A new House of the Dragon character who just killed off a major player in the Dance of Dragons has never actually been introduced to the audience.

Warning, the following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 6!

In the latest episode, Criston Cole is ambushed by Team Black, and his request to go out in a blaze of glory is denied. He is instead shot dead with three arrows – though, the mysterious figure who killed him is actually a mystery to everyone watching along.

Book readers might recognize her as Alysanne Blackwood, AKA Black Aly, though her name hasn't been spoken on the show, and she's only really been in the background until now. She also hasn't actually spoken yet, apart from singing two lines of a song in episode 2 (as pointed out in a now-removed Reddit post).

Still, there are two episodes of House of the Dragon season 3 left, so there's plenty of time for Black Aly to get her proper introduction. After all, now we know her face.

As we get closer to the end of season 3, it looks like Rhaenyra could be in trouble – she cut her finger on the Iron Throne, Aemond Targaryen and Alys Rivers have formed an unusual alliance, and Ormund Hightower has declared Daeron Targaryen the rightful king.

"I think a lot of Daeron's experience through that episode and the upcoming episodes, without spoiling anything, is just, when's the breaking point?" Daeron actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth told us in a recent interview. "He's held a tremendous amount of tension and tremendous amount of patience with Ormund, and now with a figure like Gwayne around, and with his dragon Tessarion, who he has this deep affection and friendship with, who he hasn't been able to see, who has been in the Sept tied up, and so, when is it too much?"

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

As House of the Dragon season 3 continues, a surprise character is emerging as a new fan favorite.

The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 6, so turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the latest episode, Gwayne Hightower reaches Tumbleton after abandoning Criston Cole in the previous installment (with perfect timing, too, considering Criston meets his unceremonious death in the opening minutes of the new episode).

At Tumbleton, Gwayne reunites with his nephew Daeron Targaryen, and it's quickly clear that they have a much closer – and healthier – relationship than Daeron and Ormund Hightower. Plus, Gwayne thwarts an assassination attempt on Daeron (after enduring plenty of insulting comments from Ormund).

"Gwayne has become one of my favorites, I'm so glad he left Cole's side when he did," says one fan on Reddit.

"Him talking in the hallway with Daeron was heartbreaking," says someone else. "For all that people complain about 'filler,' I love this character development."

"Daeron and Gwayne having instant familial chemistry is the mark of really good acting by both of them. They haven't been on screen together yet but the characters have a long history and I definitely felt that in their scene together," is another fan's take.

"Gwayne literally took no shit from Ormund. He wasn't afraid of him or his tantrums, he spoke the truth at his face and really kept his patience with Ormund-the-man-baby," says another fan. "Gwayne has been a treat since the first episode he appeared and I am glad the writing has been consistent about his character."

"Yeah I really disliked him when he first appeared in the show and now he's one of my favorites. A tribute to his actor," is another person's thoughts.

"Yes, he definitely came off as an arrogant ass at first, with the way he spoke down to Criston. You can see how the realities of war really broke down that kind of thinking. In front of dragons, they are all equally and simply men. Great character development," says another person.

"Gwayne is unexpectedly becoming the one person I'm keeping a tight prayer circle for during the Dance alongside Helaena," says another fan.

"Gwayne is probably my favourite character from Team Green. Hoping he survives, however unlikely it seems," agrees someone else.

Gwayne Hightower dies in the fall of King's Landing in the book, which means his future on the show is a complete unknown. Here's hoping he makes it…

"I think they're both parental figures, Gwayne and Ormund, and Gwayne is more brotherly, and Ormund is more domineering, and so we see a different kind of love and a different side of Daeron comes out when he's with Gwayne," Daeron actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth told GamesRadar+ recently.

"Something more transparent, something more true to who he is as a person, and almost this frustration that comes from just this weight that he's been holding of being around Ormund, having to be very calculated about what he says, what he does, when he does it, because he knows that Ormund has this rage that could be unleashed at any moment," he continued. "And Gwayne is someone that he's been able to talk to, but I think the difference being, he's come back war hardened and out the fight, and usually he's his person [Daeron] can confide with.

"And I think just playing those different relationships and being able to explore the different sides of Daeron with Freddie Fox, but then also with James [Norton], has been really fun."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has featured another shocking, major death – but, this time, fans are celebrating.

The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 6. Turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the new episode, Ser Criston Cole is unceremoniously killed off in unexpected fashion in the opening scenes. Now, book readers might have seen this coming thanks to some ironic foreshadowing in the last episode, but, otherwise, it's a shocking moment.

Criston is ambushed by soldiers from Team Black who are playing dead, and then, after challenging his opponents to a duel, he is shot dead by arrows.

The kingsguard knight hasn't exactly been a fan favorite over the years, which means, now that he's gone, House of the Dragon fans are celebrating.

"Dude had so much plot armor there for awhile, I'm glad they just dropped the axe like that," says one fan on Reddit, commenting on a post titled "fucking finally."

"I loved that he tried to challenge an old man and a young boy to hand-to-hand combat in a last ditch Hail Mary at dying honorably in battle and they were just like haha no man, you're defeated already. Thank god they didn't take him up on his ridiculous demand and just shot him dead instead smh," says another person.

Someone else has noticed some poetic justice in the death, too. "Funny that he went the same way as Jace, right down to the number of arrows," they say. Jacaerys was killed in the Battle of the Gullet.

"Good job Criston Cole, you got your wish. Good riddance," says another fan, while another says: "Thank god he's FINALLY dead."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on Sky, NOW, and HBO Max in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

It might be hard to believe, but House of the Dragon season 3 only has two episodes remaining.

A big focus of the season has been Tumbleton, which is starting to feel like something of a powder keg. Spoilers for episode 6 follow.

Ormund Hightower is undermining Rhaenyra's authority in King's Landing with his attacks on the gold cloaks and his claims that Daeron Targaryen is the new rightful king, while the dragonseeds Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer lurk outside the town – and, in episode 6, assassins even come for Daeron, but are foiled by Gwayne Hightower.

GamesRadar+ caught up with Daeron actor Benjamin Evan Ainsworth on Zoom to talk about the show, and we asked what's coming up for Tumbleton as the finale gets closer.

"I think every episode, at least for my character, the stakes are raising tremendously," he says. "We go from, I suppose, being a squirely figure in Ormund's life, and then being posed as a king, and then having a coin with his face made on it, to then an assassination attempt in this episode. And I think if you follow that trajectory, Tumbleton's looking like a very hostile place.

"And so, yeah, I think a lot of Daeron's experience through that episode and the upcoming episodes, without spoiling anything, is just, when's the breaking point? He's held a tremendous amount of tension and tremendous amount of patience with Ormund, and now with a figure like Gwayne around, and with his dragon Tessarion, who he has this deep affection and friendship with, who he hasn't been able to see, who has been in the Sept tied up, and so, when is it too much?

"And I think a decision of who he wants to be, and I guess leading with his moral compass, or not, and which direction to go through, I think are the questions in his head at the end of episode six," Ainsworth shares. "You'll have to wait and see how that unfolds."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

So far in House of the Dragon season 3, young prince Daeron Targaryen has been under the thumb of his guardian Ormund Hightower out in Tumbleton.

But, in the latest episode of the Game of Thrones prequel, the situation gets slightly more complicated. Daeron's uncle Gwayne Hightower comes to Tumbleton after breaking away from Criston Cole, and it's immediately clear that Gwayne is far more of a positive influence on Daeron than the authoritarian Ormund. Spoilers for episode 6 follow.

"So far, any scene with Daeron has had Ormund Hightower within it, which I think says a lot about their relationship, really," Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who plays Daeron, tells GamesRadar+ when we meet over Zoom.

"There's not a lot of space, and, despite Daeron being an isolated character – he was sent away from his family, away from the politics, but also away from his mother, and all that comes with that, for better or for worse – he's also cramped within this position. The image of Tessarion chained up in Tumbleton's Sept feels like a symbol that makes sense for Daeron's internal experience with Ormond.

"And I think they're both parental figures, Gwayne and Ormund, and Gwayne is more brotherly, and Ormund is more domineering, and so we see a different kind of love and a different side of Daeron comes out when he's with Gwayne," Ainsworth continues. "Something more transparent, something more true to who he is as a person, and almost this frustration that comes from just this weight that he's been holding of being around Ormund, having to be very calculated about what he says, what he does, when he does it, because he knows that Ormund has this rage that could be unleashed at any moment. And Gwayne is someone that he's been able to talk to, but I think the difference being, he's come back war hardened and out the fight, and usually he's his person [Daeron] can confide with.

"And I think just playing those different relationships and being able to explore the different sides of Daeron with Freddie Fox, but then also with James [Norton], has been really fun."

Perhaps the most horrifying moment in Daeron and Ormund's relationship so far came when Ormund forced Daeron to execute an innocent man in Tumbleton, down in the secrecy of the Sept.

"It's manipulation at its worst," Ainsworth says of the moment. "And I think there's a certain part of Daeron which is aware of it and has seen it. He is aware of when things are going wrong, we saw that when he sends away the other squire, so he doesn't get hurt by the rage that's about to come out in episode four. I think, as twisted as it seems, it's something [Daeron] feels like he has to do to get out of this situation.

"There's no other option he feels in that moment, but also, there's almost like a pride which Ormund has with him afterwards, which he kind of yearns for as a character," Ainsworth explains. "And it demonstrates how twisted and fractured their relationship is, that Daeron is willing to do what Ormund wants because he doesn't have that loving figure in his life, and so looks for that through Ormund.

"It was really fun to play, but also, I guess, gut-wrenching to then watch back from an outside perspective. But, yeah, it's really lovely to work with people like James Norton because they give you something really specific every single take, and it's different every take, and so you can almost just follow them on the ride and see how the take unfolds," Ainsworth says. "And sometimes it would end in a moment of, almost, love at the end of of that scene, of like a shared affection that [Ormund] was proud of what I had done, and I know what I have done is terrible – and I wouldn't do it – but the pride he feels is shining onto Daeron. So, yeah, it's definitely a turning point. It's when he figures out he's going to be styled as king, which then starts a barrage of new questions of who he is and who he wants to be."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

The Rings of Power season 3 will be jumping ahead five years when the Lord of the Rings show returns to Prime Video. According to co-showrunner Patrick McKay, this is actually an "advantage" for them and gives the show "a jolt of adrenaline".

Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, McKay said: "I mean, it's pure advantage. We love the idea that even if you've maybe never seen the first two seasons, season 3 is a great place to jump in because the stories are starting in a brand new spot. You know, if you're a fan who loved the first two seasons, that's wonderful, and now you can see where everybody has gone in five years."

He added at the roundtable attended by GamesRadar+: "This character is now friends with this character, and they've moved over here, and oh my gosh, the war seems to have been gone for a while here. An entire realm got built in Rivendell, an entire tower got built in Barad-dûr, in Mordor. So it's an opportunity to just kind of give your storytelling a jolt of adrenaline. Hit the ground running from the first minute of season 3 and hopefully never let up."

The Rings of Power season 3 trailer was released at San Diego Comic-Con and showed Sauron heading to Mordor to create the One Ring. It also introduced a whole new host of characters, including Jamie Campbell Bower's Celeborn, Galadriel's long-lost husband.

The new season begins on Prime Video on November 11 with a four-episode drop. Two episodes will then air weekly until the finale, which marks a very different approach to the show's previous release schedule. However, it does mean that it will be wrapped up by the time that Blade Runner 2099 begins on Prime Video on November 25.

For more from SDCC, check out our San Diego Comic-Con 2026 live coverage as well as our breakdown of the SDCC 2026 schedule.

Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell Bower is playing a notorious Lord of the Rings character in The Rings of Power season 3 as he steps into Celeborn's shoes. The Elven warrior is Galadriel's husband, but he has been absent from the story so far.

It's now been confirmed that this will be addressed in the new season through an "epic" flashback. Speaking at San Diego Comic-Con, co-showrunner Patrick McKay shared the insight, explaining how we'll see a new side to Galadriel in the upcoming third season.

"You've gotten to know Galadriel as one character over multiple seasons, but whenever there's anyone who's really important in your life, that person brings out other qualities in you, and you see different things when someone is with someone that they really love," he tells GamesRadar+ and other press at a roundtable. "So bringing in Celeborn, you start to see this whole other part of Galadriel."

McKay added: "We're going to go back to the First Age when they first met in this really romantic, beautiful, epic scene. And then we're going to understand what has happened to her and why she has had this descent that she has had in the time since he's been gone. And then getting to see him come back again, you'll see again a totally different part of her begin to come out and flourish."

We do see a glimpse of this scene in The Rings of Power season 3 trailer, as Galadriel and Celeborn dance in a forest, surrounded by golden lights. The pair have been separated for hundreds of years when he returns in season 3 and he must join the fight quickly against the rising darkness.

For more on what's been revealed at SDCC, check out our San Diego Comic-Con 2026 live coverage and our SDCC 2026 schedule.

One of the biggest ongoing mysteries in The Rings of Power will be answered early on in season 3. The identity of Ciarán Hinds' Dark Wizard will be revealed in the new season, showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay have confirmed.

