House of The Dragon Just Changed One Major Thing From The Books
Rhaenyra takes matters into her own hands.
There’s no question that The Battle of the Gullet was the event fans were waiting for in House of the Dragon Season 3. But there’s one event that comes in at a strong second: the fall of King’s Landing, the plot where Alicent attempts to cede control of the Red Keep (and the Iron Throne) to Rhaenyra and the Blacks without any casualties.
That’s what we see unfold in Season 3 Episode 2, and it comes with some shocking moments like Helaena quickly trying to adjust to her new circumstances and Aemond sent off with Vhagar to Harrenhal. But the episode’s final moments are especially surprising — and change a small but impactful moment from the books.
Warning! Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 2.
Alicent decides to go through with her plan to hand over King’s Landing.
When Rhaenyra takes control of King’s Landing, she’s told there’s something for her in the dungeons. That’s when Otto Hightower emerges from the cell where he’s been kept since Season 2. Rhaenyra knows this is her moment to exact revenge on the man who sparked this conflict in the first place, but she refuses to let anyone do the dirty work for her. She’s the one who wields the sword and slices Otto’s head off without a second thought.
This is quite the development for Rhaenyra’s character. She’s not known for her melee prowess: if she fights, it’s with strategy, like when she walked to visit Alicent from her birthing bed, or from afar on her dragon Syrax. But here, she’s truly come into her own through the grief over yet another one of her sons.
Otto Hightower is finally brought out from the dungeons only to meet a sudden end.
In Fire & Blood, the book that House of the Dragon is based on, this goes down a little differently. “Ser Otto Hightower, who had served three kings as Hand, was the first to be beheaded,” the book reads. “Ironrod followed him to the block, still insisting that a king’s son must come before his daughter.”
While this description doesn’t outright say who dealt the fatal blow, there are a few context clues that suggest it didn’t go down at all like we saw in the show. A block is mentioned, meaning these executions were formal enough to allow for a proper beheading setup, and, presumedly, an executioner, instead of the sudden slice delivered by Rhaenyra.
This change highlights the biggest challenge in adapting Fire & Blood for the screen. The book is written like a history text, so characters who play massive roles can be written off in a single sentence. But if Otto’s demise was just as anticlimactic in the show, it would be a massive disappointment for fans. So, instead, Otto’s execution becomes more than just an ultimate end for a major player. Now, it’s the next step in Rhaenyra’s evolution from grieving mother to vengeful leader.
