House of the Dragon season 3 looks to get off to an absolutely massive start, with the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet opening the season.
But, even though Rhaenyra isn't involved in this fight, it still sounds like she'll have a more active role in this season than previously. A common complaint about season 2 from fans was that Rhaenyra didn't really do much to kick off the Dance of the Dragons, instead trying to cool tensions from Dragonstone.
"Rhaenyra has primarily been in a reactionary position," Rhaenyra actor Emma D'Arcy told Entertainment Weekly. "She spent a lot of time in season 1 and season 2 backed into a corner, treading water to an extent, trying to preserve a very tenuous position. I have shared with an audience a desire for her to move into a more active, front-footed position. I wanted to see what happens when that character stops having to apologize."
Ominously, though, D'Arcy explained that they and showrunner Ryan Condal were interested in exploring "a movement towards tyranny," adding, "but in particular making that journey legible."
By the sounds of things, it's going to be the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy, AKA the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised, that sets Rhaenyra down a dark path. "I think in Rhaenyra's case," D'Arcy said, "it's a kind of religious fanaticism, actually, that starts to radicalize her position."
The Battle of the Gullet, meanwhile, is set to be huge. According to Condal, the season 3 premiere is "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made." Watch this space…
House of the Dragon season 3 arrives this June 21 in the US and June 22 in the UK. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming TV shows for everything else that's on the way.
