Review: House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1: “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood”

Written by Ryan Condal Directed by Loni Peristere

I’ve been largely pleased with House of the Dragon. I can’t say that I remember all of the details over the years, given the time between seasons, but when I realized that the third season was imminent, I was pleased. Unlike some, I was even happy enough with the second season, which was mostly concerned with political machinations. I didn’t necessarily need the huge battle setpieces, since in my mind, the character dynamics are the real story.

That said, I’m not exactly upset that the third season kicks off with a big battle sequence that apparently was supposed to cap off the second season, before budget concerns got in the way. It gives the season immediate gravitas, and also promises that the story is going to regain some forward momentum. After all, unless I am mistaken, the series is supposed to end with the fourth season, so there’s still a lot of ground to cover.

(This is where I add the disclaimer that I have not read the source material, so to be honest, I’m only guessing how much story there might still be. But given the number of characters at play and the overall pace, it feels like there is a lot that still needs to happen before the conflicts are resolved.)

The episode still takes its time to set things up. For example, we are reminded that Rhaenyra Targaryen padded her stable of dragonriders by tapping various bastards throughout the kingdoms. Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent Hightower, the women at the center of the civil war, have also agreed upon an endgame. Too bad no one else knows how that agreement is supposed to play out, because the whole deal falls apart fairly quickly.

In the midst of all this, Rhaena Targaryen is trying to prove her worth to her father Daemon and presumably Rhaenyra by winning her own dragon to ride, Sheepstealer. While there have been foreboding moments here and there to remind us that dragons are ridden, not necessarily controlled, this is probably the most potent example. Because Rhaena might as well be Sheepstealer’s pet, for all the actual control she has over the dragon.

Meanwhile, things are complicated on the other side of the war. King Aegon is a total wreck and largely ineffectual as a result. Larys smuggles him out of King’s Landing, but the two of them are quickly captured by soldiers loyal to Rhaenyra. In his absence, of course, Aemond has taken control. He wants it all, and may or may not be willing to play into whatever Alicent is trying to do. (He’s also got designs on his mother, which is probably one of the most uncomfortable moments of the series thus far.) Alicent convinces him to go to Harrenhal, but the ambush that was awaiting him there is unlikely to still be in play.

Rhaenyra is still under the impression that she’s sealed the deal to end the war, but events are already spiraling out of control. Prince Jacaerys stops her from intervening in the Battle of the Gullet, electing to handle the matter himself (along with Baela). That does not end well. Jacaerys spent most of the second season being ignored and sidelined, so it’s sad to see him end this particular way. But in a way, he does save his mother; she could have easily met the same fate.

Which brings me to the Battle of the Gullet, the big setpiece for the episode. And it works extremely well, as they take the scope of the naval battle and reduce it to the interplay between Corlys Velaryon, his bastard son Alyn, and Triarchy leader Sharako Lohar. As dragons dance overhead and battle swells around them, Corlys and Lohar carry out a more personal duel. Corlys proves why he is the Sea Snake, even if it is ultimately Alyn that serves the killing blow in a thrilling melee with Lohar.

While the battle is impressive in its scale, it ultimately serves to derail the machinations of Rhaenyra and Alicent. The war is just going to continue to escalate now. I doubt Jacaerys is going to be the only major casualty this season. In fact, if the story wants to drive towards any kind of conclusion, the body count is going to have to keep rising. While the battles can be impressive on their own, it’s that deeper context that gives them weight.