A Hell of a Bloody Dragon

Westeros is full of dragons during the Targaryens’ early rule, and HotD is finally starting to use them. So here are all the dragons and dragonriders and the sides they’ve chosen in the show so far.

Phia Saban has won hearts with her portrayal of Helaena Targaryen, but with House of the Dragon being a Fire & Blood adaptation, danger lies ahead.

One of the most curious events in this episode is the disappearance of the dragon Vhagar, who apparently abandoned her ailing rider Aemond at Harrenhal to go on a countryside spree while he recovers from his stab wound in the care of the enigmatic Alys Rivers. But as Aemond, as out of it as he is, correctly noted, Vhagar would never just leave him.

Seasoned Westeros watchers will see potential problems arising with each scene of this episode. Everywhere Rhaenyra turns there’s someone looking for a piece of her (rodent bites both literal and figurative). Any one of these requests could be key to her undoing, and it’s very clear that she’s navigating a dangerous path. From the impossibly cool pre-opening credits scene to Rhaenyra ultimately swearing to burn all who stand against her, this episode moves almost too fast to track; no wonder Rhaenyra dissociates as she sits on her uncomfortable throne.

Review: Pirates! Dragons! Ships! Fire! Betrayal, chaos, death and destruction... House of the Dragon's Season 3 premiere has it all.