House of the Dragon Ep 3 was yet another interesting episode, where we take a time leap and skip right past Viserys’ wedding to Alicent. Although the episode centers around the second name day celebrations of their first male child, Aegon II, it is his uncle who steals the spotlight.
I know what you’re thinking—what did Daemon do this time?
While Viserys finally sends help, by the end of HOTD Ep 3, Daemon manages to defeat the Crabfeeders through his own efforts. Simultaneously, the realm celebrates Aegon II’s second name day, which increasingly undermines Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne.
The ending is filled with terrific moments and emotions. Here’s how it all went down!
Daemon Refuses His Brother’s Help
During Aegon’s second name day, Viserys receives news that Daemon and House Velaryon are losing badly to Crabfeeder and his army. Initially, Viserys chooses to continue being complacent, not getting himself involved in the matter. He says this is because the “realm” does not wish to be at war.
However, at the end of the feasting and the hunt, Alicent convinces him to pay heed, reminding him that the realm would be much safer if the Crabfeeder was disposed of. So, Viserys decides to write to his brother, informing him that help was on the way.
Confidence over Daemon’s abilities was already waning in the Velaryon camp, so when he receives Viserys’ letter, he’s understandably enraged. His brother initially showed no support for him and now is sending help three years too late, which almost makes Daemon look weak and in need of rescue.
Daemon sets off on what appears to be a suicide mission. He first rings in surrender by waving a white flag, but when the Crabfeeder’s crew approaches, he begins battling with them.
As it turns out, it is all to lure the crew out of the caves where they conveniently hide when the dragons appear. Growing overconfident that Daemon is the only man they have to fight, the crew converges upon him, only to be torched alive by Seasmoke’s flames.
As this happens, the Velaryon army too ambushes the remaining of the Crabfeeder’s crew. Crabfeeder himself thinks he can escape by hiding out in his cave, but Daemon goes after him and only returns when he’s slashed him in half.
That shot of a blood-covered Daemon dragging Crabfeeder’s severed body sent across a message for sure! Big brother Viserys, Daemon can fight his own battles and win.
Who will Rhaenyra marry? Will she get replaced as heir?
With Aegon II being two years old, and Alicent having another baby on the way, Rhaenyra’s claim on the throne slowly weakens. “Many,” as Jason Lannister puts it, expect that Viserys will change his mind and name Aegon II as heir.
Rhaenyra is not naive to these notions and shows her agitation during various instances at the name day celebrations. But the interaction that really sets her off is Jason Lannister asking her for her hand, implying very well that she won’t become Queen.
Thankfully once Viserys learns of this, he sternly reprimands Jason for questioning Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne. All the same, he is adamant about her taking a husband. If it isn’t Jason, it has to be someone of her choosing.
Although Viserys is at one point conflicted by his decision, at the end of the episode, he reassures Rhaenyra that she won’t be replaced as the heir. Fortunately, this is a decision that he will stand by until he dies.
About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
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