House of the Dragon writers should keep Sunfyre alive and avoid any more massive deviations from the source material.

One of the mysteries left undiscussed in the second installment of House of the Dragon is Sunfyre’s whereabouts. King Aegon’s beloved dragon was severely injured after the Battle at Rook’s Rest, and that was the last image that fans saw of him in the series.

Credits: Sunfyre with Aegon in House of the Dragon / HBO

The young royalty believed that his dragon was dead given the severity of the damage it sustained, but the audience knows better that if there’s no body, then there’s no evidence of death. So, is Sunfyre still alive?

House of the Dragon Must Keep Sunfyre Alive in Season 3

The final episode of House of the Dragon Season 2 showed montages of events that viewers will have to anticipate in the upcoming third season, one of which was King Aegon believing Sunfyre was already dead. It’s understandable why he thought so, because even he almost perished in the battle.

There weren’t any more talks about the poor dragon in the later scenes, but those who have read George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood know that Sunfyre is resting in the same spot to recuperate as his torn wing makes it impossible for him to fly to King’s Landing.

Credits: Tom Glynn-Carney in House of the Dragon / HBO

Aegon and his dragon will only meet again at a later event when Sunfyre finally flies to Dragonstone, where he surprisingly finds his dragonrider. Fans recall the last moments in the season finale where Aegon and Larys were fleeing from King’s Landing. In the book, the king goes into hiding in the ancestral home of the Targaryens dressed as a lowborn.

The writers of House of the Dragon have been taking liberties with the changes and deviations from the source material, but this one cannot be handled poorly. They have to stay faithful to Martin’s narrative and make sure Sunfyre is still alive in Season 3.

The ferocious beast plays an important role in the downfall of the Blacks, as Sunfyre will burn Rhaenyra to the ground and devour her body, but this may probably happen in the final season as the writers may not wish to kill off the main character just yet.

The bottom line is that the show must reduce the number of alterations from the book because each change, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, will have a profound impact on the storyline. Fans are yet to witness what becomes of Sunfyre, but hopefully, we’ll see the dragon in the next installment.

George R.R. Martin Wasn’t Happy With the Direction of House of the Dragon

Credits: George R.R. Martin via CBS News

Martin expressed dismay over the massive deviation of the series from the book, particularly the absence of various characters and changes in minor details. In a now-deleted blog post, he remarked on the possible butterfly effect, the small changes that can lead to different outcomes.

The famed author already warned fans that “there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come” if showrunner Ryan Condal and his team push through with the changes they are planning for Seasons 3 and 4.

House of the Dragon is currently available to watch on HBO.