House of the Dragon showrunner explains if Nettles has been replaced by Rhaena in the show

Rhaena, the daughter of Daemon and sister of Lady Baela, is a member of House Targaryen and the stepdaughter of Queen Rhaenyra. Unlike her relatives, Rhaena does not have a dragon of her own, having previously attempted to bond with one. As a result, Queen Rhaenyra has entrusted Rhaena with the important task of ensuring the safety of her youngest children.

The showrunners of House of the Dragon are indeed offering a unique and thoughtful interpretation of Rhaena’s story and it’s clear that they are approaching this story with care and consideration, recognizing the significance of Rhaena’s character.

In The Red Sowing till now

Lady Rhaena makes a bold escape from the convoy in Season 2’s seventh episode, fleeing into the Vale’s fields. There, she encounters a wild dragon, notorious for its scorched marks, and receives a warning screech. Though she hasn’t tamed it yet, signs point to Rhaena becoming the eighth dragon rider to join the queen’s elite group. This thrilling development promises to be a game-changer in House of the Dragon. Showrunner Ryan Condal explained to Collider,

“Given where we are in the storytelling, I think that’s a, ‘Please stay tuned and keep watching the story.’ I will say that we love Rhaena as a character, and we’ve really done a lot of legwork to set her up from the beginning as somebody in this Targaryen household who does not have a dragon.”

Credits: HBO

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Nettles Been Replaced by Rhaena

Although fans are eagerly awaiting the introduction of Nettles, a dragonseed character from the books, it seems that Rhaena will be the one claiming the dragon Sheepstealer. However, showrunner Ryan Condal hasn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of Nettles appearing in the future. While Nettles wasn’t cast for Season 2, Condal’s careful wording leaves room for the character’s potential arrival in later seasons.

“We saw that with Aemond’s story of how somebody that grows up in this family, even in a time of peace, when you don’t have a dragon, how it changes how you’re identified even within the family. And how desperate Rhaena is for that sort of self-identification as a dragon rider, and is willing to go to fairly dangerous lengths to try to see that realized.”

READ NEXT: House of the Dragon cut Rhaenys’ death scene in the Battle of Rook’s Rest

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