by Chantal Ashford, Contributing Writer
After a long two-year wait, the war has finally begun. House of the Dragon returns for its third season with its foot firmly on the gas despite some moments when the gas feels dangerously low. Season three manages to be a wild, gory, depressing, grand spectacle that finally delivers some of the warfare Season two spent so much time promising us.
Picking up directly after the second season finale, the Dance of the Dragons between half-siblings Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) is officially underway. Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) returns to King’s Landing after promising Rhaenyra that Aegon will die so she can reclaim the Iron Throne, only to discover that Aegon has already fled alongside Larys Strong (Matthew Needham).
Meanwhile, Daemon (Matt Smith) has finally bent the knee to Rhaenyra and prepares to lead the Riverlands into war. Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) continues her dangerous pursuit of Sheepstealer, while the Lannisters, Hightowers, Triarchy, and Corlys Velaryon’s forces—with Alyn (Abubakar Salim) among them—prepare for bloodshed on land and sea.
The season starts with a bang. We’re seeing dragons. We’re seeing battles. We’re seeing ships. We’re finally getting the war that season two spent eight episodes building toward. But as this season progresses, I started getting that familiar season two feeling again: somehow, a lot is happening while simultaneously feeling like nothing is happening.
Much of the season focuses on Rhaenyra questioning what kind of ruler she’s becoming. Another devastating personal loss early in the season forces her to reconsider whether the Iron Throne is worth the amount of blood being spilt in her name. The question hanging over everything becomes increasingly clear: is Rhaenyra actually the great and worthy ruler she believes herself capable of being?
Obviously, misogyny remains a major obstacle because Westeros would rather burn itself to the ground than comfortably accept a woman on the Iron Throne. But Rhaenyra isn’t without flaws, either. As she becomes increasingly consumed by her claim, the series begins questioning whether reclaiming what’s rightfully hers will ultimately cost her everything she was fighting to protect.
Unfortunately, we’re once again stuck with only eight episodes, and this season desperately could’ve used two more. There is simultaneously too much crammed into these episodes and not enough development given to certain storylines. Some of the writing also feels shakier than previous seasons. Despite those frustrations, I still enjoyed the ride.
The standout is easily the penultimate episode, “The Dragon in Winter.” Fair warning: there’s one particular scene that I absolutely despised. Once you get past that, however, the episode is fantastic. This is where the beginning of the end truly starts. The tension finally ascends toward the payoff we’ve been waiting for, complete with betrayal, twists, and decisions that will have enormous consequences.
The performances remain one of the strongest aspects of House of the Dragon.
Fabien Frankel continues doing an incredible job as the most hated man in Westeros, Ser Criston Cole. The fact that this man can appear on screen and immediately irritate me proves Frankel understands the assignment. Criston remains insufferable, self-righteous, and frustrating—the Kingmaker we all love to hate.
Matt Smith never disappoints as Daemon Targaryen. After spending so much of last season wrestling with himself, we finally see Daemon demonstrate his loyalty to Rhaenyra on the battlefield. But we also get glimpses of something the show sometimes makes us forget: Daemon is a father. Watching one of Westeros’ most dangerous men struggle with fatherhood gives Smith some surprisingly vulnerable material.
Phia Saban remains heartbreaking as Helaena, someone simply too gentle for the world she was born into. Her resolute performance becomes increasingly devastating as Helaena is turned into another piece on Rhaenyra’s chessboard. Watching her slowly deteriorate throughout the season isn’t pretty, and Saban plays every moment beautifully.
Then there’s Tom Glynn-Carney. Aegon II has gone from being one of the characters I couldn’t stand to somehow having me questioning whether I’m slowly converting to Team Green. Glynn-Carney is phenomenal this season. Aegon remains deeply flawed, but his suffering and determination gives him an unexpected humanity. His scene in the penultimate episode is unreal. Somehow, I found myself rooting for this man and I never thought I’d see that day.
James Norton also makes one hell of an entrance as Lord Ormund Hightower. Pompous, callous, unpredictable, and clearly operating with his own agenda, Norton enters the series as though he’s been part of Westeros the entire time. Every appearance had me wondering exactly what Ormund was planning, and Norton clearly had a blast with the role.
But Emma D’Arcy continues to be the centerpiece. Their performance as Rhaenyra gets stronger with every season, but episode two, “Queen’s Landing,” gives D’Arcy some of their best material yet. Those opening ten minutes are absolutely heartbreaking. It’s grief without needing theatrics, and D’Arcy lets every ounce of pain register across their face. Give them the nomination already.
Season three ultimately ends exactly how a season about the Dance of the Dragons probably should: bleakly.
There are no true winners here anymore. Every victory comes with another loss, every alliance can become a betrayal, and every decision brings these characters closer to destroying themselves. By the time the screen cuts to black, one thing is obvious: this “dance” is nowhere near finished.
And after everything that happens, I’m genuinely not sure Rhaenyra can come back from where this season leaves her.
Now we apparently have another two-year wait ahead of us before the fourth and final season arrives in 2028. So, until then, there’s really only one question left:
Will Rhaenyra finally succeed—or will she burn with everything around her?
Rating: Loved It
House of the Dragon is currently streaming on HBO Max.
You can read more from Chantal Ashford, and follow her on Letterboxd