House of the Dragon returns to HBO and HBO Max tonight for the third season’s penultimate episode. The Sport Of Thrones prequel has had a a lot, significantly better run this season than final. I’ve already seen the finale and whereas I received’t spoil something, I can say that it was fairly superior. Like genuinely one of the superior episodes within the Sport of Thrones universe. I’m excited to debate it with you after it airs, so remember to search for my assessment here on this blog.
The forces of Rhaenyra and Staff Black have been on the rise, and up till issues began going badly in King’s Touchdown, Lord Ormund and the forces of Staff Inexperienced and the Hightowers have been on the defensive. Now, with Ormund enjoying puppet grasp and Rhaenyra spinning uncontrolled, it’s actually anyone’s sport – particularly after a sure dragon got here again from being (solely principally) useless final week.
Learn on for all the things you could learn about this week’s episode, plus recaps of every episode and a trailer for tonight’s foray into the Dance of Dragons. Season 3 to this point has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any of the fantasy collection’ seasons, with 91% on the assessment combination web site. Viewership has dropped, however massive battles with their fearsome fire-breathing dragons may simply convey viewers again, particularly since this actually has been a step in the proper course in comparison with Season 2.
You should definitely additionally take a look at my weekend streaming guide for all one of the best TV exhibits and flicks out this weekend.
The Battle of Tumbleton is coming to Home of the Dragon and it seems prefer it’s going to be brutal and epic and principally all the things we’ve been hoping to see on this present for 3 seasons. Huge armies, dragons within the skies, fireplace and blood.
Home of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6 drops at 9pm ET / 6pm PT on Sunday, August 2 and can run for a complete of roughly 63 minutes.
Like Season 2, Season 3 will probably be simply eight episodes lengthy as a substitute of 10. Right here’s once they air on HBO and HBO Max:
‘Home of the Dragon’ Season 3 So Far
What Occurred In ‘Home of the Dragon’ Episode 7?
Home of the Dragon
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Learn my full recap and review of Episode 7 here. The primary factor that went down in final week’s penultimate episode is we principally witnessed Rhaenyra actually lose her maintain over these loyal to her and Staff Inexperienced achieve some huge benefits simply when issues appeared at their worst.
A large dragon struggle between Rhaenyra, Addam, Daemon and Rhaena noticed Rhaena taken captive and Sheepstealer pushed off, badly wounded. It was an unimaginable second of fantasy TV, but it surely was additionally one other instance of Rhaenyra sacrificing her benefit in favor of her rage and spite.
In the meantime, Aegon’s remaining stand in opposition to Rhaenyra loyalists didn’t go in any respect the best way we anticipated, together with his useless dragon, Sunfyre, abruptly coming to again to life (not as a result of he was actually resurrected however as a result of he was by no means useless within the first place, which Aegon mentioned to Larys earlier this season).
All instructed, this episode set the stage for a large finale, with Ormund seducing Ulf the White to the Hightower trigger and Staff Black slowly shedding management of King’s Touchdown and their most essential allies.
What Occurred In ‘Home of the Dragon’ Episode 6?
Home of the Dragon
Credit score: HBO
For a full recap of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6 read my review right here.
An important occasion of the episode, and definitely those followers talked about probably the most, was the ignominious loss of life of the bastard (within the figurative sense) Ser Criston Cole, one of many most-hated males in all the Thrones-verse. What I believe was most attention-grabbing about this loss of life, nonetheless, was how we had begun to see Ser Criston not by the eyes of Rhaenyra or Alicent, however by that of his good friend, Gwayne, a person we respect and admire as actually noble and good. It may not have modified who Ser Criston was, or our total opinion of him, however I discovered that it made his loss of life one way or the other extra tragic. There was some thought flitting concerning the again of my thoughts: “What sort of man may Ser Criston have turn into if he had not been thrust so younger amidst the machinations of Targaryen royalty, stunning younger princesses and so forth?”
Far more occurred this episode after all, together with the seize of Corlys, the return of Tyland Lannister and ongoing strife in King’s Touchdown, the place Rhaenyra continues to point out simply how poor a frontrunner she actually is, whereas Lord Ormund’s wily plotting has her off-balance at each flip.
What Occurred In ‘Home Of The Dragon’ Episode 5?
Home of the Dragon
Screenshot: Erik Kain
For a full recap of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 5 read my review right here.
One other very robust episode, “Unbowed and Unbent” is all concerning the numerous resentments and bitterness that’s grown up all throughout the noble Homes of Westeros. Aemond raves about his horrible older brother who spent their youth tormenting him. Aegon vows to kill Aemond, the golden little one his mom cherished finest, at whose toes he lays all of the blame. Larys stops his whinging quick, saying that he was a awful king and stays a “horrible man” and, oddly sufficient, could have earned the crippled king-in-exile’s respect within the course of.
