There is a significant time jump in House of the Dragon episode 3. In the previous episode, we had seen that King Viserys had picked Alicent Hightower to be his second wife at the conclusion of that episode. Lord Corlys interpreted it as a disrespectful gesture and joined forces with Daemon Targaryen to declare war on the Crabfeeder. It had been three years since Craghas Dahar, also known as The Crabfeeder, was attacked by Daemon Targaryen and Lord Corlys Velaryon. They had established a base there and had been fighting each other ever since.
Compared to the stories given in the book “Fire and Blood,” the show “House of the Dragon” has gone into more depth on the “Battle of the Stepstones,” which was more than just a battle of egos. Daemon wanted victory, but only under his own terms. There was a time during the war when the Triarchy’s army seemed to be winning easily. Daemon, however, was not someone who surrendered his goals and objectives easily.
King Viesrys’ son Aegon, who was named after Aegon the Conqueror, the very first lord of the seven kingdoms, was born in King’s Landing as a result of Alicent Hightower’s pregnancy. Aegon was almost two years old when Alicent became pregnant again. The lords and ladies of the seven kingdoms thought that perhaps Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen would be replaced as the heir after the entry of a potential candidate with a strong claim to the Iron Throne. The royal politics were hollowing out the Targaryen kingdom’s walls more than the war itself.
House Of The Dragon Episode 3 Recap
The third episode of House of the Dragon reveals that Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower are still not the best friends they once used to be. Alicent wanted to fix their friendship. Having once been close friends with Rhaenyra, she wanted to give an explanation. However, the Princess of Dragonstone was unwilling to speak with her in any way. She was disappointed that Alicent had suppressed the fact that she intended to be married to her father. She kept it a secret from her that she had spent time with the King in the past and that they had grown close.
They were completely open with each other and their lives, and when Alicent accepted a new position where she was somewhat more powerful than Rhaenyra, their dynamic changed. It was Aegon II Targaryen’s name day, and to celebrate, his father Viserys had planned a big celebration.
Many thought that Viserys would soon declare him the successor because they still thought it was strange and against the rules to make Princess Rhaenyra, his daughter, the heir. Viserys traveled to the close woodland of Kingswood with Rhaenyra, Alicent, and the others. He was aware that his daughter and he had some unresolved problems. Viserys were making every effort to solve these problems.
Viserys Wants Rhaenyra To Get Married
Rhaenyra, who was having her own self-doubts, wasn’t giving Viserys the chance to talk to his own daughter and explain that all he wanted for her was for her to be happy. She mocked him since she had already formed her judgments. To greet the King, a beautiful camp was already built. Because Viserys was aware that Rhaenyra had reached legal adulthood, he began looking for potential husbands for her. He wanted Rhaenyra to have the best life possible and to preserve the Targaryen family traditions, but Rhaenyra had a totally different perspective. She believed that her father hoped for her to marry in order to avoid becoming an obstacle to Aegon II, the successor that many wished for.
In front of Viserys, the Lord of Casterly Rock, Jason Lannister, announced his intention to marry into his family. Rhaenyra was not interested in him, despite his desire to marry her. She couldn’t stand his arrogance and boastfulness. Additionally, she had grown fond of Criston Cole, which was clear from the way she acted. Apart from that, she was preoccupied with a number of other matters; a wedding was the least of her current worries. Viserys and Rhaenyra get into a loud argument in front of the guests.
Otto steps in between them so that neither of them makes a scene in front of others and gives them both something to talk about. Furious Rhaenyra storms off into the woods, followed by Ser Criston Cole. They build a bonfire and stay out there all night. A wild boar attacks them, but they manage to escape and kill the animal. Rhaenyra ruthlessly stabs the boar several times, and the blood sprays on her face, giving her the appearance of an enraged warrior who is on the verge of losing hold of her emotions.
Also Read: Which Episode Does Ned Stark Die in Game of Thrones?
Hunt For A White Hart
Viserys went hunting by himself. A White Hart was sighted in the woods. Viserys is informed that White Hart was once seen as a royal animal in Westeros before the dragons took control of the region. It was a sign of good things to come, and Viserys was encouraged that his kingdom would prosper in the future. Otto Hightower was a cunning person. He was very well skilled at quietly influencing his King’s actions to serve his own goals. He explains to him that seeing the White Hart on the birthday of his son Aegon was not only lucky but also a sign of the future success of the young Prince.
He clearly wished his grandson to one day occupy the Iron Throne, but he was unable to express this openly because doing so would undermine Rhaenyra’s claim. Viserys cherished both of his children equally and did not wish to distinguish between them or involve them in court politics. He had told Rhaenyra that she would be the successor not because she was his only choice but rather because he believed the girl had potential that was perhaps greater than that of her male colleagues.
Rhaenyra was also affected by what others were saying, and as a result, she began to think that Viserys was only out to get her by having her married and removing her from King’s Landing. In his desperation, Otto Hightower oddly proposed marrying Rhaenyra and Aegon II. Although Kings Landing has witnessed some weird marriage pairings, this proposition violated their standards. Otto considered that denying his grandson the kingdom constituted breaking both divine and human rules.
Also Read: Top 10 Most Popular Game Of Thrones Characters: Jon Snow Is Not On The Top
The Deserving One
Only Lord Strong had a plan that was free of greed, made sense, and was intended to solidify the Crown’s alliances. First, he advised Viserys to think about marrying Rhaenyra to Lord Corlys’ son Laenor Velaryon. It was Lord Strong who had earlier persuaded him to accept Lord Coryls’ proposal and wed his 12-year-old daughter Laena Velaryon. Viserys turned down the invitation, but he had another good opportunity to join House Targaryen with one of the richest houses in the Seven Kingdoms.
