House of the Dragon Season 3 Ending, Explained
House of the Dragon (2022) ends Season 3 with a big battle and a promise: the road ahead won’t end well for anyone. And yet, as Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) shows as she closes the window in the last shot of the season, there’s little else to do now but stay the course. Everyone has come way too far to turn back at this point.
The hour closes some storylines, like that of Ormund Hightower (James Norton), who puts way too much trust on Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) and is rewarded with the same thing Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) is: betrayal. It also shows us the end of Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban), an end that wasn’t exactly predictable, but it’s also not that hard to believe.
But how exactly did the show end, and what does this ending mean for the final season?
How Did Season 3 of House of the Dragon End?
Season 3 of House of the Dragon ends with Rhaenyra, in full armor, realizing that her sister Helaena has jumped to her death—in a scene that, ironically, will be repeated years later by Tommen Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman) in Game of Thrones. As Rhaenyra draws closer to the window, she sees Helaena’s embroidery, showcasing her sitting in the Iron Throne, covered in blood.
Now, at this point, Rhaenyra knows Helaena is a dreamer. So, there’s a high likelihood that what she’s embroidered could come true. But Rhaenyra, instead of staying with the image, instead decides to close the window and in a metaphorical way, deny that possibility. She, after all, believes she has been chosen by the Gods. And if that’s true, then what power can stand against her?
However, with Aegon now alive and reunited with Aemond, plus an Ulf who has turned, things are looking shakier for Rhaenyra than they have all season. And though Helaena’s prophecy seems to have been focused on Rhaenyra, we know enough of the future to understand that the Dance of the Dragons was never going to be anything but a tragedy.
Who Dies in the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale?
Considering there’s a big battle we don’t lose all that many people we know. The episode ends without any certainty on what has happened to Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth), but it’s hard to see the show killing such a big character offscreen, so let’s assume he’s still alive.
We do see the end of Ormund Hightower at the hands of the leader of the Winter Wolves, Ser Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan). After Ormund has mortally wounded Ser Roderick and he has returned the favor Ulf shows up and burns them both to a crisp, because Ulf might be a traitor to Team Black but he’s anything but a loyal soldier to Team Green. If anything, Ulf is team Ulf and nothing else.
Another significant death is that of Kat (Ellora Torchia), Hugh the Hammer’s (Kieran Bew) wife. We don’t see her death so it’s hard to say who exactly is responsible, though we have a feeling Hugh will be out for revenge either way, which doesn’t bode well for either team. He also has a very large dragon, after all.
Back in King’s Landing, High Septon Eustace (Simon Chandler) also meets his end, after refusing to anoint Rhaenyra as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. It’s the season finale, so of course Rhaenyra is out of patience at this point, and orders Alyn (Abubakar Salim) to kill him. Eager to prove his loyalty to Rhaenyra, he follows that order.
Finally, the episode marks the end of Helaena Targaryen, as she jumps to her death—taking her unborn son with her. Pretty high death tally for a season finale, and yet there are still way too many people alive that will probably not make it out of the show.
What Can We Expect From Season 4 of House of the Dragon?
Even if you haven’t read Fire & Blood, you probably understand that the Dance of the Dragons was a cautionary tale for a reason. Most of the people we’ve followed for three seasons, on both Team Black and Team Green, were never going to make it to the end of the show alive. At this point, we’ve said goodbye to a fair bit of them. But there’s still more death to come.
With the show set to end in Season 4, there’s still way too many Targaryens alive—and way too many dragons. So we should all prepare for what is sure to be a bloodbath when the show finally returns for its final season. The only good thing at this point? We’re likely in for a long wait, and another season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms while we wait. That’ll not just tide us over but hopefully make us smile a little bit. Because here? Here it’s all a tragedy.
