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House of the Dragon season 2 had its fair share of fire and blood, but persistent fan criticisms surrounded the second installment in the Dance of the Dragons – especially Rhaenyra's perceived passivity and the slow pace of the war between the Greens and the Blacks, culminating in a finale that felt more like set-up than a fitting conclusion.
According to showrunner Ryan Condal, the complaints didn't affect season 3, however. "No, I mean, we continued on with – we had a plan from the outset, and the show has always been, 'We have a plan, we're not going to stop and listen to the noise in between,'" he said at a press conference attended by GamesRadar+, answering a question about the divided reactions to the end of season 2.
"I will say with a four season show, you have to wait two years in between each chapter, but, ultimately, this is one story," he continued. "I mean, to get upset about something midway, [it's like] the act in the middle of a play that you don't like. You know, you don't like the turn that the story took in the middle of the play because, you know, there's a whole other two acts coming.
"I get the frustration, it's a long time, down time, between seasons. It just takes time shooting [the] show. This is after scripts are written, it takes a year, and then it takes seven months to make dragons, so do the math. It's not possible to come out every year. I'm very sorry, but you had to be fans of the show called House of the Dragon."
By the sounds of things, Condal thinks season 3 is going to satisfy fans, too. "We stuck with our plan, and I think everybody's patience will be rewarded in a couple of weeks," he said.
Rhaenyra actor Emma D'Arcy has also previously addressed fan frustration. "Rhaenyra has primarily been in a reactionary position," they shared recently. "She spent a lot of time in season 1 and season 2 backed into a corner, treading water to an extent, trying to preserve a very tenuous position. I have shared with an audience a desire for her to move into a more active, front-footed position. I wanted to see what happens when that character stops having to apologize."
And, we know that season 3 will open with the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet, a bloody naval battle that Condal has already hyped up as the show's version of Helm's Deep.
House of the Dragon season 3 arrives on HBO Max this June 21 in the US, and June 22 on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK.
In the meantime, check out our guide to the most exciting upcoming TV shows to fill out your watchlist.
