House of the Dragon Episode 3 — out now on HBO Max and Disney+ Hotstar — is for the most part covered in male privilege and marriage proposals. Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) spent much of the second episode telling herself, while a literally two-year-old girl is now shadowing the heir. This is Prince Aegon, the first son of King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and now the queen Elysent Hightower (Emily Carey), who is pregnant with a second. (Given the boy’s age, you can tell it’s been about three years since Episode 2.) A feast and hunt are held in Aegon’s honor, which bodes well for the audience since the Game of Thrones prequel series has finally left King’s Landing. A full episode — we only get to Kingswood — and it feels good!
This gives House of the Dragon Episode 3 the opportunity to create a mini-getaway for two characters, Rhaenyra and her bodyguard, Ser Christon Cole (Fabian Frankel), when the overmatched princess runs into the Kingswood. (This was arguably the best episode of Game of Thrones, as sometimes characters with polar opposite views are paired up for an unexpected journey.) Rhaenyra isn’t okay with the focus on Aegon, especially since, like everyone else, she’s expecting her father. Name the newborn child the new heir as he is the first child. He also owns the title of Episode 3, “Another of His Name”. In my opinion, a gender-neutral naming might have been smarter, as it would have indicated how Rhaenyra feels right now.
She may be first in line to the Iron Throne, but the feeling around the court is that Aegon now has a strong claim as the only male genitalia. And for Rhaenyra, it’s a triple whammy. Not only has she lost her grip on the crown, but Alicent and her father as well. Viserys and Rhaenyra haven’t seen eye-to-eye since marrying her best friend — I mean, that makes sense — and that rift widens in House of the Dragon Episode 3 when she discovers the king is shopping her, too.
House of the Dragon Review: Game of Thrones Prequel Is a Thing of Beauty
Jefferson Hall as Jason Lannister, Millie Alcock as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon Episode 3.
Photo credit: Ollie Upton/HBO
“You must marry,” Viserys screams at her daughter in front of everyone in House of the Dragons episode 3, when Rhaenyra learns that the haughty and self-serious buffoon Jason Lannister (Jefferson Hall) — he’s Lord of Casterly Rock, but we know him from Game of Thrones They don’t have as much power in this era as the Lannisters — only engaging her in conversation because he wants to “take” her as his “lady wife.” That, combined with the rest, is enough to send Rhaenyra into the forest.
While the first proposal is approved by the King himself, the Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), is bold enough to propose a second one on House of the Dragon Episode 3. Otto tells Viserys that he should marry Rhaenyra to Prince Aegon, the baby. (Although this may seem odd since they are half-brothers, marrying into your family was quite normal for Targaryens, as it were. Old monarchies of our world, this was done in the name of maintaining the purity of their blood.) But Aegon is two while Rhaenyra is 17 – enough to make Viserys laugh. Otto clearly has ulterior motives, as he would make his grandson King Regent or King.
And so, when a third marriage proposal comes from Viserys’ Master of the Law and Lord of Harrenhal, Lord Lionel Strong (Gavin Spokes), a jaded Viserys believes he’s in it for himself. On House of the Dragon Episode 3, the king says in so many words that you are going to propose to Rhaenyra to marry your own son. But that didn’t happen. Lionel proposes that Rhaenyra be paired with Ser Lenore Velarion (Theo Knott), son of Princess Rhaenys “The Queen Who Never Was” and Lord Corlys “Sea Snake” Velarion, who we saw briefly when he shifted to the Stepstones in the House of Dragons. Episode 3. Following his neglected advice in Episode 2, Lionel believes that this will help bridge the gap between the two old Valyrian houses.
A drunken Viserys pats Lionel on the shoulder and suggests great things for a man who has absolutely no interest in increasing his station.
House of the Dragon Episode 2 Review: The Old Makes Way for the New
Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Emily Carey as Queen Eliseant Hightower in House of the Dragon Episode 3
Photo credit: Gary Moyes/HBO
As Viserys exited, his young wife Alicent joined him. And in a moment it breaks. Although he took a public position and reiterated that Rhaenyra would be his heir—he chided Jason Lannister for “assuming” Aegon would take her place and pointedly noted that he did not choose his daughter on a whim—Viserys admitted to Alyssant that he was in a moment of weakness, when he felt That he has lost everything. “What if I’m wrong?” Viserys wondered to himself. Later in House of the Dragon Episode 3, when he swears to Rhaenyra that she will not be replaced, the king admits that he wavered at one point.
Still, Viserys has essentially provided Elicent ammunition for the latter, I could argue. And Elicent has its share. On House of the Dragon Episode 3 her father Otto points out that if Rhaenyra takes the throne, it won’t be a good life for the challenger (Aegon) and his mother. Alicent’s cause — or rather Otto’s, for now — is helped by the fact that everyone around Viserys has expected or hoped to name Aegon as his heir rather than change. But Viserys clearly wants to stick with his choice. Rhaenyra thought he was rejecting Daemon and not choosing her, as she told Elicent in Episode 2, now it seems she was wrong to think that about her father.
Viserys even cares about Rhaenyra’s happiness, as he first tells Otto, before telling the girl off in so many words. What’s happening in “Second of His Name” — the growing rift between the king and his heir — comes to the fore when Rhaenyra walks in and confronts her father, just as he’s sending men to help Daemon and Corlys. Stepstones (by Queen’s advice). Rhaenyra believes that Viserys wants to marry her for a watchtower or a fleet of ships. The king noted that he wanted her to marry to increase her inheritance. But when Rhaenyra points out that she didn’t remarry for the sake of it, Viserys admits it before telling her to have a man of her own, who will keep you happy and cement your claim.
At that moment, the broken bridge between father and daughter appears to be restored on House of the Dragon Episode 3. A smiling Renira, comforted by the fact that the king won’t replace her and concerned about how she feels, leaves.
Everything you need to know about House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon Episode 3 Will Johnson as Ser Weymund Valaryon, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Theo Knott as Lenore Valaryon
Photo credit: Ollie Upton/HBO
To bolster one’s claim, the final segment of House of the Dragon Episode 3 is dedicated to Damon (Matt Smith). It has been three years since the troubles at Stepstone began. Demon the Rogue Prince is laying siege to the Crab Feeder with his Dragon Caraxes, but the Caves are keeping them safe. What started out as an attempt to make Daemon look worthy in the eyes of the Westeros lords is starting to look like a failure. On top of that, Visery’s meager helping hand comes as an insult to Daemon. He wanted to frame this war as his own victory, and the crown could not claim it for himself.
With the army’s morale low, Daemon’s new strategy – first brought up by the feuding Valaryons – is to surrender to Crab Feeder (Daniel Scott-Smith) on House of the Dragon Episode 3. The deranged Prince-Admiral knows this may be a ruse: forcing his men to leave the cave under a false sense of security. That’s why he watches the dragon’s movement before ordering his army to bring the daemon. But he didn’t wait long, it seems. Just as the Crab Feeder fears it, Caraxes appears at the very last moment, riding on Valerion. With the help of dragons and Westerosi forces, Crab Feeder’s men are destroyed – before paying the ultimate price at the hands of the Daemon himself.
The Rogue Prince may have defeated the enemy in battle, but how will he deal with the twin threats of the heir and the firstborn?
House of the Dragon Episode 3 is now streaming in India on Disney+ Hotstar and HBO Max where available. New episodes are released every Monday at 6:30am IST/Sunday at 9pm ET.
