I can’t stop thinking about this scene of Helaena.
That confusion gets worse when you factor in the removal of Maelor. Ryan Condal has been pretty adamant about not including him, despite how important he is in the book, and George R.R. Martin has openly expressed disappointment about that decision. Maelor might be a small character, but his absence takes away a huge part of Helaena’s story and the weight behind her eventual fate, it’s not just a minor change, it alters the entire emotional foundation of her arc.
And then you look at Season 2 and she barely has an arc. Helaena feels almost emotionally detached the entire time. Her reaction to Jaehaerys’ death is strangely muted, she shows very little toward Aegon, and the only real emotion we get from her is in scenes with Aemond, which, if anything, come across more unsettling than meaningful. That moment where she tells Daemon to “play his part” just made her feel even more like a narrative device rather than a person.
Which is why this scene stands out so much. If she is pregnant or in labour, it almost feels like the show is trying to replace what was lost by cutting Maelor, but if that’s the case, it also feels like a massive backtrack on what they’ve already established. And if they don’t follow through with it, then what was the point of presenting her like this?
At this point, I genuinely don’t know if Season 3 is going to finally give her a proper arc, or if they’re going to scramble to course-correct. Part of me worries they’ll try to patch things retroactively, but I’m not sure that would even work after how little foundation Season 2 gave her.
Do you think:
1, She could be pregnant in the show and they’re going in a different direction?
2, This is just a visual way of showing her mental state collapsing?
3, Or something more symbolic (like prophecy, vision, or her “dreaming”)?
And if they are changing her arc, how do you think other characters would react?
Aegon — would he even care?
Aemond — would he become more protective, or colder?
Alicent — I feel like this would completely unravel her.
Rhaenyra — would she feel guilt, indifference, or see it as part of the war? (another trueborn heir)
Please let me know guys 🧍🏼♀️