House of the Dragonseason 3 is set to have a conceptual episode unlike anything the show has done before, which could be very exciting for one character. FollowingHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s ending, which faced criticism for its cliffhanger conclusion and largely being setup for what’s to come, the pressure is on the HBO series to hit the ground running when it does eventually return.
To that end,House of the Dragonseason 3should deliver. Showrunner Ryan Condal has promised four major book events in terms of scale and spectacle, which should begin with the Battle of the Gullet early on. But interestingly,Condal also promised a“conceptual”episodethat’s"character-driven,“and"isn’t in the traditional vernacular of what we have laid out.“We know the show can do battles, but what could this experimental installment be? Assuming we’re not getting a musical episode with a literalSongof Ice and Fire, or a Riverdance of the Dragons, I think there’s one smart choice for what it’ll do.
House Of The Dragon’s Conceptual Episode Could Introduce Its Missing Targaryen
King Viserys & Alicent’s 4th Child Will Appear In Season 3
Daeron Targaryen will finally appear inHouse of the Dragonseason 3, having been away as a ward in Oldtown throughout the show so far.Viserys and Alicent’s youngest child, he’s been described as smart and kind, and different from his brothers thanks to having been raised away from King’s Landing. He’ll be one of the most important new characters in the third season, and a conceptual episode that’s solely focused on him could be a good way to introduce him to viewers.
For what that concept could be, I think it’ll be an episode that goes through Daeron’s life at a few key moments, showing him as a young boy in Oldtown, then having a few time jumps to go through the years.
For what that concept could be, I think it’ll be an episode that goes through Daeron’s life at a few key moments, showing him as a young boy in Oldtown, then having a few time jumps to go through the years. Show him responding to his father’s death, for instance, then his reaction to Aegon taking the Iron Throne, or how he feels about the Targaryen civil war.
This would be an efficient way of fleshing out his character, catching viewers up on exactly who he is and where he’s been, and showing a different side to the story.House of the Dragonseason 1 had multiple time jumps and recasting, but doing them within the same episode, all in service of one character, would be unique.
House of the Dragonseason 3 is currently filming, and expected to release on HBO and HBO Max sometime in 2026.
This could still devote plenty of time to the present-day story, so it’s not just a frustrating deviation. It could have Daeron in the present deciding to join the action, flying on his dragon Tessarion. With theories thatOtto Hightower is imprisonedby House Beesbury, whose castle isn’t far from Oldtown,we could even have Daeron mount a daring rescue for his grandfather, meaning there’s plenty to drive the plot forward while developing his character.
What Else House Of The Dragon’s Experimental Episode Could Be About
There Are A Few Other Possibilities
If it’s not Daeron, then there are some other creative choices that I think would be really fascinating to see done on screen, if less likely than introducingAlicent’s missing son, such as:
One possibility could be to focus on Helaena Targaryen. She’s an intriguing character in her own right who also deserves more development. The show has given her dragon dreams, but with that she’s become too removed and unknowable.An episode spent with her that dives more into her psyche and her different visions, blurring lines between dreams and reality, could be greatif done right.
We obviously saw that to a degree withDaemon’s visions at Harrenhal, which was divisive, but I think doing it as a means of showing how Helaena exists and that she’s so often living in her visions, experiencing the world and reality so differently, would be its own thing worth exploring.
A different option would be to combine the conceptual episode with one of the battles, but show it from a different perspective.Rather than following a Targaryen or two, make the POVs smallfolk; really hone in on the horrors of war from their perspective, and how they’re the people who suffer most when the rich decide to go to war.
The book it’s based on, Fire & Blood, draws on multiple historical sources, which often differ on how events happened.
Alternatively, it could do a Rashomon-esque story told from multiple perspectives. The book it’s based on,Fire & Blood, draws on multiple historical sources, which often differ on how events happened. That’s something that’s inevitably been a little lost in the adaptation, where it has to be more definitive, but it’s something that could work as a one-off narrative device.
I’m sure, of course, there are other options too, and it’s exciting to think ofHouse of the Dragondoing something quite different and perhaps even risky in its third season. I do feel Daeron is the most likely but, whatever it is, it’s one of the most intriguing teases we’ve had of season 3.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
