George R.R. Martin expressed dismay over the changes made in Season 2 of House of the Dragon. The first episode alone had a massive and terrible change that will surely affect the rest of the story, but the succeeding episodes were all the more difficult to comprehend.
Take, for instance, Daemon Targaryen’s arc. The character had been going through strange hallucinations for the entire season, and while it was understandable that Harrenhal got him under a spell, it became too much. He lost a lot of significant screen time that could have been used for a much better purpose.
George R.R. Martin’s Favorite Targaryen Is Getting Mediocre Treatment
For a while, George R.R. Martin’s criticisms of House of the Dragon stirred debate among fans. Like the rest of us, he was upset that many of these modifications would omit significant future scenes, or worse, change a character’s overall persona.
In an interview via YouTube, the author revealed his favorite Targaryen figure is Daemon. He is played by Matt Smith in the prequel series, and the actor has done a marvelous job portraying the role.
I’m notorious for my love of gray characters and one of the grayest characters in the entire history of Westeros is Daemon Targaryen, the Rogue Prince.
Daemon has a very intriguing backstory that faithfully lives up to his nickname. Martin designed him as a “notorious bad boy, a rogue” and he tends to switch sides whenever he finds it convenient. This is why it’s easy to understand why the writer loves him so much because “he’s a very colorful and unpredictable character.”
The changes made with Daemon in the show not only reduced his potential but also took a lot of significant stories out of him. When Smith revealed via Variety that Daemon has become “much weaker”, that was a major one-eighty-degree turn from his true self. The Dance of the Dragons had finally begun, and he should have been in his element.
The author shared a couple of entries expressing his thoughts on the recently concluded series, and it seems like he is very concerned with the decisions made by Ryan Condal and his team.
In one of his posts, he warned that making a fantasy series doesn’t give anyone the license to do anything they please. “Ignore canon, and the world you’ve created comes apart like tissue paper,” Martin wrote.
Will Daemon Targaryen Suffer The Same Fate As Daenerys Targaryen?
Game of Thrones ended with the tragic fate of Daenerys Targaryen, a resolution that enraged many fans. Even Martin expressed dissatisfaction with how the direction went in the final three seasons. Like House of the Dragon, the original show suffered a lot of adjustments under David Benioff and Dan Weiss’ supervision.
Dany may not be the author’s favorite character, at least in the earlier interview he gave, but it would be a massive disappointment if Daemon ends up with a similar treatment. Martin would need to step up and make sure his favorite rogue character gets no less-than-stellar portrayal.
House of the Dragon is currently available to watch on HBO.