When asked by GamesRadar+ at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 whether we'll be finding out his identity, Payne promised: "We are! That's all we can say." Then his co-showrunner McKay gave an even more intriguing tease: "You'll find out, and you might find out sooner than you think."

It seems like we won't be waiting too long then into The Rings of Power season 3 to finally have some answers. While they didn't reveal the exact timings, the first four episodes will be released at once on November 11 so we're guessing there may be some big reveals in there.

There has been a lot of speculation about who the Dark Wizard really is, with some even wondering if he was Gandalf before the Stranger's big reveal. However, we know who he definitely isn't: Lord of the Rings character Saruman. .

"Well, I wonder if we can make news on this one. We can say definitively he is not Saruman. Definitively, 100% he is not," McKay told GamesRadar+ after season 2, while Payne teased: "I think we can say we do know who he is."

Elsewhere during our conversation at SDCC, the showrunners also teased their plans for season 3 – and where it stands in their timeline. "We always thought of this as one, five-season story that aspires to the epic, or even the mega-epic," McKay explained at a roundtable attended by GamesRadar+. "And when you watch any story or read any book at first you're not sure who's who. Is that a bad guy is that a good guy, what's their agenda, what's that person's real identity sometimes? That's always how things unfold."

He continued: "As we thought about the first two seasons, we thought about them as the first act of a huge three-act story, and sometimes in the first act you don't know who everybody is yet. But now the joy of a third season is actually, everybody's out in the open. The masks are off. We have full metal, evil dark lord Sauron. We have Gandalf appearing much more similar to his iconic, third age, novelistic appearance. And those are just the gifts that keep on giving as storytellers."

For more, check out the new The Rings of Power season 3 trailer. You can also follow along with out San Diego Comic Con 2026 live coverage and our SDCC 2026 schedule to not miss a moment.

Simon Pegg's Balrog will be "an intelligent, strategic, dangerous adversary" in The Rings of Power season 3.

Balrog, voiced by Pegg, was teased at the tail-end of The Rings of Power's second season, where the Mines of Moria – and King Durin's madness – uncovered the fiery creature lying in wait.

But whereas most Tolkien and Lord of the Rings fans may know him as the one who fought Gandalf in an epic duel, The Rings of Power's latest season will seemingly show a new side to the fearsome foe.

"So, creatures in Tolkien talk, full stop. And the Balrog is not just a monster; it's not a mindless beastie. This is an intelligent, strategic, dangerous adversary, and we think of him as a character," co-showrunner Patrick McKay teases at The Rings of Power's Hall H panel at SDCC 2026 – with GamesRadar+ in attendance.

"And every season, we want to show a different side of him, a different facet of him that you've never seen before. And we are crazy, stupid, or wild enough to imagine that this season he should have a scene with Sauron."

Perhaps teasing a spark that would soon become Sauron's meddling in Mount Doom, McKay adds. "I don't want to give away the game, but you know Balrogs know how to live in fire and be on fire and live. And if Sauron goes into a volcano to forge a ring, that might be a kind of dark magic that he would need to understand. He essentially goes to the Balrog to try to learn this power, and it also found a really cool opportunity to show another side of Sauron's character. Because Sauron is a Maiar, he's constantly interacting with people who are, in some ways, just a different class of being than him. The Balrog is the same class of being, so it's Maiar versus Maiar in this, and it's something that Sauron generally has to respect."

The Rings of Power season 3 premieres on Prime Video on November 11. Stay up to date with this year's San Diego Comic-Con with our SDCC 2026 live blog and our SDCC 2026 schedule.

The first trailer for The Rings of Power season 3 is finally here, and it's sees Sauron crafting the One Ring to rule them all.

Beginning with Mount Doom, the trailer promises the most dramatic season yet as we see the Dark Lord begin the task, stating, "Now is the mightly hour come." Much of the first focuses on Sauron's journey to creating the One Ring as Middle-earth tries to battle the rising darkness. Elsewhere, we see Celeborn and Galadiel reunite, Gandalf warning about death to come, and epic battles on the way. "The shadow rises in Middle-earth, how would you like to rise with it?" Sauron asks.

The trailer dropped during San Diego Comic-Con 2026, and it wasn't the only thing revealed in the Lord of the Rings show's panel.

Excitingly, some major casting news also dropped. Eddie Marsan will play King Durin IV's older brother Thrain, Andrew Richardson will play Elendil's son and Isildur's brother Anarion, while Adam Young is Marnûkh, billed intriguingly as "a mysterious Orc who may not be what he seems."

Most excitingly of all, however, is the reveal that the Balrog will return, and it'll speak for the first time. And, it'll be voiced by none other than Simon Pegg.

The official synopsis for season 3 reads: "Middle-earth is at war. Five years have passed since the fall of Eregion. Sauron's armies have marched across the whole of the world, conquering all in their path. Only a few isolated pockets stand between the Dark Lord and total victory – Khazad-dûm, where the Dwarves are now sealed deep within their mountain halls, and the elven realms of Lindon and Rivendell, which are protected by their Three Rings. But deep in the land of Mordor, in his newly completed tower of Barad-dûr, the Dark Lord toils day and night, obsessed with harnessing a power that will bring the last of his enemies to their knees: One Ring to rule them all...

"Now, all the free peoples of Middle-earth – Dwarves, Elves, Men, and Wizards alike – must find a way to come together, in a race against time to prevent Sauron from achieving his goal of utter domination of all life…"

The Rings of Power season 3 arrives on Prime Video this November 11 with four episodes dropping at once. Then, episodes 5 and 6 arrive on November 18, and finally the remaining two episodes land on November 25.

While you wait, check out our guides to the most exciting upcoming shows and upcoming movies, as well as our SDCC 2026 schedule, SDCC 2026 live-blog, and SDCC 2026 predictions to make sure you don't miss a second of the action in San Diego.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power's Celeborn star says Sauron puts a real damper on his and Galadriel's reunion in season 3, suggesting he may use the relationship against the elves.

"The reunion between the two of them is deeply impactful, particularly for Celeborn. And I think, you know, with Galadriel, it's the memory, and the hope of their reunion has really been the thing that's been keeping him alive," said Celeborn star Jamie Campbell Bower at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, attended by GamesRadar+. "With this time and distance between them, they've got a lot to catch up on."

However, what should be a happy moment between Celeborn and Galadriel may turn sour, as Bower suggests Sauron may use the two's emotions against them. "Sauron, from my perspective, and as we know, he uses that which you hold most dear against you," added Bower, "that definitely creates some complications for Celeborn for sure."

Celeborn is finally joining The Rings of Power season 3 after being absent from seasons 1 and 2. The news broke just days before SDCC, but fans already had a feeling Bower would play the long-lost elf. In the Lord of the Rings franchise, Celeborn is Galadriel's husband, but in the series, they have been separated for hundreds of years. We have already seen Sauron manipulate Galadriel in order to get what he wants, so we wouldn't put it past him to somehow ruin her happiness this time around.

Sauron will truly be getting up to no good in season 3, as aside from meddling in Galadriel's relationship, we will finally see the Dark Lord forge the One Ring.

Also announced at the SDCC 2026 Prime Video panel, Gandalf star Daniel Weyman shed some light on what the wizard has been getting up to in the time jump between The Rings of Power season 2 and 3. After hanging out with Tom Bombadil, Weyman says, "I think we will agree-he has arrived in season three. He's in his power. He has agency. He's the Gandalf."

The Rings of Power season 3 arrives this November 11 on Prime Video. Stay up to date with this year's San Diego Comic-Con with our SDCC 2026 live blog and our SDCC 2026 schedule.

At SDCC 2026, some exciting new The Rings of Power season 3 news has been announced.

Along with a brand new trailer, three new cast members have been revealed.

Not only is the Balrog set to return, but it'll be voiced for the very first time, and Simon Pegg will be lending his vocal talents to the magical beast.

The Balrog lives in the Mines of Moria and claimed King Durin's life in season 2. Clearly, then, it's set to play a big role in season 3...

Also joining the cast are Eddie Marsan as Durin IV's older brother Thrain, Andrew Richardson as Elendil's son and Isildur's brother, Anarion, and Adam Young as an Orc named Marnûkh. Strangely, he's billed as "a mysterious Orc who may not be what he seems." Just what that means remains to be seen...

These newcomers join Jamie Campbell Bower as Celeborn and Zubin Varla as Khamûl the Easterling of Rhûn.

"This idea of longing and yearning is so pervasive in Tolkien's relationship with Edith [his wife] for the time that they were apart," Bower has shared of his character, who is Galadriel's long lost husband. "I really feasted on that idea. Celeborn has had to find a way to survive whilst longing for something that he so dearly loved and so dearly missed as well."

The Rings of Power season 3 arrives on Prime Video this November 11 with four episodes dropping at once. Then, episodes 5 and 6 arrive on November 18, and finally the remaining two episodes land on November 25.

While you wait, check out our guides to the most exciting upcoming shows and upcoming movies, as well as our SDCC 2026 schedule, SDCC 2026 live-blog, and SDCC 2026 predictions to make sure you don't miss a second of the action in San Diego.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 star Daniel Weyman has teased how Gandalf will play into the series going forward. Speaking during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the actor revealed that the iconic Lord of the Rings character has "arrived".

"We've seen in this in this time gap between season two and season three-he's been sitting around with Tom Bombadil," Weyman said at the panel attended by GamesRadar+. "He's been trying to learn his stuff, and he can't make a sense of these riddles that Tom keeps coming up with. But he is-he is learning. I think we will agree-he has arrived in season three. He's in his power. He has agency. He's the Gandalf. I think we all hopefully know and love, and that means that as he tries to influence what's going on in Middle Earth as the darkness is rising."

Weyman also teased a bit about what Gandalf will be doing in the upcoming season. "He's on the lookout for people whose hearts have been chilled, that have been frozen," he added. "He's going to try and rewarm them. He's going to rekindle them to like a place where they can where they can grow and they can love again. So hopefully, we're going to be watching him through season three, work all ways of helping to defeat [Sauron]."

Showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay also teased what to expect from the new season at the panel and were in attendance with plenty of the cast, including Benjamin Walker, Charlie Vickers, Jamie Campbell Bower, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Owain Arthur, and Ismael Cruz Cordova.

The third season features a big time jump from season 2 as we head into a new era of war between the Elves and Sauron. This is also the season where we finally get to see the Dark Lord forging the One Ring to rule them all, a key moment in Lord of the Rings history.

Speaking ahead of SDCC, McKay told Empire that the filming this was "the single most ambitious, technically challenging sequence we've ever done on the show. Charlie’s performance is absolutely staggering. We never could have prepared for it."

Elsewhere, we also got our first look at Gandalf in all his glory, following on from his reveal at the end of season 2. He appeared on a side of a bus making its way through San Diego wearing his signature hat.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 begins on Prime Video on November 11. Check out our SDCC 2026 schedule and follow along with our San Diego Comic Con 2026 live coverage.

For more, check out our guide to the best Prime Video shows as well as our SDCC wish list for what we hope is revealed this year.

Good news for Dunk and Egg fans – a fourth novella is in the works, according to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner Ira Parker.

So far, three Dunk and Egg novellas have been published, but Martin has shared outlines for up to 12 novellas with Parker.

When asked by The Hollywood Reporter about HBO's thoughts on his wish to adapt the three existing novellas then break for a few years to let stars Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell get older, Parker said: "I mostly get eye rolls, though not completely. And look, it'll be a function of how, you know, well the show continues to do, or continues not to do. Every season's going to be a little bit different. What people want in their television shows changes all the time."

Then, he revealed a fascinating tidbit: Martin is writing the series again. "But yeah, I'd love to expand it from three seasons to maybe four or five. Book four, which George is working on, takes place in a very cool location. And five is the last story point of Egg as a boy," he shared. "So it's a very natural ending place for us to take a break and come back when Dexter is older. So then we can do Egg the Prince, do some politics, do some fun stuff in Summer Hall and King's Landing, and get a different vibe where they're not on the road all the time.

"So if the show wraps and people are still OK with everything we're doing and there's still an appetite, let the show evolve along with our leads, with myself and with the rest of our creative team as we grow older and the world changes and we want to say different things. I think that would be a lovely way to tell a story about these two guys through the course of their lives," he said.

Martin notoriously has not finished his A Song of Ice and Fire series, with the wait for The Winds of Winter now surpassing the wait for all five published books so far. The Winds of Winter isn't even the final planned book, either: that would be A Dream of Spring.

"I would hate that," Martin has said of the possibility of giving up. "It would feel like a total failure to me. I want to finish."

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 will arrive next year, while House of the Dragon season 3 is currently ongoing.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on Sky, NOW, and HBO Max in the UK, and HBO in the US.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and, for even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

It's taken three seasons, but a major Lord of the Rings character is finally debuting in The Rings of Power season 3.

Celeborn, husband of Galadriel, will be introduced in season 3 and played by Jamie Campbell Bower, as revealed by Empire magazine. Bower's role has been completely secret up till now.

Speaking to the magazine, Bower described Celeborn as a "lover-boy" and says his relationship with Galadriel is inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien and his wife Edith.

