"House of the Dragon" season 2 opens with a dramatic and tense episode. Rhaenyra Targaryen is battling for the Iron Throne, which her half-brother Aegon usurped from her.

In the previous season's finale, Aegon's brother Aemond killed Rhaenyra's son. In response, Daemon, Rhaenyra's husband, employs two rat catchers named Blood and Cheese to exact revenge by killing Aemond, aligning with the episode's theme of "a son for a son."

The book "House of the Dragon" differs from the prior adaptation by presenting events as a historical account with conflicting narratives. This format provides the show with flexibility, allowing for significant deviations from the source material.

The "Blood and Cheese" Incident

The way the show and the novel portray the "Blood and Cheese" incident differs significantly. In the book and the show, Daemon is behind the vengeful scheme. However, the specifics of his involvement differ. In the book, Mysaria, also known as Lady Misery, arranges the entire operation. She plays a central role in orchestrating the plan. In the show, Mysaria provides basic information, but Daemon takes a more active role by going to King's Landing to set the plan into motion.

The show portrays Daemon's intentions as primarily targeting Aemond, a dangerous figure who killed his stepson rather than a child. This depiction makes Daemon seem less monstrous compared to the book, where his motives are ambiguous.

Blood and Cheese's targets differ in the show and book. In the book, they are tasked explicitly with killing one of Aegon's children. In the Show, Blood and Cheese are hired to kill Aemond, although ambiguity remains about Daemon's instructions if Aemond is not found.

READ ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 3 Finale Breaks From Novel, Sets Stage for Queer Plot Twist With Francesca Bridgerton

Helaena's Ordeal

The TV series alters the execution of the murder. In the book "Blood and Cheese," they exploit their knowledge that Helaena often visits her mother, Alicent, with her children each night. They tie up Queen Dowager Alicent and wait in her bedroom. When Helaena arrives with her children, they kill her guards and barricade the door, forcing Helaena to choose which of her sons will be killed. In the book, she has all three children - Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor- with her.

Helaena pleads for the assassins to kill her instead of her children. She is forced to choose between her two sons under the threat of sexual violence against her daughter, Jaehaera. Helaena chooses Maelor, believing he is too young to understand the situation or because Jaehaerys is the heir. Despite her choice, Blood beheads Jaehaerys.

While the show includes Helaena pointing out Aegon's heir, it does not include the brutal choice or the threats of sexual violence, softening the horror of the event somewhat. The show also depicts the assassins as bumbling and incompetent, stumbling upon Helaena by chance.

The Aftermath of the Murder

In the show, the gruesome act is not visually depicted but is conveyed through the sounds of the child's struggle and stabbing noises. Traumatized, Helaena grabs her remaining child and flees, inadvertently stumbling upon her mother, Alicent, in bed with Criston Cole, a scandalous scene as Criston is a celibate Kingsguard member.

The inclusion of a sex scene during this intense moment is a bold and controversial choice by the show's writers. Heleana's trauma overshadows Alicent's embarrassment, as she barely registers the affair, stammering out, "They killed the boy" as the episode concludes. The book does not include Heleana fleeing the scene and discovering her mother's affair with Criston, a dramatic addition created solely for the series.

RELATED ARTICLE: 'Game of Thrones' Characters Who Met Their End on Screen But Live On in the Books