George R. R. Martin praised two changes in the early episodes of House of the Dragon Season 2: the show’s more prophetic, deeply reworked Helaena Targaryen and the dog briefly seen in the Blood and Cheese sequence. He valued the first for making Helaena more compelling than his book version, and the second for making ratcatcher Cheese feel more human.
What did Martin praise?
| Addition | How it differs from Fire & Blood | Why Martin liked it |
|---|---|---|
| Helaena’s expanded characterization | The show gives her prophetic gifts and an unusual manner that Martin said were developed by the writers and were not part of his book characterization. | He praised Phia Saban’s performance and said the screen version was richer and more fascinating. |
| The dog in the Blood and Cheese sequence | The dog is a brief screen addition, not a character from the source book. | Its presence gave Cheese greater humanity and added emotional weight to the scene. |
Why Martin praised the show’s Helaena
In his post about the first two Season 2 episodes, “A Son for a Son” and “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” Martin noted that the writers created Helaena’s prophetic gift and the strangeness that accompanies it. He nonetheless praised the result, singling out Saban’s performance: “Phia Saban’s Helaena is a richer and more fascinating character than the one I created in FIRE & BLOOD.”
![House of the Dragon: The Complete First Season (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray) [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51JeAIckcXL._SL160_.jpg)
![House of the Dragon Season 2 [Blu-ray] [2024]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51XScjzO1+L._SL160_.jpg)
![House of the Dragon Season 2 [4K] [Blu-ray] [2024]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Wwkvk2JyL._SL160_.jpg)
That is a substantial reinterpretation of a character, not a small scene adjustment. The show’s Helaena has a prophetic dimension that Martin says is not in his book version; his praise is for the way the series and Saban bring that characterization to the screen.
Why the dog changed the Blood and Cheese scene
Martin also called out the dog’s brief appearance during the Blood and Cheese sequence. He said he is usually wary when screenwriters add characters to source material, particularly his own, but felt this small addition changed how viewers see Cheese. The dog makes the ratcatcher seem more human, giving the scene emotional complexity beyond its violence.
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Martin described the effect this way: “Such a little thing… such a little dog… but his presence, the few short moments he was on screen, gave the ratcatcher so much humanity.” The addition is modest in scale, but Martin considered its effect meaningful.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What his praise does—and does not—mean
Martin’s comments are a personal response to specific adaptation choices, not a blanket endorsement of every Season 2 change. He also expressed reservations about how the Blood and Cheese story concludes. His praise for the dog concerns its humanizing effect within the scene, not the entire sequence or episode.
House of the Dragon adapts Martin’s Fire & Blood, his Targaryen history, and is set 200 years before Game of Thrones, according to Foxtel Group’s June 12, 2024 announcement. The book provides the underlying history; it does not contain the show’s added dog or the prophetic version of Helaena Martin praised.
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