House of the Dragon Season 3 has taken the Dance of the Dragons to its most devastating phase with shifting alliances, mounting betrayals, and increasingly personal conflicts between the Targaryens. The adaptation puts its own spin on George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, and many fan-favorite characters and plots from the novel have been tweaked or merged. Episode 7 especially caught the attention of longtime readers, who were eager to see how the show would adapt one of Fire & Blood's most important dragonseed storylines.

One of the most significant adaptation changes focuses on Nettles, fundamentally altering her role and its impact on the Dance of the Dragons.

House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 7 has finally put an end to the speculation surrounding Nettles’ long-awaited debut. The beloved dragonseed did not make an appearance in the episode. Instead, Lady Jeyne Arryn offered a subtle verbal nod when she talked about the rumors of a wild girl living in the mountains amongst nettles and sheep. But the episode concluded with Rhaena Targaryen as Sheepstealer’s rider in the Vale, confirming she has fully stepped into Nettles’ role in the HBO adaptation. 

It was evident that Nettles' story had been reimagined by merging the character with Rhaena. In the Battle of the Gullet, Rhaena lost control of Sheepstealer, whose actions inadvertently helped destroy Velaryon ships and k*** Jacaerys Velaryon. The tragedy also gave Rhaenyra a very personal reason to resent Sheepstealer’s rider, consistent with her growing distrust of Nettles in Fire & Blood, while reframing the conflict. 

The storyline also adds a lot more emotional depth to Rhaena than she had in previous seasons. Once dismissed as the only Targaryen without a dragon, she finally realized her dream. But that victory quickly became a burden as she was cut off from her family, helpless to control the dragon’s wild ways and blamed for the destruction that followed. Despite having achieved her greatest ambition, she knew  Rhaenyra would blame her for Jace’s death, so she could not return home safely. 

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Meanwhile, Nettles' importance in Fire & Blood makes her omission even more significant. 

Nettles is a lowborn girl from Driftmark and one of the most remarkable dragonseeds in George R. R. Martin's Fire & Blood. She tames the wild dragon Sheepstealer patiently, feeding him sheep rather than forcing a bond. She later fights for Queen Rhaenyra during the Dance of Dragons, and accompanies Daemon Targaryen on his campaign against Aemond Targaryen. Their relationship is one of the book’s greatest mysteries, with conflicting accounts in history debating whether it was romantic or paternal. 

Nettles is one of the most loved and mysterious characters in Fire & Blood, but clearly House of the Dragon Season 3 has gone down a different road. By incorporating her storyline into Rhaena Targaryen’s arc, the HBO series altered key relationships and increased the emotional stakes within the Targaryen family. The short “nettles” nod in Episode 7 is a tip of the hat to book readers, but it also emphasizes that the adaptation has no intention to introduce the character, making Rhaena the show's replacement for Nettles.

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What do you think about HBO's decision to replace Nettles with Rhaena? Let us know your thoughts in comments section.