‘House of the Dragon’ Director Explains Why Season 3 Episode 7 Changed George R.R. Martin’s Story
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 is heading into its finale, and Episode 7 delivered several major moments that fans of George R.R. Martin’s ‘Fire & Blood’ did not expect. Along with the long-awaited debut of Dreamfyre and the shocking return of Sunfyre, the episode also introduced story changes that could have a big impact on what happens next.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Episode 7 director Nina Lopez-Corrado discussed the creative decisions behind those moments and explained why the series has chosen to move away from parts of the source material.
One of the biggest highlights of the episode was the first proper look at Dreamfyre, the dragon bonded to Helaena Targaryen. In the episode, Helaena experiences a vision where she rides Dreamfyre through King’s Landing while the dragon unleashes destruction on the city below.
Lopez-Corrado said bringing Dreamfyre to life was surprisingly straightforward because the original storyboard remained almost unchanged throughout production.
“I’ll be honest with you, it didn’t change much from the original storyboard,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “But the thing that was really amazing is when the set department started to put together the saddle. That’s when it really starts to feel real because that’s the only physical, real part of the whole dragon.”
The sequence also highlights a major difference between the television series and Martin’s novel. In ‘Fire & Blood,’ Helaena is an active dragonrider with a strong connection to Dreamfyre. In HBO’s adaptation, however, she avoids riding her dragon because she believes dragons only bring more destruction.
Lopez-Corrado explained that this version of Helaena sees dragons as the reason her family has fallen apart.
“Helaena has such a strong feeling about the dragons in which she’s torn because she thinks that they do change people and that they’ve changed their whole world, essentially,” she said. “I think she knows that deep down inside, because she is a Targaryen, there almost is no positive outcome to anything that’s happening in regards to this war in this family. And the dragons, as long as they exist, are going to keep this inner turmoil inside of the Targaryens.”
Episode 7 also surprised viewers with the return of Sunfyre, the dragon belonging to King Aegon II. Many fans believed the dragon had died after the Battle of Rook’s Rest earlier in the season, but Sunfyre suddenly reappears to save Aegon during a dangerous confrontation.
According to Lopez-Corrado, Aegon truly believed his dragon was gone. “I think he truly did believe that Sunfyre was dead, and I think Sunfyre was very close to being dead,” she explained. “During the time period in which he was laying there, he did rejuvenate so that he was able to come back.”
She also believes the emotional connection between dragon and rider played a major role in Sunfyre’s recovery. “I think it 100 percent has to do with the Targaryen line and the connection they have with the dragons. It was a huge, huge reason in the return of Sunfyre,” Lopez-Corrado said.
The director also addressed the show’s decision to change parts of George R.R. Martin’s story as the season moves toward the Battle of Tumbleton. In Episode 7, Lord Ormund Hightower attempts to convince Ulf the White to betray Rhaenyra by offering him power and titles, setting up major events for the finale.
Lopez-Corrado acknowledged that some fans may not agree with the creative choices, but she believes the changes help strengthen the television version of the story.
“We do deviate just a little bit in episode 7 from what’s originally in the books and, personally, from a character standpoint, what Ryan [Condal] and the writers did in terms of that really helped evolve the character storylines from what were in the books,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “I know that’s a very controversial thing to say for diehards, but I think some of the storylines that you’re gonna see in 7 that’ll carry on into 8 were really executed strongly by the writers and also by the actors.”
With the Season 3 finale just around the corner, Episode 7 has set the stage for one of the biggest battles in the series so far. Whether fans agree with the show’s changes or not, it is clear HBO is taking its own path as the Dance of the Dragons reaches another major turning point.
Do you like the changes made from Fire & Blood in Season 3, Episode 7?
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