‘House of the Dragon’ Hints HBO is Combining Nettles and Rhaena’s Storylines, Breaking With the Books Big Time

Hardcore House of the Dragon fans have been wondering for a while now, where is Nettles? The fan favorite character from George R.R. Martin ‘s Fire & Blood seemed bizarrely absent from Season 2 casting announcements and the main plot. While other “dragonseeds” were threaded through the HBO show this year — namely Hugh Hammer ( Kieran Bew ), Ulf the White ( Tom Bennett ), and Addam of Hull ( Clinton Liberty ) — Nettles, the scrappy, dark-skinned orphan girl who manages to tame a wild dragon named Sheepstealer was noticeably absent from the action. Now, House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 seemingly confirms fan theories that Daemon’s ( Matt Smith ) daughter Rhaena ( Phoebe Campbell ) is getting Nettles’s storyline…which is exciting for Rhaena fans, but also opens a huge can of worms for book readers clinging to all Nettles represents.

**Spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6, now streaming on Max**

In House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6, we catch up with what Rhaena has been doing lately in the Vale. You’ll recall that Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) sent the dragon-less Targaryen princess there to play babysitter to her three youngest sons, a couple of baby dragons, and a clutch of precious dragon eggs. While doing her best to buoy little Joffrey’s (Oscar Eskinazi) spirits, Rhaena goes into mama dragon mode when she stumbles upon the charred remains of sheep in the high mountains of the Vale. When the camera zooms out we see a massive patch of scorched earth, similar to what a large dragon might leave.

‘House of the Dragon’ Star Bethany Antonia Breaks Down Baela’s Epic “Blood and Fire” Scene With Corlys: “He is Just Her Granddad, After All”

Rhaena realizes the real cause of Lady Jeyne Arryn’s (Amanda Collin) anxieties about dragons attacking the ancient stronghold of the Eyrie: Forget Vhagar, there’s already a wild dragon in the Vale.

So why is it such a big deal that Rhaena is now in close proximity to a wild dragon who has been stealing sheep in the Vale? And how is House of the Dragon radically changing the story from George R.R. Martin’s books? Here’s what you need to know about Rhaena, Nettles, and the dragon book readers call Sheepstealer…

‘House of the Dragon’ Introduces ‘Raised By Wolves’ Mother Amanda Collin as Powerful Queer Ruler Lady Jeyne Arryn

Excited that Rhaena is in close proximity to a wild dragon? Hoping that she’ll finally get to tame a dragon and help her family in a bitter civil war? Well, hold your horses — or grab your dragon tamer poles — because book readers have cause to revolt!

In Fire & Blood, several new dragon riders emerge at this point of the war. The end of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6 teases that Lord Corlys Velaryon’s (Steve Toussaint) bastard son Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty) has just tamed his dead (?) half-brother Laenor’s (John Macmillan) battle-tested dragon Seasmoke. That totally is what happens in the books!

At the same time, we hear that a scrawny orphan girl named Nettles (or Netty) manages to tame a wild dragon nicknamed Sheepstealer on Dragonstone. Nettles is not thought to be of noble, Targaryen birth. Rather, she wins the dragon’s trust by bringing him sheep. Eventually Nettles joins Rhaenyra’s war effort and strikes up a friendship with Daemon.

CLICK HERE TO GET EMAILS FROM DECIDER

Meanwhile, Rhaena is supposed to bond with one of the hatchling dragons from the eggs Rhaenyra sent her off with. The small dragon is named Morning and its birth is supposed to be a huge PR boost for Team Black. That said, Rhaena and Morning stay largely out of the action, making her character inert for this part of the story.

So what does this have to do with House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6? Well, Rhaena’s discovery of a wild, sheep-stealing dragon in the Vale seems to suggest that HBO is combining Rhaena and Nettles’s storylines. The foreshadowing is on the wall. Rhaena, who has been overlooked by Team Black, will come to their rescue after she tames the wild Sheepstealer. She’ll have stuff to do and there will be one less character for HBO’s adaptation to introduce.

What’s the problem with this plan? Well, the reason why fans so admire Nettles is that she serves as proof that the propaganda of the Valryian dragonriders is just that. You don’t necessarily have to be of royal birth to tame a dragon. Cleverness and courage can make it happen, too. Nettles serves as a rejoinder to the entire political structure of Westeros, built on the supposition that only nobles are good enough to rule…or ride dragons.

There’s also the hiccup that Nettles as a character is supposed to be rough and bawdy, injecting some naughty fun to the proceedings. Rhaena is neither…right now. And why wouldn’t the histories identify Rhaena as Sheepstealer’s rider?

Perhaps House of the Dragon co-creator and showrunner Ryan Condal is planning on having Rhaena invent the Nettles persona so Rhaenyra doesn’t know she’s skipped out on her duties babysitting the tiny royal heirs. Maybe there still will be a Nettles on House of the Dragon . But as of House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6, it looks like Rhaena is getting the Nettles storyline.

For more entertainment news and streaming recommendations, visit decider.com