Contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 3, and for Fire & Blood, the show’s source material.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2 has planted seeds for many upcoming events in the Dance of the Dragons, including a Rhaenyra arc I personally can’t wait for Following theBlacks and Greens split, events have spiraled out of control, with war raging in Westeros once again. Criston Cole has amassed forces for the Greens, advancing his army out of King’s Landing, whileDaemon has seized Harrenhal with little resistance. I admire how much time season 2 has spent explaining both sides' war strategy, as even the minor details of these council meeting scenes will matter in time.
As a fan of George R.R. Martin’s writing, I’ll admitFire & Bloodis a challenging book to adapt. The book is purposefully vague regarding many details, and events are listed sequentially in a way that doesn’t always translate to television easily. Despite being the lead ofHouse of the Dragon’sensemble cast of characters,Rhaenyra’s book counterpart isn’t a part of many of the Dance’s most major events, so the TV series has to find original and plausible dramatic things for her to do, like meeting with Alicent.
Daemon’s Harrenhal & Riverlands Plan Sets Up Rhaenyra Taking King’s Landing
Daemon Mentions Using Harrenhal To Amass Forces For A Siege On King’s Landing
While theHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 3 endingisn’t from the book,a Daemon scene laid the foundation for one of Rhaenyra’sFire & Bloodarcs, which is one of the narratives in the series I’m most excited about. Harrenhal is a strategic location for the Blacks, as it allows them to amass their troops from allies in the North, the Vale, and potentially, the Riverlands. It’s in striking distance of King’s Landing and the only castle in Westeros large enough to assemble a powerful enough host for what Rhaenyra’s side needs.
Rhaenyra and Syrax have been prevalent in the series so far, but I can’t wait to see her actually mount the dragon for battle.
Daemon explicitly mentions to Simon Strong that his goal is to capture King’s Landing and the Iron Throne for Rhaenyra, setting up events that happen inFire & Blood. We’ve known this would be Daemon and Rhaenyra’s goal, but this is the first time they’ve directly mentioned marching on King’s Landing. Rhaenyra and Syrax have been prevalent in the series so far, but I can’t wait to see her actually mount the dragon for battle.
Daemon’s Harrenhal Visions In HOTD Explained: All Scenes, Returning Characters & What They Mean
Daemon’s visions in House of the Dragon season 2, episodes 3 & 4 revealed some harsh truths about the Targaryen prince and teased major future events.
How Rhaenyra Takes King’s Landing & When Will It Happen In House Of The Dragon?
Rhaenyra’s Capture Of The Red Keep Could Occur In House Of The Dragon Season 3
After Daemon assembles the armies of House Tully and other noble houses of the Riverlands to his side inFire & Blood, he baits Criston Cole’s army and Aemond Targaryen north as they recapture Harrenhal. Meanwhile, the Riverlords retreat further north into their territory, pulling the Greens' army further from King’s Landing.This gives Daemon and Rhaenyra the opportunity to strike at the Red Keep with the Velaryon fleet sailing into Blackwater Bay, snatching the city relatively unguarded.
Based onHouse of the Dragon’scurrent pace,I could see the Fall of King’s Landing occurring late in season 3, with Rhaenyra finally recapturing the throne to end the season. Season 3’s main battle could be the Battle of the Gullet, as it would have the most dragon action and offer a fresh spectacle, as we haven’t seen a naval conflict yet inHouse of the DragonorGame of Thrones. That would leave Rhaenyra taking King’s Landing to be a brief but dramatic climax to the season, sort of like the loot train attack inGame of Thronesseason 7.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
