House of the Dragon Episode 3 review: Blood, fire, and the invincible Targaryen

4/5

Story: Tensions rise in the Targaryen household on the second name day of the new Prince Aegon. The new Queen Alicent attempts to repair the broken relationship with Princess Rhaenyra. While the Princess is courted by Lord Jason Lannister as whispers grow of Rhaenyra falling behind her two-year-old stepbrother as heir to the Iron Throne. Elsewhere Prince Daemon and Lord Corlys have started an unsanctioned war against Crab Feeders, but have struggled to gain an upper hand.

Review: The episode is set two years after the events of the previous episode and much has changed in Westeros. The King is married and has a new son with another child on the way. Rhaenyra becomes more distant from her father and her former friend Alicent who is now the Queen. The politics behind the scenes in the Red Keep is something that one would expect from a Game of Thrones story. But what keeps the story fresh is the fact that unlike the Baratheons or the Lannisters or even the Targaryens in Game of Thrones, the rulers of Westeros are more relatable or maybe even less threatening to one another. Of course, this could change in the coming episodes but there is relative civility even between rivals. Because by the third episode of Game of Thrones there was always a threat of imminent death of an important character, all in the name of lust and power.

For House of the Dragon, its most conniving character is not the rogue Prince Daemon, but the mild-mannered and unassuming Hand of the King, Otto Hightower. While was initially shown as someone who put the realm first before his own ambitions, his lust for power over the years has consumed him to the point where even Viserys finds his counsel disturbing. Viserys on the other hand continues to struggle with the responsibilities of a ruler, father, and husband. In the episode, eagle-eyed viewers would notice that he has lost two of his fingers after an infection spread as a result of cutting himself while sitting on the Iron Throne. In the novels, George R R Martin hinted that rulers unworthy of the throne end up injuring themselves on the Iron Throne. Viserys, despite being one of the fairer rulers of Westeros, is possibly not the wisest of Kings. As a father, he continues to be at odds with Rhaenyra, after he confessed that he wanted her to marry her off to a ‘Lannister of Casterly Rock’. However, it is hinted that Ser Criston Cole and Princess Rhaenyra might develop feelings for each other.

While these storylines are merely exposition for the overarching narrative, the main story follows the battle between Crab Feeder and his army against Prince Daemon and the Valeryons. The episode ends with a spectacular sequence where Daemon takes on the entire night of the Crab Feeder’s army on his own. The fight choreography and the editing is on par with some of the best Game of Thrones battle sequences. The tension is palpable and the action exhilarating, making it the best episode of the series so far. Daemon Targaryen could end up being one of the most well-written anti-heroes on television, which isn’t surprising considering George R R Martin himself confessed that Daemon is one of his favourite characters

Verdict: House of the Dragon has certainly filled the void left by Game of Thrones. The series continues to excel and there is more than enough evidence that the best is yet to come.