George R.R. Martin Critiques ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘Game of Thrones’

‘House of the Dragon’ has managed to step out of the colossal shadow cast by ‘Game of Thrones’, but it has now drawn criticism from its original creator for a peculiar reason related to its predecessor.

‘House of the Dragon’, adapted from George R.R. Martin’s 2018 book ‘Fire and Blood’, has successfully carved its path while honouring its source material. Despite its success, George R.R. Martin recently took to his blog, ‘Not A Blog,’ to voice a humorous yet pointed critique regarding a specific detail present in both ‘Game of Thrones’ and its successor series. Martin expressed dissatisfaction with the depiction of House Targaryen’s sigil, particularly focusing on the representation of dragons with four legs in the shows.

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In Martin’s literary universe, dragons are anatomically depicted with two legs and two wings, a design he meticulously crafted to reflect realistic flight capabilities and biological feasibility. He argued that since real-world creatures like birds, bats, and pterosaurs have only two legs and wings that serve as forelegs, there is no reason for Westerosi heraldry to portray dragons with four legs.

Martin acknowledged that initially both ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘House of the Dragon’ depicted dragons correctly with two legs. However, he noted a discrepancy in later seasons of ‘Game of Thrones’ when Dany’s fleet displayed sigils featuring dragons with four legs. He attributed this to either oversight or misinterpretation of heraldic conventions, emphasizing the importance of accuracy in maintaining consistency with his written descriptions.

Despite dragons being a staple of fantasy depicted with four legs in many works, Martin’s adherence to his original vision highlights his meticulous approach to world-building. This attention to detail has been a hallmark of his success as a fantasy author, resonating deeply with fans who appreciate his commitment to consistency and authenticity in storytelling.

Martin’s critique underscores his ongoing involvement and dedication to ensuring his creative vision is faithfully represented, a sentiment eagerly awaited by fans anticipating his next literary endeavour, The Winds of Winter.

–Farheen Ali