8 'House of the Dragon' Episodes That Are Perfect From Start to Finish
Born with Autism (formerly classified as Asperger syndrome), Tyler B. Searle has been obsessed with storytelling since he was old enough to speak. He gravitated towards fairy tales, mythology, the fantasy genre, and animated movies and shows aimed at family audiences. When not writing, Tyler enjoys watching more cartoons and reading fantasy books in his home in Ontario, Canada.
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Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3.House of the Dragon is the second adaptation of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series to come from HBO. Set over 100 years before Game of Thrones, it shows the dragon riding House Targaryen at the height of their power, only to fall into a terrible civil war after the death of King Viserys I (Paddy Considine). On one side are the Blacks, loyal to Viserys' eldest child and intended heir, Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock and Emma D'Arcy), and on the other, the Greens, loyal to Viserys' eldest male heir by his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke), Aegon II (Ty Tennant and Tom Glynn-Carney).
Season 3 has come to a close, and now that we have a few years to wait for the final season, it's as good a time as any to look back at some of the show's best episodes. To say it's been rocky would be an understatement, but even when people vigorously disagree about the state of adaptations, some episodes can still be enjoyed for their spectacle and terrific performances.
"The Dragon in Winter"
Season 3, Episode 7
Though Rhaenyra holds King's Landing, she is proving herself ill fit to rule as she is unable to provide for her subjects and instead focuses more on trying to get her half-sister, Queen Helaena Targaryen (Evie Allen and Phia Saban), to share her visions of the future. In the Riverlands, Lady Rhaena Targaryen's (Eva Ossei-Gerning and Phoebe Campbell) pursuit of Vhagar is spotted by her sister Baela (Shani Smethurst and Bethany Antonia) and the Dragonseed Ser Addam of Hull (Abubakar Salim), leading to a violent encounter that further strains Rhaenyra and her husband Daemon's (Matt Smith) relationship. Meanwhile, Alicent arrives at Harrenhal to kill her second son, Aemond (Leo Ashton and Ewan Mitchell), while Aegon decides to stop running and die like a king.
"The Dragon of Winter" is an episode that can best be described as everything going wrong. Tensions continue to rise among the Blacks, Rhaenyra's descent into tyranny becomes more notable, and one of her Dragonseeds, Ser Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), defects to the Greens due to the horrible abuse he's suffered from the Targaryens. The highlight of the episode has to be Aegon's defiant last stand with Ser Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall): Glynn-Carney delivers a phenomenal performance as a man who has lost everything but refuses to lose his dignity, and is rewarded with the return of his beloved dragon, Sunfyre.
"Rhaenyra the Cruel"
Season 2, Episode 2
Following the tragic death of Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen (Jude Rock). Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) weaponizes the grief of Alicent and Helaena to paint Rhaenyra as a tyrant. However, his plans are jeopardized by Aegon, who kills the castle's rat catchers, and Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) sends Ser Arryk Cargyll (Luke Tittensor) to pose as his twin brother, Ser Erryk (Elliott Tittensor) and kill Rhaenyra. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra confronts Daemon over his role in her nephew's death, while Daemon's old paramour, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), is brought to Dragonstone.
"Rhaenyra the Cruel" is an episode where emotions run high, leading to some of the show's best dramatic moments. The duel between the Cargyll twins is nothing short of tragic, with both brothers in tears as they kill one another, allowing it to serve as a physical embodiment of the Dance of the Dragons. The highlight, however, comes from Otto's confrontation with Aegon over the rat catchers, in which Ifans delivers an almost Shakespearean-level debate that adds so much humanity and nuance to Otto's character.
"Second of His Name"
Season 1, Episode 3
To celebrate Aegon's nameday, Viserys organizes a royal hunt in the Kingswood. He is excited to hear that a white stag has been sighted and hopes that it will be a good omen, but the beast is hard to find, and he is plagued constantly by attendees who wish for him to make Aegon his heir or take Rhaenyra's hand in marriage. Meanwhile, Rhaenyra sets off into the woods on her own with Ser Criston Cole, and in the Stepstones, Daemon and Corlys Velaryon (Stephen Toussaint) continue a long, brutal war with the forces of the Triarchy, led by Admiral Craghas Drahar (Daniel Scott-Smith).
