House of the Dragon is back, and its era of crafting historical context and laying groundwork is finally over. The Dance of the Dragons is here. The Targaryen war for the Iron Throne has begun in earnest. The first episode of season three picks up immediately where season two left off, so all the characters are already in motion.
That means you need to remember precisely where season two ended (here’s io9’s catch-up); if you haven’t thought about House of the Dragon since August 2024, you might find yourself a little lost in Westeros. But if you’re ready, it’s time to jump right in! We open in the Vale. The wild dragon Rhaena had finally tracked down at the end of season two lands and barbecues itself a meal. None of the Westeros dragons are friendly, but this one seems especially hostile and skittish. That doesn’t stop Rhaena from tentatively approaching and urging “calm” in High Valyrian. She touches the creature’s scaly neck, and when it doesn’t instantly incinerate her, she makes her move, scrambling onto its back and shrieking as it flaps away.
In the Red Keep, Aemond has discovered that his inconveniently still alive brother, King Aegon, is missing. He threatens to chop off Grand Maester Orwyle’s head unless he starts talking. The genuinely confused Maester is saved when Lord Jasper Wylde yells out that Ser Larys Strong has also gone AWOL.
