‘House Of The Dragon’ Twist: How That Ending Is A Major Change From The Book

House of the Dragon has already taken immoderate liberties with George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, but the HBO bid has mostly stayed existent to the root material. However, that changed successful a large mode successful the October 2 episode. The amusement made a monolithic alteration that is not in Fire & Blood.

The twist? Laenor Velaryon is inactive alive. In Fire & Blood, Laenor is killed by his person Qarl Correy aft they get into an statement visiting Spicetown. That’s not however it goes down successful House of the Dragon.

John Macmillan arsenic Laenor Velaryon. (HBO)

Laenor is near reeling aft the decease of his sister Laena. When helium yet does beryllium down to speech to Rhaenyra, helium discusses recommitting himself to her arsenic she gets person to sitting connected the Iron Throne. However, it’s not what helium genuinely wants.

Laenor and Rhaenyra are some alert that their governmental marriage hasn’t been each that successful. They agreed to bash their work and research their ain happiness. “But determination are times I deliberation erstwhile those things can’t mutually exist,” Laenor says.

So Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Laenor marque a program truthful they each get what they want. Daemon and Qarl assistance Laenor fake his death. Daemon kills a young squire that looks eerily similar Laenor. Qarl and Laenor are seen warring 1 another, and a assemblage is aboriginal discovered by the occurrence that is burned beyond recognition. Corlys and Rhaenys are devastated implicit losing their son.

Matt Smith arsenic Daemon Targaryen. (HBO)

But Laenor’s not dead. In the last moments, Laenor is seen catching a vessel with Qarl that’s leaving Driftmark. He’s wholly shaved his caput truthful helium won’t beryllium recognized. The assemblage of the antheral Daemon killed is utilized to assistance Laenor fake his death. Laenor gets to unrecorded his beingness freely without burdens, portion Daemon and Rhaenyra yet get to wed each different and enactment unneurotic to marque definite Rhaenyra gets connected the Iron Throne.

The implications of this twist are huge. Will Laenor ever return? Given the Dance of the Dragons and the mode his parents play a immense relation successful the war, it would beryllium unusual if Laenor ne'er showed his look successful immoderate capableness to support his family. Time volition archer if Laenor resurfaces successful Westeros again, but House of the Dragon wouldn’t person dropped this twist if they didn’t apt person plans for Laenor down the road.

“What Laenor truly wanted was to beryllium acceptable free,” co-creator Ryan Condal said successful a post-episode interview. “And freedom, to him, is state from the bonds of his nobility. So if helium was thought to beryllium dead, that would mean helium could spell unrecorded a escaped beingness nevertheless helium wanted.”