Warning: The following recap contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3.
Old Rivalries Boil Over in the Riverlands
House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3 opens on the border between Blackwood and Bracken lands. A pair of young lords — one from House Blackwood and one from House Bracken — bicker over the boundary markers. Things quickly take a nasty turn after the quarrel shifts focus to the wider divisions within Westeros.
The Blackwoods support Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) claim to the Iron Throne, while the Brackens back King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney). More squabbling ensues before we jump forward in time, with the same field now covered in dead Blackwood and Bracken troops. The boys’ tiff clearly snowballed into a major inter-house dust-up.
From here, the episode changes viewpoint to Dragonstone. Rhaenyra and Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) oversee the burial of Arryk and Erryk Cargyll, who died in Episode 2. Jacaerys is keen to hit back at the Green Targaryens (who sent Arryk to assassinate Rhaenyra); however, she’s non-committal. He skulks off and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best) takes his place.
Rhaenys rejects the idea that Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) ordered the assassination; she blames Aegon II and his fellow young hotheads instead. She then unsuccessfully proposes that Rhaenyra link up with Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Emma D’Arcy) to avoid an endless cycle of reprisals.
Related: Who Is Daeron Targaryen in House of the Dragon? Answered
Rhaenyra Targaryen Gets Her House in Order
Meanwhile, in King’s Landing, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) attends his first Small Council meeting as Hand of the King. Several council members (including Alicent) take Criston to task for masterminding Arryk’s failed mission, which they believe makes all-out conflict virtually inevitable. At this point, Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) pipes up about the Bracken/Blackwood battle, noting that the civil war has effectively started.
Much squabbling follows before Criston lays out a plan. With a small group of men, he’ll rally support for the Greens, subdue the Riverlands, and take over Harrenhal Castle. Alicent scoffs; however, Aegon is a fan of the idea. He even wants to come along with his dragon, Sunfyre. But Criston and Aemond talk Aegon down, using the old “you’re too important to lose” gambit. Regardless, the Green camp has taken a big step closer to war with their enemies.
Back on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra meets with Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). As hinted in House of the Dragon Season 2’s last episode, Mysaria warned Ser Erryk that his twin brother was out to get Rhaenyra. The Black Queen asks Mysaria to name her reward, and she requests a place at court. She’s impressed by Rhaenyra’s sense of honor and mercy, as shown in Episode 2. Rhaenyra agrees to add Mysaria to her inner circle as her Mistress of Whisperers.
The next item on Rhaenyra’s itinerary is a meeting with Lady Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell). Rhaenyra announces she’s sending her son, Joffrey, and his baby dragon to live with her cousin, Lady Jeyne Arryn. She gets an army, Joffrey gets to live somewhere safer, and Jeyne (technically) gets a dragon. Rhaenyra wants Rhaena to accompany Joffrey (along with Joffrey’s siblings, Viserys II and Aegon III). Rhaena grudgingly agrees; however, it’s clear she feels inferior to her dragon-rider sister, Lady Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia).
Related: House of the Dragon: Did Arryk or Erryk Win the Fight in Season 2 Episode 2?
Daemon and Caraxes “Conquer” Harrenhal
House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3’s next port of call is Harrenhal. Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) lands atop the castle on his dragon, Caraxes, and slinks through its creepy corridors. Daemon needn’t have bothered drawing his sword, though. Harrenhal’s caretaker, Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), immediately surrenders. He even pledges his loyalty to Rhaenyra before rattling off the supper menu!
During the meal that follows, Ser Simon explains that he holds no loyalty to Harrenhal’s absentee owner, Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham). On the contrary: he (correctly) suspects that Larys murdered his nephew and great-nephew for control of Harrenhal. Daemon and Simon then discuss the former’s plans for the fortress. The royal consort wants Harrenhal repaired and full of Riverlands troops ready to march on King’s Landing. To this end, Daemon orders a meeting between himself and the frail head of House Tully, Grover Tully.
Back in King’s Landing, Ser Criston is about to embark on his mission. On his way out, he’s stopped by Alicent, who’s accompanied by her brother, Ser Gwayne (Freddie Fox). Ser Gwayne takes some shots at Criston, obviously sore about the Lord Commander replacing Otto as Hand of the King. Alicent then adds Gwayne to Criston’s company, despite Criston’s objections. She and Criston are briefly left alone, and the coolness between them continues. Yet before he departs, Ser Criston secures the dowager queen’s favor.
