A brand new trailer for House of the Dragon season 3 is here, and while it teases plenty of dragon battles and drama, it's one line in particular that fans are discussing.
In the new footage, Aegon declares "I'm going to kill my brother, or die in the attempt." Cast your minds back to House of the Dragon season 2, you'll remember that Aemond and his dragon Vhagar burned Aegon and his dragon, Sunfyre, badly enough that Aegon was disfigured and bed bound (and Sunfyre seems to have died, though the dragon lives longer in the book). So, Aegon here is seeking vengeance against his brother, who is reigning as Prince Regent.
But, in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, the source material for the series, it's Rhaenyra who shares this sentiment. "She would rain down fire and death upon Aegon and all those who supported him, she told the black council, and either tear him from the Iron Throne or die in the attempt," reads a line of narration in the book, found on page 449.
"Never order Rhaenyra from Temu bro," says one fan, while another says: "LIKE WE ARE TIRED"
"The fact this is the second time they did this by calling his pathetic ass the Realm's Delight in s2. This show... all up in Rhaenyra nachos," says someone else.
"This is so fucking ridiculous actually," says another fan.
"He steals her throne and steals her lines, so what's left that this monster hasn't stolen from her?" says someone else.
"That's Rhaenyra's line you motherfuckers," is another fan's reaction, while another says, "The way the show has gone out of their way to try and soften Rhaenyra into a "good guy" has completely neutered the character. Sad."
"This Temu ass reheated nachos line I HATE THEM," says someone else. "First calling himself the realms delight and now this?!?! come onnnn," complains another person.
In Fire and Blood, Aemond never burns Aegon, so Aegon has no need to wish vengeance upon him. Plus, in the show, the emotional side of the conflict revolves around the fact that Rhaenyra and her childhood friend Alicent are on opposite sides: another show invention. So, Rhaenyra's line from the book wouldn't make a lot of sense in the adaptation – especially as, in the House of the Dragon season 2 ending, Alicent offered to surrender and agreed to Rhaenyra killing Aegon.
Though, Rhaenyra in the book says this line in response to the Battle of the Gullet, which is set to open season 2, meaning the surrender might not go so smoothly... and Rhaenyra might have cause to say her line, after all.
Martin himself has already shared misgivings about the show diverging from the book, warning of "toxic butterflies" in a now-deleted blog post and saying his relationship with showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."
House of the Dragon returns this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to all the most exciting upcoming TV shows on the way.
