Fire & Blood vs House of the Dragon: Episode 10, “The Black Queen”

The final episode of the first season of House of the Dragon largely follows the events described in George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood. However, there are a few significant differences that shift the motivations and positions of key characters.

Friends and foes

A point of conflict in this episode and in the season overall is that Velaryon support is not guaranteed, but must be earned. In “The Black Queen,” Rhaenys is hesitant to support Rhaenyra and needs to be convinced by her actions before she can openly declare for her. In the book, Corlys and Rhaenys’ support is never in question.

It is interesting how, on the show, Rhaenyra is reluctant to declare war, going so far as considering the greens’ peace terms. This is because of the Prophecy of Ice and Fire, which we don’t hear about in the book. In the book, Rhaenyra runs down the armies and dragons that the blacks have on their side. In the show, that job goes to Daemon, who seems overeager for war so he can make the Hightowers pay for murdering Viserys, which is a conspiratorial conclusion he jumps to. At this point in the book, both Rhaenyra and Daemon agree that it wouldn’t be right to unleash a dragon war on Westeros, and that dragons should be used to carry messages. Daemon himself is reported to have said, “I will not throw our dragons against the usurper’s unless I have no other choice.”

In the book, Rhaenyra’s first act as queen is to declare Alicent and Otto traitors, but to promise pardons to the others greens, including Aegon. When the envoy from King’s Landing comes — it’s Grand Maester Orwyle in the book, not Otto — she sends him back with strong words, ready to defend her claim with steel and fire. On the show, things are softened. There’s also a parallel to Episode 2, with Daemon drawing Dark Sister on Otto while they stand on the pathway up to Dragonstone and Rhaenyra arriving on Syrax.

In the book, Rhaenyra isn’t able to ride Syrax so soon after giving birth. Also, why does Syrax look almost the same after over a decade?

A funeral and a coronation

Moving to Rhaenyra’s birth scene, in the book Rhaenyra is described as cursing the greens as she demands that the child “get out.” On the show, they cut her cursing the greens.

The scene is still brutal, though. Rhaenyra goes into premature labor after hearing from Rhaenys about her father’s death and Aegon’s coronation. Everyone is aware that it’s too early for the child to be born and live, including Rhaenyra herself, but is powerless to stop nature. From the birthing chamber, she tries to stop Daemon’s plan of war, always keeping the good of the realm as her priority. Her pained screams can be heard from the council chamber, her repeated cries for Daemon are not those of a wife calling for her husband, but a heed to obey her command relayed through Jacaerys.

The child, who is named as Visenya in the book, is stillborn. Rhaenyra cradles her daughter as if she were alive; it’s heartbreaking to watch. She even wraps Visenya’s body for the pyre, not letting the Silent Sisters touch her just like she wouldn’t let the maester and midwives help during labor. The funeral is reminiscent of Episode 1, when Rhaenyra and Viserys mourned Queen Aemma and little Prince Baelon.

This tragic occasion turns into a coronation when Ser Erryk Cargyll appears with the crown of King Viserys, and Daemon places it on Rhaenyra’s head. In the book, it’s Ser Steffon Darklyn who smuggles the crown out of the Red Keep. On the page, Daemon takes for himself the style of Protector of the Realm, which in the show is one of Rhaenyra’s titles.

An accidental tragedy?

By the time the episode ends, Daemon hasn’t yet flown to Harrenhal like in the book, but Rhaenys, Jacaerys and Lucerys have taken off on their various missions. We follow Luke on his mission to Storm’s End, where he is ultimately killed by Vhagar, who is being ridden by Aemond Targaryen. In the book, it’s suggested that Aemond kills Luke and Luke’s dragon Arrax on purpose. On the show, the script clearly indicates that this only happens because neither rider can control his dragon. Arrax fires at Vhagar against Luke’s command, and Vhagar kills Arrax and Luke against Aemond’s. The show also cuts a bit where Aemond is further goaded into chasing after Luke by Maris Baratheon, one of the Baratheon daughters he didn’t choose to marry.

Whatever Aemon’s intent, the consequences are the same: open war.

House of the Dragon stands on its own while paying respect to its source material. It’s impossible to adapt a book entirely faithfully, but I think the show did a good job. None of the alterations are big enough to alter the base story.

What did you think, both of the finale and of the season as a whole?

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