House of the Dragon teases major book change with mystery dragon

With the dragonseed plan in full effect, House of the Dragon fans can’t help but notice the absence of one character, though the show suggests she might be replaced with someone we already know.

Fans have been awaiting the arrival of Nettles for a while now. A young dragonrider who becomes entangled in a questionable relationship with Daemon at Harrenhal, she’s one of the most intriguing and wild bastards of the bunch.

However, approaching the end of Season 2, Nettles is still nowhere to be found. But thanks to the teases of the mystery dragon in the Vale, fans are thinking she might be replaced altogether by none other than Rhaena Targaryen.

Across the past few episodes, Rhaena has become obsessed with the wild dragon hiding somewhere in the Vale. Then, in Season 2 Episode 7, she runs off in hopes of tracking it down after seeing the charred destruction it’s left in its wake.

HBO

Thanks to the clues (some crispy lamb carcasses), it’s looking like this dragon could very well be Sheepstealer, Nettles’ dragon. If Rhaena is the one to claim Sheepstealer, then this would mean she’s replacing Nettles in the TV show.

This is entirely possible, considering Rhaena hasn’t claimed a dragon yet. However, not everyone is positive about the idea of Nettles being substituted for someone else.

As one Reddit user wrote: “I hope the rumors are wrong. Rhaena and Nettles are too different. They deserve their own narrative. Nettles is in the lowest social class.

“She grew up homeless and had to do many unpleasant things to survive. While Rhaena is a member of the Royal family. A daughter of a prince, a granddaughter of the richest man in Westeros. Just because they are both black women on the show, it does not mean that they are interchangeable.”

Ashley Hunter Rice

Another added: “Nettles was the most interesting dragonseed along with Addam. And she collapsed Daemon’s Targaryen exceptionalism ideas and is important to both his and Rhaenyra’s demise.”

“Terrible decision, I love Nettles and Rhaena deserves her own storyline. Also Sheepstealer, like all dragons, was active on Dragonstone,” one user pointed out.

There’s also the slight problem of Morning. In the books, Rhaena does eventually bond with Morning, who hatched from the egg she was given when she first went to the Vale. But there could be an explanation for this too, as one user notes.

“I assume Sheepstealer will die in Second Tumbleton or Battle Above Gods Eye. But Rheana will survive return to the Vale (or to Vale army) and she will learn that one of the egg is hatched,” they said.

With only one episode to go, it’s still possible that the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale will see Rhaena claim Sheepstealer. At which point, it’ll become more clear whether Nettles has a future in the show.

Until then, check out our guides to Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer. You can also keep tabs on the Season 2 release schedule, and learn about the other dragons in the show.