Author: Caelyn Murphy

“You reap what you sow.” — This happens to be one of my favorite quotes to date. If you don’t believe in karma, then you may not believe in the consequences of your actions, but I do. I think all past actions come back fourfold, no matter how much later in life it is. The quote reminds me of the stereotypical plotline in movies or shows where the bully ends up needing help from the said person they bullied. Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit reap eternal life.” Now, I have not read the entire bible, nor do I go to church every Sunday, but I live by these words. My whole childhood, I wished those words on people who did me wrong, and grew angry and confused when nothing happened to them. Wait guys, I was just an angry child, not psychotic. As I got older, I realized that everything comes in time, and karma has a way of coming back to you.

I swear I don’t mean to sound like a Disney villain when I say that, I just love philosophy. In most stories you read, an unfortunate event will befall the antagonist that serves as a reckoning of their actions. A good example would be one of my personal favorite movies, “Mean Girls.” At the end, Regina suffered the results of spreading nasty rumors by getting hit by a bus and receiving a spinal injury, alongside losing her friends and having her popularity questioned. And see, I’ve had my own experiences with the proverb. The only instances I particularly remember that I can share publicly is when I used to have sticky fingers as a child. Later on, a lot of my own things would go missing and I never found them again. That was my karma—losing my own things since I had stolen.

My reasoning for sharing that is so you don’t think these words are just that—words. Words come from truths, and reaping what you sow is a truth set in stone. You can change all you want, become a better person, but what deeds you have done still lie with you. You cannot make someone’s life a living nightmare, and then get to live out your life happily forever. Repercussions, people. The point is, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, or you’ll reap what you sow. Don’t make up rumors about people, or talk behind their backs, or bully someone for being different. Because, in the end, those said actions will come back to haunt you.

Has anyone else watched “House of the Dragon,” or is it just me? The first season, from the visual shots to the casting, was pure perfection to me. Then again, my entertainment taste has been regarded as questionable. But, as the new seasons have begun coming out, people who have been fans of the books since they first came out have become irritated by the decrease in book accuracy. The story goes that the decline in quality started long before the author of the books, George R. R. Martin stepped back from the show. According to various sources, the director of the adaptation, Ryan Condal, strayed from the book before the show even aired, causing disagreements between the creator of the books and the maker of the show.

Me personally, I’m one of the fans that are annoyed by the wandering plot, especially with season three now airing a new episode every week. As someone who has read the books, I understand that not everything can be book-accurate, especially when it comes to fantasy books being put on the big screen. The dragons aren’t going to be as large as I read they were, I know that, but at the very least, the costumes can be somewhat precise for the story’s royal family. Rhaenyra had lavish taste, guys, take notes—she was a teenager who had the best seamstresses in the realm, of course, she shouldn’t be dressed in ill-fitting, basic dresses. The problem is, it goes so much further than costumes simply not being exact—it’s entire plot lines being rewritten in ways that likely will not tie the ending together as the book did.

What is the point of adding random side storylines that add absolutely nothing to the overall plot? You tell me. The show is starting to seem more like a fanfiction of the book, rather than a conversion of the book itself. And believe me, if you start viewing it that way, it will make your mood improve. But, for me, it’s gotten to the point where I no longer find interest in watching the show. I haven’t watched a single episode from season three, nor have I even finished season two. If there’s anything in the episode worth watching, it’ll be posted on tiktok with just the right amount of seconds to make me watch. And any controversial and overall ‘weird’ scenes in the episode? People will talk about that, too.

There could have been so many better ways to adapt the book into an actually enjoyable show, but it is simply far too late to save what was made of it. Until things start becoming accurate, book fans will be outraged by what the show has become. “House of the Dragon” is burned into the internet, and likely will not be getting a revision to appease viewers anytime soon.