"This idea of longing and yearning is so pervasive in Tolkien's relationship with Edith for the time that they were apart," he said. "I really feasted on that idea. Celeborn has had to find a way to survive whilst longing for something that he so dearly loved and so dearly missed as well."

Galadriel and Celeborn have been separated for hundreds of years, so it certainly seems like a joyous reunion is on the cards.

"He has this voice that is rich and hypnotic and sonorous that feels it has the wisdom of the ages buried inside of it," co-showrunner J.D. Payne shared. "And then we did a chemistry read [with Clark], and instantly it just felt like he loved her so much. It felt so natural, and so organic, and so right."

A new – and very romantic – picture of the duo has also been released, which you can see below.

The Rings of Power season 3 arrives this November 11 on Prime Video. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming shows worth keeping an eye on to fill out your watchlist.

The Rings of Power season 3 is releasing later this year and will showcase one of the most pivotal moments for Middle-earth. The showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne confirmed that the forging of the One Ring will play a big part in the upcoming episodes.

Speaking to Empire Magazine, McKay explained: "This is the season where Sauron makes the One Ring in the volcano." Adding that filming it was "the single most ambitious, technically challenging sequence we’ve ever done on the show. Charlie’s performance is absolutely staggering. We never could have prepared for it."

Now that is some statement for a show that last year staged a multi-episode battle that took weeks to film. We're expecting big things then from the moment Sauron turns full villain this year – and actor Charlie Vickers also told the publication how excited he is for it.

He added: "The first day I walked onto that set, I cried. "What an amazing privilege and honor to be able to tell that story."

We're still several months away from the third season, but news is starting to come in thick and fast ahead of the San Diego Comic-Con panel (check out our SDCC 2026 schedule for when that is).

We recently got our first look at Gandalf in his hat too in an unexpected way. There's also been news that a fourth season is already in the works, reportedly, and filming could begin pretty soon.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 begins on November 11. For more, check out our list of the new TV shows arriving in 2026 and our selection of the best shows on Prime Video right now.

House of the Dragon season 3 got off to an explosive start with the Battle of the Gullet and Rhaenyra finally taking King's Landing, but the Game of Thrones spin-off's pace dropped considerably in the aftermath – and episode 5 is concerning fans.

One person took to Reddit to lay out their concerns about how the show is playing out, saying, "I honestly enjoyed the new episode quite a bit, but I'm growing incredibly concerned about the show's pacing moving forward."

Are we 100% sure they know this is an eight-episode season? from r/HouseOfTheDragon

The problem, in their view, is compounded by the shorter season length. "What I just watched didn't feel like the fifth part of an eight part season, or even like the third part of a six part season if you just call the first two the finale of the last season. That felt, to me, like the third episode of a ten episode season. The pace is way too slow for where the story needs to be right now," they say, before noting concerns with how the pacing might affect telling the rest of the story in the confirmed season 4.

"I'm so tired of these short ass seasons," says one person in response, with another saying: "And they take two years between seasons even though they are much shorter. I hate it."

"I don't want the pacing to be faster I want more episodes," says someone else. "I just finished it and I was thinking the same thing. I paused the show to get a refill of my drink and saw I had ten minutes left in the episode and I was just like 'are you f***ing kidding me'. Then I did the math and I was like ok so the next three episodes must be JAM PACKED with action right up until the last second of the season finale otherwise what are we even doing. This is silly as hell. And it's gonna be two years til we get the next season- I'm just so incredibly disappointed. But yes, I agree these episodes are fantastic- just not for an eight episode run"

"I wouldn't be as upset as I have been over the past three nothing burger episodes if we were getting a 15 episode season," says another fan.

"For real. If season 4 has eight episodes that means there are only 11 episodes left. How are they possibly going to wrap it up in 11 episodes?" points out someone else.

The episode mainly seemed to be setting up future problems: the targeting of the gold cloaks, Daeron and Ormund Hightower in Tumbleton, and Criston Cole continuing to march. There was precious little payoff, however.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues this week with another episode that teases steadily building tension. While no battles break out in this installment, it looks like a climactic showdown is looming thanks to some seriously ironic foreshadowing.

Below, we've broken down the moment and what it means – but that means there are major spoilers ahead for George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood. Turn back if you don't want the fate of a major character spoiled!

If you're still reading, then you're ready to dive in and find out what the latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 sets up. For more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 5 foreshadows an major book death

In the episode, Ser Criston Cole walks for miles with the green army and Alicent Hightower's brother, Gwayne Hightower. Towards the end of the episode, Gwayne realizes that Criston is in fact hoping to march to his death.

Criston gives a rousing speech, in which he declares, "I am the realm's greatest warrior, and I will die as such, clear-eyed, unbent, glorious in battle, and not in their service, finally, but in my own." He even hopes songs of his death reach Alicent.

However, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood reveals a different fate for the Kingsguard knight. He and his host are confronted by the black army, and Criston unsuccessfully tries to negotiate for the lives of his men if he surrenders.

Criston then tries to battle against his three challengers, declaring, "One of me against three of you. Will that be enough to make a fight of it?" But, he doesn't get the epic death he wants. One member of Team Black, Longleaf the Lionslayer, signals archers and three arrows swiftly strike Criston dead.

"I'll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker," says Longleaf. "There's tens o' thousands dead on your account."

So, Criston's grand hopes in this episode all come to nothing, because an anticlimactic death is awaiting him... and no songs will reach Alicent.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

After two years of 'is he, isn't he', The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 will go full Gandalf after season 2 finally confirmed that Daniel Weyman's Stranger was, in fact, the grey wizard all along. And now we have our first glimpse of Weyman in full Istar garb… thanks to an ad on the side of a San Diego Comic-Con tram.

As snapped by SD_Comic_Con over on Twitter, the image features Weyman sporting a familiar-looking hat and holding Gandalf's instantly recognizable gnarled staff. The beard, of course, is still intact. Check it out below.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 is set for a full reveal at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, with Weyman, Sauron star Charlie Vickers and showrunners Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne among those set to appear during Saturday's panel. Prime Video is pairing the Rings of Power panel with a first look at their sci-fi sequel series Blade Runner 2099, making it one of the convention's hottest tickets. We'll be reporting live from the ground. Head over to our constantly updating San Diego Comic-Con 2026 schedule to make sure you don't miss a minute.

The Rings of Power returns to screens this November. A first look at season 3 was released in May, featuring Vickers' Sauron wearing Morgoth's Iron Crown, seemingly Annatar no more. Exact plot details are currently thin on the ground, but we do know season 3 is set to feature a time jump following the events of season 2, and will take place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron.

The Rings of Power season 2 ended with the Stranger finally learning his true identity after much soul-searching across Middle-earth, and Sauron securing all nine rings for himself after defeating Galadriel. There are also some interesting newcomers joining the cast this season, including Deadpool 2's Eddie Marsan, Andrew Richardson and Stranger Things star Jamie Campbell-Bower. We don't know who they're playing yet, but Campbell-Bower has been teasing fans about his mystery character.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 3 begins on November 11. San Diego Comic-Con 2026 kicks off on July 23. Check out our list of all the new TV shows arriving in 2026 and beyond, as well as our round-up of the best shows on Prime Video right now.

House of the Dragon season 3 has introduced a stack of new characters, including Ser Gwayne Hightower, and although he may be Team Green, fans think he is secretly a good guy and would have sided with Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Now, Gwayne, played by Freddie Fox, actually made his House of the Dragon debut in season 2 as Alicent's arrogant brother and Otto Hightower's son. But so far in season 3, it seems as though he isn't that bad. A number of times now he has pulled up Ser Criston on his bizarre choices. This change of heart has led many fans to believe that if Gwayne were in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he would have done the right thing and sided with Ser Duncan in the Trial of the Seven, just like Baelor Targaryen did.

"I would like to think so. Fits his personality," said one fan on Reddit, and another replied, "He would most definitely be taking Dunk's side if he had to choose," highlighting what the knight said to Criston in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 3, after he caught one of the soldiers assaulting a village girl. Gwayne said, "A punishment is due, but also a statement to the men. That we are not beasts, but knights, and soldiers of honor."

However, others seem to think the apple doesn't fall far from the Hightower. "I don't think he will. As honorable as he is, he is a Hightower, and they don't treat commoners as their equals," added another Reddit user.

The Trial of the Seven is the ultimate test of whether the characters are able to stand up for what is right. After finding Aerion Targaryen beating Tanselle, Dunk strikes the prince. As punishment, the knight is challenged to a trial where he and six of his men must fight Aerion and six of his men. However, when Dunk failed to gather enough soldiers, Baelor Targaryen joined his team and made the ultimate sacrifice in doing so.

We will never know what Gwayne would have done in that situation. However, Hightower has plenty of time to prove himself in House of the Dragon season 2, as he continues to fight for a cause and for a team he doesn't seem to believe in.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. For exact timings, see our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and keep up with all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows on the way.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 addresses one of George R.R. Martin's complaints about the show.

Spoilers for season 3, episode 4 follow. Turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the episode, Alicent discovers that Helaena is pregnant. This is quite a big problem for both green women, considering they're currently (very well treated) prisoners in the Red Keep, which is now under the control of Rhaenyra and Team Black.

In Martin's Fire and Blood, Helaena has three children – Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor. Jaehaerys was killed during Blood and Cheese, and Jaehaera is still alive, so it would seem Helaena's pregnancy is introducing Maelor.

Maelor is present during Blood and Cheese in Martin's book, but the show cut him entirely. This was one of Martin's major complaints in his now notorious blog post railing against changes the show made to his source material.

"Will any of that appear on the show? Maybe… but I don't see how," Martin said of Maelor's story in the book, and the butterfly effect of removing him. "The butterflies would seem to prohibit it … From what I know, that seems to be what Ryan [Condal, showrunner] is doing here. It's simplest, yes, and may make sense in terms of budgets and shooting schedules. But simpler is not better … Maelor by himself means little. He is a small child, does not have a line of dialogue, does nothing of consequence but die… but where and when and how, that does matter."

While it's unlikely that Maelor will have much of a storyline, considering he hasn't even been born yet, Helaena's pregnancy does make it seem as if the child will factor into the story in some way. However, Maelor will be a threat to Rhaenyra's reign as a potential rival claimant to the throne, so the new queen might find herself in the middle of another moral quandary – like the question of what to do with young Prince Daeron, who turned out to be a fake anyway.

The show seemed to poke fun at Martin's post with a reference to poisonous butterflies earlier in the season, while another change to the source material might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from canon.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

The director of acclaimed fantasy anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End believes the aim for the upcoming Golden Land arc is to surpass the previous two seasons – which are widely regarded as some of the best anime in the past decade.

Speaking at Anime Expo 2026 (via Polygon), Tomoya Kitagawa – who described Frieren season 3 as an "epic and romantic" adventure – said, "we're going to do our best to surpass season 2." He added that the "mentality is always to do better every time."

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End roared onto the scene in 2023, instantly becoming the top-rated anime of all time on aggregator site My Anime List. Its second season was similarly successful, despite its truncated length leaving some fans feeling a bit short-changed.

Frieren season 3 is currently slated for release in October 2027, though Kitagawa says there is still some way to go before we see the finished product. He remarked that they are currently "creating the design, concept art, and storyboard for season 3."

The third season will adapt the manga's Golden Land arc, which sees mage Frieren and her companions Stark and Fern head to the city of Wiese. It's there where they encounter fearsome demon Macht, the strongest of all seven Sages of Destruction.

If it lives up to expectations, Frieren will join a collection of other highly-anticipated titles to release next year, including Delicious in Dungeon season 2. We can't rule out Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Demon Slayer all returning in 2027 either.

Need the lowdown on what else is on the way? Read our complete guide to new anime.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 is all about Rhaenyra ruling – and it has fans wondering if the show has forgotten about a crucial (and bloody) season 2 plot point.

The season 2 premiere depicted the horrific Blood and Cheese, a moment that saw the young prince Jaehaerys decapitated in a scheme set up by Daemon meant to kill his nemesis Aemond, after Aemond killed Rhaenyra's son Lucerys in the season 1 finale.

"Why T.F. Does No One Acknowledge Jaehaerys?!?!" asks one fan on Reddit. "WTAF is wrong with these writers? THE BLACKS SAWED OFF THE HEAD OF A 6-YEAR OLD LITTLE BOY IN FRONT OF HIS MOTHER AND NO ONE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I will not be gaslit! Complaining about the loss of her sons in front of the mother and grandmother of the innocent little boy who was decapitated on orders from her prince-consort, just…. Unfathomably shit writing."

In the new episode, Rhaenyra does indeed pointedly reference the death of her sons, Jacaerys and Lucerys, in conversation with Alicent and Helaena. Neither of the green women bring up Jaehaerys.

"Rhaenyra sarcastically going, 'Well I couldn't imagine…' as if Helaena wasn't right there? Like at least your sons died in battle or on assignments, her son was a literal baby in his bed and on top of that Helaena literally had to watch her son be killed," points out one fan.

