The second season of House of the Dragon ended with a lot of tension as the various armies begin to unite. Despite now having two full seasons, the war is only just beginning. Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) has gained an advantage in the conflict by finding three new dragonriders, giving even Vhagar reason to fear, but the Greens aren’t out of the game yet. The season 2 finale teases important events for the next installment.
Although there are still two years to go until its premiere, season 3 of the series HBO promises to be bloody, the book of George R.R. MartinFire and Blood, helps us know how bloody it will be.
What will the third season of House of the Dragon be like according to Fire and Blood?
One of the biggest twists of the war, as depicted in Fire & Blood, is the Fall of King’s Landing, which is sure to take place early in Season 3. The Season 2 finale sets up Rhaenyra’s plan to take the city from her wounded half-brother, Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), making a secret arrangement with Alicent (Olivia Cooke) . Upon learning that the Greens’ greatest defense, Vhagar and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), will be gone in three days, Rhaenyra will have little time to waste before acting on their behalf.
In Fire and Blood, this is a quick battle, even though the Blacks have no prior dealings with Alicent. Rhaenyra and Daemon (Matt Smith) lead their dragons into the city, where the Goldcloaks turn on the Green-appointed leaders upon seeing Daemon. Though a small group of Green loyalists guard a single gate, the battle lasts only a few hours before the Blacks take control. Unable to send messages, Alicent surrenders and Rhaenyra has the city under her control.
However, there are bound to be some differences. For one, the Fall of King’s Landing has been brought forward in the timeline. Season 2 implies that this will be the next thing the characters do, while Fire and Blood places several battles and a significant death between the Red Seed and the Fall of King’s Landing. Also, the deal between Rhaenyra and Alicent is intended to free Alicent, Helaena (Phia Saban) and Jaehaera in exchange for Aegon’s execution. But with Aegon fleeing the city in season two, Rhaenyra is sure to feel betrayed and may even refuse to uphold her end of the bargain.
House of the Dragon season 3 will say goodbye to one of its main characters
In Fire and Blood there is one event of utmost importance that occurs before the fall of King’s Landing: the Battle of the Gullet. While it is unclear whether the precise order of events will remain the same, this battle will surely happen soon, as it involves two groups that have already set sail. As the Triarchy allies with the Greens, they head towards the Gullet to break the Black blockade and confront Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and his fleet. But in the process, they encounter the ship carrying Rhaenrya’s two youngest sons away from the war.
The House of the Dragon version of the Battle of the Gull will likely be slightly modified, with the young princes setting sail from the Vale rather than Dragonstone. But in Fire and Blood, Aegon the Younger escapes by clinging to his young dragon, Stormcloud, who dies from wounds sustained during the battle. Aegon’s escape leaves his younger brother Viserys behind, but allows him to warn Jacaerys (Harry Collett), who flies into battle with the dragon seeds behind him.
The Triarchy splits the fleet, sending some to the Gull and others to attack Dragonstone, though they decide to target Velaryon’s Driftmark instead. Jace and the other dragonriders attack the Triarchy, forcing them to abandon the war. However, they fail to save young Viserys, and much of House Velaryon’s fleet and wealth are destroyed in the attack. Worse is the loss of Jace and his dragon Vermax, the latter of whom falls into the water blinded and trapped. Jace breaks free from his dragon’s saddle, but is shot by a crossbow in the water. The Battle of the Gull is a victory for the Greens, though it marks the end of their alliance with the Triarchy. Meanwhile, the Blacks lose both their naval advantage and the Crown Prince.
House of the Dragon Season 3 Will Finally Introduce Daeron Targaryan
After finally bringing up the forgotten Prince Daeron, the final moments of Season 2 showed off his dragon, Tessarion. His addition to the war and the arrival of the Hightower army sparks the Battle of Mead, where Daeron makes a name for himself. While the Hightowers have been fighting the Beesburys and other families in the Reach, Tessarion has barely grown enough for a rider, and Fire & Blood depicts his first battle.
Dubbed the Battle of Mead after the river that halts the Hightowers’ advance, the conflict sees the Hightowers surrounded by enemies, with the Beesburys and Tarlys on one side and the forces of Rowan and Caswell on the other. The Hightowers are outnumbered until Daeron appears, winning the battle. For his heroism, he is knighted and given the name Daeron the Bold.
Though Fire & Blood includes this battle around the time House of the Dragon ends, there’s little information about how the war in the Reach is going, so it’s unclear exactly where the story ends. Daeron is already riding out with the army, and the Battle of Mead is a fitting introduction to the Targaryen prince, so it’s likely that Season 3 will get to this point sooner. Daeron plays a major role in the war, and House of the Dragon will almost certainly give him a prominent role.
Differences between House of the Dragon and Fire and Blood
While the two stories follow the same outline, there are significant differences between them, and season 2 has already revealed some significant changes from the source material. In addition to playing with the timeline, House of the Dragon has moved some characters around.
Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) is imprisoned somewhere unknown instead of King’s Landing when Rhaenyra takes control. Likewise, his son, Gwayne (Freddie Fox) is traveling with Cole instead of serving as an officer in the City Watch.
However, the biggest change that Season 2 entails is in Rhaena’s story (Phoebe Campbell). Daemon’s daughter is in the Vale, where she remains throughout the war in Fire and Blood. However, the ending shows her encountering a wild dragon, implying that she will claim the beast.
Sheepstealer is the only wild dragon claimed in Fire & Blood, but the task is carried out by a bastard girl named Nettles instead of Rhaena. The identity of the rider changes the story, considering that Rhaena is not an outsider like the dragon spawn but a true Targaryen. However, the dragon fights for the Blacks, so the change is not that drastic. It surely won’t be the last adjustment House of the Dragon makes in its adaptation. What happens next will be seen on screen starting in 2026, but in the meantime, Fire & Blood is the source to consult for where the story will go.
House of the Dragon Season 1 and 2 are available on Max.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
