In House of the Dragon Episode 3, a Baby Boy Changes Everything

House of the Dragon episode 3 — out now on HBO Max and Disney+ Hotstar — is occupied with male privilege and marriage proposals, for essentially the most half. While Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) spent a bulk of the second episode asserting herself, a literal two-year-old is now overshadowing the inheritor. It’s Prince Aegon, the primary baby of King Viserys (Paddy Considine) and now Queen Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey), who’s pregnant with a second. (Given the boy’s age, you may inform it has been roughly three years since episode 2.) A feast and a hunt have been organised in Aegon’s honour, which is sweet for the viewers because the Game of Thrones prequel collection lastly leaves King’s Landing for practically a full episode — we solely get as far as the Kingswood although — and it feels good!

This provides House of the Dragon episode 3 the chance to craft a mini-getaway for 2 characters, Rhaenyra and her bodyguard, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), because the crossed Princess runs into the Kingswood. (This was arguably the most effective a part of Game of Thrones, as characters at occasions with polar reverse views paired up for surprising journeys.) Rhaenyra just isn’t okay with the eye being poured on Aegon, particularly as a result of like everybody else, she expects her father to call the toddler the brand new inheritor as he is the firstborn son. Even the episode 3 title belongs to him, “Second of His Name”. A gender-neutral naming may’ve been smarter, for my part, as it will’ve signalled how Rhaenyra feels proper now.

She is likely to be first in line to the Iron Throne, however there is a feeling round court docket that Aegon now has the stronger declare just because he has a penis. And for Rhaenyra, it is a triple blow of kinds. She hasn’t simply misplaced her maintain on the crown, but additionally Alicent and her father. Viserys and Rhaenyra have not seen eye to eye ever since he married her greatest buddy — I imply, that is sensible — and that hole additional widens on House of the Dragon episode 3 after she learns that the King can also be procuring her round.

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Jefferson Hall as Jason Lannister, Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon episode 3
Photo Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

“You must marry,” Viserys shouts at her daughter in entrance of everybody on House of the Dragon episode 3, quickly after Rhaenyra discovers that the boastful and self-serious buffoon Jason Lannister (Jefferson Hall) — he is the Lord of Casterly Rock, however they don’t maintain as a lot energy on this period because the Lannisters we have identified from Game of Thrones — was solely partaking her in dialog as a result of he desires to “take” her as his “lady wife”. That, together with the remainder, is sufficient to ship Rhaenyra into the woods.

While the primary proposal was sanctioned by the King himself, the Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), is daring sufficient to current the second on House of the Dragon episode 3. Otto tells Viserys that he ought to get Rhaenyra married to Prince Aegon, the babe. (While this might sound odd given they’re step-siblings, marrying inside your loved ones was fairly widespread for the Targaryens, because it was royals of old in our world. It was completed within the title of sustaining the purity of their blood.) But the sheer age distinction — Aegon is 2 whereas Rhaenyra is 17 — is sufficient to ship Viserys into suits of laughter. Otto clearly has ulterior motives, as that will make his grandson King Regent, and even King.

And therefore, when a 3rd marriage proposal comes from Viserys’ Master of Laws and Lord of Harrenhal, Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes), the fed-up Viserys believes he is in it for himself too. Let me guess, you are going to counsel Rhaenyra marry your personal son, the King says in as many phrases on House of the Dragon episode 3. But seems, that isn’t the case. Lyonel proposes that Rhaenyra be paired with Ser Laenor Velaryon (Theo Nate), the son of Princess Rhaenys “The Queen Who Never Was” and Lord Corlys “Sea Snake” Velaryon, who’s briefly seen after we shift to the Stepstones in House of the Dragon episode 3. Building on his ignored recommendation from episode 2, Lyonel posits this could assist bridge the hole between the 2 outdated Valyrian homes.

The visibly-inebriated Viserys provides Lyonel a pat on the shoulder as he walks away, suggesting larger issues in retailer for the person who is not solely considering elevating his station.

