The episode’s last shot surprised even book-readers

At the conclusion of Sunday’s episode, “House of the Dragon” continued its trend of surprise fans with new viewpoints and alterations to the Targaryens’ fictional history book by George R. R. Martin. Instead of maintaining the “historical” circumstances of Laenor Velaryon’s death the same as in “Fire and Blood,” the TV series states that Laenor faked his own death.

The concluding moments of the show lead viewers to believe that Rhaenyra and Daemon hired Qarl to kill Laenor, which is exactly what occurs in “Fire and Blood.” In the final picture, though, Laenor and Qarl are shown boarding a boat together, probably to spend the rest of their lives in Essos.

Then why alter this occurrence for the television adaptation? It’s simply one more change to the historical account in “Fire and Blood” that allows viewers to identify much more with Rhaenyra’s struggle for the Iron Throne.

Rhaenyra’s character is revealed to be a loving mother, as well as a wonderful friend and ally to Laenor, as opposed to a callous adulteress who murders. Rhaenyra is threatened by courtiers loyal to Queen Alicent, therefore she is displaying political skill by marrying Daemon and his daughters to her cause.

How ‘Fire and Blood’ explains Laenor’s death Laenor Velaryon in ‘House of the Dragon’

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In Martin’s novel, Lord Corlys and Rhaenys are further devastated by Laenor and Laena’s deaths, as Laenor’s passing occurs shortly after Laena’s.

The fictional history describes Laenor’s death at the hands of Qarl as follows:

“Ser Laenor Velaryon, husband of Princess Rhaenyra and presumed father of her children, was stabbed to death by his friend and companion Ser Qarl Correy while visiting a fair in Spicetown. Merchants at the fair reported Lord Velaryon, upon his arrival to retrieve his son’s body, that the two men had been arguing loudly prior to drawing their blades. Correy had escaped by that point, injuring numerous guys who attempted to stop him. Some said that a ship had been waiting offshore for him. He was never seen again.”

The historical account of the book continues to explain that the circumstances surrounding Laenor’s murder remained a mystery, comparable to a modern cold case with competing hypotheses. Jealous lovers’ dispute turned murder. Daemon pays for an assassination to clear the way for his marriage to Rhaenyra (this is the story put forward by Mushroom, the court fool who was spotted at the wedding welcome feast in episode five). According to the historical record, Qarl was known for his lavish tastes, therefore it is plausible that he would murder the future queen consort for a large prize and passage to Essos.

Laenor and Qarl are complicit in the plan in “House of the Dragon,” and a random court servant is murdered to fake the death of the king consort.

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Rhaenyra and Daemon collaborated to fake Laenor’s death in the last minutes of the episode, leaving Rhaenyra widowed and in need of a new husband.

Qarl was approached by Daemon in the docks of Driftmark and offered cash and protection in Essos in exchange for a “quick death with witnesses.”

Daemon has spent considerable time in Pentos and traveling throughout Essos, acquiring gold and allies, as revealed in episode six. Daemon tells Qarl that there are parts of the Narrow Sea where a man’s name is irrelevant. How much gold does he possess?

After that, we observe the plan’s execution. A palace servant’s neck is broken as Daemon creeps up on him and snaps his neck. Then, Laenor and Qarl staged a confrontation in the High Tide’s main hall (the castle where Lord Coryls rules). They ensured that a witness rushed for assistance.

Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys only saw a burned corpse wearing Laenor’s clothing and a witness attesting to Qarl’s attack and escape when they arrived.

Rhaenyra and Daemon marry when Laenor is successfully smuggled away, therefore permanently uniting their offspring under the surname Targaryen.

This tendency of new views for Rhaenyra’s story makes her a more likable heroine.

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In “Fire and Blood,” both Rhaenyra and Alicent are portrayed in an unfavorable and cruel light due to the male bias in recorded history. Alicent’s unease as a little girl in the presence of Viserys, the father of her childhood best friend, and Rhaenyra’s adolescent years being shaped by double standards because she was a girl are examples of how “House of the Dragon” has fleshed out their personalities.

After a 10-year time leap, “House of the Dragon” reveals that Alicent has become brittle, cruel, and hypocritical, while Rhaenyra has become protective, tender, and strong. Alicent serves as a moral counterbalance to Rhaenyra’s disdain for social norms; we are given less reasons to applaud for her.

Alicent’s show-added scenes include her slapping her children or unwittingly allying herself with a relative-slayer like Larys.

Rhaenyra’s additional scenes reveal that she cares for Laenor and her duty to the realm in relation to Aegon’s prophecy and the title placed upon her by her father, the King, with the lords of Westeros pledged to obey it. We see intimate details of her wedding, consenting sex life, and motherhood, but Alicent was omitted from these scenes.

To add to “House of the Dragon’s” pro-Rhaenyra tilt, this episode revealed that Rhaenyra attempted to have children with Laenor multiple times. She did not immediately engage in adultery with Harwin Strong, instead attempting to “perform her duty” with Laenor. To keep the succession vultures at bay, they needed to produce successors as soon as possible.

With only three episodes remaining in the first season, fans will have to wait to learn whether Team Greens (Alicent and Otto) or Team Blacks will emerge victorious (Daemon and Rhaenyra).

Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, new episodes of “House of the Dragon” air on HBO. Read our summary of the best details from the most recent episode to learn more.