The television series House of the Dragon has expanded its narrative divergence from George R.R. Martin's book Fire and Blood in its third season, introducing major changes to character motivations, battle outcomes, and key character fates.
While the first season of the HBO drama featured minor alterations from the source text, the second season began rewriting core storylines, including using the prophecy of A Song of Ice and Fire to reshape Daemon Targaryen's motivations. The third season features even greater departures across central storylines involving Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra Targaryen, and the dragonriders.
Surrender of King's Landing
In the television series, Alicent Hightower actively seeks to avoid war after observing her aggressive allies. She makes a deal with Rhaenyra, sends Vhagar to Harrenhal, surrenders the capital city of King's Landing, and later travels to Aemond with poison in her hands.
In Martin's original novel, the city watch known as the Gold Cloaks defect to their former leader Daemon, leading to the Blacks taking King's Landing by force. Alicent surrenders the city only when it has already effectively fallen, depicting her as a fundamentally different character from her television counterpart.
King's Landing serves as the seat of the Iron Throne and the capital of Westeros, making its capture a pivotal turning point in the Targaryen civil war.
Battle for Tumbleton
The narrative of season three centers heavily around the city of Tumbleton. In the early episodes of the show, Ormund Hightower captures the city, forcing the faction supporting Rhaenyra, known as the Blacks, to fight to reclaim it.
In Fire and Blood, the battle unfolds in reverse. The army of Hightower advances toward King's Landing under the protection of Daeron and his dragon, with Tumbleton standing as an obstacle in their path that Rhaenyra's forces unsuccessfully defend.
Dragonrider betrayals at Tumbleton
The outcome of the Battle of Tumbleton also differs significantly between the page and the screen. In the book, the battle initially favors the Blacks until dragonriders Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer betray Rhaenyra by defecting to Hightower, using their dragons to burn their former allies' army and destroy the town.
In the television adaptation, only Ulf betrays Rhaenyra, burning half the army and causing chaotic destruction in Tumbleton. Hugh remains loyal to the queen despite suffering the loss of his wife in the conflict.
Hugh's ongoing grief leaves open the possibility that he may seek revenge against Ulf in future episodes or eventually switch sides after gaining nothing from his loyalty to Rhaenyra.
Fate of Corlys Velaryon
The television series shows Hightower capturing Corlys Velaryon in its sixth episode and holding him captive in Tumbleton. The move aims to make the Velaryon army nervous and hesitate before helping Rhaenyra, though Corlys provides no aid to his captors and is soon safely freed.
In Martin's text, Corlys is never taken prisoner at Tumbleton. Instead, he remains peacefully in the capital performing his duties as Hand of the Queen, with his eventual imprisonment occurring later in a different location under separate circumstances.
Corlys Velaryon, known as the Sea Snake, is a legendary naval commander and head of House Velaryon, whose fleet forms the backbone of Rhaenyra's military power.
Helaena's pregnancy and tragic deal
In the show, Rhaenyra holds Alicent and her daughter Helaena in her castle under reasonable conditions with tolerable relations with the new queen. However, Helaena's pregnancy introduces a threat of new claimants to the throne, prompting Alicent to attempt a failed escape.
Alicent then agrees to a grim deal, offering Aemond's death at her own hands in exchange for the lives of Helaena and the unborn heir.
In the source material, the prophetic Helaena is not pregnant, and her mother Alicent does not travel to Harrenhal to poison her son. Despite these changes, Helaena still ends her own life after failing to cope with the death of her son, a character omitted from the show, an event whose major consequences will unfold in subsequent episodes.
Rhaena, Sheepstealer and Nettles
Rhaena's storyline undergoes substantial changes in the show, where her distress over lacking a dragon leads her to claim the wild monster Sheepstealer. After feeding and taming the creature, she rides into the Battle of the Gullet.
Sheepstealer proves uncontrollable during the naval battle, burning part of the allied fleet and dooming Rhaenyra's son to death. The incident creates a rift between Rhaenyra and Daemon, who protects his daughter by keeping her actions secret from his wife.
In Fire and Blood, Sheepstealer is claimed by a commoner named Nettles. The dragon obeys Nettles in battle, and her romantic relationship with Daemon enrages Rhaenyra, who orders her execution.
Nettles escapes to the Mountains of the Moon and survives the war, where local mountain tribes worship her and eventually form the Burned Men clan featured in Game of Thrones.
Prophecy and the season finale
In the season finale, Rhaenyra officially crowns herself and delivers an impassioned speech to the public. She cites the prophecy of A Song of Ice and Fire, indicating that her goal is not the Iron Throne itself but uniting the realm against a common enemy.
In Martin's original book, no characters express concern about White Walkers or northern threats. The inclusion of the prophecy serves as a television addition connecting the series to the broader lore of Westeros.
