The 3rd episode of the new season of House of the Dragon could actually be the end of the series, as the battle of the Targaryens seems to be over. But the end of the episode shows: This is just the beginning, and that is emphasized by the person behind Rhaenyra Targaryen herself.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for the first 3 episodes of the 3rd season of House of the Dragon.
At the end of the 2nd episode of the new season of House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra finally achieved her goal and the 3rd episode was supposed to be the happy ending for her. She is finally sitting on the throne and fantasizing with her husband-uncle Daemon Targaryen about conquering all the kingdoms – in line with her family tradition.
But the end of the latest episode turns the tables again, as they were deceived by Ormund Hohenturm. This is not just a small annoyance, but according to the actress playing Rhaenyra, Emma D’Arcy, also the beginning of a paranoia that will pervade the story.
Rhaenyra sits on the throne, but problems are not diminishing
What does Emma D’Arcy say about Rhaenyra’s situation? In an interview, Variety spoke with Emma D’Arcy about the latest episode from Monday. The twist at the end, with the false Daeron, is according to D’Arcy just the beginning:
I believe that around Ormund’s deception, something interesting is playing out overall, and I think this marks the beginning of some kind of paranoia for Rhaenyra. Ormund is a completely unknown quantity; he is a sort of unpredictable element.
And I believe that he – as we will see further on – will increasingly become a kind of bogeyman for Rhaenyra and stoke a general distrust towards her council, her allies, and her entire court.
The entire episode has Rhaenyra struggling with her accession as queen, especially with how she should behave. Her ascension to the throne is not made easy, and according to D’Arcy, a mistrust is developing within her. After all, the powerful in Westeros already supported and hindered her rise to queen in the previous seasons.
In the episode, there is also a significant counterstrike from Rhaenyra against the rich and noble, who have abandoned the common people in their time of need. To gain the favor of the people, she takes action against them, redistributing her hoarded supplies and serving the nobles roasted rats at a banquet as a symbol of misconduct.
For Emma D’Arcy, the death of Rhaenyra’s son Jace also has a significant impact on her behavior in the episode:
I believe Rhaenyra’s feeling of insecurity, not having a safe harbor, no emotional security, and the accompanying desire for legitimacy – actually a growing obsession to somehow legitimize her position – I believe that this is very likely the work of grief.
Rhaenyra has much work ahead of her and cannot simply start to be a peaceful queen. The pressure, her grief, and her insecurity will likely be reflected in the upcoming episodes, especially considering her current position.
What position is Rhaenyra in after the 3rd episode? Although she is now on the throne, she still has some problems to deal with. While she was able to do something good for the people, that can change quickly (as the past season has shown). At the same time, she has taken on the rich and noble, a difficult situation considering that the crown currently does not have much gold available.
Even more dangerous is the side of the Greens. The scent-sniffer Ormund holds an entire city hostage, and Rhaenyra cannot just burn everything – at least not without being considered a cruel queen. Moreover, Daeron, Aemond, and Aegon – her siblings, who also have a claim to the throne and their own allies – are still alive.
How Rhaenyra’s story continues will be seen in the remaining 5 episodes. Did you know that the Targaryens do not actually originate from Westeros? A lord saved the family from a major catastrophe and thereby influenced the fate of Westeros: Because a Targaryen acted like a coward in the universe of House of the Dragon, he saved his whole family from extermination

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