8 Ways "House of the Dragon" Puts a Spin on Plot Points From the Book

One of the more devastating alterations from the book to the TV show is the depiction of the relationship between Rhaenyra and Alicent. In the book, they are acquainted with each other, but they don't have much of a relationship until after Alicent marries Rhaenyra's father, King Viserys.

The TV version of their relationship makes their later deadly rivalry more tragic. When we first meet them, they're teenage girls and best friends, closer to each other than anyone else. The scheming of others pushes them — often powerless, as even the wealthiest women are shown to be — into positions where they lose trust in each other and become enemies.