"It's funny outside of Aegon only Rhaenyra for one episode was mad at Daemon about it and unlike her Helaena and Alicent still do not know the details of how it was an 'accident,'" says another person.

"Memory loss, it's the only way this story makes sense," jokes someone else. "Remember how characters like Ned haunted the narrative for like YEARS? Or Elia and her children? Rhaegar? Lyanna? Remember when death mattered? Not in HOTD. Babies get beheaded and everybody just forgets," says another fan.

"Lmao they paraded Jaehaerys' body through the streets, hanged rat catchers and nobody in KL remembers Rhaenyra as a child killer. This show is beyond bad," says someone else.

"Is insane. This type of stuff will follow a character for the entirety of Game of Thrones. And here they were [like], oh sorry there's rats because Aegon killed all the rat catchers. I guess he just did it for the love of the game, not other reason whatsoever," says another fan. Aegon did this because the killers posed as rat catchers.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 3 entirely revolves around the newly ascended Queen Rhaenyra attempting to rule the Seven Kingdoms, though she's faced with a myriad of problems, from the big (the treasury is empty), to the small (the Red Keep is overrun with rats).

Across the runtime, we see the queen's grip on her composure slackening as the reality of ruling sets in – especially when, in one moment, she mistakes a servant for her son Jacaerys, who perished in the Battle of the Gullet.

While this is a standout episode of House of the Dragon season 3, some fans think we should have seen something like it earlier in Game of Thrones season 8.

"Great episode. My biggest problem with the character arc of Daenerys in the final season of GoT was how abrupt and poorly paced it was, and I couldn't help thinking that an episode just like this one tonight (S3E3) is exactly what Daenerys needed," says one fan on Reddit. "The pans and flashes to rats roaming around unchecked, the music playing all through the episode with small sharp violin/piano notes, all awesome small details to convey sanity and good decision making eroding. If an episode focusing on all the things weighing on Daenerys' mind in the final season of GoT had aired, I think the conclusion to her arc would have felt much better executed"

One of the biggest criticisms of Game of Thrones season 8 is that Daenerys's Mad Queen arc was incredibly rushed, culminating in the Mother of Dragons burning down King's Landing for no real reason at all.

"Daenerys needs this and much, much more in that final season," agrees another person. "Her character felt so well and truly fucked over it broke my heart."

"Daenerys should have overthrown Cersei in the season 7 finale so that the entire season 8 could be dedicated to the White Walker conflict and her Mad Queen arc. Would've been so much better," says another person.

"Yes absolutely this is what she needed in Mereen," agrees another fan. "The whole point is that Rhaenyra is slowly descending into madness. We needed more of an arc for Dany to do that. People point to moments of 'madness' in earlier seasons but she didn’t do any worse than any other male ruler," says someone else.

Not everyone agrees, however. "I'm not sure why people think Rhaenyra is descending into madness. You can be stressed out without going mad," points out one person.

"I don't think the story should have ended with Daenerys losing her mind at all… it means the only female rulers of Westeros were 'mad queens,' which is an unfortunate implication," says another fan.

Emma D'Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra in the show, has previously teased that a downfall might be on the cards, explaining that they and showrunner Ryan Condal were interested in exploring "a movement towards tyranny," adding, "but in particular making that journey legible."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 breaks the usual mold to bring us an installment purely focused on Rhaenyra Targaryen ruling, after she took the Iron Throne in last week's episode.

Spoilers for season 3, episode 3 follow. Turn back now if you're not up to date!

One of the many problems Rhaenyra is faced with is the matter of her Hand, Corlys Velaryon, and his two bastard sons, Alyn and Addam, whom Corlys has promised legitimacy. After accusations levelled against Rhaenyra's own children, the new queen is reluctant to legitimize Corlys's son.

Corlys, however, is extremely unhappy with this decision, and, in a shocking moment, he shouts in Rhaenyra's face that her children were bastards.

"It's one of the things that he does without thinking," Steve Toussaint, who plays Corlys, told Variety of the moment. "Looking at the scene in the script, I remember thinking, 'OK, well, the last time someone said that to her, it was his brother, and he died within seconds.'"

Way back in season 1, Corlys's brother did indeed declare Rhaenyra's sons bastards when Driftmark's succession was called into question. Daemon swiftly – and brutally – killed him in front of the court.

"So this is a very dangerous thing to do, but I feel like he's completely at the end of his tether," Toussaint continued. "In that moment, he doesn't care, which, again, is why he raises his voice. It's not like he sort of just goes, 'I know what's going on.' He screamed it out. He doesn't care. And it's very defiant: I dare you to prove me wrong, because the world has suspected this anyway, and I've kept a secret. It's not careless abandoned, that's not quite what it is. I think it's like, do your worst. I don't care. There's nothing you can do that will make the truth any different to what it is."

The scene ends before Rhaenyra can properly react, but it's safe to say there's some bad blood between the new queen and her Hand now.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has found a very clever way to reference its source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.

In the new opening credits, the tapestry chronicling the history of the Targaryens is added to each episode with the latest major events from the season. But, if you pay close attention, you'll notice that the artistic rendering of these events is slightly different from what actually happened.

For example, in the Battle of the Gullet, it was Alyn who killed Sharako Lohar, but, in the tapestry, Corlys Velaryon is shown dramatically facing off with Lohar. Similarly, Jacaerys Velaryon is shown being killed by arrows, though the actual circumstances of his death are subtly different in the show to the tapestry (he's falling backwards in the tapestry, while in the show, he was already in the water).

"I love working in the contested history of Fire & Blood into these little flourishes," says one fan on Twitter – and it's true that this seems to be a deliberate nod to Martin's book.

Fire and Blood is a pseudo-historical text that tells the history of House Targaryen, but the twist is it's presented as coming from three different sources who each disagree with each other on the details. That means the truth of what really happened is unknown. So, the tapestry telling a false version of history perfectly fits the book's themes.

The source material has been a hot topic for House of the Dragon season 3 after Martin's infamous blog post about a "toxic" butterfly effect caused by making changes to his book. One change to Fire and Blood might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from canon (though it's an easy fix), while the show might even have referenced Martin's blog post with a sly Easter egg.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

As House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air, Game of Thrones fans are debating all of the important topics, including who is the best swordfighter in all of Westeros' history.

The debate kicked off over on Twitter when one fan asked, "Who’s coming out alive" in a fight to the death between Jamie Lannister and Daemon Targaryen. Now, not that this would ever happen, as Daemon was born hundreds of years before Jaime, but a lot of fans seem to be backing the Golden Lion over the Rogue Prince.

"George R.R. Martin says Jamie is a top three fighter in the entire history of A Song of Ice and Fire," said one fan, while another added, "If your name isn't Barristan Selmy, Arthur Dayne, Aemon the Dragonknight, Daemon Blackfyre, Robert Baratheon or Aegon the Conqueror, Jamie is killing you within 5 moves."

However, many fans think Daemon has it in him to beat the Lannister, as he has shown just what he can do with a sword in House of the Dragon. Who could forget when he sliced Ser Vaemond Velaryon's head in half with one swipe in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 8, after Lord Corlys' brother badmouthed Rhaenyra. "This is disrespectful to Daemon," added one Twitter user.

Funnily enough, Daemon star Matt Smith has already answered a similar question in the past. But rather than asking if Daemon could beat Jaime in a fight, it was Jon Snow. "Mate, I've got a dragon," said Smith on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon back in 2024. "Jon Snow is a bad boy. Don't get me wrong. Kit Harington, lovely man, lovely guy. I have a lot of respect. But don't get it twisted. I would fuck those brothers up." Well, there you have it.

As for Jaime Lannister, the Knight didn't go out in a blaze of glory, but was crushed under the Red Keep after Daenerys Targaryen invaded King's Landing. Daemon is still fighting strong in his respective show, but as the Dance of the Dragons continues to play out, no one is really safe on Team Black or Team Green.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 3 hits HBO on July 5 in the US and on HBO Max and Sky on July 6 in the UK. You can find exact timings in our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review, and keep up with upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

It seems as though fantasy fans are just not feeling the second season of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender, as ratings reveal that less than half the number of viewers who tuned into season 1 have returned for season 2.

According to Tudum, Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2, which hit Netflix on June 25, was viewed 8.7 million times over its first four days on the platform. That's a huge drop from season 1, which hit the streamer in 2024 with 21.2 million views, meaning the new installment is down by 59%.

The season sits in second place on Netflix's top 10 list of most popular English-language shows right now, and in third place is the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, which amassed 3 million views in the same week season 2 hit the streamer. Both seasons of Avatar sit behind the new Harlan Coben series I Will Find You, which earned 34.1 million views in its first full week on the site before hitting 24 million views in four days the same week as Avatar season 2.

It is not clear why the live-action Avatar show has seen a dip in viewership, as even though the sophomore season debuted to divisive reviews, that isn't really much of a change from season 1. In fact, Avatar season 2 sits at a 67% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is actually a slight improvement from season 1, which stands at 62%.

In our Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 review, we call the new installment "better in basically every way to its first season," however, "it struggles under the weight of adapting the events of its animated counterpart" and "fumbles in ways that make its future concerning." That being said, Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 is on the way and has already been filmed. Season 3 will mark the end of the live-action adaptation.

Following their bittersweet victory in saving the Northern Water Tribe from the Fire Nation, season 2 follows Avatar Aang, Katara, and Sokka as they set off to convince the Earth King to help them fight the Fire Lord Ozai. However, their journey leads them to series newcomer Toph (Miyako), whose skill in earthbending aids their quest.

Avatar: The Last Airbender season 2 is available to watch on Netflix now. For more, check out our guide ot the best shows on Netflix, and keep up with new TV shows on the way.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 is a major paradigm shift for Westeros, as Rhaenyra Targaryen at last ascends to the Iron Throne.

But there's also one moment that might be a nod to one of the most controversial Game of Thrones moments of all – George R.R. Martin's infamous blog post taking aim at the butterfly effect caused by changes the HBO show made from his book Fire and Blood.

While the bulk of the post revolved around the decision to remove Helaena and Aegon's son Maelor from the Blood and Cheese incident (and, indeed, the entire show so far), Martin ended his post with these ominous words: "And there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if House of the Dragon goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4…"

Now, in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2, Helaena is in the garden reading a book about butterflies. Not just any butterflies, either, but butterflies from Naath, which carry a deadly illness that kills invaders (so, toxic butterflies).

The moment has naturally been spotted by fans and posted across social media:

There is a Reference to GRRM's "Beware the Butterflies" blog post in House of the Dragon 3x02 (Spoilers Extended) from r/asoiaf

After the blog post, Martin was interviewed by The Hollywood Reporter, and he shared that his relationship with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

"Then we got into season 2, and he basically stopped listening to me," Martin told the publication. "I would give notes, and nothing would happen. Sometimes he would explain why he wasn't doing it. Other times, he would tell me, 'Oh, OK, yeah, I'll think about that.' It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed. Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

Another episode of House of the Dragon season 3 has landed on HBO, and, of course, an eagle-eyed fan has found yet another difference between the on-screen adaptation and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones book series.

Warning, this article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2, so turn back now if you haven't caught up yet.

At the end of episode 2, after the guards follow Alicent's orders and open the gates for Rhaenyra and Daemon, the pair approach the throne room, and Rhaenyra finally sits on the Iron Throne. However, in Fire and Blood, when the Queen first sits on the throne, she cuts herself on one of the swords, and onlookers see her leave the room with blood running down her legs and arms, which does not happen on screen.

Fans have noticed the change, as one said on Twitter, "I wish they had shown the Iron Throne cutting Rhaenyra. Maybe it’s coming in the next episode." The fan added that the reason it "has to happen" is that "she needs to be rejected by the throne bc she is a villain, not a hero." However, other fans pointed out that the show so far has not painted her as a villain, so it may not happen for that very reason.

The Iron Throne cutting Rhaenyra signifies that her rule won't last long, foreshadowing what is to come. However, even though we did not see the throne slice her in episode 2, the Targaryen Queen does suffer a few blunders.

When she entered the throne room, she was hiding behind Daemon, which the Kingsguard pointed out was funny to see. Then later, Rhaenyra says she is unable to kill Alicent's father, ex-Hand, and master manipulator Otto Hightower in place of Aegon as the usurper, and asks Daemon to do it. But when she does try to behead Otto, she fails at first. Whereas Daemon is able to deliver one killing blow to his victim. These actions may nod to Rhaenyra not being fit to rule. But we have to remember that she has just lost another son in battle, and that killing Otto will affect Alicent

This isn't the first change the show has made to its source material. Just this season, the HBO series made major changes to the Battle of the Gullet, and even the opening credits include the incorrect Targaryen sigil sporting a four-legged dragon, which Martin has made it clear that only two-legged dragons exist in his universe, no matter how many heads they have.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO and HBO Max. You can find exact timings in our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review, and keep up with upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 has continued with another massive episode, and this one makes a huge change to George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood book.

Spoilers for the latest episode follow – turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3, Rhaenyra Targaryen at last takes the Iron Throne, after Alicent Hightower made good on her word and opened the gates to the Red Keep. Rhaenyra's ascension is not without bloodshed, however, as she executes Otto Hightower, Alicent's father, on her way to the throne.