Viserys is unable to locate the White Hart. Instead, it was then discovered by Ser Criston Cole and Rhaenyra while they were making their way home after slaughtering a wild boar. It, in my opinion, proved that Rhaenyra was deserving of the Iron throne. She was brave enough to do it. She was not like her father, who was easily influenced by what other people thought. She had strong convictions and was unwavering in her decisions. She was a tough woman who thought she belonged amongst knights and troops on the battlefield.
Before reentering the woods, the white deer gave her a direct look. She made her way back to camp, covered in blood like a brave soldier. Eventually, she spoke with her father. He removed all of his daughter’s worries. Viserys assured her that he, unlike others, did not have any doubts about Rhaenyra’s capacity to hold the Iron Throne and also that he continued to think that she was destined to do so. He told her he didn’t want to take the Iron Throne from her because he found something special in her.
Help For Daemon
Daemon was on the battlefield fighting the Tricarchy forces and making every effort to seize Stepstones. Since the terrain was difficult, the others were unable to offer him much assistance. Since dragons couldn’t enter caves, the Crabfeeder and his men were sheltering there. They also had the advantage of being able to aim clearly and secretly at the opposing soldier from a distance. The dragons were also withering and getting hurt, making them weaker. The Daemon men started to think there was nothing further they could do. They were totally worn out and without any hope.
Without a strategy to draw the Crabfeeder’s army out of the tunnels, Lord Coryls, his son Laenor Velaryon, and his brother Ser Vaemond Velaryon realized they had no hope of defeating them. Then Laenor, a dragon rider himself, put forward a proposal. According to him, if they used a man as bait and deceived the army into thinking they had surrendered, they might just have a chance to attack them. Vaemond argued that there was nobody that would want to participate in this suicide mission, but Laenor thought Daemon might.
Until that point, Kings Landing had not offered any aid to Daemon. His own brother leaving him to die had made him furious. Although the King believed it wouldn’t give the right message, given that Kings Landing had maintained a neutral position throughout, Alicent persuaded him to aid Daemon in the conflict. Alicent advises him that killing a villain like Crabfeeder is important for the advancement of his realm. Viserys finally agrees and sends a message to Daemon and Lord Corlys to let them know that reinforcements will be arriving from the King’s landing.
Daemon The Badass
Daemon was a man of pride. His ego was hurt. He didn’t want to come across as a weak leader to the others. He had been fighting this battle by himself for 3 years, and he had the potential to win it without the support of his forgiving King. He attacked the messenger out of rage. He headed to the area where Crabfeeder and his men were camped out in front of the caverns. He hoisted a white flag and gave the impression that he was surrendering. Laenor came out out of nowhere on his dragon, Seasmoke, as the armies came out from hiding.
Crabfeeder was aware of his deception. As soon as he entered one of the caves, Daemon pursued him. Daemon was, without a doubt, the Targaryen clan’s most skilled fighter. His Valyrian sword, the Dark Sister, was too strong for the Crabfeeder to handle. The rebellious Prince dragged the severed body of the Crabfeeder out of the cave. Blood was all over his face, and it was easy to see that he was cruel. Those who had questioned his skill now had an answer.
Daemon may not have been the king or the rightful successor to the Iron Throne, but he was nevertheless a dragon lord, and by slaying Crabfeeder, he sent a clear message to Viserys and the Nobles who had persuaded him to rebel against him. In the next episodes of House of the Dragon, we will find out if Rhaenyra Targaryen happens to agree to marry Laenor Velaryon, which could also, in turn, ultimately lead to the coalition of the two strongest families in the seven kingdoms.
We will also see if Daemon receives the respect and dignity he has always wanted, as well as whether he succeeds in mending relations with King Viserys I Targaryen.
Thoughts On House Of The Dragon Episode 3
Another time jump occurs in House of the Dragon’s third episode, this one by three years. In some ways, it’s predicted that this show would develop quickly throughout the years. There is a lot of history connected with the Targaryens, and it appears like this show is going to fit as much of it as it can into these seasons.
There is obviously a lot more story to be told, most probably leading up to the Kingslayer and the Mad King and, which would be a good way to connect to the seasons of Game of Thrones. The show recently received approval for a second season.
In this episode, Viserys’ decisions as King are more prominently presented, and I can’t help but think that the stag’s killing symbolizes Viserys’ thus far unsuccessful efforts as King. Due to his poor management of the realm, Viserys very well needed the assistance of Alicent Hightower to calm Daemon and turn the tide of the war in their favor. I can’t help but think they could have saved many troops’ lives if he had genuinely delivered help years ago.
The actual battle, though, is quite fantastic and features plenty of the visceral, epic action we’ve come to anticipate from Game of Thrones. Although I would have preferred to see the Crabfeeder actually face Daemon in a fight and possibly edit that back and forth between the bigger conflict outside, it at least accomplishes the goal of eliminating this threat.
Unfortunately, the Crabfeeder turned out to be a somewhat weak opponent, in the end, getting very little screen time and basically serving as an annoyance that was fairly simple to deal with ultimately. But the politics are still very much present in this, and the characters are compelling enough to keep you watching.
Contrary to Rings of Power, the attention to detail is considerably more obvious here, with things like clothing design, scenery, dialogue, and minor elements being much more true to the setting. Though the chapter’s conclusion leaves a lot of room for future developments, next week’s episode ought to be just as entertaining!
Also Read: Top 10 Best Game Of Thrones Episodes Ranked: From Battle Of The Bastards To Blackwater
