5 Worst Ways House of the Dragon Changed Rhaenyra From the Book
TV Rhaenyra and book Rhaenyra are very different characters.
The way the books are written as a historic account rather than a piece of fiction gave the showrunners plenty of scope to invent their own version of Rhaenyra who would fit the story they wanted to tell.
The fact we never really get to know what the Rhaenyra in the books is thinking or what motivates her means so much is open to interpretation. But there are lots of differences between the page and the screen, with many feeling the Rhaenyra we see on TV is an inconsistent reflection of the book character.
Here are five reasons why:
1. Her relationship with Laena Velaryon
Book Rhaenyra is more sociable and is said to be 'more than fond' of Laena Velaryon. The Rhaenyra we saw in HotD was best friends with Alicent, who appeared to be pretty much her only friend. In the books, the age difference between the two was 16 years, and they weren't as close.
This was a necessary precursor to the tension between the two. But it also meant on-screen Rhaenyra is left with very few allies, making the whole thing less tense than it might otherwise have been.
2. Visenya's birth
In the book series, Visenya's birth is a tough moment for Rhaenyra. She goes into labour early after hearing of the death of her father and subsequent crowning of Aegon.
This knowledge has her screaming and cursing about the revenge she will take on The Greens. This was a glimpse into the character of Rhaenyra. Even when giving birth, she was able to think of power and revenge, making her a far darker character than she is painted on screen.
3. Strangled by Daemon
In the source material, Daemon didn't choke Rhaenyra. Now, you might argue that the strangling scene is more about demonising Daemon and doesn't really reflect on Rhaenyra. But it does. It weakens her character and effectively puts her under Daemon's control, which is not something we would expect of her from reading the book.
4. Laenor's hair
Laenor Valeryan has silver hair, as does Rhaenyra. So, why do her children all have black hair? The answer, of course, is that they are not Laenor's. In the book, this is alluded to but never confirmed. The TV show basically proved it and took away any doubt in the minds of viewers.
5. Rhaenyra and Ser Criston
On the page and on screen, Rhaenyra turns down a proposal from Ser Criston Cole. But TV Rhaenyra does not, in part because he so readily gave up his vows as a Kingsguard to sleep with her.
Doing so would have shown her growing awareness and her development as a leader.