One major death from the books, though, did not happen in the show. In Fire and Blood, Alicent's brother, Gwayne Hightower, is present in King's Landing, and he's stopped from raising the alarm about Rhaenyra's arrival by the Gold Cloak commander Luthor Largent. Largent tells Gwayne that he's loyal to Daemon Targaryen, then kills Gwayne.

In the show, Gwayne is far away with Criston Cole, and Largent reveals his true allegiance in a dramatic moment in the throne room to defend Rhaenyra from the green guards instead.

How this changes the plot moving forward remains to be seen, as, now, anything could happen to Gwayne as the show goes on.

Another change to the Battle of the Gullet in the last episode might have accidentally erased Daenerys Targaryen from existence, too (though it's a fairly easy fix).

Martin previously railed against changes made to his source material on his Not a Blog page, later telling The Hollywood Reporter his relationship with showrunner Ryan Condal is "abysmal."

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review, or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 2 continues the momentum from the season premiere with another massive installment.

Below, we have a spoiler-filled breakdown of everything that happens in the new episode, including all the major deaths and Easter eggs, too. That means you can quickly get up to speed on the latest chapter of the Dance of the Dragons as House of the Dragon season 3 heats up. But, if you're not looking for spoilers just yet, then our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review is where you need to head.

For even more, you can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2 recap

The episode picks up in the aftermath of the Battle of the Gullet. The three dragonseeds – Hugh Hammer, Ulf, and Addam of Hull – finally join the fight and finish off the remainder of the Triarchy's fleet. Baela, meanwhile, flies home to Dragonstone with the body of her betrothed, Jacaerys Velaryon.

When they return, Rhaenyra has finally been freed from her chambers. She is, predictably, devastated by the death of her firstborn son. After at first seeming to be in shock, not quite believing Jace is dead, Rhaenyra then gives in to devastation and mourns over her son's body.

Outside, Addam searches for Corlys Velaryon, AKA the Sea Snake, in the Gullet, while Rhaena travels to the Vale and seeks asylum. Lady Jeyne Arryn is reluctant, but Rhaena sways her by reminding her she wanted a dragon to protect her land.

Daemon, hanging out with the Winter Wolves, gets word that Jacaerys has died. He is summoned to Dragonstone to prepare to take King's Landing. Addam finds Corlys, who declares, "If this be victory, I pray I never win another." Within the Red Keep, Alicent hurries to make arrangements for Rhaenyra's arrival, including getting the gold cloaks of the City Watch on her side.

Back on Dragonstone, Rhaenyra knows Sheepstealer has a rider – and blames them for Jace's death – and it's revealed that Vhagar has been spotted in the Riverlands, safely far away from King's Landing. When Rhaenyra's resolve appears to falter in her grief, Daemon attempts to rouse her as only he can. He speaks of the Song of Ice and Fire, the prophecy that Viserys passed on to Rhaenyra, and of a dream he had of a girl with three dragons (you might recognize her as the Mother of Dragons herself, Daenerys Targaryen).

In King's Landing, Lord Jasper the Master of Coin wises up to Alicent's scheming and attempts to rape her. Fortunately, he is stopped by Maester Orwyle and some guards, who arrest Jasper. Alicent then admits to her daughter – and queen – Helaena that she made a mistake crowning Aegon, and the duo make the guards on the city walls stand down in preparation for Rhaenyra's arrival.

Aemond arrives at Harrenhal and promptly begins to lay waste to it, burning the castle with Vhagar. He also kills Ser Simon Strong and the others living in Harrenhal, but takes a wound himself, and staggers towards the witch Alys Rivers for help.

Rhaenyra and Daemon arrive in King's Landing, flanked by Hugh Hammer and Ulf on dragonback. They walk through the Red Keep, Daemon cutting down the guards that stand in their way, until they reach the throne room. There, they are surrounded by Kingsguard and the City Watch. All seems lost until the Watch side with Rhaenyra and Daemon. Rhaenyra then demands that Aegon be brought to her.

Aegon, of course, has fled, but Daemon finds a prisoner that's almost as useful: Otto Hightower. Daemon brings Otto for Rhaenyra to execute, and, after at first hesitating, Rhaenyra completes the execution in two blows. Daemon executes Jasper before he can finish delivering his last words.

Rhaenyra then ascends the throne, leaving a trail of bloody footprints in her wake. Alicent and Helaena are brought before her after they were caught trying to escape the city. The episode ends with Alicent seeing her father's body – and looking in horror at Rhaenyra, as Rhaenyra, finally seated on the Iron Throne, looks back.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2: who dies?

The death toll isn't quite as high in this installment as last episode's Battle of the Gullet, but there are still some significant casualties:

• Otto Hightower (beheaded by Rhaenyra Targaryen)
• Lord Jasper Wylde (beheaded by Daemon Targaryen)

There are also countless unnamed guards killed, but Rhaenyra and Daemon manage to take King's Landing with relatively little bloodshed.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2 Easter eggs

New credits: The new title sequence continues in episode 2 with a remix of the familiar theme tune, and, in this episode, the tapestry depicting the history of the Targaryens has an update, too. Now, the tapestry shows the Battle of the Gullet and the death of Jacaerys Velaryon.

Corlys's Fire and Blood line: After Corlys is fished out of the ocean and reunites with Addam and Baela, he reflects on the Battle of the Gullet with the line, "If this be victory, I pray I never win another." This is dialogue ripped straight from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.

Daenerys Targaryen: Daemon had a vision of Daenerys Targaryen in the House of the Dragon season 2 finale, and he speaks of it again to Rhaenyra to try and rouse her to take King's Landing after she is stricken with grief over the death of her son Jace. Daemon tells her he dreamed of a girl with three dragons, specifically of the moment Daenerys emerged unhurt from Khal Drogo's funeral pyre with her three, newly hatched dragons Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.

The Song of Ice and Fire: Daemon also talks of the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy to Rhaenyra, a prophecy passed from Targaryen king to heir since the time of Aegon the Conqueror. This is the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised, who will unite the Seven Kingdoms against the threat of the White Walkers when the time comes. You might remember that this particular prophecy plays a large role in Game of Thrones.

Harrenhal: Aemond Targaryen enters Harrenhal in a very similar way to Daemon last season, only Aemond ends up slaying everyone he comes across.

Beheading: Rhaenyra takes two swings to behead Otto, much like Theon Greyjoy took multiple swings to behead Rodrick Cassel – though Rodrick's execution was far messier than Otto's.

House of the Dragon season 3 air weekly on HBO and HBO Max on Sundays in the US and on HBO Max, Sky and NOW on Mondays in the UK. For more on the show, check out our guides, explainers and interviews:

• House of the Dragon season 3 showrunner Ryan Condal on what keeps him up at night making the Game of Thrones prequel, and the spin-off he wants to see next: "I think there's a really fascinating story to be told"
• The Battle of the Gullet in House of the Dragon season 3 features some key changes from George R. R. Martin's book
• House of the Dragon season 3 makes huge changes to the Battle of the Gullet, but I love that it makes the death of one of my favorite characters even bleaker
• House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 confirms a book character isn't being adapted
• Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon? His Game of Thrones origins explained
• The House of the Dragon dragons, listed and explained
• Greens vs. Blacks, explained
• The Targaryen family tree
• The House of the Dragon timeline

House of the Dragon season 3 has introduced Ormund Hightower, and fans are loving him already.

In the season premiere, Ormund, played by James Norton, showed up very briefly as leader of the green army. While he hasn't done much just yet, he's already made a big impression with fans.

"Putting all my stock in the Ormund storyline," said one person on Reddit, with another saying: "He's awful, I lov[e] it lol"

"I like that they set him apart with the whole scented perfume thing I wonder if it shows off his pompous nature as Lord of Oldtown or if it's a genuine disability," says someone else – Ormund conspicuously sniffs perfume when a messenger comes to visit.

"I have no clue who he is cause I haven't read the book but this actor nailed the pompous elitist high born facial expressions. It was like a 2 minute scene and I love him and Daeron(?) already," says someone else. A fan theory that Ormund's squire is none other than Daeron Targaryen has sprung up since the episode aired.

"I’m just over the moon to James Norton in Westeros. He’s such an amazing actor and I’m glad to see him in the show," says someone else.

"Was sold on his character as soon as he said 'King, is he now?' and simultaneously made THAT Hoity-Toity face... Definitely here for it …," agrees another fan.

"He's won me over to team green with his smug aura and having Brasso as a pissed off sidekick," says another person, referring to Joplin Sibtain, who played Brasso in Andor.

Ormund is Alicent Hightower's cousin, and, with such a huge army at his back, we wouldn't count him out as the season goes on.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon season 3's ratings are in, and the premiere's all-timer naval battle couldn't help it stack up against the second season.

As per Warner Bros. Discovery (via Variety), 21.5 million people tuned in across the first three days of availability for House of the Dragon season 3.

So, it's hardly sinking without a trace – but has suffered an 8% drop on House of the Dragon season 2's 23.4 million figure across the same three-day window in 2024.

All told, it's difficult to pinpoint why numbers have dropped. Variety has pointed to the World Cup being on – was Sunday's Uruguay vs. Cape Verde match really that big of a draw? – as a factor, though it's likely some felt dissatisfied by season 2's wheelspinning in Harrenhal with Matt Smith's Daemon Targaryen, as well as the continued years-long gaps between seasons.

There is also the small matter of Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin engaging in a one-sided public feud with showrunner Ryan Condal.

"It's worse than rocky," Martin told The Hollywood Reporter of their working relationship in January, "It's abysmal."

"I would give notes, and nothing would happen," Martin explained. "Sometimes he would explain why he wasn't doing it. Other times, he would tell me, 'Oh, OK, yeah, I'll think about that.' It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed. Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes."

Whatever the behind-the-scenes tensions, that hasn't dimmed the critical reaction to House of the Dragon season 3, which exploded onto our screens with the Battle of the Gullet.

The latest season is currently sitting at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, while our own four-star House of the Dragon season 3 review suggested "this could be the best season of a Westeros-set show in over a decade."

House of the Dragon season 3 is airing weekly on HBO, HBO Max, and NOW TV/Sky in the UK.

For more, check out the complete House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

The Mother of Dragons may be no more. A change from George R.R. Martin's book in House of the Dragon season 3 might have a pretty brutal butterfly effect that would in theory prevent Daenerys Targaryen from ever being born.

In the season 3 premiere, the bloody Battle of the Gullet rages, which results in the death of Jacaerys Velaryon. While the manner of his death is very accurate to Martin's source material Fire and Blood, the show removes Rhaenyra's two youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys, from the battle.

In the book, Aegon and Viserys are on their way to Essos to be fostered, but their ship is taken captive by the Triarchy. Aegon escapes with his dragon (which dies soon after), but Viserys is kidnapped and is lost to the Targaryens for years.

He ultimately ends up in Lys with a magister named Bambarro Bazanne. After Bazanne dies, Viserys, still a captive, is passed to the powerful banker Lysandro Rogare. When Lysandro discovers who Viserys is, he marries him to his daughter Larra. Daenerys is a direct descendant of Viserys and Larra – she is their great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter.

This would actually also delete Jon Snow from canon, too, since he is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, Daenerys's older brother. Oops…

"The fact that Ryan [Condal] accidentally made Daenerys Targaryen not exist by omitting Aegon and Viserys from the gullet lmao," points out one fan on Twitter.

However, it is of course most likely that the show will bring Viserys and Larra together in some other way, meaning Daenerys and Jon are safe. In the show's timeline, Viserys is still a toddler, too, while he's slightly older in the book. And, Aegon and Viserys are indeed on their way to Pentos in Essos to be fostered in the show, just like they are in the book – so there's still plenty of time for Viserys to be kidnapped, though it will have to play out differently compared to Fire and Blood, since he hasn't been separated from Aegon.

"That was just one of the many challenges of making the show and telling a story that involves so many children," showrunner Condal has shared of the change. "We had to compress history a little bit just to make season 1 take place over 20 years instead of 30 years. So it just meant all of the children in the story are a little bit younger."

It all comes down to Aegon and Viserys's new age. "Her youngest children are just not of an age where you can involve them with complex dramatic sequences, complex action," added Condal. "It's not safe, it's not practical. So it was just something that we had to dispense of rather early on in the process."

Changes to the source material are a particularly hot topic, however, after Martin took to his Not a Blog page to rail against "toxic butterflies" caused by diverging from his work, then later told The Hollywood Reporter that his relationship with Condal is "abysmal."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon season 3 showrunner Ryan Condal has addressed one of the biggest changes the show makes to George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood book.

In the book, there is another dragonseed alongside Addam of Hull, Hugh Hammer, and Ulf. This dragonseed is a lowborn girl named Nettles, who ultimately claims Sheepstealer. In the show, however, Sheepstealer is claimed by Rhaena, and Nettles does not appear to exist.

"It just felt to us that because again, this story is told in point of view, that it felt more apt as this is a family story to where we had the opportunity to involve one of the family members in the storyline," Condal told IGN of the change.