In the meantime, Gold Cloaks are being murdered horribly in King’s Touchdown, all a part of Lord Ormund Hightower’s plot to create chaos within the metropolis and sow doubt about Rhaenyra’s capability to rule (in any case, she is only a girl). Ormund has very low opinions of girls, exterior the Yellow Toad of Dorne who he appears to admire enormously.
The dragon riders Ulf and Hugh are seen little or no, however they’ve their very own resentments and worries that Rhaenyra and Daemon proceed to disregard or exacerbate. Maybe not the wisest solution to deal with your strongest chess items. Corlys, too, has been spurned, although his bastard son, Alyn, has taken his place in Rhaenyra’s Small Council. Issues finish with Lord Tyland Lannister reappearing at Rook’s Relaxation and discovering Larys and Aegon, as Daemon discovers a ugly mass homicide of his Gold Cloaks and Alicent and Helaena making an attempt to flee the Pink Maintain (Helaena is pregnant, alas) and getting misplaced in the dead of night. Oh, and Aemond continues to convalesce in Harrenhal with Alys Rivers, the witch.
What Occurred In ‘Home Of The Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 4?
Home of the Dragon
Credit score: HBO
For a full recap of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 4 read my review right here.
Last week’s episode, ‘Tumbleton’, largely focused on Ormund Hightower and his mercurial personality. The Hightower excessive lord and his armies have occupied Tumbleton and have Rhaenyra in one thing of a bind. However the lack of help from Home Baratheon, and a nonetheless lacking Aemond, have Ormund in a decent spot of his personal. His response to those setbacks is unhinged, to say the least.
In the meantime, each the Stark and Riverland forces march to battle, whereas Ser Criston Cole and Gwayne Hightower debate proceed, with no dragons to help their armies both.
In King’s Touchdown, Rhaenyra tries to convene her Small Council and work out what to do about unrest in her metropolis and a scarcity of funds, although Daemon manages to safe some gold from Girl Arryn of the Vale. Right here, he discovers that his daughter, Rhaena, has turn into dragonrider to Sheepstealer, although she has no intention of returning with him to King’s Touchdown to see Rhaenyra’s forgiveness for her half in Jace’s loss of life.
A lot of this final episode continues to setup massive issues to come back. Ulf the White rising more and more discontented with Rhaenyra’s calls for. Stress between Rhaenyra and her once-friend, once-enemy Alicent and her pregnant daughter, Haelena. Aemond finds himself on the mercy of the Harrenhal witch, Alys Rivers, whereas Aegon and Larys proceed their misadventures close to Rook’s Relaxation, the place the fallen and crippled king should, for as soon as, be taught some humility. Chess items transfer throughout the board as rigidity mounts and we edge ever nearer towards all-out battle.
What Occurred In ‘Home of the Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 3?
Home of the Dragon
Credit score: HBO
For a full recap of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 3 read my review right here.
Episode 3 of House of the Dragon, ‘Rhaenyra Triumphant’, was mostly about Rhaenyra’s dawning realization that actually ruling is quite challenging, with a thousand folks all the time making an attempt bend your ear. Everyone wants one thing and with no gold and barely your toes on the bottom, that is no straightforward activity. The one reassuring factor is that Lord Ormund bent the knee and gave over Alicent’s youngest son, Daeron, to Daemon. Solely, it’s all a subterfuge. On the finish of the episode we be taught that this was a false Daeron. The actual one is again with the Hightowers in Tumbleton, which Ormund has sacked and occupied.
Elsewhere, Rhaenyra clashes with Lord Corlys, refusing to legitimize his sons Addam and Alyn along with her maintain on energy so tenuous. Corlys has some very harsh phrases for the brand new queen. She additionally clashes with the Excessive Septon who is not any fan of Targaryens and their dragons and nonetheless very overseas methods. It was a really robust episode total, and my favourite of the season to this point.
What Occurred In ‘Home Of The Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 2?
Home of the Dragon
Credit score: Netflix
For a full recap of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 read my review right here.
In the second episode of House of the Dragon Season 3, titled “Queen’s Touchdown,” Rhaenyra discovers that her eldest son, Jacaerys, is useless, slain on the Battle of the Gullet. This breaks her. She’s decided to find who Sheepstealer’s rider was and convey them to justice, not realizing but that it was Rhaena. Rhaena goes to the Vale and begs Girl Jeyne Arryn for sanctuary, however the noblewoman desires nothing to do along with her. In the long run, she permits Rhaena to reside within the wild, her dragon a protection of Arryn lands.
Rhaenyra and Daemon head to King’s Touchdown, the place Alicent has carried out all she will be able to to supply them a easy touchdown. Alicent could be very almost raped by the Lord of Legal guidelines, Jasper Wylde, however the Excessive Maester, Orwyle, intervenes. The Gold Cloaks find yourself turning on Staff Inexperienced, permitting Rhaenyra to take the Iron Throne.
