If you don’t live under the rock, beware of spoilers everywhere.
Like its predecessor, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon is an adaptation of a story told in several novels by George R. R. Martin.
However, the books still give the show’s production team a lot of creative freedom in the way they’re written and styled.
Usually, fans take any chance they can to crack the creator’s vision to see what choices they’re making. The latest casting updates for the second season of the show, however, are something that many would prefer to unsee.
The novels on which House of the Dragon is based are written in such a way that it is impossible to completely guess what was the truth.
The events of the time are told from the perspective of a common bard and the Maester, who have their own thoughts about the royal family and their own interests in mind.
As a reader, you are supposed to believe whichever side seems more convincing.
The HBO series, however, takes away the element of mystery. Although the timeline is altered in several ways, it is linear and consistent.
One could even say that the show finally puts an end to all the arguments and confirms how the story really happened.
When the casting news for season 2 broke, the Internet was immediately flooded with fan opinions. The majority focused on Abubakar Salim, who is confirmed to play Alyn of Hull.
If any other character’s casting could be subjected to the age change without giving away any spoilers, Alyn’s pretty much speaks for itself.
In the books, one of the more controversial claims is that Alyn is one of Velaryon’s bastards. It is strongly implied that his father is either Laenor or his father, Corlys Velaryon, and the people of the story usually believe the former.
With this casting announcement, however, the writers’ intentions are as clear as day: since the actor is so close in age to Laenor himself, the paternity dilemma is out of the question.
And the fans, while always happy to get some insight from the production, are not sure if they are happy with this decision or not.
Either way, we will have to wait and see how the story unfolds on our screens. House of the Dragon season 2 is filming right now, so there’s no official release date yet.
Keep your eyes peeled for more behind-the-scenes news and updates!