"And because Rhaena has been set up since season 1 as the member of this family who doesn't have a dragon and basically her sole identity is the Targaryen kid who doesn't have a dragon, it felt like that was a character that we had already set this long runway for that it could be very satisfying for the TV audience that didn't have an experience with the book at all to see that character claim a dragon and then in a very, I think, Game of Thrones and Westerosian kind of way, to reap the consequences of having her wish come true," he added. "It's a very monkey's paw kind of moment for Rhaena. She gets her great wish and it becomes her greatest nightmare."

Rhaena succeeds in claiming Sheepstealer in the show, but she is unable to control the wild dragon during the Battle of the Gullet. Tragically, this results in the death of Jacaerys Velaryon, who flies too low on his dragon Vermax after Sheepstealer gives chase. After Vermax is killed with a harpoon blow that drags the dragon underwater, Jace is shot dead with arrows.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon season 3 is here, kicking off its junior season with an intense Battle of the Gullet, which differs massively from George R.R. Martin's works, but showrunner Ryan Condal says that was for good reason.

Fans who have read George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones book series will know that The Battle of the Gullet in Fire and Blood is a lot different from what we have just seen in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1. The naval fight only spans across a few pages in Martin's works, but the show dedicated almost half its premiere episode to the battle. In doing so, the series makes a few changes, adding some characters into the mix, but also leaving out Rheneryra's and Daemon's youngest children, Prince Aegon III and Prince Viserys II.

"That was just one of the many challenges of making the show and telling a story that involves so many children," said Condal to IGN. "We had to compress history a little bit just to make Season 1 take place over 20 years instead of 30 years. So it just meant all of the children in the story are a little bit younger."

The boys are still infants, which makes adapting the book a little tricky. "Her youngest children are just not of an age where you can involve them with complex dramatic sequences, complex action," added Condal. "It's not safe, it's not practical. So it was just something that we had to dispense of rather early on in the process.”

In the book, Aegon and Viserys are caught in the midst of the battle whilst on their way to Pentos for safety. Aegon manages to escape on his young dragon Stormcloud and fly back to Dragonstone, where Jace then sets off to save his other brother, and well, we know how that ends. Viserys is captured by the Triarchy but turns up later on. However, in the series, we presume that the boys are still safe and sound. For more, read our guide on how the Battle of the Gullet in the show is different from the book

However, Condal promises that the duo is still very much involved in the series. "It's not to say that those characters are out of the show," added the showrunner. "We all realize what an important role they play as Rhaenyra's sons with Daemon and the heirs to their particular bloodline and where they sit in the history. So we haven't forgotten about any of that."

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max and Sky in the UK. See our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review, and guide to upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

As the fantasy series ushers in a darker chapter, House of the Dragon season 3 has a new opening credits sequence, but fans have spotted a mistake in the tapestry.

Towards the end of the opening credits (around the 1 min 31 seconds mark on YouTube), the tapestry includes a four-legged, three-headed black dragon against a red background. This is the Targaryen sigil, which is mentioned in Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin's books and in the main show. However, in Martin's works, the dragon on the sigil has two legs, not four, which Martin has brought up before.

"George R.R. Martin has already said a thousand times that the dragons in his universe have only two legs," said one fan on Twitter, and another added, "Absolute ragebait, this is incredible." You can see it below.

You may be wondering why it is so important that the dragon on the sigil has two legs when it has three heads. The three headed dragon on the sigil represents Aegon the Conqueror and his two sister-queens, Visenya and Rhaenys, who forged the Seven Kingdoms. As for the legs, fewer limbs provide balance and stability, which are key to taking flight.

Martin has shown his distaste for the four-legged beast before. When House of the Dragon season 2 aired, the author took to his blog and wrote, "In my books, the Targaryen sigil has two legs, as it should. Why would any Westerosi ever put four legs on a dragon, when they could look at the real thing and could their limbs?" The author added that Game of Thrones got the sigil right "for the first four seasons and most of the fifth."

"Someone got sloppy, I guess. Or someone opened a book on heraldry, and read just enough of it to muck it all up," added Martin.

However, the reason why House of the Dragon continues to use the incorrect sigil may be for consistency, as Game of Thrones had already adapted it. Nevertheless, Martin does not approve. "Those damned extra legs have even wormed their way onto the covers of my books, over my strenuous objections," said Martin. Alas, at least the living dragons in House of the Dragon do have the correct number of legs.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues to air weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max and Sky in the UK. See our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review, and guide to upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 is back – and after the Battle of the Gullet kicked things off to a massive start, it looks like things are only going to get bloodier as the season continues.

A brand new trailer dropped after the premiere, teasing everything else that's still to come in season 3. Spoilers for episode 1 follow…

In the Battle of the Gullet, Rhaenyra's oldest son and heir, Jacaerys Velaryon, was tragically killed. In the trailer, which you can watch below, we see the fallout of his untimely death, with Rhaenyra mourning her son and accusing her allies of betraying her.

We also see more of James Norton's Ormund Hightower, and it sounds like he's not a fan of Rhaenyra. Then, there are flashes of more battles to come, more dragonfire, and Rhaenyra in the Red Keep.

At the end of House of the Dragon season 2, Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra struck a deal: Alicent would allow Rhaenyra to take King's Landing to end the war, though Aegon would have to die. However, Aegon has fled with Larys Strong, which could cause issues for a grieving Rhaenyra…

As for the Battle of the Gullet, that particular clash made some major changes from the book, including the absence of Rhaenyra's youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys. How the rest of their story plays out remains to be seen, since they are currently absent – along with Joffrey Velaryon, the new heir.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon season 3 is set to introduce Daeron Targaryen, the youngest son of King Viserys Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. And fans think he's already quietly appeared in the season 3 premiere.

In House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1, we meet Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton). During a brief scene where Ormund receives a dispatch from King's Landing, a young man with auburn hair can be seen standing behind over left shoulder. The character doesn't speak, and isn't addressed by name, but fans have already put two and two together and come up with Daeron. Check out the clip below.

Now, this casting has yet to be officially announced by HBO, but there's plenty of evidence that backs up this theory. First, we know that Daeron was sent to live with Lord Ormund as his ward. Second, Daeron's small blue dragon, Tessarion, is penned up among Ormund's army in the episode, meaning Daeron is almost certainly close by. And third, the actor playing the young squire is Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, who'll appear as Link in 2027's The Legend of Zelda. While he's still a relative unknown, it's unlikely an actor on that star trajectory has little more than a walk-on part.

Of course, the unnamed squire could be nothing more than that. Canonically, Daeron has traditional Targaryen silver hair, which the young squire notably does not. However, it's very possible that Daeron is wearing a wig or has dyed his hair, so he can't be easily identified as the dragon-riding Targaryen he is.

House of the Dragon season 3 got off to a fiery start with the Battle of the Gullet, which claimed a major victim in the civil war between Team Green and Team Black. The actor did have one request before his character met an untimely end. The season 3 premiere also featured a surprise location, which has major implications for Game of Thrones lore.

House of the Dragon season 3 is streaming weekly now on HBO Max in the US, and on HBO Max and NOW in the UK. Never miss an episode with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, and read our verdict on the first four episodes of the new season with our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon has returned to our screens, and, naturally, it's brought with it a bloody battle and serious heartbreak.

Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 follow. Turn back now if you're not up to date!

In the Battle of the Gullet, Rhaenyra's oldest son, Jacaerys Velaryon, is killed – along with his dragon, Vermax. While there are many changes from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, the biggest is that Rhaenyra's two youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys, are absent from the battle.

In the book, Aegon and Viserys are on their way to being fostered in Pentos when the Triarchy takes their ship captive. Aegon escapes on his dragon – which dies soon after – while Viserys is kidnapped. Jacaerys and the dragonseeds then take to the skies, which results in the death of Jace and his dragon.

"Removing Aegon III & Viserys II was certainly… a choice," says one fan on Reddit.

"I'm confused as to who is looking after them here. Are they still in the Eyrie? Will someone lose their allowance for abandoning their siblings/cousins to chase Sheepstealer?" says someone else – Rhaena was meant to be watching over Aegon and Viserys, but she abandoned her charges to claim the wild dragon Sheepstealer, instead.

"Yeah I am sooo confused to wtf they are going to do now, like when reading the books Aegon & Viserys were the main thrust of this battle?? And who was watching them? Where are they now??? Unless they include that aspect later in the series but It just feels like a massive change for basically no reason? I did enjoy the episode but this was a weird change," says another fan.

"What are they gonna do with little Aegon and Viserys now" questions another fan, while another says: "Yeah I kept waiting for that to happen and it just never did???? Idk some parts of the episode I really loved and I think they nailed, others I'm disappointed by and this is one of them. I'm curious if they are going to try and fit that in somewhere else or if that plotline is completely being ignored.

"Idk I was looking forward to Rhaenyra believing that she had lost 2 children in one day and I wanted to see Aegon barely escape on his tiny dragon," they continue. "I understand not including all the dragons involved in the books due to the massive CGI cost but I think the situation with Aegon should have been included. Maybe that will happen in the beginning of episode 2?"

"So where the fuck is Aegon the Younger?" asks someone else, with another fan suggesting: "Probably safe on a boat to Essos. It was always obvious that the youngest wouldn't be included, they're too young. Works in the book but not a TV show"

What fate lies in store for Aegon and Viserys remains to be seen, though we'll likely find out more about the young princes as the season goes on.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon is back with a bang, as the bloody Battle of the Gullet has already caused the death of a major character.

But there's one, easily missed detail in the episode that might be just as seismic: a major location from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire lore makes a pretty lowkey appearance. Spoilers for the new episode follow.

In the episode, the dragonseeds – Hugh Hammer, Ulf, and Addam of Hull – sit together on an island on the lookout for Aemond Targaryen and his fearsome dragon Vhagar. There, they glimpse a mysterious man with antlers, as well as the witch Alys Rivers.

Thanks to the man with antlers, though, we know that the dragonseeds are hanging out on the Isle of Faces, a very significant location in Martin's fantasy world.

First appearance of a mythical character from r/HouseOfTheDragon

In the Westeros lore, the Isle of Faces is the site of the pact between the First Men and the children of the forest – you might remember them as the woodland folk who helped Bran in the later seasons of Game of Thrones. It's also full of weirwood trees, which were given faces as part of the pact (so the old gods could witness the agreement): then, the green men were created as guardians of the weirwoods and the island.

In the Game of Thrones TV show, the children of the forest created the Night King as part of their war against mankind. The Night King, however, is a show-only invention. Daemon Targaryen sees a vision of a green man in season 2, during his long stay at Harrenhal, and it's a green man that appears on the Isle of Faces in season 3 (recognizable by his antlers).

What this means remains to be seen, but, for now, it's a surprising inclusion for one of Westeros's most mysterious and magical locations.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.

House of the Dragon has exploded back onto our screens with its season 3 premiere, and we've had to say goodbye to one major character already.

The following contains major spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1, so turn back now if you're not up to date!

The new episode depicts the Battle of the Gullet, and, as fans of George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood will know, the major casualties of that particular naval clash are Jacaerys Velaryon and his dragon Vermax.

Jace and Vermax are killed in the show when Jace pursues Sheepstealer, an out-of-control wild dragon claimed by Rhaena, who is indiscriminately attacking both sides in the battle. Sadly, Jace flies too low when Sheepstealer gives chase, and Vermax is struck by a harpoon weighed down by an anchor. Vermax sinks and drowns, while Jace survives the descent into the ocean but is swiftly killed by arrows fired from a nearby ship.

Harry Collett, who plays Jace in the show, has revealed that he had one request for his death sequence.

"There's no way I can leave this show without saying 'Dracarys!'" Collett told Entertainment Weekly. "There was no way. Not on my watch."

Dracarys, of course, is the Valyrian word for dragonfire, used as a command to burn enemies. As you might expect, the Battle of the Gullet involves plenty of dragonfire.

"I'm shouting these Valyrian words and saying 'Dracarys,' which wasn't really originally in the script," Collett added. "I actually asked if I could say that. So I was really happy about that."

So far, Rhaenyra has not learned of the death of her firstborn son and heir, but we can expect the fallout to be huge when the news reaches her on Dragonstone.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review or why the Battle of the Gullet book changes make Jace's death even bleaker.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 is here, and the brutal Battle of the Gullet certainly lived up to its bloody reputation. But the Gullet isn't all we get in the season 3 opener, which catches us up with Rhaenyra, Daemon, Alicent, Aemond, Aegon and more in a surprisingly efficient 65 minutes.

Below, you'll find a full spoiler-filled breakdown of the episode, as well as a rundown of all the major deaths, and a list of Easter eggs we spotted in the season 3 premiere. So, needless to say, if you've yet to watch House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1, turn back now! Our spoiler-free House of the Dragon season 3 review is ready and waiting for you.

Don't forget to bookmark our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule, where you'll find all the latest information on exactly when new episodes drop, so you'll never be spoiled. Want more from the World of Westeros? See what's coming with our list of upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 recap

Adding fuel to the fire that season 3's opening episodes are season 2 episodes 9 and 10 in all but name, House of the Dragon season 3 picks up moments after season 2's abrupt cliffhanger finale. Wild dragon Sheepstealer does an impressive job sneaking up on a sheep, which he promptly roasts. A desperate Rhaena attempts to tame the wild dragon, and even manages to mount the untameable beast, but Sheepstealer flies off with little thought for his rider's comfort.

