House of the Dragon: 5 changes from the book that made the show better

3. Helanea Targaryen is a dreamer

Poor Princess Helaena, no one ever seems to listen to her.

The only daughter of Alicent Hightower and King Viserys Helaena Targaryen is described in Martin's book as pleasant and friendly, but little more. House of the Dragon has clearly been building on that to a great degree, turning Helaena into a prophetic figure who drops tantalizing bits of foreshadowing for the audience. While the meaning of many of her utterings will only become clear after season 2 runs its course, her ability to predict the future is clearly exhibited with her brother Aemond. While he and Alicent discuss when Aemond will finally claim a dragon in Episode 6, Healena mutters in the background, “he will have to close an eye,” prophesying the drama in Episode 7 when he loses an eye confronting Rhaenyra Targaryen's sons after mounting the dragon Vhagar.

Helaena again makes what seems to be a prophecy in Episode 9, when she cryptically tells her mother, "There is a beast beneath the boards." Alicent doesn't seem to know what she mean at the time, but she may be thinking back on this moment when, at the end of the episode, Rhaenys Targaryen emerges from beneath the floor of the Dragonpit to interupt the corronation of Helaena's brother Aegon. Again, someone listen to this girl. And given what happens to Helaena in Fire & Blood, "there is a beast beneath the boards" may soon take on another meaning.

Helaena’s prophetic abilities are a brilliant narrative device that allows the writers to hint at what's to come. It will be very exciting to hear what she gives us in season 2, and to see how her other mutterings from season 1 end up coming true. The producers should have her mutter a little louder for audience members hard of hearing though…