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Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Emily Carey as Queen Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon episode 3
Photo Credit: Gary Moyes/HBO

As Viserys steps exterior, his younger spouse Alicent joins him. And for a quick second, he breaks. Though he is taken up and reiterated the general public place that Rhaenyra shall be his inheritor — he reprimands Jason Lannister for “assuming” that Aegon would take her place, and strongly notes that he did not choose his daughter on a whim — Viserys confesses to Alicent that it was at a time of weak point, when he thought he had misplaced every part. “What if I was wrong?” Viserys wonders to himself. Later in House of the Dragon episode 3, as he swears to Rhaenyra that she will not be supplanted, the King admits that he wavered at one time.

Still, Viserys has primarily given Alicent ammunition for later, I’d argue. And Alicent has a stake in it too. As her father Otto factors out on House of the Dragon episode 3, if Rhaenyra will get on the throne, it isn’t going to be a pleasant life for the challenger (Aegon) and his mom. Alicent’s trigger — or reasonably Otto’s, for now — is helped by the truth that everybody round Viserys both assumes or expects him to call Aegon as his inheritor sooner reasonably than alter. But Viserys clearly wishes to stay by his alternative. While Rhaenyra felt he was spurning Daemon and never selecting her, as she confided to Alicent on episode 2, it now appears she was flawed to suppose so of her father.

Viserys even cares for Rhaenyra’s happiness, as he first tells Otto, earlier than reiterating in as many phrases to the daughter. Everything that is been occurring all episode in “Second of His Name” — the widening hole between the King and his inheritor — involves the fore as Rhaenyra walks in and confronts her father, simply as he is sending off males to assist Daemon and Corlys within the Stepstones (on the Queen’s recommendation). Rhaenyra believes that Viserys desires to marry her off for a watchtower or a fleet of ships. The King notes that he desires her to marry to shore up her succession. But when Rhaenyra factors out that he did not re-marry for benefit, Viserys admits it earlier than telling her to hunt her personal man out, the one who will maintain you cheerful and strengthen your declare.

In that second, the damaged bridge between father and daughter is seemingly restored on House of the Dragon episode 3. A smiling Rhaenyra, comforted by the truth that the King just isn’t going to interchange her and cares for the way she feels, walks away.

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Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Theo Nate as Laenor Velaryon in House of the Dragon episode 3
Photo Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

Speaking of strengthening one’s declare, the final part of House of the Dragon episode 3 is dedicated to Daemon (Matt Smith). It’s been three years because the troubles within the Stepstones started. Daemon the Rogue Prince has been laying siege to the Crab Feeder with the assistance of his dragon Caraxes, however the caves are holding them protected. What started as an try to make Daemon look worthy within the eyes of Westeros lords, is beginning to appear to be a failure. On prime of that, Viserys’ meagre serving to hand comes as an affront to Daemon. He needed this conflict to face as his personal victory, and never one thing that the Crown may declare for itself.

With troop morale at a low, Daemon’s new technique — first introduced up by the bickering Velaryons — is to give up himself to the Crab Feeder (Daniel Scott-Smith) on House of the Dragon episode 3. The disfigured Prince-Admiral is aware of that this is likely to be a tactic: to get his males to go away the caves in a false sense of safety. That’s why he watches for dragon motion earlier than ordering his troops to herald Daemon. But he did not wait lengthy sufficient, it appears. Just because the Crab Feeder feared, Caraxes exhibits up on the final minute, with a Velaryon using it. With the assistance of the dragon and the Westerosi forces, the Crab Feeder’s males are laid to waste — earlier than he himself pays the final word worth at Daemon’s arms.

The Rogue Prince could have conquered an enemy in battle, however how will he cope with the dual threats of the inheritor and the firstborn son?

House of the Dragon episode 3 is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in India, and HBO Max wherever out there. New episodes launch each Monday at 6:30am IST/ Sunday at 9pm ET.