“The crown is a weight that crushes. You’ll do things that spell death for all involved.”
Some viewers were disappointed that the second season of House of the Dragon ended not with a bang, but a whimper. But the big battle sequence that season 2 set up will open season 3 with a bang, judging by the latest trailer, which has all the dragons, fire, and blood Westeros is known for.
(Spoilers for first two seasons below.)
As previously reported, the series is set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, when dragons were still a fixture of Westeros, and chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen’s reign. The primary source material is Fire and Blood, a fictional history of the Targaryen kings written by George R.R. Martin. As book readers know, those events culminated in a civil war and the extinction of the dragons—at least until Daenerys Targaryen came along.
The second season had plenty of politicking and conniving subterfuge, but we didn’t get to see the spectacularly brutal Battle of the Gullet, because HBO trimmed S2’s episode count from 10 to eight. Still, the S2 finale teed it up perfectly, as Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) finally declared outright dragon war following Aemond’s (Ewan Mitchell) reckless destruction of Sharp Point. As for Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), after his brother took over the throne—which, remember, Aegon usurped from the rightful named heir, Rhaenyra—he went into hiding in Braavos, intending to wait out the war.
Much of the main cast—those whose characters survived S2—are returning, including D’Arcy, Glynn-Carney, and Mitchell. Also returning: Olivia Cooke Alicent; Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower; and Matt Smith as Daemon. Also returning: Steve Toussaint as Corlys; Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria; Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole; Matthew Needham as Larys; Jefferson Hall as Jason and Tyland Lannister; Harry Collett as Jacaerys; Bethany Antonia as Baela; Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena; Phia Saban as Helaena; Kurt Egyiawan as Orwyle; Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer; Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull; Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull; Tom Bennett as Ulf White; Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower; and Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers.
Joining the cast for S3 are James Norton as Ormund Hightower; Tommy Flanagan as Roderick Dustin; Dan Fogler as Torrhen Manderly; Tom Cullen as Luthor Largent; Joplin Sibtain as Jon Roxton; Barry Sloane as Adrian Redford; and Annie Shapero as Alysanne Blackwood.
The new trailer opens mid-battle, as we see Daemon thrashing away at an opponent while a dragon lights up the war-torn landscape. “These are turbulent times,” the High Septon says, which seems to be an understatement. Alicent understands the stakes much more clearly when she tells her throne-usurping son, Aemond, “Rhaenyra is coming [to King’s Landing]. You are no longer safe here.”
Yet even as Rhaenyra reclaims her rightful throne, backed up by lots of dragons, there is a whisper campaign underway to convince her subjects that she is “weak and unsuited to rule.” Aemond, of course, is convinced she will fail and is determined to “raise our own throne.” Rhaenyra isn’t helping her cause when she accuses her own council of betraying her and demands they bring the usurper Aegon to her. From her tone, her intentions are far from honorable.
The third season of House of the Dragon premieres on HBO on June 21, 2026. A fourth and final season is already in the works.
Source: Ars Technica
