House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 exposes a massive mistake that was made, but is it too late to fix it and stop the war? Alicent thinks so.
House of the Dragon season 2 has already seen a horrific child death, plus a few others, and has all but solidified that a war is brewing, and there is no way to stop it. At the end of episode 3, however, a massive mistake is exposed. One that proves this whole debacle was started because of a misunderstanding. The problem is, it is likely too late to turn back at this point.
Warning: House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 spoilers ahead!
Things have gone too far in the eyes of the two women who used to be best friends, but is there a way to put a stop to it now? Children have been murdered, which means that tensions are running high – and understandably so.
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) were inseperable growing up. However, things got quite complicated when Alicent married Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) after the passing of her mother. Rhaenyra was promised the throne, but on his death bed, the King spoke the name “Aegon” – one of the sons he shares with Alicent.
This caused a rift between the two friends, as they both felt they had a right to the iron throne. In House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3, Rhaenyra risks her life to speak to Alicent face to face. She wants this war to stop and hopes there is a way they can settle things peacefully. It is during this conversation that a big mistake is exposed.
Alicent explains to Rhaenyra that right before King Viserys died, he changed his mind about who should take the throne. She says that he called their son, Aegon, the “Prince that was promised.” This immediately sparks interest in Rhaenyra as it becomes clear he was recalling a story he often told her when she was a child — the Song of Ice and Fire about Aegon the Conqueror. The Prince that was promised.
Alicent’s face depict that she knows there has been a mistake here, and Rhaenyra should have taken her spot on the iron throne after her father passed, however it is much too late to do anything about it. Rhaenyra claims they must stop the fighting and explain the misunderstanding, but Alicent believes it to be far too late, even commenting that she knows what her son Aegon is like.
Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), AKA the most hated man on the internet currently, is already on the march and Otto Hightower has been removed as the Hand of the King. Alicent is likely correct in assuming that even if the two women were to speak up now, and detail the mistake that was made, there is no stopping the war that has started.
Where will things go from here? We shall see next week when House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 airs on HBO.
NEXT: House of the Dragon Season 2: Blood and Cheese Story Is Here
About House of the Dragon Season 2
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to popular HBO series “Game of Thrones;” based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” “House of the Dragon” is set nearly 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys I Targaryen’s children battling for control of the Iron Throne.
Season two of House of the Dragon debuts Sunday, June 16 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) on HBO and will be available to stream on Max.
The eight-episode season will continue with one new episode weekly through August 4.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.