George RR Martin says this House of the Dragon change “broke his heart”

George R.R. Martin has spoken out about one of the changes in House of the Dragon Season 2, not only praising it, but saying it “broke his heart.”

Season 2 Episode 1 ended with Blood and Cheese, a notorious event in Martin’s Fire & Blood that sparked comparisons to the Red Wedding from the outset.

Without going into too much grisly detail, Daemon hired two assassins – a hateful Gold Cloak and a ratcatcher – to kill Aemond Targaryen, who murdered Lucerys with Vhagar in the Season 1 finale.

Things took a harrowing turn when Blood and Cheese made it into the Red Keep. They couldn’t find Aemond… but they did stumble on Helaena Targaryen and her children, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. Minutes later, the young boy was killed in his bed.

The show’s depiction of this moment was criticized by fans, and it seems Martin may have problems of his own. “There’s a lot of be said about that, but this is not the place for me to say it. The issues are too complicated,” he wrote on his website.

HBO

However, he was a fan of the addition of a brand-new character: Cheese’s loyal dog.

“I am… ahem… not usually a fan of screenwriters adding characters to the source material when adapting a story. Especially not when the source material is mine,” he explained.

“But that dog was brilliant. I was prepared to hate Cheese, but I hated him even more when he kicked that dog. And later, when the dog sat at his feet, gazing up… that damn near broke my heart.

“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. Human beings are such complex creatures. The silent presence of that dog reminded us that even the worst of men, the vile and the venal, can love and be loved.”

For more on the author’s thoughts, check out our guide of everything George R.R. Martin has said about House of the Dragon Season 2. Before House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5, make sure you check out our recap of Episode 4.

You can also read more about why the most emotional deaths won’t be the Targaryens, how we’re still waiting on one of Fire & Blood’s coolest characters.