The season 2 finale of House of the Dragon set up some very key plot points to resolve when it returns – and we now know that season 3 will have eight episodes to do it. The main narrative thread was all leading to the big battle on the way across Westeros. From where we leave things, Rhaenyra has the clear advantage thanks to her dragonseeds. This means that after Daemon bent the knee, she has seven dragons (potentially eight if Rhaena manages to secure Sheepstealer).
Her fighters are preparing to make the approach on King’s Landing, where Alicent has told them that they’ll be allowed in to take control of the city. However, we’re not totally sure that it will all go as smoothly as that… In the final moments, we see Aegon and Larys heading out of the city, Helaena all but agreeing to mount her dragon, and Tyland Lannister’s new fleet on their way.
Aemond and Vhagar have their eye on Harrenhal too, and we know better than to bet against Vhagar…
Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin (who also penned House of the Dragon’s source material, Fire & Blood) seemingly has some issues with what’s to come, though. “There are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if House of the Dragon goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…” he wrote in a now-deleted blog post (which contains a possible major spoiler for the new season).
So far, one of the only things we know for sure about House of the Dragon season 3 is that Rhaenyra will have a weapon. At least, that’s what actor Emma D’Arcy is pushing for, as they explained in the podcast Happy Sad Confused on December 11.
“The petition I’ve put in is I want a weapon. Like it’s getting ridiculous. I don’t even mind if it’s like a little dagger, a short sword. I don’t really care. All the men in the show don’t have to worry about where they put their hands because they’re constantly holding the pommel of their sword. That obviously sounds like innuendo and you can do with that what you will, but that is true. And all the rest of us are going, ‘Where do we put our fucking hands?’ Anyway, next year one hand is going to be taken care of. That’s what I want,” they said.
The third season is also due to begin with a bang, depicting a major battle in its opening episode. HBO‘s head of drama series and films Francesca Orsi confirmed it will start with The Battle of the Gullet. “I’m really excited. I think you’re going to be in for a great surprise on how we start the [season] with an exciting battle,” said Orsi to Deadline.
Alicent actor Olivia Cooke also confirmed that the season will start big. “Well, I think I can say… it starts off with a bang,” the actor told Collider. “The first two [episodes] were essentially supposed to be our finale last year. So you can just imagine coming into that sort of energy. It’s bigger and more ferocious than ever before.”
Showrunner Ryan Condal has also teased a “conceptual” episode in the new season that will see the show go in a slightly different direction. “We got to have a little fun this season, and there’s a conceptual episode that I’m really excited about that [Sara Hess] wrote, and that’s all I’m gonna say about it,” he said during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “It isn’t in the traditional vernacular of what we have laid out. It’s very character-driven, I think it’s really great and I’m really excited to see it rendered.”