What Did Ryan Condal Say About George RR Martin’s Criticism Of House of the Dragon? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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Even the fiercest dragons can’t dodge a little criticism, especially when it’s coming from the man who created them! House of the Dragon season 2 was a hit with fans and critics, but George R.R. Martin wasn’t completely thrilled. In a now-deleted blog post, the Fire & Blood author shared his disappointment over certain creative choices, particularly the decision to exclude Maelor Targaryen, a character from the book.
While Martin’s words sparked debate among fans, showrunner Ryan Condal has now responded, explaining why Maelor didn’t make the cut. With the Dance of the Dragons already packed with political intrigue, betrayals, and fire-breathing chaos, was there simply no room for the young Targaryen prince? Or was there another reason behind the decision? As the world of Westeros expands, it seems like the drama isn’t just happening on-screen. It’s unfolding behind the scenes, too!
Ryan Condal On George RR Martin’s Disappointing Criticism
Even in Westeros, relationships can get a little complicated, and that includes the one between House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Condal responded to Martin’s now-deleted blog post criticizing House of the Dragon season 2, and let’s just say he wasn’t exactly thrilled. “It was disappointing,” Condal admitted, revealing that while he didn’t see the post firsthand, he heard all about it.
Condal has been a devoted A Song of Ice and Fire fan for nearly 25 years, calling Martin “a literary icon” and “a personal hero.” He even described working on the show as “one of the great privileges” of his career. However, despite their strong creative partnership early on, things took a turn when practical production constraints forced some changes to Fire & Blood. And Martin? He wasn’t a fan of those changes, particularly the omission of Maelor Targaryen.
“At some point, as we got deeper down the road, he just became unwilling to acknowledge the practical issues at hand in a reasonable way,” Condal explained. As a showrunner, he had to balance fan expectations with the realities of TV production. “I have to keep my practical producer hat on… for the sake of the crew, the cast, and for HBO, because that’s my job.”
Still, Condal isn’t holding a grudge and hopes to mend things with Martin. “I can only hope that George and I can rediscover that harmony someday.” Until then, it seems the real Dance of Dragons isn’t just happening on-screen. It’s unfolding behind the scenes, too!
What Did George RR Martin Say About House of the Dragon?
George R.R. Martin isn’t just the mastermind behind Fire & Blood, he’s also keeping a close eye on how House of the Dragon adapts his work. And let’s just say he’s not thrilled about some changes. In a new Not A Blog post, Martin explained why leaving out Maelor Targaryen is a much bigger deal than fans might think, calling it a “butterfly effect” problem that could drastically alter key events from his book.
Originally, Maelor’s birth would only be delayed to season 3. But then? “He was never going to be born at all,” Martin revealed. That small change, he argues, ripples across the entire story. Without Maelor, we lose the dramatic sequence at Bitterbridge, where a heroic Kingsguard knight tries (and fails) to protect him from an angry mob. No Maelor also means no desperate escape plan from Alicent, which weakens Helaena’s tragic arc and the riots that follow.
“None of that is essential, I suppose… but all of it does serve a purpose,” Martin wrote, clearly frustrated. He even hinted that he and showrunner Ryan Condal never fully discussed how removing Maelor would impact the larger narrative. “What will we offer the fans instead, once we’ve killed these butterflies? I have no idea.”
While George RR Martin, the man behind Game of Thrones, understands the realities of TV production, he’s not convinced that “simpler is better.” For fans of the books, his concerns make sense. Without these pivotal moments, will House of the Dragon still capture the same depth and tragedy? Looks like the Dance of Dragons isn’t the only thing heating up!
