House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 3 Recap: The Black’s Progress

Nearing the halfway point already, House Of The Dragon (“HOTD”) Season 2 has been off to a relatively slow start since the first episode aired on 16th June. Check out our round-ups for episodes one and two if you need a refresh on key plots or want to hear our thoughts. While episode two landed last week (23rd June) on HBO or Sky Atlantic in the UK, the highly anticipated third episode aired on Sunday (30th June) and seemed to pick up the much-needed pace we’ve all been waiting for. Let’s get into our thoughts on Season 2, episode three.

Be warned, spoilers ahead!

Unlike episodes one and two, which only get into the action towards the end of the episodes, episode three’s beginning feels very reminiscent of Game of Thrones. The episode opens with a conflict between a group of boys, some of House Bracken and some of House Blackburn, in the Riverlands, where their families are two of the leading clans and constantly at odds. It’s not a very long fight between the two ringleaders of their respective houses, but it boils down to a long-standing feud between these two houses.

House of the Dragon: The Riverlands

While they have not been at the forefront of any drama thus far in the show, attentive viewers will remember all the way back in Season 1, Episode 4, when men were lining up for Rhaenyra’s hand, a young boy stepped forward to make his claim (he was Willem Blackwood). Said boy was taunted by an older boy (Jerrel Bracken), which descended into a fight that left Bracken killed by Blackwood, which wouldn’t have done anything to solve the animosity between the two families.

Anyway, back in season 2, the boys bicker and threaten one another because of their differing allegiances in the war. House Blackwood is shockingly Team Black and thus supports Rhaenyra as the rightful ruler of Westeros, while House Bracken is Team Green. 

In quite a cinematic twist, we see these boys fighting before the scene sharply cuts to the same field but covered in hundreds of dead bodies, wearing both families’ sigils. For anyone who reads the books, this is the Battle Of The Burning Mill, which saw big losses on both the Black’s and the Greens’ sides.

We don’t actually see any of the battle, which is a bit disappointing, but at least the rising tension across Westeros is starting to creep further into the show’s focus rather than just the constant politics and inner-circle disputes. This also means one of the first real Dance Of The Dragon battles has happened. Though we didn’t see any of it, which may foreshadow further fighting, which is the course of action Daemon and Aemond want for their respective sides, even if that opposes what Rhaenyra and Alicent would prefer.

HOTD: Back to Dragonstone

The following scene is not hugely noteworthy; we see Arryk and Erryk being buried together, and Rhaenyra asks her aunt, Rhaenys, for advice on the brewing war. At some point in this conversation, Rhaenys intimates that Alicent likely wants to avoid bloodshed as much as Rhaenyra does, which leads Rhaenyra to decide she wishes to speak with Alicent in King’s Landing. She asks Mysaria for help, who tells Rhaenyra the one place Alicent is guaranteed to go alone, where Rhaenyra may be able to speak to her without being caught instantly – spoilers, it’s the Sept, the temple for The Seven in King’s Landing.

Now, while I can see why a ruler may not wish to encourage bloodshed across the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaenyra has always been on the softer side – especially when you compare her to the likes of Daenerys, everyone’s favourite Targaryen queen – throughout the second half of season 1, and early episodes of season 2. Rhaenyra seems desperate to forgive and forget, offering the Greens plenty of opportunities to end the feud.

To name just one attempt for peace, Rhaenyra tried to marry one of her sons to Alicent’s daughter, though this was refused. And even now, after so many people close to either side, children and loyal fighters, have been killed, Rhaenyra still wants to avoid all-out war. And I can understand why a queen would want to avoid nationwide fighting, but it’s hardly making for great watching.

The trailers portrayed Rhaenyra in this season as angered and vengeful after her son was killed and she miscarried her unborn child, two losses that would drive any mother to war. But instead, Rhaenyra seems to be underwhelming and anticlimactically passive, which is disappointing.

The Black’s Prepare for War

We see a lot of Rhaena’s story in this episode – for anyone who forgot who she was because of her sheer lack of screen time, she’s Daemon and Lady Laena Velaryon’s daughter. This episode sees her being sent away to Pentos with Rhaenyra’s youngest children for their safety as the war looms closer. Rhaena is also sent with a collection of dragon eggs that die-hard Game of Thrones fans will likely recognise instantly. That’s right, veering from the book, Rhaena is sent to Essos with the future of House Targaryen’s dragons, the same dragon eggs gifted to Daenerys in Season 1 of Game of Thrones.

The first glimpse of Daemon that we get in this episode is him atop his dragon (Caraxes) during a storm as he lands on the ruined Harrenhal. Though it isn’t entirely clear why Daemon was so desperate to claim Harrenhal, his taking of the dilapidated stronghold is quite funny.

Reminiscent of Season 1 episode three, when he killed the Crabfeeder without uttering one line of dialogue through the entire episode, this episode sees Daemon – in full armour – sneaking through the shadowy halls until he enters the great hall and announces to a full dining table that he is claiming Harrenhal.

HOTD: Claiming Harrenhal

Ser Simon Strong, the steward, quickly bends the knee and submits to Daemon, going as far as to offer him food and residence so that they may begin to build support for Rhaenyra. Much like the King in the North, Robb Stark’s claim to the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra’s bid to claim back her throne also seems to pivot on the shoulders of the Riverlands. Thus, both sides do their best to claim lords and strongholds for their respective causes.

