‘House of the Dragon’ review: Season 3 atones for the sins of Season 2

Let’s face it: Season 2 of The House of the Beast the fire and blood that was promised, but its confusing ending felt like a puff of smoke.

The season ended with zero catharsis, perforce Game of Thrones references, and a highlight reel of what’s to come. In a way, that plot foreshadowed the main conflict of the season. Throughout Season 2, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) tried their best to prevent an endless war. But while their bent to prevent the inevitable was rooted in the depth of the story, the show’s reluctance to jump into George RR Martin’s next chapter. Fire and Blood felt like it was spinning its wheels until season 3.

Now, the third season of The House of the Beast is finally here, and its first four episodes manage to make the Season 2 finale and then some, delivering jaw-dropping spectacle and painful truths about the cost of war.

The House of the Beast‘s Battle of the Gullet is amazing.

Remember how small a plot it is The House of the Beast Season 2 went by without mentioning Corlys Velaryon’s (Steve Toussaint) naval blockade of the Gullet? We finally get the payoff for that blockade at the top of Season 3, as the Triarchy fleet faces off against the forces of the Sea Serpent. The ensuing conflict, known as the Battle of the Gullet, is one of the defining battles of the Dance of the Dragons – a series of civil wars between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney).

Given that so much of Season 2 has been going on so far — which is why fans are frustrated it wasn’t included — the pressure The House of the Beast ending this war is great. Fortunately, the series more than delivered, with sequences that had me screaming and pacing in my living room while thinking, “We’re back a lot.”

A dazzling set featuring ships, human soldiers, and dragons galore, Battle of the Gullet sets a new bar for Westerosi action. Everything is shaped for maximum impact, from long takes of sailors boarding enemy ships to sweeping shots of dragons diving and blowing up a ship. The fight, directed by Loni Peristere, evokes great fear and dread in those big moments, but also strikes gold in the quieter moments, like the suspenseful boat chase that quickly becomes the highlight of the episode.

Oh, and did I mention that this all takes place during the day, so you can make out all the action happening on screen? For a franchise whose big battles are often marred by darkness (looking at you, the Battle of Winterfell), Battle of the Gullet is a welcome fix. And, based on the first four episodes sent to critics for review, it’s just the beginning of that The House of the Beast Season 3’s biggest action sequence.

The House of the Beast Season 3 pushes Rhaenyra over the edge.

Emma D’Arcy in “House of the Dragon”.
Credit: HBO

The Battle of the Gullet isn’t just an emphatic statement to open Season 3. It’s also a huge turning point for A Dance of Dragons, and for Rhaenyra in particular. All in all The House of the Beasthe does not support violence, worried about the destructive dragon war that will create a wide area. By season 3, however, Rhaenyra has lost so much of this conflict that she needs to do whatever she can to end it. Only by taking the Iron Throne can he forgive the pain he has felt. That means making impossible decisions and committing to the violence he once avoided, sometimes with his own hands. As he did, The House of the Beast you ask, even after all this, will the victory be worth it?

That’s a tough question The House of the Beast mocking the feelings of psychological panic after the War of the Chiefs. D’Arcy has always been excellent as Rhaenyra, but here, she reaches new heights with her raw portrayal of the queen’s grief and rage. Their trembling hands and their cries were as painful as some of the most painful moments of the Battle of the Gullet, which proves it. The House of the Beast can match its greatest pieces to pure human drama.

While the first part of the The House of the Beast Season 3 manages to atone for the ending of Season 2, still fulfilling its share of common sins. Threats of violence against women are unnecessarily prevalent in these episodes, a recurring trend Game of Thrones‘the worst times. (Though thankfully there’s nothing here that comes close to the picture.) Elsewhere, many of the plot threads feel stagnant, with once-great actors like Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) getting very little to do and possibly set to wear. Their reduced roles may eventually pay off down the road, however, like many, many you change the show you do from Fire and Blood. Although the latter reportedly strained the relationship between Martin and runner-up Ryan Condal, the changes are already troubling the Targaryens. a lot It’s a complex relationship in interesting ways, to the point where I’m more amazed at how the writers arrived at these new arcs than maddened for not finding an accurate adaptation.

Despite the occasional low point and my doubts following Season 2, The House of the Beast Season 3 is flying high. Instead of spinning its wheels, it roars into the bloody future of the Targaryens with action and creeping dread, and that certainty and forward momentum is exactly what the show needs.

The House of the Beast Season 3 premieres June 21 at 9 pm ET on HBO and HBO Max, with a new episode every Sunday.