House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6: The Curse of Judgment

With the sixth episode of House of the Dragon’s third season, we have now completed seventy-five percent of the season. Since the first two episodes, the season has continued to place greater emphasis on dialogue and politics. Although this approach does not appeal to everyone, it is directly related to the reduced episode count. Had the second season continued for the ten episodes originally planned, these problems might have been avoided and the story could have rested on firmer foundations. Instead, the plans changed entirely at the last minute, and moving the final two episodes of season two to the beginning of season three directly affected the narrative flow.

This situation is also reflected in the distribution of screen time. Under the season’s original structure, we might have spent longer with the Winter Wolves and the Tully soldiers and devoted more time to Ulf and Hugh. The changes, however, shortened the scenes of certain characters while bringing others further to the foreground.

Accepting His Fate

The episode begins at speed, with Criston Cole and his men confronting the Tully soldiers and the Winter Wolves. The scene unfolds in a manner close to the books. Cole had already said in the previous episode that he was embarking on what amounted to a suicide mission. By dragging his men along with him, he achieves his ultimate aim. The trap devised by the Blacks is intelligent: with a calculated plan, they catch Cole and his men—who have been a persistent threat—off guard. The most important detail is Cole looking at the letter Alicent gave him before drawing his final breath. The scene is clearly intended to be dramatic, but I will leave it to you to decide how deeply Cole’s death will upset—or delight—anyone.

Another important aspect of the scene is that Alysanne Blackwood fires the arrows that cause Cole’s death. She occupies an important place in the story of the Dance of the Dragons. Besides being a highly capable commander, she stands out as a woman: she directly answers the “You are a woman; you cannot do it.” refrain so frequently heard throughout the series. She has also become one of my favourite characters in recent times. I look forward to seeing her and following her story in the coming episodes.

Even setting aside my dislike of the character, Cole’s death scene did not work for me. Dispatching someone who has received so much screen time since the first season feels rushed. One reason is that the characters opposing him have not been given complete stories. We have never truly seen the sides develop intense anger and hostility toward one another; the series has generally left the audience to infer it. Although House of the Dragon remains weak in this respect, other scenes in the episode manage to compensate from a different angle.

The Magic of Valyria

My favourite aspect of the episode, as I have mentioned in previous reviews, is the growing attention paid to the histories of the houses. Earlier seasons frequently presented this material as subtext, but nobody discussed it openly. This season gives such details the weight they deserve. That is an important achievement, because a work with such a vast world and deep history can never run out of stories to tell.

This episode continues to give us generous lessons in Targaryen history. Alongside the Alicent and Rhaenyra scenes, Aemond joins that discussion with Alys. The discovery of dragon eggs at Harrenhal is particularly important. According to Aemond, they belong to Dreamfyre. Alys explains that the dragon laid them when the former Targaryen princess Rhaena came there to mourn. We already know that Dreamfyre currently belongs to Helaena. Reddit will undoubtedly be filled with theories about these eggs throughout the week. After all, one of the most popular Game of Thrones theories holds that Daenerys’s dragon eggs originally belonged to Dreamfyre.

Another notable point in Rhaenyra and Alicent’s conversation is their acknowledgement that Helaena is a dreamer. Alicent speaks of it in mystical terms, and I appreciated that Rhaenyra showed no surprise. Her comparison with Daenys the Dreamer, who foresaw the Doom of Valyria, is especially significant. I like seeing the Targaryens understand their own history and recognise that they are far more than an ordinary bloodline. These qualities distinguish them from the rest of the realm. I was disappointed that, apart from the prophecy, the first two seasons showed so little of this. The attention given to such nuances this season has pleased many fans, myself included.

Anxiety over Legitimacy

Another important element is the conversation among the Hightowers. Their discussion of House Hightower’s traditions, together with the dynamics and contrasts between the characters, makes these scenes enjoyable. Beyond the conflict between Gwayne and Ormund, Daeron’s minor outburst offers important signals about the story’s future. We also gain a clearer sense of Ormund’s plan. The relationship between Gwayne and Daeron is another dynamic we had never actually seen, although Alicent and Gwayne’s earlier conversation had made us aware of it. Now we finally witness it.

On the Blacks’ side, Rhaenyra continues to struggle with governing. Although she had the people’s support before entering the city, she has gradually begun to lose power since her arrival. With each episode, the series makes the tension between her desire for revenge and the responsibilities of the throne increasingly palpable. Emma D’Arcy fully inhabits the character in these scenes. It would not be an exaggeration to call theirs the strongest performance in the series; they have continued to build on it across all three seasons. The episode is also impressive cinematically. One shot in particular looks down on the Iron Throne from above. I believe this is the closest it has ever appeared to its description in the book.

There is, of course, also the moment when the throne cuts the Queen. It is said that the Iron Throne cuts anyone unworthy of ruling. The claim is somewhat amusing—what are the chances that a throne made entirely of swords would not cut the person sitting on it? Yet despite my calling it ridiculous, this is one of those small but important details that makes the world feel alive. In the City Watch sections, Daemon’s struggles continue. He has effectively become a more outspoken version of Helaena: nobody listens to him, but he ultimately proves to be right.

Seeds Sown

The scenes involving Ulf and Hugh once again contain important moments for the narrative. We have begun to watch both men slowly lose their sense of purpose. Of the three Dragonseeds—Addam, Hugh and Ulf—if we set Addam aside, at least at this stage of the story, the series needs to devote more attention to the other two. For the Blacks, events are moving step by step toward the inevitable.

Frankly, the Corlys scene at the end of the episode left me confused. We do not know exactly what has happened to him, but I hope this is not Corlys’s death. Such a development would amount to a decision capable of shaking the story to its foundations. George R. R. Martin’s observation that “butterfly effects slowly turn into an avalanche you cannot stop” would truly apply to a change like this—not to Sheepstealer eating sheep here and there. I hope the scene is merely a misdirection, because it struck me as an attempt to deceive the audience.

The episode once again contains moments of great importance to the story. The final two episodes should return to a greater focus on action; the pace now needs to accelerate. Ryan Condal is among the writers of the final episode, and the episodes we could call this season’s strongest have already featured the writing team of Sara Hess and Condal. I therefore hope another powerful conclusion is being planned. House of the Dragon needs to connect this season to the final one with a strong finale. The quality of the season and its story deserve nothing less.

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