After the “trauma” of the final season of Game of Thrones, it seems to have become a tradition for the most radical House of the Dragon fandom to “hate” any conclusion in the franchise. The reaction to some changes in the final episode of the first season moved social media, even more so that the episode was leaked with quality and in its entirety two days before it aired.

What pissed off the fan base? Book changes.

The death of Lucerys Velaryon has always been considered the main turning point in the history of the Dance of Dragons, even more than the farewell of King Viserys I. In a tense scenario, marked by coups and rivalries, the murder of the little prince is the last straw to the start of a bloody Civil War that practically decimates the dragons and House Targaryen. Innocent, young, and helpless, in the book, there is uncertainty as to how he actually died, but the culprit was always his uncle, Aemond Targaryen. So we thought.

The encounter and confrontation between uncle and nephew, already marked by a childhood of fueled hatred, encouraged violence, mutual bullying, and a fatal accident where Aemond lost an eye was a tragedy foretold. And it was very faithful to the book, with some famous phrases eliminated, but the main one kept.

The sequel to the chase and attack of dragons is one of the most impressive of the year and the entire Game of Thrones franchise.

However, the change to be an equally miscalculated act has fans mad. In the book, the witnesses were on the ground and did not understand what was happening above. While on every page of Fire and Blood, the “Greens” are portrayed as shallow, ambitious, and arrogant villains, aware that they are usurping but doing so anyway, in the series, Otto Hightower has science and management over the coup actions, but even he has greater nuances. What has radically changed is the Hightowers’ more empathetic presentation, with rigid values ​​and a string of misunderstandings that make them feel justified in their movement. Except for Otto, the others are in a gray field.

That said, Aemond Targaryen, who has a “dark soul” and is extremely cruel in the book, won fans over for overcoming bullying, taming a 180-year-old dragon (Vaghar), and still being a good son and brother. On his future list of dead are still Daemon and Rhaenys, but after what happened to Lucerys, there is doubt as to how he will be effectively portrayed.

Accustomed to mutual bullying, Aemond once again attacked his nephew “Strong” demanding an eye for what had been lost. In a dragon chase, Arrax ends up feeling threatened and attacks Vaghar, without Prince Lucerys’ command. It is enough for Aemond to lose control of the dragon, which reacts by slaughtering Arrax and swallowing Lucerys. “Turning” what was thought to be premeditated murder into accidental is infuriating some fans, but this is where Game of Thrones has become a benchmark: no story is quite as it is known. Often villains are worthy and good guys are not, the best examples being Jamie Lannister having murdered the Mad King in defense of the innocent and Ned Stark having won a duel when his opponent was attacked from behind. Aemond was chasing and humiliating Lucerys, as he always did, but his intention was not to have attacked, at least he hadn’t given the command yet.

It doesn’t matter anymore, Lucerys’ death will change Rhaenyra forever, and any attempt at peace between her, her half-siblings, or Alicent Hightower will be futile. Now it’s war.

But there’s more to it in the final episode, much more.

Every part of the Blacks’ birth and council – book-like – was a show. Emma D’Arcy manages to translate the insecurity, the paternal influence, and still the command of Rhaneyra in a few glances. Her pain and anxiety at finally being Queen, but meaning the loss of her father and the need to stand before men were perfect. It’s one thing to know that the day would come, another is to be the most important person in the room and finally be heard. I mean, here’s the brilliance of the scene.

As with Alicent, men don’t wait for women to make plans. Daemon, as a husband and still complex of wanting to have been the heir, moves to an aggressive response, is frustrated with what he doesn’t understand, and considers Rhaenyra’s passivity. And I don’t blame him because without all the information the conclusion is different. And Daemon is not wrong. The prophecy is vague – a Targaryen has to be on the throne and hold the kingdom together to face the threat from the North – and effectively there has been a coup d’état that threatens the union of Westeros, Rhaenyra’s hesitation sort of confirms for him a “weakness”. ” feminine.

In the couple’s conflict, Daemon turns to aggression which is consistent with his personality, but some fans have complained. nonsense. The civil war ends any love relationship between uncle and niece, who remain faithful and united by the political cause. Daemon supports Rhaenyra until the end, but “love” will define it. There is the seed of the end.

As I mentioned earlier, I would have gone a little further in the story and ended up with the Blacks’ response to Lucerys’ death, but they saved it for season two, as well as the Argyll brothers’ confrontation. We will have to wait until 2024, as the shooting of the second season is not expected to start until March 2023.

The final episode was strong, tense, and dramatic and with incredible quality. Note 1000 for HBO. And now the long night begins again…