Absence of Maelor Targaryen from House of the Dragon and Its Possible Consequences
Serving as a prelude to Game of Thrones, the HBO series House Of The Dragon has stretched some creative license with the original material. House of the Dragon deviates somewhat even though it closely replics the events of George R. R. Martin's Fire and Blood. One such departure is the lack of Maelor Targaryen, Helaena Targaryen's younger son and Aegon II Targaryen's son. Maelor is pivotal in the notorious Blood and Cheese episode, a horrific act of violence that marks a turning point in the Dance of the Dragons. House of the Dragon changed this scenario without Melsor's presence, though, which begs concerns regarding his fate and the possible ramifications for the show's plot.
The Blood And Cheese episode in House of the Dragon showed the murder of Helaena's son Aegon II's son Jaehaerys Targaryen. This scene strayed from the novel in a number of respects, chief among them the lack of Maelor. Although the creators of the show have not said specifically why Maelor is absent, there are ideas that try to fit this disparity with the source material and the general storyline of the show.
Maelor's Birth Might Be Direct Result of Cheese and Blood
One interesting hypothesis holds that the Blood And Cheese incident might directly lead to Maelor's birth. Melsor is born before this occurrence in Fire And Blood and is seen in the scene when Helaena has to decide which of her sons will perish. But Aegon II is left without a clear successor in House of the Dragon with Jaehaerys' death. This situation might inspire Aegon to search for another child with Helaena, maybe resulting in Maelor's birth in a following episode of the show. This would drastically change Maelor's chronology but provide a direct link between his life and the Blood and Cheese storyline events.
Given the show's propensity to condense timelines and add narrative-oriented alterations to the source material, this notion is not wholly far-fetched. The revisions they made to the Blood and Cheese scene reveal that the program's writers are already eager to modify Fire And Blood.
Maelor's Delayed Birth Corrects a Potential Helaena Character Problem
Maelor's absence at the Blood and Cheese incident in House of the Dragon can lead to a narrative discrepancy with Helaena's character journey. Helaena suffers a severe melancholy in the book after the events because of remorse over her choice to sacrifice her oldest son, Jaehaerys, to save Melsor. Her mental state gets so bad she can no longer stand to see her surviving son and finally kills herself.
Introducing Maelor as a result of the Blood and Cheese scene will help the show to keep the core of Helaena's sad character journey while adjusting it to the new chronology. Should Melsor be born following the death of Jaehaerys, Helaena may feel comparable guilt but aimed against Melsor. The sight of her youngest kid could serve as a daily reminder of the dreadful choice she was forced to make, leading to a similar downward spiral of sadness and ultimately, a possible catastrophic finish for Helaena's character.
Creator of House of the Dragon hinted to Maelor being part of next seasons.
Although Maelor's birth following the Blood and Cheese event is merely a conjecture, there are signs that Maelor's absence in House of the Dragon might be fleeting. Showrunner Ryan Condal answered Entertainment Weekly's interview on the lack of Maelor by saying, "30 years is compressed into 20 years, thus Maelor does not yet exist on this timeline." Using the word "yet" suggests that Maelor's appearance is not totally ruled out and might be included later in the course of the play.
The possible arrival of Maelor in next seasons gives the story of the show an interesting twist. The lack of Maelor in the Blood and Cheese scene has left viewers speculating about his destiny and how his presence might affect next events. Condal's remarks have spurred rumors and expectation for Maelor's final arrival and the implications it could bring for Helaena, Aegon, and the Targaryen line.
House of the Dragon: Targaryen Legacy Expansions
Examining the rich history of the Targaryen dynasty and the events up to the Dance of the Dragons, House of the Dragon has shown to be a fascinating prelude to Game of Thrones. The writers of the show have added fresh components and changed timelines for dramatic purposes, therefore deviating from the original source material. Although Maelor Targaryen's absence at the Blood and Cheese scene generates some contradictions, there are possible reasons for his absence and the methods he might be included into the show's narrative in next seasons. The destiny of Maelor, the character arc of Helaena, and the continuous strife inside the Targaryen dynasty promise to be interesting components of the story as House of the Dragon runs on.
The amazing visuals, complex world-building, and gripping characters of House of the Dragon have drawn compliments. The way the show presents female characters—examining their hardships and victories in a society run by men—has also attracted notice. The producers of House of the Dragon will continue to negotiate the convoluted realm of Westeros and investigate the legacy of the Targaryens as House of the Dragon advances; Melor's entrance will be quite important in the developing story.
