What We’re Hoping to See in Season 3

Editor’s Note: This post contains spoilers for “House of the Dragon” Season 2, but not for Season 3 events in George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood.”

While we’re easily two years away from “House of the Dragon” Season 3 on HBO, it’s a perfect moment to speculate about the show’s future as the writers room reconvenes. Showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that he’s ultimately planning for four seasons, which provides a clear deadline for the narrative, promising more focused and driven storytelling.

“House of the Dragon” is a massive production involving meticulous planning, budgeting, and post-production, compounded by the need to balance complex relationships and loyalties within the story. The pacing of the show challenges both the audience and the crew. Season 2 picked up immediately after the Season 1 finale, and with characters heading to battle in the final moments of Season 2, the same is likely to happen again.

George R.R. Martin established a key roadmap with his novella “Fire & Blood,” but “House of the Dragon” has room to diverge and explore new narrative avenues. Here’s a wish list of broad strokes for Season 3. Ultimately, we trust the creative team, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hope for more.

After weeks of nightmares and drinking Alys Rivers’ (Gayle Rankin) specialty brew, Daemon (Matt Smith) finally bent the knee to his wife and queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy). This should herald an interesting shift for the character. Daemon has always coveted the Iron Throne. Though he didn’t try to kill his brother (unlike other known characters), he resented all of Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) children for pushing him down the line of succession. Who is Daemon without that corrosive sentiment? We look forward to discovering this.

Condal has promised “total war” in the third season. This is not a tall ask, especially after two seasons of buildup. With ten dragon riders now in the show, the airborne battles should surpass those seen in Season 2, Episode 4, and Season 1, Episode 10. It’s time to break some records while staying within budget constraints.

The dynamic between Rhaenyra and Alicent remains compelling. Although they only shared two scenes in Season 2, these scenes were electric. Despite being on opposing sides of the war, Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke have unparalleled chemistry that has enriched the storyline. Alicent has now decided to distance herself from two of her sons, turning over the throne claim to Rhaenyra (or alternatively, suggesting they run away together). Their tension offers rich narrative potential.

Helaena (Phia Saban) stands out as the kindest character in “House of the Dragon,” who happens to have visions. These visions seem to be getting stronger and more controllable. The Season 2 finale connected her to “Bloodraven,” a Targaryen with omniscient powers, indicating that she might play a more critical role in future events, including Aegon’s return to the throne and Aemond’s death.

Alicent’s youngest son, Daeron, has yet to appear on the show. Although he has been mentioned, and expectations are high for the young actor who will portray him. Daeron has been studying with the maesters of Oldtown. What kind of character will he turn out to be? Will he become a nightmare like his elder brothers, embody his sister’s gentle nature, or forge a different path entirely?

It would be refreshing to see fewer council meetings. While dialogue and strategy are essential, there’s plenty of talent and chemistry among the cast that could be showcased more creatively. Some scenes in Season 2 felt overly reliant on outlining the plot through dialogue rather than action or emotional weight.

Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) had a challenging Season 2, dealing with the loss of his wife and a strained relationship with his son, Alyn (Abubakar Salim). Corlys has known about Alyn and Addam (Clinton Liberty) for years but didn’t take action. Season 3 could be an opportunity for Corlys to redeem himself and be a better father, raising and supporting his remaining sons.

Rhaenyra’s oldest son, Jace (Harry Collett), matured significantly in Season 2 and is poised to be the future king if Rhaenyra wins the throne. His relationship with Baela (Bethany Antonia) is a rare positive in the often tumultuous Targaryen family dynamics. Their bond, based on mutual respect and affection, sets them apart and offers a glimpse of a potentially stable future leadership.

Lastly, more creativity from Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) would be noteworthy. After facing his insignificance in Season 2, Criston risks reverting to his insufferable self in Season 3. A minimal request: stop calling Rhaenyra a “whore.” While his betrayal stings, it’s time to move on and find new ways to insult or challenge her, thus enriching his character arc.

“House of the Dragon” is now streaming on Max.

Source: Variety, PMC