'House of the Dragon' swaps Sheepstealer from Nettles to Rhaena
The third season of House of the Dragon just dropped on June 21, 2026, and fans noticed a big change: Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) befriends and rides Sheepstealer, the wild dragon, into battle.
But in George R. R. Martin's book Fire and Blood, it's Nettles (a non-Targaryen dragonrider) who bonds with Sheepstealer by feeding it sheep.
The show's switch-up has surprised viewers who expected to see Nettles in action.
Fans and Martin criticize Nettles's omission
Nettles plays a major role in the book, especially through her connection with Daemon and her rivalry with Rhaenyra.
Leaving her out has sparked disappointment among fans who feel she brought important drama to the story.
Even Martin isn't thrilled; he shared that his input was ignored during season two as showrunner Ryan Condal focused on production challenges instead.
This creative clash shows how tricky adapting fantasy stories for TV can be.