Daemon, set to execute Orwyle since Aegon has absconded (and is off on a enjoyable journey with Larys), decides to spare the Excessive Maester, who gives him Jasper Wylde as a substitute. However Daemon makes one other discovery. Larys has imprisoned Otto Hightower beneath the Pink Maintain. Daemon brings each males to Rhaenyra, who lops off Otto’s head – although it takes two swings, the primary wedging into the older man’s again. Simply as she climbs the Iron Throne, Alicent and Helaena arrive, horror written over their faces as they see Otto’s decapitated physique on the ground.
It’s a gripping finish to the episode, setting the tone for what’s to come back.
What Occurred In ‘Home Of The Dragon’ Season 3, Episode 1?
Home of the Dragon
Credit score: HBO
For a full recap and assessment of the Season 3 premiere, “Salt and Sea, Fireplace and Blood,” remember to check out my House of the Dragon Season 3 Premiere review. I had fairly combined emotions concerning the episode, which had some nice moments however a whole lot of irritating adjustments from the supply materials.
The Season 3 premiere largely targeted on the notorious Battle of the Gullet, when Triarchy forces attacked Lord Corlys Velaryon’s blockade of King’s Touchdown. Outnumbered, Staff Black risked shedding their naval dominance. Simply in time Prince Jacaerys and Princess Baela arrived on dragon-back.
The tide turned, the battle all however received, Triarchy archers managed to hit Jace’s dragon, Vermax, and each dragon and rider crashed into the waves. Whereas the crown prince managed to free himself from the dragon earlier than sinking, Triarchy crossbowmen peppered him from a close-by ship, and each dragon and rider perished.
Elsewhere, Daemon and his forces celebrated victory and joined with the boys of the North. Gwayne Hightower and Cristson Cole proceed their march throughout the Riverlands, frightened of Staff Black’s dragons with no help from Staff Inexperienced’s personal winged beasts. Plots and machinations have been set in movement in King’s Touchdown as nicely, the place Alicent conspires in opposition to her personal sons, sending Aemond out of town and paving the best way for Rhaenyra to take town.
‘Home Of The Dragon’ Season 2 Recap
Home of the Dragon
Credit score: HBO
Season 1’s time-jumping plot ended with the loss of life of King Viserys I and the fractious highway to succession, with each Staff Black, led by his daughter Rhaenyra and her husband and uncle, Daemon, and Staff Inexperienced, led by the Hightowers and Visery’s sons with Alicent, Aegon and Aemond, vying for energy.
On the finish of the primary season, when Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys visits Storm’s Finish to petition Home Baratheon to hitch their trigger, he and Alicent’s second son, Aemond, commerce barbs. This escalates right into a dragon chase and Aemond’s big, historic beast is overcome with bloodlust, killing Luke and his dragon a lot to the dismay of Aemond One-Eye.
If peace may have been reached earlier than, there’s no turning again now. In Season 2, Daemon sends assassins to kill Aemond in retribution, however they can not discover him so they behead Aegon and Helaena’s young son and heir, Jaehaerys, instead. The second season continues a really sluggish construct as each side navigate alliances and shore up their energy, although the Battle of Rook’s Relaxation provides us our first actual dragon battle. Rhaenyra’s aunt, Rhaenys, is slain within the struggle, and Aegon is mutilated, his personal dragon left for useless on the sector. Staff Black positive factors a bonus once they recruit dragonriders for his or her spare dragons from the frequent folks, however Staff Inexperienced nonetheless holds King’s Touchdown.
All that may change, nonetheless. In a secret assembly between Rhaenyra and Alicent, the queen dowager agrees to assist Rhaenyra take King’s Touchdown, even when it prices her son Aegon his head. In the meantime, Lord Corlys Velaryon and his fleet have town blockaded, whereas Staff Black instructions from Dragonstone and Daemon battles within the Riverlands and Aemond broods on the throne, which he’s taken from his maimed brother. Larys sneaks Aegon out of town and we see Otto Hightower languishing in what seems to be a jail cell.
‘Home of the Dragon’ Solid
Home of the Dragon stars:
- Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen
- Emma D’Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
- Olivia Cooke as Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower
- Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
- Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
- Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
- Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen
- Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
- Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon
- Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
- Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
- Phia Saban as Queen Helaena Targaryen
- Matthew Needham as Larys Robust
- Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower
- Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
- Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
- Tom Bennett as Ulf the White
- Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer
- Archie Barnes as Grover Tully
Newcomers embody:
- 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 Redfort
- Annie Shapero as Alysanne Blackwood
Search for my assessment of tonight’s episode here on this blog immediately after it airs, and let me know your ideas on Home of the Dragon on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.