House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 recap and Easter eggs: Prophecies and dragon eggs
Jul. 1, 2024Here’s your spoiler-filled deep dive
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House of the Dragon season 2episode 3 sees war come to Westeros after a whole load of bloodshed in the opening two episodes. Yet, it remains a classic Game of Thrones episode, more reliant on talking strategy than enacting it, as we see the changes the new Hand of the King brings and more fallout fromthe fight between Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk.
Woven into the action are new characters and locations too, that will prove pivotal to the story going forward. For all you need to know on that, read on for our complete recap and breakdown of the major Easter eggs below. And it’s worth remembering as we reach the end of the episode, we’re near the halfway point of this season – meaning dragon fire is heating up in Westeros.
We get into big spoiler territory below in our House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 recap, so make sure you’re up to date before reading any further.
Grisly scenes
The war between theGreens and the Blackshas now spread beyond the palace gates as episode 3 begins on the battlefield with conflict between the Blackwoods and House Bracken. A skirmish between the houses ends in bloodshed for both sides, which we see the grisly aftermath of. War has fully come to Westeros now.
Meanwhile, in Dragonstone, Ser Arryk and Ser Erryk are buried in the aftermath of their fight at the end of episode 2, as Rhaenys counsels Rhaenyra to try and stop the fighting before it begins by speaking with Alicent. “There is no war so hateful to the gods as a war between kin, and no war so bloody as a war between dragons,” she tells her.
Rhaenyra is more focused on pragmatism though, bringing theWhite Wormon her side as her spy, before sending Rhaena to Pentos with her sons for safety. She also hands her a set of four dragon eggs, which may look very familiar to Daenerys Targaryen fans.
In King’s Landing, Ser Criston Cole is taking his role as the Hand of the King very seriously, cleaning up the city and joining the war council. Discussions move to how to turn the victory in their favor as they decide on Harenhaal as the key to the Riverlands. Cole decides to go out, taking Alicent’s brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower, with him. The tension between Cole and Alicent is only intensifying though, as betrayal and lust blur for the dysfunctional pair over a conversation for a favor.
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Daemon is in Harrenhal, where he arrives on Caraxes to take the castle, and finds Simon Russell Beale’s Simon Strong holding fort in the crumbling remains of the fire. “I’m claiming Harrenhal,” Daemon declares. “Apparently so,” Simon simply replies. The pair discuss Larys Strong, who Simon has no love for, and as the standing lord of the castle declares his fealty to Rhaenyra and bends the knee.
Speaking of Larys, he decides to try and stop Aegon going to war with Criston. He’s successful, and the rash king decides to stay at home instead, asking Larys to become his Master of Whisperers. Instead, Aegon goes to the tavern, where we’ve just watched someone claiming to be a Targaryen bastard and saying they’re the son of Baelon the Brave. He calls himself a “dragonseed,” which is a catch-all term for the many,manybastards of Valyrian descent in Westeros.
Daemon starts having weird visions in Harenhaal, as the doors to his chambers shake and he sees a very familiar face. That’s right, Milly Alcock is back as young Rhaenyra who is seen sewing the head back onto the slain Jaehaerys’ corpse. It’s all very Geralt of Rivia as Daemon stalks around the castle, before he sees a woman staring at him. “You will die in this place,” she warns him. Who is she? Why, Alys Rivers, a bastard of House Strong.
Meanwhile, Criston and Gwayne narrowly escape an attack from a dragon as Rhaenyra continues to plot her course. Her decision is to go to King’s Landing in disguise and meet Alicent in the Citadel as she goes about her daily worship. She pleads with her to try and find peace, as Alicent finds out how mistaken she has been in thinking Viserys had mentioned Aegon as his heir. It was actually the prophecy of ‘The Song of Ice and Fire’ that he’d been speaking of. Oops, well that’s been quite a momentous mishearing…
House of the Dragon season 2 airs weekly on HBO and Sky. Read ourHouse of the Dragon season 2 release scheduleto never miss an episode, as well as our guides to:
I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I’ve also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.
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