Welcome back to King's Landing.
The third episode of House of the Dragon, HBOâs epic prequel to Game of Thrones based on the George R.R. Martin novels, is officially outâand Twitter has a lot to say about it.
Firstly, a quick recap on the explosive events of Episode 3. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Three years after King Viserys marries Alicent Hightower, a frostiness has settled between Rhaenyra and her newfound family. Viserys and Alicent have welcomed a son, Aegon II, and are expecting another child soon.
The nobility of the Seven Kingdoms gather to celebrate Aegonâs first birthday through a royal hunt. While Viserys publicly professes that he has no intention to revoke Rhaenyraâs right to the Iron Throne in favor of his son, he privately wonders if he should name Aegon his heir.
But upon returning to Kingâs Landing, Viserys encourages Rhaenyra to find her own suitor to marry, a prospective husband who may provide her with the resources to back her claim to the throne. He also assures her that Aegon will not supplant her in the line of succession.
Meanwhile, a war wages on between House Velaryon and Prince Daemon against the Crabfeeder in the Stepstones, with the formerâs resources and morale dwindling with each passing day. After Viserys sends a letter to Daemon to let him know that aid is on the way, Daemon storms the Crabfeederâs armyâs defencesâand at last emerges victorious.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on tonightâs action-packed episode. To see reactions to previous episodes, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 2
Here's a quick recap on the events of Episode 2. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Lord Corlys of House Velaryon (Steve Toussant) storms a small council meeting, imploring King Viserys (Paddy Considine) to take action against the so-called Crabfeeder, a prince of the eastern Free Cities who has taken down ships under Corlysâs fleets. Viserys, however, refuses, instead aiming to maintain a tenuous peace between that region and Westeros.
Later, Corlys and his wife, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best), approach Viserys with the intention of having him unite their houses by wedding their daughter, 12-year-old Laena Velaryon (Nova Foueillis-MosĂ©). RhaenysâViserysâs cousin and the dubbed âQueen Who Never Wasââreminds the reluctant king that he is expected to remarry soon to fulfill his royal duties, even if a year has yet to pass since Queen Aemmaâs (Sian Brooke) death.
Meanwhile, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) has stolen a dragon egg from the Red Keep, leaving in its place an invitation for the king to attend his wedding at the occupied Dragonstone to Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), a woman who worked at a brothel in Kingâs Landing. The Kingsguard and the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), confront Daemon at Dragonstone. Right as tensions begin to escalate between the Kingsguard and Daemonâs forces, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) arrives via her dragon. She ultimately deflates the conflict and retrieves the stolen egg with no blood shed.
Upon returning to Kingâs Landing, Viserys and Rhaenyra speak candidly about each otherâs grief over Aemmaâs passing. Rhaenyra, who understands that her father must remarry, gives him her blessing to wed Laena.
At the next small council meeting, Viserys announces his engagementâbut, instead of marrying Laena, he has set his eyes on Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), Ottoâs daughter and Rhaenyraâs best friend.
Appalled at the betrothal announcement, Corlys appeals to Daemon to take action against the Crabfeeder in the east.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary. To see reactions to the previous episode, make sure to scroll on.
Episode 1
Here's a quick recap on the explosive events of Episode 1. (Be warned, spoilers are ahead.)
Tensions are high in King's Landing as the small council who advises King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Consindine) debates about the line of succession to the Iron Throne. Viserys and his wife, Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke), have only one living child: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock). With no precedent set for a woman sitting on the Iron Throne, some fear the ascent of the king's younger and increasingly violent brother, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Aemma, however, is expecting another childâand Viserys has a premonition that the unborn baby will be a boy and his rightful heir.
But, tragedy befalls the Red Keep. After suffering through a bitter fifth pregnancy, Aemma undergoes life-threatening issues during labor. Desperate for his heir, Viserys allows the physician to cut open Aemma's stomach to save the baby. A gruesome scene follows, showing her horrific deathâonly for the baby (indeed a boy) to die with his mother.
Daemon celebrates the baby's demise by buying out a brothel and toasting to the "heir for a day." Viserys catches wind of his inappropriate festivities and orders him to leave King's Landing. Revoking Daemon's heirhood, the king then names Rhaenyra to not only become the ruler of Westeros but to be its first reigning queen.
He also warns his daughter of a dream seen by their prophetic ancestor, the first king of the Iron Throne, Aegon Targaryen. Aegon had foreseen "the end of the world of men" that began "with a terrible winter gusting out of the distant north" that possessed a darkness capable of "destoy[ing] the world of the living." This secret prophecy that Viserys bestows onto Rhaenyra hints at the events of Game of Thrones, nearly 200 years later.
Ahead, Twitter offers their commentary on House of the Dragon's premiere.
As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, sheâs probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.
