Yazar House of the Dragon maintains its pace in the second episode of a third season it entered with a quick start. Last week’s first episode managed once again to achieve the now-classic-for-this-universe situation of “splitting fans right down the middle.” To be honest, I’m no longer particularly surprised by this. The series looks set to keep dividing audiences in opinion right up until it wraps up.
The leading criticism circulating throughout the week was the question “Where is Nettles?” I both understand and don’t understand why people are so fixated on this. Yes, certain decisions can be frustrating, but the Nettles and Rhaena swap seems quite logical to me. Even George R. R. Martin himself is probably unaware of this sudden surge of affection for Nettles. I think it’s time we put an end to the “faithfulness to source material” critique in adaptation projects. Indeed, House of the Dragon, despite all the changes made in this regard, is still moving forward as a good adaptation.
This piece may contain spoilers for Season 3 Episode 2 of House of the Dragon.
The Queen’s Tears
We had said farewell to crown prince Jacaerys at the end of last episode. House of the Dragon, as you know, is set during a period referred to in the books as the Dance of the Dragons. This period does not actually have a detailed history that George R. R. Martin prioritized extensively during his creative process. The primary purpose of this era is actually to explain the process leading to the Daenerys era in Game of Thrones — by eliminating the dragons. The era thus marks the beginning of the end for House Targaryen, and can be seen as the first point where they begin to lose all their might and power. For my part, Jacaerys’s death was personally one of the events that surprised me most when reading the book.
Jace’s loss is important for Rhaenyra’s character development on the Blacks’ side, though of course the political impact it will have will become clear in the coming period. Frankly, I think the character could have been given a bit more space throughout the series. The time jumps and actor changes in the series in particular — occurring as frequently as they do — can make it difficult to form bonds with certain characters. But Jace, both through Harry Collett‘s acting performance and his role in the series, was among those who could break through this barrier.
We begin the episode with Jace’s body being brought to Dragonstone. The only thing to be said about these scenes is that Emma D’Arcy once again merges with the character during her performance. She has been masterfully carrying scenes like this since the first season. Here too she passes her pain and regret on to the viewer, fostering a bond between the audience and the character. This is a very important scene for Rhaenyra, because since the series began we’ve seen the character constantly losing people and now becoming worn down.
Rising Again
Beyond the main plot focused on in the episode, multiple characters’ side stories were developed. That’s why I can say this is a quite important episode for the season and the series’ future. On the Corlys and Velaryon side, for instance, the remaining members of the family coming together for a kind of reunion will allow important steps to be taken for the house’s future. These scenes needed to be developed — we specifically watched Corlys paying a kind of penance. I just think he would have left a more impactful impression if he had died last episode. But I’m still curious about what the house will do from this point onward.
The scenes featuring Alicent were likewise very valuable. On one hand we watch how politically chaotic King’s Landing is, while on the other we witness that there is no one to trust. Alicent is one of the hardest characters in the series to predict. While you thought the character’s journey had ended by the middle of last season, they managed to add new layers on top. Since the show version has such enormous differences from Alicent in the books, she seems capable of doing anything at any moment. But despite all that has happened, the line she says to Helaena — “I can still save you” — explains the only motivation the character has.
As for Aemond and Aegon, they will live their own storylines for a while. To be honest, I think Aegon’s parts are far too unnecessary. I haven’t been able to warm up to the changes made here. Having him disappear for a while as in the books could have provided a better viewing experience and a significant shock effect. Aemond, meanwhile, following last episode’s events, arrives at Harrenhal after heeding his mother’s words and stirs things up considerably. Frankly, I should mention that the moment Aemond gets wounded while scattering the Strong family looks a bit absurd. I don’t like these kinds of simplifications specifically in House of the Dragon, but I’m aware that certain scenes need to be this way, so I won’t criticize it too much. I’m sure the interaction the character will have with Alys Rivers going forward will be more interesting.
The True Ruler of the Throne
House of the Dragon finally gives viewers what they want with the second episode of its third season. Rhaenyra is now seated on the throne, and the Blacks’ side has, for now, achieved a victory. I liked these parts of the episode. The manner of entering King’s Landing and taking the throne was, in my view, the right choice in general terms. Rhaenyra’s trust in Alicent not coming up empty this time was one of the important moments for her character. Also, the reminder that the Gold Cloaks are still loyal to Daemon — even if this hadn’t been emphasized nearly enough for a long time — finally came. While this implication was made earlier, we should have seen at least a few concrete actions; I don’t think it was right to let it be forgotten to this extent. Helaena’s presence was another detail that made these scenes important. Because the character actually experiences problems similar to those others are going through; sometimes she falls too far into the background. Phia Saban does quite a good job bringing the character to life and never falls behind the big names. Additionally, one could say the star of the episode is Daemon. I’m sure there are many people who have been waiting for the character to do something since season 2. I think this episode will have brought them happiness. To be fair, I’m a bit part of that crowd myself. Seeing Daemon actively involved is genuinely one of the details that raises the series’ viewing quality. Rhaenyra’s next moves will be quite important. The character has managed to remain much more reasonable compared to the other figures living in the House of the Dragon universe. For those who remember, when Corlys was considering joining the Blacks’ side in the series, Rhaenys was emphasizing that Rhaenyra was different from the other figures in the realm. What matters now is this: Rhaenyra has taken the throne — but can she hold on to it? While figures like Aemond and Aegon held the throne for a period, they were leaders not well received by the people. Rhaenyra needs to reverse this — and the Rhaenyra we’ve watched up to now can do it. But could Jace’s death have changed something?Even though I greatly liked and enjoyed the episode overall, the finale bothered me a bit. Because Otto’s end shouldn’t have happened this way.
The series had given House Hightower its proper due very well in the first season. Their beliefs, perspectives, and all the ideas they built about life were the complete opposite of the Targaryens’. And this opposition fueled the struggle between the two houses. But unfortunately, after the first season, this approach was completely abandoned. We needed to see the Hightower name more. Throughout this season, with the introduction of Daeron and Ormund Hightower, I hope we can see more scenes and events relating to the house. On the other hand, Daeron’s involvement in events could come across as a bit odd; because having a character who hasn’t appeared for so long suddenly show up is something they need to handle well. Returning to the end of the episode, Rhaenyra taking Otto’s head and walking toward the throne has a beautiful and impactful scene with a compelling narrative. It could also give an idea of where Rhaenyra and the Blacks’ side are headed going forward. House of the Dragon has had quite a good start to the third season. Unlike the first two seasons, there is constant action and the pace hasn’t dropped. The third season starting this strongly is very important for the series and the coming productions set in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. The series has, in my view, once again reached its first-season momentum after these two episodes. While there were certain problems with the second season, most of those issues stemmed from things like budget cuts. House of the Dragon, with the first two episodes of the third season, manages to soar from the heights once again.
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House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1 Review: The Price of the Throne
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