Game Of Thrones author George RR Martinwhose book on the history of House Targaryen Fire and Blood is now on screens as HBO and Max House of the Dragon, is not directly involved in the writing of the series, which is now in its second season. But he looked at it, and so far, he really likes it – with one new addition that he liked so much he wishes he had thought of it himself.
If you are not aware The Dragon House season two, which is set to release its fourth episode on Sunday, spoilers to follow.
Fans of Fire and Blood everyone knew that Blood and Cheese— assassins hired by Daemon Targaryen to infiltrate the Red Keep — were set to appear early in the show’s second season. Daemon’s instructions are to assassinate Aemond Targaryen, the young adult on Team Green responsible for the death of Rhaenyra’s son Luke in the season 1 finaleIt’s a revenge, an exchange “A son for a son,” as the title of the first season episode says.. But when the ratcatcher (Cheese, played by Mark Stobbart) and the swordsman (Blood, played by Sam C. Wilson) enter the castle, they fail to locate Aemond. Instead, they seize the next in line to the throne: King Aegon II’s son, a tiny child, and cut off his little head. It’s grim, it’s a public relations disaster for Black Teamand it’s another macabre rung on the ladder to all-out war in Westeros.
But there’s a new character involved: Cheese’s loyal dog. Cheese isn’t a nice guy, and he’s certainly not always nice to his four-legged companion. But we see how close they are when, in the second episode, “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” Aegon orders the public execution of all the rat catchers employed by the crown. Blood didn’t know Cheese’s name, you see, so the king thought he’d better exterminate them all to make sure he caught the culprit. As the rat catchers’ friends and family see their loved ones hanging over King’s Landing and react with cries of anguish, we see one particularly sad face. A furry one.
In his glowing review of the first two episodes, published on his Not a blogMartin sent a special message to The Dragon HouseThe writers of ‘s for incorporating this new detail. “The show added a whole new character,” Martin wrote. “The dog. I’m… uh… not a fan of writers adding characters to the source material when adapting a story. Especially not when the source material is my own. But that dog was brilliant. I was ready to hate Cheese, but I hated him even more when he kicked that dog. And later, when the dog (sat) at his feet, looking up… it almost broke my heart. Such a small thing… such a small dog… but his presence, the few brief moments he was on screen, gave the ratcatcher so much humanity. Human beings are such complex creatures. That dog’s silent presence reminded us that even the worst of men, the vile and the venal, can love and be loved.”
Martin also added: “I wish I had thought of that dog. I didn’t, but someone else did. I’m glad.”
New episodes of The Dragon House arrives Sunday on Max and HBO.
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