10 bits from Fire & Blood they should have kept in House of the Dragon

9. Twin Kingsguard knight Erryk and Arryk Cargyll part ways on Dragonstone

In the final few episodes of season 1, we’re introduced to Erryk and Arryk Cargyll, twin brothers who are both knights of the Kingsguard. Erryk Cargyll is assigned to protect King Aegon and knows what kind of unseemly secrets he keeps. When King Viserys dies, he steals the king’s crown and gives it to his daughter Rhaenyra, pledging himself to her instead of to her half-brother. Arryk, on the other hand, stays in King’s Landing and fights for Aegon and his greens.

This happens a bit differently in the books, but it comes to the same thing: one brother fights for Rhaenyra and the blacks and the other for Aegon and the greens. In Fire & Blood, there’s a scene on Dragonstone where the brothers meet and try and convince each other to switch sides. Neither are successful, and they part ways, knowing that the next time they meet it will be as enemies.

We don’t get this scene on the show but I think we should have. It would help flesh out these two characters who will go on to have important arcs.

10. Laenor Velaryon dies for real

I’ll admit that this one is more of a personal gripe. On the show, Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen plot to kill Rhaenyra’s husband Laenor Velaryon so that they can be together and present a united front against Alicent Hightower and her greens. But at the last minute, we learn that they faked Laenor’s death, presumably with the cooperation of Laenor and his lover Qarl Correy, who escape to parts unknown.

On the book, Laenor dies for real, although it’s unclear whether his death is the result of a fight between him and Qarl, whether Daemon was involved, or what. The point is he definitely dies, which I think is a better story choice. It makes Rhaenyra and Daemon seem more ruthless, and sidesteps questions about whether Laenor’s dragon Seasmoke would remain behind after his rider leaves to start a new life, or why he wouldn’t his let parents in on the ruse, or whether they would be able to tell something was off anyway.

These are some things from Fire & Blood I wish had been included in House of the Dragon, but overall, the show is a lot more faithful to the source material than a lot of TV series choose to be. We’ll see if the streak continues when House of the Dragon season 2 hits HBO sometime in 2024.

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