House of the Dragon has made a significant departure from George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood in its season 3 premiere. Rhaena Targaryen has taken over the storyline of Nettles, claiming the wild dragon Sheepstealer and piloting it into battle at the Battle of the Gullet.
Fans have reacted with a mix of excitement and frustration, with some praising the new development and others expressing shock and confusion.
In the book, Nettles is a lowborn dragonseed who wins over Sheepstealer by feeding the wild dragon sheep each morning. This element is important because Nettles questions the franchise's association between dragon-riding and Valyrian ancestry.
Rhaena's takeover of Sheepstealer has significant implications for the story ahead, particularly given her connection to Daemon and the potential consequences for Nettles' storyline.