While at Harrenhal, Daemon seems to have some sort of hallucination, which wasn’t explained to the best extent but inflicted by a witch who will become a much larger part as season 2 progresses. In this bizarre, trippy vision, Daemon comes across a young Rhaenyra – seeing a brief return of Milly Alcock – who appears to be sewing up the neck of the dead Jaehaerys (the boy Daemon hired mercenaries to kill).

Daemon walks around beside a Weirwood tree, where the witch tells him he will “die in this castle”. Anyone who finds Melisandre irritating in Game of Thrones should buckle up because it seems we’ve got another prophesying witch joining the war for the throne. 

New House of the Dragon Characters

In the latter half of the episode, we meet a new character who goes by Dragonseed, who claims to have Targaryen and Valyrian blood and that he is the bastard brother of Viserys and Daemon – supposedly. Though he doesn’t do a great deal in this episode, we can only assume he’ll have a bigger part to play as the season progresses. 

The other new character we are introduced to is Gwayne Hightower, Alicent’s brother, who is played by Freddie Fox – who I, personally, was very happy to see join the war in Westeros.

Gwayne is set to join Ser Criston Cole, who intends to take a small party north to Harrenhal in an attempt to seize the Riverlands’ stronghold before Rhaenyra’s side can. He refuses to take a dragon, though King Aegon and Aemond insist on joining him atop their own dragons. Alicent insists that Vhagar must remain to protect King’s Landing and that Aegon cannot just run off to fight, given that he’s the King. Criston begrudgingly accepts the company of Alicent’s marginally arrogant and belligerent brother, along with a handful of other men.

While continuing their journey, Gwayne inadvertently leads the party into an open expanse where Baela is flying overhead on her dragon, Moondancer. The party is spotted, and Baela pursues them from the sky. Criston leads the party into the treeline, where they manage to be concealed in the woods. Thanks to the tree canopy, Baela loses sight of them and flies off. Why she didn’t set fire to the trees just for good measure, I don’t know, but I suppose we should be at least grateful she cares about the environment.

HOTD: Rhaenyra and Alicent Reunite

Unlike the two preceding episodes, this ends on a much slower, anticlimactic close. Rhaenyra manages to sneak into the Sept, dressed as one of the Septas, unbeknownst to her council. Alicent is praying to the Seven alone when Rhaenyra sits beside her and draws a knife.

Rhaenyra pleads with Alicent to end the war, an outcome they both seem to want. Though fans have pointed out that while Rhaenyra had the opportunity to barter for peace, she didn’t offer Alicent anything in return for ceasing the bloodshed, it felt as though all Rhaenyra did was reaffirm that she is the rightful heir. Alicent accuses her of being responsible for killing the young Jaehaerys, which Rhaenyra refutes, but she does point out that she never got any retribution for Lucerys’ death.

The conversation eventually turns to why Alicent believes Aegon is the heir Viserys wants, explaining what he mumbles on his deathbed. Of course, Rhaenyra recognises the phrase “the prince that was promised” as an old story/prophecy that Viserys used to tell about Aegon the Conqueror.

It’s worth pointing out that, in the Targaryen dynasty, the first Aegon was the Conqueror, and the second Aegon was Alicent and Viserys’ son (official title: Aegon II). During Season 1, Rhaenyra named her and Daemon’s first-born son Aegon (official title: Aegon III/The Younger). Meaning that all of this fighting was spawned from a misunderstanding about one name, and there is, of course, another Aegon yet to be born. Maybe if the Targaryen line switched names up a little bit more, or George R.R. Martin could come up with any other names, we wouldn’t be in this mess.

HOTD: The Song of Ice and Fire

Fans have also expressed annoyance at the repeated mention of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy, which I agree with. Given that Game of Thrones season 8 was, arguably, abysmal, it ruined all of the work done to substantiate this prophecy. George R.R. Martin is still yet to finish the book, so we have no idea whether the final season’s massive segue was following Martin’s plan or whether it was a decision made by directors. Still, for whatever reason, season 8 made the prophecy null and void, so it’s hard to take it seriously in House Of The Dragon when we know what happens.

The Song of Ice and Fire foretold a prince (gender neutral) who was promised would save the world from a terrible war. For this to happen, a Targaryen who will descend from Aegon the Conqueror must be seated on the Iron Throne.

It was hinted in Game of Thrones that this was Jon Snow, who had the blood of a Stark (ice) and a Targaryen (fire). His birth mother, Lyanna Stark, had named him Aegon, though Ned Stark had changed it when he took him in as his fake son. This made Jon Snow, aka Aegon Targaryen, the rightful ruler of Westeros. Obviously, that’s not how season 8 played out, but that is the prophecy that Viserys was mumbling about before he died.

This tense attempt at reconciliation between the two once close friends sees Rhaenyra warn Alicent of the blood and war their families are facing. Alicent replies, “It’s too late.” There’s nothing she can or will do to prevent what is to come. The last shot of this episode is of Rhaenyra kneeling by herself in front of the candle-covered altar, accepting war as the only path to her inheritance.

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3

While there was still a great deal of pontificating and not any substantial fighting, this episode’s pace shifted, with both sides making proactive moves in the war that foretell battles, specifically in the Riverlands, yet to come. Is the witch’s prophecy to be believed? Will we see Daemon’s death later this season? While that’s not something I personally want to see or even think about, the death of her husband may spur Rhaenyra into some real action or may signify the end of the Blacks’ claim to the Iron Throne.

With bloodshed looming and more fighting seemingly on the precipice, I will be awaiting episode four with bated breath.