House of the Dragon: What Happened in the Finale & What to Expect in Season 3?

We are used to the fact that the finale of each season in the serial universe of George R. R. Martin usually turns into a test for the viewer. The first season of Game of Thrones ended with the execution of Ned Stark, the second season brought the betrayal of Theon Greyjoy and the death of one of the Baratheons, the third season ended with the Red Wedding.

In the first season of House of the Dragon, which ended with the tragic death of Rhaenyra's son, the creators didn't deviate from the intended plan to shock the fans.

Having created the successful formula, the authors unexpectedly decided to abandon the status of the most brutal and bloody series and turned the second season into a long preparation for a large-scale battle.

Season 2 Finale Places the Pieces on the Board for a Global War

In the season finale, the writers decided to insert a new storyline that immediately found its fans: Tyland Lannister travels to the Free Cities to recruit a large army on Aemond's side and break Corlys' blockade of King's Landing.

There he meets a new character, the leader of the Triarchy's navy, Sharako Lohar, undergoes loyalty tests, and enlists the support of 90 ships.

Alicent infiltrates Dragonstone to see Rhaenyra and agrees to Aegon's death to end the war. Rhaenyra predicts that despite Alicent's attempt to right her wrongs and stop the war, she will still go down in history as the main culprit for starting the conflict between the Targaryens – no one will know of her sacrifice. Alicent humbly accepts her fate.

And yes, Daemon's hallucinogenic journey through Harrenhal is finally over. After touching the Weirwood, Daemon finally understands how insignificant his ambitions are in the grand scheme of things, which includes the Three-Eyed Raven, the White Walkers, and Daenerys, who will bring dragons back to the world in the future. Winter is coming, which means there is no time for infighting.

Bending his knee, Matt Smith's character promises Rhaenyra that he will be with her to the end. Daemon's evolution is nice, but was it necessary to spend an entire season on it and deprive viewers of the opportunity to see their favorite character outside the walls of Harrenhal?

Season 3 Production Progress & Questions It Must Answer

Showrunner Ryan Condal recently announced that House of the Dragon will have four seasons. In his opinion, this is enough to tell the story of the events created by George R. R. Martin in the book Fire & Blood. But we will have to wait a long time for the next chapter – currently, the script for the third season is being written, and shooting is scheduled to begin in early 2025.

Future episodes should provide us with many, many answers. What happened to Otto Hightower, who was shown at the end of the last episode? Did Rhaena succeed in becoming the rider of Sheepstealer, or will she go down in history as missing? How will the spontaneous pact between Rhaenyra and Alicent, which even fans of the book could not foresee, affect the Dance of the Dragons?

Will we finally see Alicent's missing (and rumored to be the only kind and good) son Daeron and his dragon Tessarion? How will the Tyland Lannister storyline develop, and what awaits Mysaria? And why did it take the Starks an entire season to leave the northern lands and move on Dragonstone?