HotD improved upon many aspects of GoT but seriously screwed up on this arguably most important front.
When someone wonders why Game of Thrones became the world’s biggest and most popular TV show, there are many reasons we could name, from its massive world to its blend of dark fantasy and gritty realism… But ultimately, every story comes down to its characters — and Game of Thrones did an excellent job there.
Characters Are the Heart of GRRM’s Stories
Apart from simply providing the audience with dozens of characters, Game of Thrones made them and their goals very distinct and interesting. From ugly excuses for human beings with their selfish and hideous attitudes to noble and selfless idiots you can’t help but root for, even though you know they’ll never make it.
GoT was by no means perfect, especially by the finale, but perhaps its strongest point was its characters. House of the Dragon, on the other hand, largely improved upon many downfalls of its predecessor, but when it came down to characters… Let’s just rephrase what a wise man once said: “If I’m to choose between one power-hungry egoist and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”
HotD’s Characters Don’t Have Compelling Goals
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Don’t get us wrong: House of the Dragon has some of the most brilliant and amazing characters. In the best George Martin fashion, they are complex and conflicting, and that’s what we love about them… But when it comes to their aspirations and goals, they don’t have much going for them but, well, themselves.
Dance of the Dragons is essentially two groups of power-hungry relatives striving to take the Iron Thrones for themselves. They don’t have any higher goals, per se — they simply want power and they’re willing to do anything to grab it. That’s it.
Compare that to the story of one Robb Stark who waged his war not to become the King in the North but to avenge his father and save his sisters; or with one Jaime Lannister who committed a terrible crime that fueled the war not for himself but to protect his sister who he loved perhaps a little too warmly for being a brother.
No Game of Thrones character was perfect, but many of them had more compelling goals than just vanity — and vanity feels like the sole driving force of Teams Black and Green in House of the Dragon. It comes down to “which Targaryens do I like the most,” and there’s not even a hint of “who is doing the right thing.”
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