The makers of HBO’s “House of the Dragon” have promised that the upcoming second season will incorporate an element from George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood” book that those who’ve read it have been looking forward to – ‘Blood and Cheese’.
SPOILERS AHEAD FOR “HOUSE OF THE DRAGON” S2
Martin’s textbook goes into the Targaryen family history and serves as source material for the series, which crafts the drama from there. In the book, Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys dies at the hands of his uncle Aemond, which kicks off the Dance of Dragons.
As a direct result, Blood and Cheese come into play – two characters who are hired by Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and the Blacks.
Blood was a butcher and ex-gold cloak in the King’s Landing City Watch who killed a prostitute in a drunken rage. Cheese was a ratcatcher familiar with the hidden tunnels of the Red Keep.
Their mission during the Dance of the Dragons is to carry out a revenge plot against Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke), Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) and the Greens with an act of equal measure that’s considered one of the most disturbing deaths of the entire saga.
One key difference with the series is that Lucerys’ death, seen in the first season finale, was depicted as something of an accident as opposed to a more intentional one suggested by the book.
Writer Sara Hess has confirmed the TV adaptation will see Blood and Cheese avenge Luc’s death and when asked by Variety if they’ve adapted Blood and Cheese’s subplot, she says: “We are currently writing the finale of Season 2… I don’t think you will be disappointed.”
The second season of the HBO series is set to begin filming in early 2023 in Spain. No casting for the roles of Blood and Cheese has been announced at this point. The new season isn’t expected to go to air until 2024.
