House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 Ending Explained
House of the Dragon (2022) Season 3 started with the devastating Battle of the Gullet, and continued on with another big event from Fire & Blood, the G.R.R. Martin book the show is based on. But the Game of Thrones (2011) prequel didn’t just deliver on a big scale in Episode 2 of Season 3, it also delivered emotional gut-punch after gut-punch, as Team Black finally scored a decisive win in the war.
We know there’s still a long way to go before the Dance of the Dragons ends, and yet this episode delivers perhaps the biggest moment in the show so far. But how did it come to be? What led the two Targaryens factions here? And what happens next?
What Happened in the First Episode of House of the Dragon Season 3?
The first episode of Season 3, titled “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood” saw the death of Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) heir, Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon (Harry Collett) in the Battle of the Gullet. Unlike in the book Jace doesn’t die trying to avenge his younger siblings, who aren’t even part of the battle. Instead, he dies in part because Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) enters the battle riding the wild dragon Sheepstealer, but is unable to control him.
Jace and his dragon Vermax attack Sheepstealer, but when he realizes it’s Rhaena riding him, Jace pivots and accidentally flies too low. Vermax is then hit by crossbow bolts and sinks into the sea. Jace cuts himself off from the dragon and tries to swim to safety, but is also hit by arrows and dies.
After that, Sheepstealer and Rhaena both disappear and Baela (Bethany Antonia) is left to take Jace’s body back to Dragonstone, where his mother awaits.
How House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 Ends
The episode transpires between Rhaenyra’s rage at everyone who allowed Jace to head into battle, her grief over the loss of her son and her desire for revenge. Daemon (Matt Smith) returns to his wife’s side and tells her they can’t let Jace’s death be in vain. He’s gotten confirmation that Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and Vhagar have left King’s Landing, so he believes it’s time to take the capital.
Rhaneyra agrees and the two head to the city where, thanks to Alicent’s (Olivia Cooke) machinations and the fact that the Gold Cloaks are still loyal to Daemon, the fall of King’s Landing happens very quickly and without nearly as much bloodshed as expected. But it’s not until the end of the episode that we get the biggest surprise of the season, as Daemon is informed that Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) left him a present in one of the dungeons.
That present is none other than Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who Daemon drags into the throne room in front of Rhaenyra. Everyone waits to see what Rhaenyra will do with him, as Otto begs for Daemon to be the one to kill him so he won’t be hacked at. However, Daemon tells Rhaenyra "This is the moment you become queen,” and hands her Dark Sister, his Valyrian steel sword.
Rhaenyra hesitates, but finally swings the sword at Otto Hightower’s head, but doesn’t manage to cut it off on the first try. Instead she’s forced to try again. As Otto is finally beheaded, Daemon reclaims Dark Sister and cleanly cuts off the head of Jasper Wylde, the Master of Laws under Aegon II Targaryen.
But the episode doesn’t end there. Instead, before it cuts to black, we see Rhaneyra sit on the Iron Throne and Alicent and Helaena (Phia Saban), being led into the throne room. The two had tried to escape King’s Landing after Rhaenyra made an agreement with Alicent to spare their lives alongside that of Jaehaera, Helaena’s daughter. As mother and daughter walk into the room, they see the body of Otto, lying in a pool of his own blood.
What’s Next for Team Black… and Team Green
The balance of power has certainly shifted. Team Black has now taken King’s Landing, and they don’t just have control of the capital and the Gold Cloaks, they have six dragons. So, is the war won? Not quite. There’s still the matter of Aemond and Vhagar, who we see arrive at the Riverlands, kill Ser Simon Strong and his sons and then collapse at the feet of Alys Rivers after being stabbed by one of the Strongs.
Plus, there’s Ormund Hightower (James Norton), whose army is still awaiting instructions from Aemond. Let’s all remember that Daeron Hightower, the youngest son of Viserys and his dragon Tessarion, were seen with the Hightower army at the end of Season 2, so he’s likely with Ormund. Team Black cannot let a dragon roam around like that, especially now that they have the upper hand.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Hightower army is marching towards Harrenhal to meet Aemond, led by Criston Cole (Fabian Frankel) and Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox). The problem is, once they get there, they’ll find an injured Aemond who is in no shape to try to reclaim King’s Landing.
That means that, for now, we’re likely to see Team Black remain in King’s Landing and in control of the Seven Kingdoms, where they’ll surely find out that fighting a war is very different from ruling a kingdom.
