In most cases, books are better than screen adaptations because it’s a medium with a slower pace, hence their capacity to provide a nuanced approach to characters and their storylines. Quite rare are the instances where the shows or films did better than the source material, but it’s not a completely impossible occurrence.
House of the Dragon had a few good scenes that captured the story better than how George R.R. Martin presented it in Fire & Blood. As shocking as this may sound, many fans nevertheless agreed that a particular scene from the first season was so much better than its book counterpart.
Aemond losing an eye in House of the Dragon was a better scene than the book version
One of the scenes from House of the Dragon Season 1 that pushed the audience to the edge of their seats was the brawl between the Targaryen and Velaryon children at Driftmark. As we already know, Aemond claimed Vhagar on his own, and when he was confronted by Jacaerys and Lucerys, together with Baela and Rhaena, they engaged in a fight that cost his left eye.
A fan on Reddit believed this version was more believable and much better than George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. First, the book mentions a three-year-old Joffrey wandering around the castle and catching Aemond trying to claim Vhagar. It does not make sense for a toddler to be going outside unaccompanied.
Aemond threatened his nephew and pushed him into a pile of dragon droppings. When Joffrey yelled, his uncle climbed on Vhagar’s back, and the dragon broke free from her chains. Jacaerys and Lucerys were alarmed by their brother’s shouting, and when they confronted Aemond, who had just alighted from Vhagar, they engaged in a fight, ending in Lucerys drawing his dagger and slashing at his eye after he called them “Strongs.”
The show had a slightly different version of this scene, but the escalation of things happened naturally. The children acted in a way that felt understandable, especially with Rhaena being upset that Aemond stole her mother’s dragon, which she believed she was entitled to. Baela, as the sister, was also mad at Aemond for what he did, and of course, Jacaerys and Lucerys sided with the girls because they didn’t like Aemond at all.
As the Redditor mentioned, fans who think Aemond should get over his lost eye never truly understood what it is like to lose a part of himself permanently. What made matters worse, too, was how the adults tried to resolve the case, which left the kid feeling that nobody cared about his situation.
Fans showed sympathy for Aemond
Netizens believed that Aemond losing an eye should not be taken lightly or dismissed as trivial. The prequel series did a great job proving the child’s grudge was reasonable, especially after he neither got any apology nor his attacker got any punishment. Read their thoughts below:
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Aemond continues to be a misunderstood character in the show, but among his peers, he’s the one who played a significant part in the Dance of the Dragons. Surely, he’ll have more prominent scenes in the upcoming season.
House of the Dragon is currently available to watch on Max.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
