HBO’s House of the Dragon season 3 ended with a bang, with a lot of fireworks setting off at the same time, and everything pointed to an even darker and more gruesome road ahead. The finale revealed one shocker after another, but instead of being awe-inspired by them, observant book readers have pointed out several inconsistencies with George R.R Martin’s Fire & Blood - the source material for the show.   

Some of these deviations are big enough to alter the course of the story, which could lead to a different conclusion than written in the books.

For the majority of the running minutes of the House of the Dragon season 3 finale, we saw the events of the first Battle of Tumbleton. In the show, the battle saw Ulf’s betrayal of both sides, eventually raining dragonfire on both sides indiscriminately. His betrayal left viewers a bit confused as to which side actually won. The higher number of Black soldiers still standing indicates that it was them, but the mayhem suggests that there were no winners at all.  

However, this was not the case in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, where the betrayal and the consequences were both different from the show. In the books, Ulf the White did betray the Blacks, but he was not alone. Hugh the Hammer also joined the Greens alongside him. And he did not double-cross in the source material. Instead, both dragonriders burned the Black army together, and the Greens won the Battle decisively.

One of the shocks in the season finale was Aegon joining forces with Aemond. From what went down between the brothers when they last saw each other, one would have expected a fight to the death when they met again. Aegon was sure in the mood, but Aemond bent the knee and surrendered himself to retribution. He willingly accepted whatever and however Aegon desired to punish him. But instead of k****** him, he ordered him to join him in his fight against Rhaenyra, and when he is on the Iron Throne again, then he will think about forgiveness.

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However, there is no reunion in the books. Actually, there is no betrayal to begin with. Aemond never tries to k*** Aegon in George RR Martin’s original story and simply acts as Prince Regent after Aegon is left crippled in the Battle of Rook’s Rest until his death. And they never joined forces again after Rook’s Rest, given Aegon’s critical condition.

In the show, Halena takes her own life in the final moments of episode 8. This is consistent with her fate in the books. However, the reason differs greatly. The season finale saw Halena agitated with the strict captivity she is in, and this is further exacerbated by the departing words of Lady Mysaria, who warns her of the Queen’s intentions for her and her unborn child. This leads her to become contemptuous of her half-sister. She refuses to eat, and when Rhaenyra tries to get her to eat something, she confronts her about her ways and what she has become. Furious at her impertinence, she orders her guards to force-feed her.  

This triggers grief and suffocation in her, which ultimately leads her to jump out of the windows of her chambers and die with her unborn child. On the contrary to this version, she takes her own life due to the overwhelming grief from the gruesome m***** of her youngest son, Maelor. 

One of the unexpected moments in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 8 was Rhaenyra banishing Lady Mysaria to Pentos. This was never a plot point in the books. She never leaves Rhaenyra’s side in the source material and serves as the unofficial master of whispers until her brutal death in the riots following Rhaenyra’s escape from King’s Landing.

Showrunner Ryan Condal is really tinkering with the original story by George R.R Martin by introducing some big changes in the live-action adaptation. This certainly gives rise to many questions. Where is he leading with all these changes? Is he gunning for a different conclusion than the books? Or is he just making things more interesting? All these questions will remain unanswered till the next season.

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What do you think was the most drastic change to the story among these? Do let us know in the comments.