House of the Dragon season 3 made one surprising change from its source material, and it already makes for a more interesting story. House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin’s prequel book Fire & Blood. For the most part, House of the Dragon has stayed true to Martin’s telling of the Targaryen civil war, but just like Game of Thrones, it has also made some huge deviations from the source material.
House of the Dragon season 3 has already delivered some epic moments as the series draws closer to its end, and there have been even more dramatic changes to the story. While such changes can often anger die-hard fans, one significant departure from Fire & Blood already feels like an improvement.
Aegon and Larys’ story is a major change in season 3
House of the Dragon season 2 saw Aegon II Targaryen go from being the king who sits on the Iron Throne to being on the brink of death and having to flee King’s Landing. This reflects his storyline in Fire & Blood as Aegon is badly wounded following the battle of Rook’s Rest. However, in the source material, Aegon disappears from Rook’s Rest for pretty much the rest of the war, only making a surprise return in the end.
However, House of the Dragon season 3 has shown that instead of going for that shocking surprise, the audience will follow Aegon on his journey after fleeing King’s Landing. The first two episodes of House of the Dragon season 3 show the humiliating and perilous journey Aegon is taking alongside the politically savvy Larys Strong.
On the surface, some fans might see this as a disappointing decision and a risk for the show. The already crowded story now has to focus on another plotline that takes the focus off the big battles. Such storylines, following characters on a journey somewhat disconnected from the main storyline, have been hit or miss in the Game of Thrones universe. However, it is already proving to be the right decision for the show.
Aegon’s journey is more important than his surprise return
After presuming Aegon was dead or simply having forgotten about him, having him return at the end of Fire & Blood was a great surprise in the books. It would have been tempting for the show to maintain that moment, but keeping Aegon as a main character of the story is worth doing away with that big moment.
Some shows, including Game of Thrones, have successfully allowed a character to disappear and reappear later on, but it is a bigger risk when their story is so important to the overall show. Aegon’s return in Fire & Blood is not just a fun shock. It is essential in bringing the story to a close. Had he been gone for close to two seasons, his sudden return in the show would be jarring as the audience likely moved on to other characters.
What the show has done is lean into the character rather than the plot device. Instead of removing him from the story until that big moment later on, House of the Dragon is keeping Aegon central so they can build to that moment. In that sense, this decision is the best thing for the character of Aegon II Targaryen.
We are forced to see a different side of Aegon
There is no denying that Aegon has been set up as one of the villains of the series. In fact, he is reminiscent of another classic Game of Thrones villain who sat on the Iron Throne, Joffrey Baratheon. Both were young, entitled princes who were plenty sadistic, even if they didn’t have the strength to back it up when they did get challenged; however, this new storyline for Aegon forces the audience to see the humanity of the character.
As House of the Dragon season 3 begins, Aegon is in a humiliating situation, being carted around like an animal and concealed like a common member of the small folk. He is also in constant pain and constant danger. His pride has vanished, and he is forced to contend with his new reality. This does not mean we are meant to feel sorry for him but to see him in a new light rather than just a puppet king who doesn’t realize how weak he is.
Game of Thrones is known for taking unlikely characters and making the audience look at them differently. Jaime Lannister is a prime example, starting the series as a despicable villain only to humble him and rebuild him as a character many fans actually loved. It’s unlikely that House of the Dragon will seek that sort of redemption for Aegon, but building him into a stronger character is key.
Following Aegon after the Fall of King’s Landing allows him to develop into a more well-rounded character. His return to the main storyline can still have an immense impact, but not if he doesn’t grow as a character. Aegon was king because he thought it was owed to him. By the end of the show, he could be a villain who is a true threat because he is now willing to fight for the throne.
Larys benefits just as much from the new storyline
One of the immediate benefits of this new storyline in House of the Dragon is that Aegon and Larys make for a fun duo. With Aegon constantly complaining and Larys as the calm strategist, it is an odd couple that is genuinely fun to follow across Westeros. Larys was a great character to pair with Aegon and another character we want to see more of.
Part of the nature of Larys Strong is that he is an enigma. Like Littlefinger or Varys in Game of Thrones, he is a brilliant political player who prefers to operate from the shadows. Of course, there comes a time when such a character must step out of the shadows and allow the audience to understand them better. This storyline offers just such an opportunity for Larys.
Larys is a keen strategist within King’s Landing, manipulating various characters and always feeling as though he could betray anyone at any time. In the latest season, House of the Dragon episode 2 seemed to reveal that Larys was behind Otto Hightower’s imprisonment. However, his motivations behind helping Aegon are still a mystery.
It would seem that remaining in King’s Landing would have given him a better political position than his current one, especially as he successfully moved Otto out of the way. So why risk what he’s accomplished to escape with Aegon? Does he genuinely want to protect the young former king? If that is the case, then it will be even more fascinating to learn what compassion lies dead within him, which will gradually show itself through this storyline.
While this might not be the storyline that fans expected, Aegon and Larys’ journey is already a highlight of the new season and proves that some changes from the source material are a good idea.
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