On Dragonstone, Rhaenyra’s Small Council is keen to make some proactive moves of its own. The Black Targaryen campaign in the Riverlands is floundering and nobody’s heard from Daemon. Ser Alfred Broome (Jamie Kenna) is keen to unleash their side’s dragons, but Rhaenyra’s not having it. She believes that dragon-on-dragon combat risks mutually assured destruction and suspects the Greens think the same. The council suggests Rhaenyra go into hiding and let them conduct the war on her behalf, resulting in a thinly veiled threat from Rhaenyra and a dressing down from Rhaenys.
Related: House of the Dragon: Is Daemon Targaryen Really Responsible for the Blood and Cheese Scene?
A Brief Detour to Driftmark
Later, Rhaenys visits Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) in Driftmark. They discuss Joffrey, and Corlys laments that his heir lacks the maritime know-how that defines House Velaryon. Rhaenys proposes that Corlys name Rhaena his successor instead; however, he’s not impressed with her seafaring skills either. The reunion ends on a downbeat note when Corlys exits without making concrete plans for the future, despite Rhaenys’ pleading.
At Dragonstone, Rhaena receives her final orders from Rhaenyra ahead of her trip to Lady Jeyne’s stronghold. Rhaena’s still grumpy about the situation until the queen presents her with three dragon eggs. They’re coming too, with the implication that Rhaena will one day get her own dragon.
After a suitably striking sunset, House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3 returns to King’s Landing. Alicent is with Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) in the Red Keep. Helaena expresses sadness over the death of her son, Jaehaerys, in Episode 1. At the same time, she also questions her right to grieve, given how much harder life is for the smallfolk of King’s Landing. The conversation ends with Helaena seemingly forgiving Alicent for her affair with Ser Criston.
Elsewhere in the Red Keep, Aegon II is being fitted for Aegon the Conqueror’s armor. Larys shows up and secures a private audience with the king. He shares rumors (supposedly from his network of spies) that the people suspect Alicent of sending him into battle to usurp his power. Visibly shaken, Aegon appoints Larys his Master of Whisperers. He also decides not to fly into battle as originally planned. Instead, he’s going out on the town with his newly appointed Kingsguard.
Related: House of the Dragon: Mysaria’s Neck Scar, Explained
Harrenhal Lives Up to Its Spooky Reputation
We stick with this narrative strand, venturing out into King’s Landing’s seedy underbelly. Following a brief comedic tangent involving a Targaryen imposter, Aegon and his entourage arrive at a brothel. They quickly stumble across Aemond, who is with the same older prostitute as in Season 2, Episode 2. Humiliated, Aemond feigns indifference to his companion before striding off buck nekkid.
From here, a short interlude sees Rhaenyra crack open a sealed scroll Alicent previously sent her. Once that’s over, we catch up with Ser Criston. He’s already butting heads with Ser Gwayne, and their feuding allows Baela (astride her dragon, Moondancer) to spot them. Baela promptly reports back to Rhaenyra’s Small Council, who demand action. Rhaenyra still won’t budge, however.
Meanwhile, in Harrenhal, Daemon pursues an unseen figure who tries barging through his barricaded chamber door. He doesn’t find them but instead stumbles upon a vision of the young Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) singing to Jaehaerys’ corpse. Rhaenyra admonishes Daemon for his reckless ways while sewing Jaehaerys’ head back onto his body. Snapping back to reality, Daemon encounters Harrenhal’s healer, Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). Alys proclaims that Daemon will die on the castle’s grounds (bummer).
This brings House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3’s detour into light horror to a close, and we’re back to the usual political intrigue on Dragonstone. Rhaenyra meets with Mysaria, who figures out how to smuggle the queen into King’s Landing for a clandestine catch-up with Alicent. The plan works, and the former friends are reunited. Rhaenyra almost convinces Alicent that Aegon II’s claim to the throne is based on an unwitting mistake, but ultimately fails. As the episode ends, Rhaenyra’s face hardens — she’s finally ready for war.
House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping on Sundays.