Back in King's Landing, newly crowned King Aemond drags Grand Maester Orwyle out of bed in the dead of night and threatens to behead him, believing he has enabled Aemond to flee the keep. Larys is missing as well, however, putting Orwyle in the clear. On the road, Larys and Aegon are tucked safely away in a carriage. Larys has forgotten to pack the milk of the poppy, leaving a still-singed Aegon in excruciating pain. Things go from bad to worse when their convoy is stopped by a band of mercenaries loyal to Rhaenyra. To save their lives, Larys reveals that they have captured Aegon Targaryen, and that it would be wise to deliver them to their Queen alive.

After securing the loyalty of the Rivermen last season, Daemon leads a massacre of Lannister forces, though we only catch the tail-end of the bloody battle. Jason Lannister, we learn, has fled. But moments later, figures emerge from the treeline, and the man in front offers up Jason Lannister's severed head. This is Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan), leader of the Winter Wolves, who were dispatched by Cregan Stark in the season 2 premiere (took their sweet time marching down from the North). If there was any question about Mr. Ruin's loyalties, his declaration that, "We have come to die for the Dragon Queen!" should clear up any doubts.

Still en route to Harrenhal, Cristin Cole hasn't cheered up one bit since we last saw him. Even when Gwayne approaches him with demands he reprimand one of his troops who has assaulted a woman, all Ser Cristin can think about is how insignificant everyone is in the face of dragon warfare. Cheer up, already!

The Dragonseeds, meanwhile, are stuck waiting for Aemond and Vhagar to fly by, so they can intercept the new king on his way to Harrenhal. To pass the time, they share stories about the pasts. Later, Alys Rivers appears out of nowhere and tricks the Dragonseeds into abandoning their post by telling them a battle is underway at Dragonstone. Out of fear and concern, they leave. Back in the Vale, Sheepstealer dumps and seemingly strands a haggard Rhaena on top of a mountain… but later returns with some roasted sheep, which he shares with his new rider. Progress!

Aboard the Queen Who Never Was, Lord Corlys and his illegitimate son, Alyn of Hull, share a moment in the Sea Snake's cabin, bonding over disgusting-looking liquor. Corlys looks on Alyn with pride, and wants him to take the Corlys name, but Alyn is called away when a siren sounds. Triarchy forces have been spotted on the horizon, led by Admiral Sharako Lohar. Speaking to Tyland Lannister, Lohar tells the newly twinless Lannister that their plan is to sack Lord Corlys' fortress, the High Tide, so the Sea Snake will be distracted during the battle.

Next we meet a brand new character – Lord Ormund Hightower, Otto's nephew. Leader of a small army, Ormund is waiting on word to attack Harrenhal… but receives a letter from Aemond instead that he is the new king, and that he will join them on the battlefield. We also learn that Ormund has a strong aversion to unpleasant smells – not good news for Ormund given the short supply of showers in Westeros.

After initially fearing his own mother helped Aegon flee King's Landing, Aemond starts to put renewed trust in Alicent again. Using a cunning mix of reason and manipulation, Alicent convinces Aemond to leave King's Landing and fly to Harrenhal, leaving the door wide open for Rhaenyra to fly in and take the capital while it is unprotected by Vhagar. Mother and son seal it with an icky kiss, which Alicent barely manages to conceal her upset over.

Receiving word of the battle about to erupt in the sea off Dragonstone, Rhaenyra resolves to ride into battle on Syrax, telling Jace he must stay home. Jace, however, locks his mother in her quarters and commands a guard, under threat of death, not to let her out. Instead, he takes flight on Vermax, alongside Baela on Moondancer, and rides into battle.

Now, finally, it's Gullet time! Before you know it, ships are ablaze and decks are covered in blood, as the Triarchy and the Sea Snake fleets go at it. Corlys has two major firebreathing advantages, as Moondancer and Vermax rain fire down on the Triarchy ships. But the Triarchy have come prepared with anti-air weaponry in the form of Scorpion-like harpoon guns. Lohar nails Vermax, who is weighed down by the weapon. Before he and Jace are pulled into the sea, Moondancer swoops in for the save by severing the cable.

The fate of Westeros may ride on this battle, but Lohar only has eyes for the Sea Snake, and they're covered with red mist. Corlys has a plan – lure Lohar and her supporting vessels into the narrow, shallow Dragonstone pass, where they'll be run aground on the rocks below. Initially, the plan seems to work when two of Lohar's ships get stuck on the teeth. But after jettisoning all dead weight (including ruthlessly kicking the armored Tyland overboard), Lohar's ship manages to make it through the pass as well.

As Lohar's ship closes the gap, Corlys notices that his home is literally on fire, and freezes. Alyn steps up and takes charge, preparing everyone as the ship is about to be boarded. The Triarchy swings aboard, and swords clash. Amid the chaos, Alyn briefly falls into the water, as the Queen Who Never Was sinks, and takes off his armor to stay afloat. Eventually, Corlys and Lohar trade blows. Corlys gets the upper hand, but as he's about to land the killing blow, he's thrown into the sea. Eventually, Alyn kills Lohar in the half-submerged lower decks by stabbing them in the neck.

While Rhaena attempts to ride Sheepstealer to Dragonstone, the wild dragon is drawn to the battle, noticing Vermax and Moondancer in the fray. Unfortunately, Sheepstealer has no interest in listening to Rhaena's commands, and attacks Moondancer. Vermax pursues Sheepstealer, but flies too low and is hit by a harpoon weapon once again. This time, Moondancer arrives just too late, and Vermax is dragged under the surface and drowns. Jace pulls himself onto some debris, but is hit by an arrow in the back by an unseen archer. Two further arrows hit Jace in the chest and neck, killing Rhaenyra's eldest son. The day is won, but Team Black has suffered an immeasurable loss.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1: Who dies?

This is Westeros, so of course there are many, many casualties in the season 3 opener, particularly during the bloody Battle of the Gullet. But the main, named characters slain this episode are:

• Jason Lannister (beheaded by Roddy the Ruin)
• Sharako Lohar (stabbed in the neck by Alyn)
• Vermax (drowns after being pulled into the sea)
• Jacaerys Velaryon (shot by three arrows)

The episode leaves the fates of Lord Corlys and Tyland Lannister somewhat ambiguous, but if you've been paying attention to marketing materials, you'll know at least one of those characters survives.

House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 Easter eggs

New title sequence… and song!: As is tradition with Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, we've got a tweaked title sequence to pore over this season. For the most part, the tapestry that is being stitched in real time is identical to the version in season 2, episode 8. There is, however, an extra bit of animation at the very beginning as the threads are fed into the tapestry. You may also notice that the iconic Game of Thrones theme has been given a percussion-heavy remix by composer Ramin Djawadi. Showrunner Ryan Condal explained the change, noting: "We wanted to mark the darker tone this season with something small but noticeable. When Ramin shared this update to his iconic theme, we knew it was the way to go."

Tessarion: The unnamed small, blue dragon who briefly featured in the season 2 finale appears again alongside Ormund Hightower's forces in the season 3 premiere. This is Tessarion, a dragon belonging to Daeron Targaryen, who has yet to appear in the show. For a full rundown of both, head over to our Tessarion explainer.

Wrath of Khan: There aren't any Starfleet insignias hidden on flags (that we spotted, anyway), but if you detected a bit of Kirk and Khan in the strategic battle between Corlys and Shakaro, award yourself a bunch of bonus points, because Kirk and Khan's classic encounter in Star Trek 2 was a major inspiration for showrunner Ryan Condal.

House of the Dragon season 3 air weekly on HBO and HBO Max on Sundays in the US and on HBO Max, Sky and NOW on Mondays in the UK. For more on the show, check out our guides, explainers and interviews:

• House of the Dragon season 3 showrunner Ryan Condal on what keeps him up at night making the Game of Thrones prequel, and the spin-off he wants to see next: "I think there's a really fascinating story to be told"
• The Battle of the Gullet in House of the Dragon season 3 features some key changes from George R. R. Martin's book
• House of the Dragon season 3 makes huge changes to the Battle of the Gullet, but I love that it makes the death of one of my favorite characters even bleaker
• House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 confirms a book character isn't being adapted
• Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon? His Game of Thrones origins explained
• The House of the Dragon dragons, listed and explained
• Greens vs. Blacks, explained
• The Targaryen family tree
• The House of the Dragon timeline
• Who wins the Dance of the Dragons?
• The Song of Ice and Fire prophecy

The Battle of the Gullet was always going to be bloody. House of the Dragon maestro Ryan Condal hyped up the naval clash as the Game of Thrones show's version of Helm's Deep, and, as a fan familiar with George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, I knew we were in for a harrowing time at sea. Spoilers for season 3, episode 1 follow.

But before House of the Dragon season 3 was even close to airing, Martin took to his Not a Blog page to lambast changes Condal had made to his source material – then elaborated in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that their relationship is "abysmal." And, indeed, the show's Battle of the Gullet is extremely different to its book counterpart.

In the book, Rhaenyra's youngest sons – Aegon and Viserys – are taken captive by the Triarchy. Aegon escapes to Dragonstone with his dragon, leaving poor Viserys behind. The dragonseeds and Rhaenyra's eldest son, Jacaerys Velaryon, then take to the skies. In the show, Aegon, Viserys, and the dragonseeds are all MIA. What is the same, however, is the clash's gut-wrenching major death: Jacaerys himself.

Into the drink

In the House of the Dragon season 3 premiere, Jace convinces a Queensguard stationed outside Rhaenyra's room to lock his mother away, allowing him to ride into battle unimpeded. While Rhaenyra rages inside, her son – and her heir to the Iron Throne – enlists the help of his betrothed Baela and her dragon Moondancer. Together, they fly to take on the Triarchy.

The battle is smoky, frantic, and visceral. While Team Black greets the sight of dragons with cheers, the tide threatens to turn very quickly when Jace's dragon Vermax is almost brought down by a harpoon bolt attached to an anchor. Luckily, Baela is able to break the rope, and Vermax flies free. All is well.

Book readers, however, most likely watched this scene with growing dread. In Martin's Fire and Blood, Vermax is brought low into the ocean – how exactly this happens is disputed in the text – and perishes beneath the surface, which leaves her rider Jace vulnerable. Moments later, he is shot dead by arrows from a nearby ship, mirroring his fate in the show.

But while the manner of Jace's death plays out almost identically in both versions, the changes made in House of the Dragon only heighten the tragedy. In the book, the young prince's death can be considered heroic. His reasons for joining the battle are not spelled out, but it's reasonable to assume he hoped to rescue his baby brother from the Triarchy. Fire and Blood is a fairly sparse, pseudo-historical narrative, and no doubt if the show chose to follow this route, it would have filled in the gaps with a rousing rescue mission for the youngest of Rhaenyra's sons. Book Jacaerys is also backed by the dragonseeds, making his flight to war seem less of a doomed endeavour from the beginning, and there is no mention of Rhaenyra forbidding him from entering the fray.

In the show, however, his quest is reckless from the start. He flies only with Baela and Moondancer for aid – until Rhaena and a disobedient Sheepstealer unexpectedly arrive, though wild Sheepstealer begins attacking both sides indiscriminately – and he openly disobeys his mother. Jace is attempting to protect her from what he fears is Green treachery, but he's also trying to prove himself: a hopeless effort, since the first time we see Jace fight is also the last.

In fact, in the show, the battle is already over when Jacaerys Velaryon is killed. Sharako Lohar is dead and the fleets of both sides are in flames. It's an anonymous ship that takes down Vermax, who, this time, cannot be saved. The dragon's slow, gruesome descent into the water is uncomfortable viewing, and Jace's ensuing death is entirely anticlimactic.

One arrow pierces him with no fanfare, then another, and another, until the young prince begins to sink beneath the waves. The scene plays out in total silence, without Ramin Djawadi's breathtaking score. Before the first arrow, there is no hint that Jace is on borrowed time: he seems safe, clinging to a piece of driftwood (at the premiere, a gasp ran around the packed theater at the opening blow). It's a shocking, futile death for a character who seemed to have such a weighty destiny.

The dying of the dragons

At first, my instinct was to be frustrated. All of those changes had rendered Jace's death pointless: there was no need for him to be at the Battle of the Gullet at all, considering the Sea Snake had the situation pretty well in hand, and neither of Jace's younger brothers were in danger. Baela and Moondancer were also close enough to save Jacaerys, though they failed. And it's only because Jace pursued Rhaena and Sheepstealer, initially wrongly believing them to be enemies thanks to Sheepstealer's erratic behavior, that he flew within range of the harpoon when the wild dragon then gave chase. Rhaena even witnesses the blow that leads to Jace's death and is powerless to help on her untamed dragon. But, when the arrows struck in total silence, I realized this was the point.

