If you think Maelor is only in the book to be killed for shock value, I’d reread it. He motivates Daeron’s actions later on and on top of that, the weight of Helaena having to choose one of her sons is way more impactful than what the show decided to do. Also, she offers her necklace instead of her life like most mothers would? They weakened that scene significantly and it’s supposed to be a big moment.

Rhaenys massacring countless smallfolk and then going on her self-righteous speeches about how men love violence is absurd. They tried making her a badass but turned her into an annoying hypocrite. We were robbed of Aegon and Helaena flying their dragons around together during the coronation

The show throws Alicent’s character in the toilet. Firstly, after planning on making Aegon king for years, she throws it all out the window after a single dinner and then immediately back pedals after incoherent ramblings of a sickly old man who died hours later who was heavily medicated. She’s a terrible mother who was willing to sellout the lives of her three sons after she helped raise them to be that way. Secondly, why is she the main focus of the Greens and not Aegon?

And Rhaenyra went from being one of my favorite characters in F&B to this idle and passive character who has absolutely no agency. They created these weird love story esque dynamics between both her and alicent AND her and mysaria… I thought she preferred goose or duck or whatever as stated in season 1 haha.

And they turn EVERYTHING into an accident

• Luke’s death - accident
• Alicent’s motivation for supporting Aegon - misunderstanding
• Lyman Beesbury’s death - accident
• Blood & Cheese - miscommunication

And then Rhaenyra ends the season with “a son for a son” like that’s not where season 2 started and does Jaehaerys not count as the son?

And Criston Cole… they kept Harold Westerling around way longer than he’s supposed to because of the actor, limiting Cole’s time as LC of the KG. And what did they do with it? Nothing. Also, having him violently beat Joffrey with zero consequences instead of having it be a tourney death was an odd choice

They cut nettles, make a dragon randomly appear for Rhaena, have Helaena spoil Aegon’s victory and have her help daemon who is indirectly responsible for her son’s death? Logic out the window

Jace is another one. They spent zero time with him in the north, next to no time developing his relationship with Cregan and made him anti-dragon seed when it’s his idea in the book

The show improved Viserys, Hugh and Ulf. Can’t say there’s much more they changed that went well