"Second of His Name" is one of the best examples of House of the Dragon's character writing. The bulk of this episode deals with character drama, from Rhaenyra's fears of being supplanted as heir to Viserys gradually getting weighted down by the constant petitions of people only thinking of their own interests. Then it ends with a bloody battle as Daemon makes one final push against Craghas, all done without any dialogue, which allows Matt Smith to show off his non-verbal acting talents.
"The Black Queen" (Season 1, Episode 10)
Season 1, Episode 10
When Rhaenyra hears the news of her father's death and Aegon's coronation as king, she goes into premature labor that results in a stillborn daughter. As she recovers, Daemon begins gathering what allies he can, and Rhaenyra's eldest sons, Princes Jacaerys (Leo Hart and Harry Collett) and Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault and Harvey Sadler) are sent as envoys to treat with the great houses of Westeros. Unfortunately, Luke runs into his uncle Aemond at Storm's End, who has not forgotten how Luke took his eye when they were children.
"The Black Queen" is a strong conclusion to Season 1, focusing entirely on how Rhaenyra's faction prepares for war, just as the previous episode did for the Greens. It's full of hard-hitting and atmospheric scenes, from the horror of Rhaenyra's stillbirth to the majesty of Daemon singing to awaken the second-largest dragon, Vermithor, for the coming conflict. Then it ends with Luke's doomed mission to Storm's End, which not only provides the perfect tragedy to conclude the season and get people hooked for Season 2, but also demonstrates that, while the Targaryens can ride dragons, they do not have full control over them.
Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits Which Hogwarts House Are You? Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it's your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
🦁Gryffindor
🐍Slytherin
🦡Hufflepuff
🦅Ravenclaw
01
What quality do you value most in yourself? Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.
02
A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do? How you protect others says everything about who you are.
03
What does success look like to you? What you're working toward defines who you're becoming.
04
What is your greatest fear? Fear is the most honest thing about a person.
05
The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do? Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.
06
What kind of friend are you? Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.
07
You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see? The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.
08
The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: "You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?" This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.
The Sorting Hat Speaks Your House Has Been Chosen
After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.
🦁 Gryffindor
You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you're terrified — especially then.
- Gryffindors don't act because they're fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
- You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
- You charge toward what's right even when the odds are terrible.
- Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts's greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.
🐍 Slytherin
You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.
- Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
- You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
- You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
- The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.
🦡 Hufflepuff
You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.
- Hufflepuff is not the "safe" house or the "leftover" house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
- You show up. You work hard. You don't need glory or recognition — you do what's right because it's right.
- Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
- Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world's finest. And now you join them.
🦅 Ravenclaw
Your mind is your greatest gift, and you've always known it.
- Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
- Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it's about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don't know something yet.
- You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
- Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.
"The Red Sowing"
Season 2, Episode 7
After the dragon Seasmoke chooses Addam of Hull as his new rider, Rhaenyra puts out the call for anyone with Targaryen blood to come to Dragonstone and try to claim some of the riderless dragons. Meanwhile, in the Vale of Arryn, Rhaena abandons her half-brothers and the dragon eggs Rhaenyra tasked her with guarding to pursue the wild dragon, Sheepstealer. In the Riverlands, Lord Grover Tully dies, and his grandson, Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), summons the Riverlords to Harrenhal to swear fealty to him and teach Daemon a lesson.
"The Red Sowing" is a major turning point for Rhaenyra after an entire season of losses. The titular moment is one of the show's best, with Vermithor coming off as a primordial force of destruction as he eats the would-be dragontamers without so much as a second thought. The scenes in the riverlands are also fantastic, thanks in large part to Barnes' performance, which sells Oscar Tully as a young but crafty leader who manages to appease the Riverlords and Daemon, though the latter is forced to humble himself to get his army.
"Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood"
Season 3, Episode 1
Though Rhaenyra is ecstatic about Alicent's promise to surrender King's Landing to her and send Aemond to Harrenhal, the rest of her council fears it could be a trap. The conversation is cut short by a fleet of Triarchy ships led by Admirla Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn), who joined the war as an excuse to kill Corlys Velaryon. As Jace and Baela lock Rhaenyra in her room to keep her safe before heading to the battle, Rhaena tames Sheepstealer in the Vale, and Daemon's Riverlords meet up with the Winter Wolves led by Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan) to face the Lannister army.
"Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood," should have been the penultimate episode of Season 2, but it remains an engaging watch even as the intro to Season 3. There are some good moments before the Battle of the Gullet, but it's the highlight of the episode, with Corlys finally getting to demonstrate his skills as a mariner to as much carnage and chaos as you'd expect from a major naval battle featuring dragons. The episode primarily belongs to Jace: he is given plenty of opportunities to demonstrate his bravery and decisive thinking, which makes his fate at the end all the more gut-wrenching.
"The Red Dragon and the Gold"
Season 2, Episode 4
Ser Criston and Aemond lead a successful campaign through the Crownlands, taking out Rhaenyra's supporters one by one until they arrive at Rook's Rest. Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) volunteers to fly her dragon Meleys to defend the castle, while in King's Landing, an infuriated Aegon also decides to join the battle on Sunfyre. Meanwhile, Daemon tries to rally the Riverlords to Rhaenyra's cause, but also begins experiencing intense hallucinations while at Harrenhal.
"The Red Dragon and the Gold" is easily the best episode of Season 2 thanks to its character work and the battle of Rook's Rest. Aegon in particular stands out as he slowly realizes how little control and respect he has as king, which adds some tragedy to his rash decision that costs him and his dragon dearly. As for the battle itself, it's a brilliant representation of Martin's primary themes about the horrors of war, with intense destruction on full display as the dragons dance and humans burn.
"The Lord of the Tides"
Season 1, Episode 8
With Corlys Velaryon suffering from grievous wounds and his recovery uncertain, his brother, Ser Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson), petitions the Greens to be made Corlys' legal heir over his intended heir, Lucerys. Rhaenyra and her family visit King's Landing to defend Luke's claim, only to find that Viserys' health has declined horribly, leaving Alicent and Otto to run the Red Keep. Nevertheless, Viserys pushes through pain and illness to do what he can for his daughter.
"The Lord of the Tides" is a brilliant episode, and it's all thanks to Viserys. Paddy Considine's performance of a man on his deathbed mustering the strength to help his family one last time is beyond words, and the scene of him crossing the throne room to sit on the Iron Throne one last time might be the show's best moment. Aside from Viserys, there's plenty of great drama between the Blacks and the Greens as they try to play nice with one another for Viserys' sake, and Vaemond is given a strong sendoff as he calls Rhaenyra out for her infidelity.
House of the Dragon
8 10
- Release Date
- August 21, 2022
- Network
- HBO
-
Prince Daemon Targaryen
-
Fabien Frankel
Ser Criston Cole
- Showrunner
- George R.R. Martin
- Directors
- Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel
- Writers
- Gabe Fonseca
- Franchise(s)
- Game of Thrones
- Main Genre
- Adventure
- Seasons
- 3
- Producers
- Angus More Gordon, Alexis Raben, Karen Wacker
- Creator(s)
- George R. R. Martin
- Story By
- George R.R. Martin
- Streaming Service(s)
- MAX
- Executive Producer(s)
- Ron Schmidt, George R. R. Martin, Miguel Sapochnik, Sara Hess, Vince Gerardis, Alan Taylor, Jocelyn Diaz, Kevin De La Noy, Loni Peristere, Melissa Bernstein
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