House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 3 Review: The Mousetrap

House of the Dragon Season 3 continues at full speed following its quick-paced opening two episodes. The third episode, however, has a calmer tempo compared to the first two — and in that regard, it can be said to be one of the episodes the season needed. Episodes like this are necessary to give both the audience and the characters within the show room to breathe. The third episode’s offering of information about the realm within a political narrative, rather than major developments, contributes to the sense that this world is alive. Even during Game of Thrones, alongside the action-heavy episodes, the segments that best demonstrated the show’s true craft were those composed of dialogue-heavy scenes dedicated to world-building.

While House of the Dragon does its best in this regard, it unfortunately has not yet managed to reach the level of Game of Thrones in terms of world design. This episode, however, manages to construct a successful narrative alongside other quieter episodes. Naturally, the series’ customary controversial decisions and changes remain a staple. The fact that we are unlikely to see such a rich discussion space in any other production anytime soon is a valuable outcome — despite all the aggressive disputes that arise in the fan community.

This review contains spoilers for Season 3 Episode 3 of House of the Dragon.

House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 3 Review Arakat Mag HBO Max Ryan J Condal George R.R. Martin Emma D'Arcy Matt Smith Olivia Cooke

Lost Gold

House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 3 picks up immediately where the second episode left off. The absence of time skips this season is now genuinely a welcome development. Because in previous seasons — particularly the first — time skips somewhat complicated the audience’s ability to form bonds with the characters. Rhaenyra and Daemon taking Otto’s head immediately after ascending to the throne was one of the necessary moves to assert their legitimacy. But at this point we learn that the economic situation and the matter of the lost gold — frequently discussed in the source material the show is adapted from — is being brought to the foreground as an important concern. This is quite significant, because in many ways those gold reserves are critical for both governing the Seven Kingdoms and continuing to vigorously defend their claim to the throne. A solution must also be found to keep the people of King’s Landing — now renamed the Queen’s City — from growing restless.

The details offered here I found quite pleasing as a viewer. As with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms or Game of Thrones, there was rarely enough time in this series to address the problems of common people. But with this missing treasury development, we are compelled to focus on just that. While establishing this focus is valuable, the fact that it falls to Rhaenyra is somewhat ironic — since she bears an indirect share of responsibility for the poverty that has emerged. Within this storytelling, the dinner she arranges for the city’s wealthy and the message she delivers were quite effective; in a sense, they offer a glimpse of what kind of queen she wishes to be.

The episode has some delightful sections for fans who might be called the universe’s nerds. The references drawn from the books and the altered scenes provide ample opportunity for comparison. The matter of the stolen treasury occupies a particularly important place in the Dance of the Dragons story. While Rhaenyra has found a short-term solution for now, the matter has not yet been fully resolved. The moves the Black Council makes at this juncture will be critical — provided, of course, they manage to form a functional council at all. For the events of this episode make it abundantly clear that the council does not currently enjoy a healthy working environment.

Grief Held in the Deep

The episode can essentially be read entirely through the lens of Rhaenyra. We can easily observe her early moves as queen and her shifting psychological state. Her lack of time to even grieve after Prince Jace’s death — even as she tries not to show it — reveals that the character is in psychological free fall. I could feel this psychology throughout the episode. The character’s narrative arc seems to be shifting toward a closer resemblance to the Rhaenyra of the books — because we know that the Rhaenyra depicted in the source material is a character prone to mistakes and genuinely frustrating. That frustration, of course, has more than one reason; I say this not as a complaint. After all, what she has experienced causes the character to be personally affected by all of it.

Watching the weight the throne brings and how the queen begins to falter from this point on will be quite compelling. Her inability to meet the people around her — especially Corlys and Daemon — at a middle ground may push Rhaenyra toward increasing isolation in the remaining episodes of House of the Dragon. How she alleviates this loneliness and tries to keep herself together could be supported through her relationship with Alicent. Within the episode, Alicent was positioned as something of an informal advisor during her conversations with Rhaenyra. It is fair to say that they have had a peculiar dynamic since the beginning of the series. While I wasn’t initially warm to this pairing’s relationship — which began in enmity before gradually softening — I can say I’ve grown accustomed to it by now.

The episode’s worst scene for me was the public confrontation between Corlys and Rhaenyra. In the books, Rhaenyra’s decision regarding the Velaryon bastards goes in the opposite direction — she legitimizes Alyn and Addam. The show’s Rhaenyra making the opposite decision is not wrong in itself. It would actually be quite interesting if an heir whose claim has long been questioned because of her own illegitimate children were to legitimize others in the same situation the moment she took the throne. The decision is internally consistent. But Corlys’s reaction to it — I’m not sure it’s an appropriate response to give when standing before a queen; he entirely dismisses the weight of the queen in front of all those people. I can’t say I liked this choice; it is a decision that will divide viewers.

A New Targaryen

House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 3 introduces a new Targaryen prince to the universe. I wouldn’t be exaggerating to say this has been a long time coming. Prince Daeron Targaryen, the youngest child of Queen Alicent and the late King Viserys, finally makes his entrance into the show. The thing about Daeron is that, unlike the other Targaryen children, he was given to the Hightowers at a very young age and raised entirely by their customs and traditions. It would be far more accurate to call him a Hightower than a Targaryen. At one point in the episode, we see a scene in which Daemon, with dragons present, strikes a deal with Ormund Hightower. In brief: the Hightowers would withdraw their armies and deliver Daeron to the blacks.

The terms of the agreement are fulfilled, but by the end of the episode we learn that the child who was actually delivered was merely a stalling tactic on Ormund’s part. Frankly, I found these scenes a bit flat. None of the viewers would have believed from the outset that the boy was actually Daeron; they could certainly have written this section better. But looked at from within the universe, it is fair to say that Ormund’s clever gambit paid off. Through this tactic, he deals a severe blow to the blacks while still holding a Targaryen prince capable of pressing a claim.

Daemon, naturally, is one of the episode’s stars once again. His active presence this season directly impacts the season’s quality. House of the Dragon is living through its peak period with its third season. The first season remains outstanding for me personally, but this season is also advancing with considerable strength. I don’t think the momentum will drop much as the season continues. This was probably the quietest episode of the season so far — and even so, it contained thoroughly gripping scenes. While it doesn’t soar as high as the first two episodes, it succeeds in building a solid foundation for the rest of the season.

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