The Season 2 premiere of HBO’s “House of the Dragon” shocked fans with the gruesome murder of Jaehaerys Targaryen, the grandson of Alicent Hightower, in a scene involving the infamous characters Blood and Cheese. This event not only set a dark tone for the new season but also deviated from George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the source material for the series.
House of the dragon: A Gruesome Beginning
A Shocking Death
The premiere episode of “House of the Dragon” Season 2 began with the devastating aftermath of Lucerys Velaryon’s death, which closed out Season 1. Seeking vengeance, Rhaenyra Targaryen, driven by grief and rage, commissions Daemon Targaryen to retaliate. This sets off a chain of events that leads to the murder of toddler Jaehaerys Targaryen, the son of King Aegon II and Queen Helaena.
In a harrowing scene, Blood and Cheese, two men employed by Daemon, infiltrate the palace with the intent to kill Aemond Targaryen. Unable to find Aemond, they stumble upon Queen Helaena and her sleeping twins. Demanding to know which child is the boy, they proceed to kill Jaehaerys as a form of revenge for Lucerys’ death.
How It Differs from the Book
In George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the death of Jaehaerys Targaryen unfolds differently. The book’s historians suggest that Blood and Cheese were not specifically ordered by Daemon to kill Aemond but were given a more general directive: “an eye for an eye, a son for a son.” Additionally, the murder takes place in Alicent’s bedroom, where the men use Alicent as bait. Helaena, in an attempt to protect her elder son Jaehaerys, points to her younger son Maelor, hoping he would be spared. Despite her efforts, Blood and Cheese kill Jaehaerys anyway.
Adapting ‘Fire & Blood’
Changes and Justifications
Ryan Condal, the showrunner of “House of the Dragon,” explains the rationale behind the alterations. The series aims to present a more streamlined and coherent narrative from the conflicting accounts in “Fire & Blood.”
Rhaenyra’s Vengeance
The decision to have Rhaenyra explicitly call for Aemond’s death was intended to reflect her grief and desire for a strategically advantageous target. Condal elaborates, “It felt like Rhaenyra, despite being in grief, would choose a target that would have some kind of strategic or military advantage. If you took out Aem
ond, not only would he be punished directly for his betrayal and murder of Luke, but it would eliminate the rider of the biggest dragon in the world, creating an immediate advantage for their side.”
Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra, adds, “Rhaenyra lets her rage take hold of her voice. After Luc’s death, she finally lets that fire burn.”
Compression of Time
Another significant change involves the timeline and ages of the characters. The series compresses time, making Helaena and Aegon’s children, as well as Daemon and Rhaenyra’s youngest children, younger in the narrative than in the original book. This adjustment eliminates the dramatic choice Helaena faces between her sons, which in the book is a pivotal moment where she chooses Maelor, hoping to save Jaehaerys, only for the killers to defy her choice.
Expanding the World
Introduction of Cregan Stark
Additionally, the series uses the murder of Jaehaerys to introduce other elements of Westeros that play significant roles later in the story. The decision to include a scene in the North, featuring Cregan Stark and his bond with Jacaerys Velaryon, serves to expand the show’s geographical scope and remind viewers of the broader world beyond the central conflict.
Condal remarks, “It’s about expanding the scope of the world and reminding people that there are more places here than Dragonstone and King’s Landing. The North has a major stake in what’s to come, and we wanted to emphasize that.”
Building Towards the Future
The introduction of the North also hints at future developments in the larger “Game of Thrones” universe. “There’s a wall up there, and there’s great power that exists beyond the wall that will affect the characters in the timeline of Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow,” Condal explains, linking the current narrative to the events that fans of the original series are familiar with.
Conclusion
The brutal murder of Jaehaerys Targaryen in “House of the Dragon” Season 2’s premiere not only sets a dark and vengeful tone for the season but also showcases the show’s adaptation choices from the book “Fire & Blood.” By altering certain aspects of the story, the series aims to provide a cohesive narrative while expanding the scope of the world of Westeros. These changes highlight the complexity of translating a layered and conflicting historical account into a compelling visual narrative, ensuring that both new viewers and longtime fans remain engaged with the evolving story.
