George R.R. Martin Deleted His Angry Post for House of the Dragon

Disclaimer: the following content includes SPOILERS and speculative information about House of the Dragon Season 3 and Season 4 based on GRRM's post.

Back in July, GRRM shared his thoughts on the first two episodes of HOTD Season 2, which were mainly positive. However, in that post, he promised to later return with a more detailed and straightforward opinion.

Now, that day has come, and his post has sparked controversy not only among the GoT and HOTD communities but also with the HBO production team. In his now-deleted post, George revealed spoilers and criticized the director's plans for Seasons 3 and 4 of the show. Here’s what caused him to be so frustrated with the adaptation of Fire & Blood.

GRRM's Thoughts and Criticisms

George R.R. Martin began his post by praising the production and acting in the first two episodes, describing them as "terrific," "well written," and "well directed." However, what he criticized was how the Blood and Cheese scene was portrayed. He was pleased to see that many people online shared his view that the book's version was much darker and more terrifying. In Fire & Blood, Helaena desperately offers her life to protect her children, and the criminals are portrayed as much more brutal. In the show, George felt that Blood and Cheese came across as less intimidating or cruel, although he loved their performances and the addition of the dog.

The primary issue GRRM raised is the absence of Aegon and Helaena's third child, Maelor. In Fire & Blood, Maelor is the child Helaena chooses as a sacrifice, even though he is only two years old. His exclusion from the show leads GRRM to believe it will create a "butterfly effect" of events that could drastically alter the book’s content.

The Butterfly Effect of Prince Maelor's Absence

You might wonder what significance a two-year-old child holds in the story, and the truth is—not much, by itself. However, his death (like the deaths of other royal children) triggers important events in the narrative. For instance, after Maelor's brutal murder, a fierce battle takes place at Bitterbridge. Furthermore, after hearing of her second son’s death, Queen Helaena commits suicide. The loss of their beloved queen leads the smallfolk to riot, ultimately ending Rhaenyra’s rule over King’s Landing.

As you can see, everything is connected, and it’s understandable why the author would be concerned about how the show's writers are adapting the story.

Why Was Maelor Removed in the First Place?

As part of the House of the Dragon production team, GRRM explained that the decision to leave Maelor out of the show was made to save on budget and the complications of casting a two-year-old actor. Although he understands the reasoning, George questions Ryan Condal’s future plans for the Fire & Blood adaptation, finding some decisions poorly thought out.

What seems to have prompted GRRM to write this post is the fact that Ryan had assured him Maelor wouldn’t be cut from the show and would appear later in the story. However, it seems that during production, the team decided to completely remove him from the script and proceed without Aegon and Helaena’s second son.

George R.R. Martin concludes his post by warning that more "toxic butterflies" will emerge if HBO continues with its current plans for Seasons 3 and 4 of House of the Dragon. Indeed, this post stirred controversy, leaving fans wondering what changes might provoke such a reaction from the author, who is also part of the production team and has access to the script.

Check out more interesting House of the Dragon content on our website: 

• George R.R. Martin Finally Shares His Thoughts on HOTD Season 2
• Who is the Mysterious Dragon in the Vale and Who Will be Its Rider? HOTD Season 2