicate himself to putting her and her offspring on the road to the Iron Throne.
But Rhaenyra already had other plans. With the death of Laenor’s sister Laena, Daemon was left a widow. Together with him, the princess planned her husband’s death so that she too was free to marry Daemon.
In George RR Martin’s book Fire and Blood, on which the series is based, Laenor was killed while attending a fair in Spice Village. There, he was stabbed by Qarl Correy, a character played by Arty Froushan in the series.
Being a history book, theoretically written by a Master years after the events, there are several theories on the reason for death. The first indicates that Correy, who was Laenor’s lover, killed him out of jealousy.
The second, which would be what we saw in the series, indicates that Prince Daemon paid Correy to kill Rhaenyra’s husband, but that after arranging a ship for the killer’s departure, he slit his throat and threw him. at sea to avoid witnesses. acts.
Alone, unlike what happened in the book, Laenor appears alive at the end of the episode, after Qarl Correy faked her death and left a charred and unrecognizable body in Velaryon’s fireplace. Laenor appears with Correy driving a small boat out to sea, his hair shaved.
This is a significant change from the book, as it leaves a key character, the heir of the Velaryon, alive and aware of Rhaenyra’s betrayal, or at least that Daemon tried to kill him.
Rhaenyra and Daemon get married at the end of the episode and it remains to be seen if Laenor will return to a role in the series. One might think so, as it would make no sense to alter this point of history without a purpose. But what exactly will it affect, we’ll have to wait and see.
The first seven episodes of “House of the Dragon” are available on HBO Max. Episode 8 arrives on the HBO platform and channel next Sunday (9), at 10pm.
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Source: Olhar Digital

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