The season 3 finale of House of the Dragon, now streaming on HBO Max, Sky, and NOW, concludes with a devastating battle and a revelation that leaves viewers without a single character to champion. As one of the few journalists granted early access, I watched the finale with a growing sense of unease: none of the remaining contenders for the Iron Throne feel worthy of it. This is not a critique of the show's production values—the battle sequences are gruesome and spectacular—but rather a fundamental problem with character development that undermines the entire narrative.
The Problem with Rhaenyra's Rule
Having been firmly Team Black since the series began, I have long believed that Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) should be queen, as her father King Viserys (Paddy Considine) declared. However, this season, after finally claiming the crown, Rhaenyra's actions have not lived up to her promise. She cut herself sitting on the Iron Throne—a bad omen in the world of Game of Thrones—and her behavior has been inconsistent. She handed out food to the hungry smallfolk of King's Landing after her blockade restricted their access, but she has also sown constant doubt among her Small Council, required constant reassurance from her husband Daemon (Matt Smith), and treated her newly-instated dragonriders as second-rate citizens, despite needing them to fight her cause.
While we cannot forget the losses she has suffered—her two eldest sons—the fiery Rhaenyra we met at the start of the series seems to have vanished. In the finale, she announces she is the 'prince that was promised,' a moment that should be triumphant but feels hollow. As Tywin Lannister once told Joffrey Baratheon: 'Any man who must say, “I am the king” is no true king.' Rhaenyra's self-proclamation feels too little, too late.
The Unworthy Contenders
If not Rhaenyra, then who? Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), the eldest son of Alicent and Viserys, was burnt alive by his brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) and left for dead. His dragon Sunfyre's resurrection in the penultimate episode was spectacular, but I cannot forget that Aegon raped a servant in season one. Aemond, who tried to kill his brother and kissed and fantasised about sleeping with his own mother, is now holed up in Harrenhal, recovering from near-fatal injuries with the witch Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin). He has an attempted redemption arc in the finale, but the damage is done.
Alicent's youngest child Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) seems to have a good head on his shoulders, despite being raised by the merciless Ormund Hightower (James Norton). In the finale, he demonstrates strong morality again, but his lack of experience could be a disadvantage. Poor Helaena (Phia Saban) has been one of the only beams of light in Alicent's family, a woman of pure heart who wants a simple life away from conflict. Her suffering reaches a terrible peak that is hard to stomach.
The Battle of Tumbleton and Its Aftermath
The Battle of Tumbleton causes mass destruction, another epic Westerosi bloodbath that proves there are no winners in this war. Devastation wreaks havoc on both sides, as blood spills and innocent people get caught in the crossfire. Maybe that is the whole point: in this world where blood is currency and all that matters is who sits on the Iron Throne, no one actually deserves it. It is all just a power grab determined by whoever can swing the biggest stick.
While the finale is still a spectacle, boasting gruesome battle sequences, I cannot help but feel dissatisfied with how this season ends. Even if that is the intended message, it leaves me disheartened. Having watched Game of Thrones, where Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) proved herself an admirable ruler (until her final season shift into the Mad Queen), and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) also showed he could take up the mantle, I need some light at the end of the tunnel.
The Need for a Hero
That is not to say we cannot enjoy brilliant villains. Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) was a fan favourite for a reason, and Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) was fantastic on screen. But their villainy made the heroics of other characters feel more galvanising to witness. I am not naive—we all knew going into House of the Dragon that we were in for a world of heartbreak. But that heartbreak feels dulled by the outcome of the season three finale. In the words of Bonnie Tyler, I need a hero, someone I can root for before the bitter end.
House of the Dragon season 3 consists of eight episodes, with the first season having ten and the second also eight. The show has been confirmed to end with its fourth and final season. Showrunner Ryan Condal told Deadline in June: 'I'm an “all good things come to an end” type person. I don't know what I will feel yet [when it finishes] because right now the show is almost like a snake eating its tail, very rarely are you doing one thing.' Other Game of Thrones spin-offs include A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, returning for a second season, and a film about Aegon's Conquest, with other projects like Ten Thousand Ships reportedly in development.
