My fellow greens and blacks, 2026 has been a great year for the Game of Thrones universe – with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026 -) garnering an overwhelmingly positive reception. Hoping to build on that momentum, the eagerly anticipated third season of House of the Dragon (2022-) is in full swing after a two-year wait, with four of the eight episodes this season already out to stream on HBO Max.
The end of last season left us with the bombshell of Alicent (Olivia Cooke) surrendering King’s Landing to Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), seeking safety for her and her family in return. Since then, the show has boasted turbulent, action-packed family drama. From the deceptive political mind games, the fearsome dragons coming head to head, and the continual questioning of Rhaenyra’s authority — this season has it all. But the question that remains on everyone’s lips — which Targaryen will sit and stay on the Iron Throne?
Spoilers for HOTD EP 1-4 ahead. Trigger warning: discussions of rape and violence.
By far, the most compelling character development seen thus far (also seen at the tail end of last season) has been Alicent’s. Her pride and pig-headedness towards wanting her sons to claim the Iron Throne has shattered, acting as a “traitor” to Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) by enabling Rhaenyra to seize King’s Landing. For the first time, she is acting in what she believes to be the best interest of the kingdoms as opposed to her own selfish gain.
Yet her agency is still compromised when Lord Jasper Wylde (Paul Kennedy) disgustingly throws himself at Alicent in an attempt to rape her when she refuses to admit her helping hand towards the overthrowing. Cooke’s powerful portrayal of her aggressive resistance during his advances to her raw breakdown in the aftermath emphasizes the brokenness and helplessness she feels even as the unofficial sitting queen of the Seven Kingdoms. This is only reinforced by her confinement in King’s Landing after Rhaenyra’s reclaiming of the throne.
The women of the show are going through it (as usual), with Rhaenyra’s patience incessantly tested. Her untrusting small council led to the murder of her son Jace (Harry Collett) during the battle at the Gullet. Her husband, Daemon (Matt Smith), publicly undermined her decisions with regard to her first duties as queen. Her gold cloaks caused unrest amongst the smallfolk even after her efforts of amicability.
D’Arcy is always so perfectly able to capture the weight of the realm in the physicality of her performance – the held pressure in her expression, the tension and turmoil in her shoulders, and the fidgeting with her hands. Will she be able to continue to absorb this as well as she has so far, or will she lash out?
There is one likely candidate that will unequivocally test Rhaenyra to the next level — finding out that Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) was the one who mounted Sheepstealer, playing a part in Jace’s death. Added to the fact that Daemon knew, hid, and lied to her about who did it, it could rupture the blacks to a point of no return. Feels like an apt reveal that could come later…
It is only natural that she begins to gravitate more towards the women around her. Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) worms her way into Rhaenyra’s council, becoming her trusted confidant whilst also harboring romantic feelings for one another — much to the disapproval of Daemon. Even her attentiveness with her maids as she was dressing in her first public appearance as queen alludes to how we will continue to see her rule throughout the rest of the season.
More importantly, she seeks secret guidance from Alicent for crown activities like hearing petitions. The mutual respect and trust between Alicent and Rhaenyra appears to be repairing slowly but surely as they begin to value each other’s unique experiences of the crown. You cannot help but see the resemblance of their relationship with the relationship between Otto Hightower and King Viserys. Could we see Alicent as a Hand to Rhaenyra in future seasons?
Cooke and D’Arcy continue to bounce off of one another with magnetic chemistry. They magnificently capture the longing to have each other back as friends, as we saw them so closely in their youth during season one. Since becoming mothers, dealing with belittlement from men and ruling a council, they are able to appreciate the sacrifices and hardships they have each faced rather than villainizing one another. As the show goes on, their on-screen presence reminds us that they are the gravitational center the series orbits, with viewers eagerly awaiting their next interaction — a quality that season two severely lacked.
Speaking of the Hightowers, there has been both a lack of and an abundance of commotion caused by the Greens. Aegon, ego and body burnt, crumbles to Larys’ (Matthew Needham) whispers and flees King’s Landing to escape the sharp blade of Rhaenyra’s revenge. Aemond also leaves King’s Landing but is out for blood, flying to Harrenhal to kill his uncle Daemon. When he does not find him there after seizing it, the bewitching Alys (Gayle Rankin) claims that he fled yet again, but is that really the truth?
Both pose a dangerous threat to Rhaenyra’s seat on the Iron Throne, but will we see attempts at usurping in the second half of the season from either of them? My money is on Aemond trying and failing.
On top of this all, Lord Ormund (James Norton), cousin to Alicent, has his own nefarious plot in mind — raising Alicent’s son Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) to usurp the throne. And where is Rhaenyra’s son Aegon? The tensions are higher than ever.
While this season is packed to the brim with thrilling storylines, there are some that writers Ryan J. Condal, Sara Hess and David Hancock are unable to balance. Whenever the focus pulls towards Ulf (Tom Bennett), Addam (Clinton Liberty) and Hugh (Kieran Bew), the three dragon riders not of royal descent, the momentum of the episode grinds to a halt. Similarly, when watching Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) with Alyn (Abubakar Salim) and Addam, as well as Sir Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) with Alicent’s brother Gwayne (Freddie Fox), you find yourself wondering why we should care about these characters. It could be that later in the season they play larger roles, but for now they feel tagged on and irrelevant.
Overall, season three is more dynamic and well-paced than the former, which suffered from being a filler season. However, episodes one and two felt like the rightful conclusion to season two rather than acting as an opening to season three. Although they are the highest-rated episodes of the season so far, waiting two years for the payoff of Rhaenyra’s ascension feels criminal. Episodes three and four introduce us to what we have been patiently waiting for: Rhaenyra’s rule.
The first half of season three of House of the Dragon has kicked off with a bang, proving to be much punchier and more enthralling than its predecessor season. Simultaneously, the show ties and unravels what you come to know and expect from the characters we are so familiar with. The second half only promises more twists, turns, and bloodshed as the anarchy for the Iron Throne continues.
Recap Courtesy of Nandita Joshi
Feature Image Credit to HBO Max