The Only Recap You Need Before House Of The Dragon S3 Episode 2
Contains spoilers for "House of the Dragon" Season 3 Episode 1 — "Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood"
Critics who praised "House of the Dragon" Season 3 — including Looper's Matthew Jackson — were right. This is the best season of the "Game of Thrones" prequel and spin-off yet. So what do you need to know before the second episode of this massively popular HBO series?
Season 3 of the Targaryen-centric series "House of the Dragon" kicks off almost immediately where Season 2 left off, with Green queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) ready to betray her equally horrible sons Aegon II and Aemond Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney and Ewan Mitchell). Luckily for her, Aegon has fled King's Landing, and it's simple enough for Alicent to distract Aemond, sending him off to win back the territory of Harrenhal after it was taken by Black forces led by Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Aegon, meanwhile, has escaped the Westerosi capital — heavily scarred from his injuries in Season 2's Battle at Rook's Rest and unrecognizable as the monarch — alongside the scheming Larys Strong (Matthew Needham).
Alicent's former childhood bestie turned sworn enemy, on the other hand — Black queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) — is ready to take the Iron Throne in King's Landing once promised to her by her father and Alicent's late husband King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine). (Nobody except for Rhaenyra is taking Alicent at her word, but that's her problem, ultimately.) As Rhaenyra tries to figure out her next move, something else comes to her attention: there's strife on the open seas, and the Black and Green forces are about to come face to face. Rhaenyra sets out to take her dragon, Syrax, directly to the conflict when she's stopped by an unlikely force: her eldest son, Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon (Harry Collett).
A major character dies during the Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon
With Rhaenyra locked up in her chambers on Jace's orders, he sets off with his betrothed (and step-sister) Baela Targaryen (Bethony Antonia) to fight in the Battle of the Gullet atop their massive dragons Vermax and Moondancer. Moondancer initially helps Vermax out of a sticky situation — Green forces nail Vermax with a spear attached to a rope that drags the dragon underwater until Moondancer breaks the rope, freeing her ally — but then a third dragon enters the fray, and that's where things become a problem.
As Rhaenyra's vital ally Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), also known as the "Sea Snake," comes face to face with his old enemy Admiral Sharako Lohar of the Triarchy (Abigal Thorn), Baela's younger sister Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) swoops in on a wild dragon named Sheepstealer. To say Baela can't control the impulsive and untrained Sheepstealer is putting it lightly, and she puts her own allies in jeopardy.
Even though the Battle of the Gullet probably should have been the focus of the Season 2 finale of "House of the Dragon," it's still thrilling to watch ... even when it takes a horrible turn. Thanks to Sheepstealer's interference, Vermax and Jace aren't keeping their heads on a swivel and are taken down by another spear ... and both perish in the waters after Green forces riddle Jace with arrows.
This is a truly devastating end to the Season 3 premiere of "House of the Dragon," and fans can expect rage from Rhaenyra and new twists and turns when the second episode airs on Sunday, June 29 on HBO and HBO Max at 9 p.m. EST.