House of the Dragon has never been subtle about its central theme. When the dragons go to war, only death and suffering follow. That was made abundantly clear from the final episode of season 1, in which Aemond Targaryen accidentally killed Lucerys Velaryon when Vhagar went rogue. The parallel with Rhaena and Sheepstealer is so obvious it feels deliberate: Valyrian blood may help a rider bond with a dragon, but it does not mean the rider has complete control over the dragon. "The dragons dance, and men are like dust under their feet," Criston Cole says in season 2. "We march now towards our annihilation."

The bleak, senseless manner of Jace's death only underscores the bitter tragedy of the Dance of the Dragons. This is a war that pits family against family and dragon against dragon, and, Martin strongly implies, is the beginning of the end for House Targaryen. Misogyny and treason stole Rhaenyra's throne out from under her, and I believe she is absolutely right to try and seize it back. The real injustice was that it ever came to this in the first place, a cascade of mini-betrayals and mistakes that culminates in brutal, bloody disaster.

Jacaerys Velaryon became one of my favorite characters in House of the Dragon in season 2 thanks to his spiky attitude, poignant bond with Rhaenyra, and spirited impatience to fight for his mother's birthright. I'll certainly miss Harry Collett's take on the heir as the season continues, but, in a strange way, I'm not sorry he died, even if it was so very different from what I was expecting. Jace's death is a tragedy, and it's one that encapsulates everything House of the Dragon is trying to do. Goodnight, sweet prince…

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows, or the most exciting new TV shows.

House of the Dragon season 3 introduces several new power players into the world of the Game of Thrones prequel. One of them is Ormund Hightower, played by Happy Valley's James Norton. We don't see too much of him in the opening episode of the new season, but based on what showrunner Ryan Condal has been saying, he looks set to be a very prominent character going forward.

So just who is the new lord – and is he from George R. R. Martin's books? Well we've broken down everything you need to know about Ormund below, as well as what we know about his role in season 3.

Before you read on though, take this as your spoiler warning. Below, we'll be getting into plot details from House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1. You have been warned.

Who is Ormund Hightower in House of the Dragon?

After he was mentioned to be marching from Oldtown in House of the Dragon season 2, we meet Ormund Hightower very briefly in the opening episode of the new season. Stationed on the battlefield, he receives a letter from King Aemond who tells him to wait on his orders and he will join him soon.

From this first introduction, he seems unaccustomed to the dirtier side of war, struggling with the scent of a messenger, as well as being quietly thrilled by the news that Aemond is now king.

Canonically, Ormund is Otto Hightower's nephew and Alicent and Gwayne Hightower's cousin. Speaking about the character, Condal told SFX magazine, that they built upon a very briefly mentioned role in George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood', but he will play a significant part in this story.

"He's the Lord of the Hightower, basically the Tywin Lannister [Charles Dance] of this world," he said. "He's the richest guy who's not sitting on a throne somewhere. Ormund has the largest standing army left in Westeros and a dragon, so he is going to introduce a big old wrinkle into this.

"Ormund is really a sketch in the book and we don't have a sense of who he is, so it was really fun diving in and creating a really deep, complex and three-dimensional character out of him that introduces a new kind of complication into the world."

As alluded to by Condal, Ormund doesn't appear much in George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood.' The character is mentioned briefly as a supporter of Aegon II during the Dance of the Dragons. Most of what we know about him from this involves his tricky love life.

Martin described how Ormund was married to the mother of his four children, but she died in childbirth. He then remarried a woman named Samantha Tarly, who was young enough to be his daughter. Their relationship was strained, though, as her family declared for Rhaenyra and she reportedly started having an affair with Ormund's son, Lyonel. Yikes.

House of the Dragon releases on HBO in the US on June 21, and streams on HBO Max and Now from June 22 in the UK. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review and check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

In House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1, we see a mysterious blue dragon in a brief shot midway through the episode.

But who is this dragon, and what is its connection to a missing Targaryen prince? Below, we explain all, including this dragon's identity and its rider. Now, a warning that the following contains light spoilers for George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, so turn back now if you don't want to know what might be coming up in the HBO adaptation.

So, for all you need to know about the blue dragon and its rider in House of the Dragon season 3, head to the below. For more, check out our guide to all the House of the Dragon dragons listed and explained.

Who is the blue dragon in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1? Tessarion and Daeron Targaryen explained

In the first episode of the new season, we briefly glimpse a majestic – if a tad small – blue dragon hanging out in the green camp, which is led by James Norton's Ormund Hightower. We saw this same dragon quickly at the end of House of the Dragon season 2, but it wasn't identified then, either.

Thankfully, we have George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood to tell us exactly who this blue dragon is, as well as the identity of her rider. The dragon is none other than Tessarion, who is bonded with young prince Daeron Targaryen (not to be confused with the drunken dreamer Daeron introduced in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms).

Daeron is the son of Alicent Hightower and Viserys Targaryen, and he has been entirely absent from the show so far, even though all of Alicent's other children play major roles in the Dance of the Dragons.

Judging by Tessarion's appearance, though, we can assume that Daeron might be making an appearance soon. Just when this missing Targaryen prince might arrive – and what impact he might have on the ongoing war between Team Black vs. Team Green – remains to be seen.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, NOW, and Sky in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon release schedule.

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows or all the new TV shows on the way.

House of the Dragon season 3 is back with a bang, but along with giving us a seriously dramatic battle, the premiere also proves one George R.R. Martin character won't be adapted to the screen.

The first episode revolves around the Battle of the Gullet, the bloodiest naval battle in Westerosi history. It plays out pretty differently in the book, however, and one of the biggest changes is that the show leaves out a character named Nettles.

Below, we've broken down who Nettles is and her role in the story, explaining why it's a big deal that she's not making it to the screen in House of the Dragon season 3. That naturally means there are some book spoilers ahead, so turn back now if you don't want to know what might be coming up in the show. Otherwise, head to the below to get up to speed on this missing dragonseed.

House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1 proves Nettles won't be adapted

In the House of the Dragon season 3 premiere, Rhaena, the daughter of Daemon Targaryen and the late Laena Velaryon, successfully claims the wild dragon Sheepstealer. It was hinted that this would happen in the season 2 finale, but the latest episode finally shows us the outcome of Rhaena's attempt.

After claiming Sheepstealer, Rhaena and her new dragon fly to war and join the Battle of the Gullet. Unfortunately, Sheepstealer can't tell friend from foe, and starts indiscriminately attacking ships – and even Rhaena's own sister, Baela. Rhaena is also, tragically, unable to save Jacaerys Velaryon and his dragon Vermax from brutally perishing.

But, in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, Sheepstealer is claimed by a dragonseed named Nettles (also sometimes called Netty). Nettles fights in the Battle of the Gullet, though she is not involved in Jacaerys's death.

In the book, Daemon and Nettles also form a unique relationship, with one of the historical sources – Fire and Blood is pieced together from multiple unreliable narrators' accounts – suggesting Daemon takes Nettles as his paramour, while another says they were more like father and daughter. The exact nature of their relationship is unclear, but what is clear is that they are extremely close as they search for Aemond Targaryen together.

In King's Landing, this leads to Rhaenyra, at Mysaria's urging (the White Worm tells the queen that Daemon and Nettles are sleeping together), declaring Nettles a traitor and demanding her head, which drives a wedge between Rhaenyra and Daemon. Nettles flees on Sheepstealer, and she survives the Dance of the Dragons, though her ultimate fate is ambiguous. Daemon, meanwhile, does not return to Rhaenyra, and his story leads straight to the Gods Eye.

With Nettles confirmed not to exist in the show, it's unclear how House of the Dragon season 3 will adapt this part of the story, if it does at all. And, Nettles may still exist in some form as the season goes on, just without the Sheepstealer or dragonseeds plotline. We'll just have to wait and see.

You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon release schedule. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows or all the new TV shows on the way.

After much anticipation, House of the Dragon season 3 has begun, kicking off the show's return with a bang. The opening episode finally brings the Battle of Gullet to the screen and it's every bit as bloody and brutal as we'd expected.

However, as has been the case with so much of the Game of Thrones prequel so far, there have been several changes from its source material, George R. R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'. The book is a historical account of the key period of Westerosi history and is told as if collated from a series of varying reports.

As such, many changes seem fair game as the narrative is not the most reliable. However, as fans of Martin's work will realize, there are a few larger changes beyond even this too, which we'll get into below. Before we begin, here's your spoiler warning: make sure you've seen House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 before reading on.

The Battle of the Gullet's biggest changes from the book

Rhaenyra doesn't get locked in

When Rhaenyra Targaryen vows to fly into battle, Jacaerys Velaryon locks her inside her rooms with a guard stationed outside. There's no mention of this happening in the book, but the Queen is not involved in the battle.

A rocky route

In the show too, Lord Corlys Velaryon and his men make a strategic decision to sail through the rocky part of the ocean. This works initially but doesn't save them for long as Sharako Lohar follows them through without a hitch. There's no description of this in the book, but Martin does not go into great detail about how the battle was waged.

Big deaths

In the show and the books, Vermax is struck in the chest by a grapnel. However, she sinks when the ship holding her sinks, rather than her slow descent from the anchor attached to her in the show.

Despite Vermax's death being slightly different, probably the most faithful moment of the battle is how Jace is killed. As Martin described in 'Fire and Blood', "The prince was stuck once, and then again. More and more Myrmen brought crossbows to bear. Finally one quarrel took him through the neck, and Jace was swallowed by the sea". This is almost exactly how the young prince is felled in the show as well.

Missing sons

Another key difference concerns Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen's younger sons. In the books, Aegon the Younger and Viserys are about nine and seven when the civil war begins. Because of this, they are part of the Battle of the Gullet, travelling on a ship that is intercepted by the Triarchy during the naval siege.

Viserys is kidnapped during this altercation and is taken away for years before returning home while Aegon the Younger escapes on his critically injured dragon, who never recovers.

However, in the show, they are both still toddlers, meaning they're excluded entirely from the sequence. This is probably the biggest departure from the novel and given how important this moment is for both boys going forward in their story, it will be interesting to see how HBO tackles them later on in the adaptation.

Other absences

In the book, the Dragonseeds are also involved in the fight, flying in on their dragons. However, they're not included in this sequence at all in the show. Equally, Nettles is not in the show at all either, despite making an appearance in Martin's novel. In fact it's not likely that she'll ever be brought into the adaptation as Sheepstealer is instead claimed by Rhaena Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon's youngest daughter.

House of the Dragon releases on HBO in the US on June 21, and streams on HBO Max and Now from June 22 in the UK. For more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review and check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows.

With House of the Dragon season 3 soon back on our screens, fans of the Game of Thrones prequel have reopened the debate on one of the show's biggest changes to George R.R. Martin's source material.

On Reddit, one fan asked how people feel about the change to the relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. In the book, Alicent is Rhaenyra's older stepmother, but, in the show, the duo are the same age and childhood best friends.

While fans are generally positive on the change, they all mostly agree on one thing – the friendship should be over by now.

"It should've been buried after Alicent wore the green dress to Laenor's and Rhaenyra's wedding. It's now goddamn annoying," says one person.

"I think it was a good change. (I would've preferred Alicent have an older sister relationship tho). My problem with Alicent and Rhaenyra's relationship is the u turn the writers took with them in S1E8, and they've only doubled down on it every episode since," says someone else.

"They should not have made them friends and kept the same age gap. In fact, aging up Rhaenyra was the worst decision they've made. People say the stepmom trope is more boring but it's also 10x more consistently written. If you ask me, they should've made more emphasis on Aegon II and Rhaenyra's relationship rather than Alicent and Rhaenyra. Make you actually care about these two siblings and how they view each other before the war starts," is another person's thoughts.

"The problem isn't that they changed their relationship, the problem is they didn't commit to the tragedy of it," says another person. "Alicent and Rhaenyra in the books get along just fine until Viserys refuses to name Aegon heir, too. They weren't always at each others' throats. Anyone who thinks the problem is Alicent and Rhaenyra being friends at first is missing the entire point."

"Personally no, but it still would've worked really well if they actually became enemies later and settled into their book roles," says someone else. "Nobody would've praised this if they knew they would just be friends the whole time."

"It was a great addition but it really should've ended in s1, I think it really reinforced the point of Fire and Blood that the Targs really completely fucked themselves over due to pride during the Dance," is another person's thoughts.

"It remains the most dramatically interesting adaptational choice of the show, and it's a shame that as things have progressed, they've been walking back the thing that *made* it dramatically interesting," says another person. "These two are at their most compelling when they're using their history together to try and get under each other's skins. Using their old love for each other as the fuel for their current hatreds works really well, and is great to watch.

"The show's reluctance to allow its primary characters to come off as unlikable is its greatest weakness, and it affects everything that once made the series compelling, this included."

In the House of the Dragon season 2 ending, Alicent and Rhaenyra struck a deal, where Alicent would help Rhaenyra take King's Landing – but she must accept the death of her son Aegon.

Since we already know House of the Dragon season 3 is set to open with the fearsome Battle of the Gullet, it seems unlikely this deal will hold…

House of the Dragon season 3 returns this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and shows, or our roundup of the most exciting new TV shows.