‘House of the Dragon' Season 3 Trailer Deep Dive

Summary

House of R: ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Trailer Deep Dive

Podcast: House of R (The Ringer)
Hosts: Joanna Robinson & Mallory Rubin
Date: February 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

Mallory Rubin and Joanna Robinson reunite in their brand-new Beesbury-inspired set for a thorough, raucous, and highly anticipated "Deep Dive" into the first teaser trailer for House of the Dragon Season 3. With the Thrones universe buzzing from the recent A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms adaptation, the hosts break down the 90-second trailer — second by second — offering book-context insights, adaptation speculation, dragon math, notable new castings, and trademark wit. The duo also address the state of the fandom, trailer hype, and what the relentless civil war means for fans and characters alike as the Dance of the Dragons enters its bloodiest phase.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Timing, Marketing, and Fandom Vibe

• Season 3 Release Window:
  Confirmed for June, but the exact day is unannounced.
  • Joanna: “June. What do you think? Prediction? Mid June, late June?” (06:54)
  • Mallory: “They tend to go for the middle of the month or late in the month.” (07:06)
• New Poster and Tagline:
  • The tagline: “From Fire Comes Darkness.”
  • Poster features Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne, evoking major book parallels about "the throne that cuts."
• Trailer Drop Timing:
  • Smart move to capitalize on Thrones momentum from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but concerns about viewership (just 4 million on YouTube) compared to past Thrones hype.
  • Mallory: “I’m a little worried...4 million is not a lot for a Thrones trailer.” (09:14)
• Fandom Landscape:
  • Reflection on the gendered narratives: House of the Dragon remains notably female-driven, in contrast to the male-centric Dunk & Egg.
  • Addressing fan (and author) unrest post–Season 2, and hopes that Season 3’s “bangers only” approach will rally the audience back.

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2. New Faces & Returning Players

• Major New Castings:
  • James Norton as Ormund Hightower — “Hot vicar who solves crimes.” (11:48)
  • Tommy Flanagan as Roddy the Ruin — “Perfect casting for a grizzled Northman who can fuck some shit up.” (12:48)
  • Dan Fogler as Manderly; Tom Cullen as Ser Luthor; Black Alley Blackwood and “maybe” Daeron (whose dragon, Tessarion, appears).
• On Character Condensing:
  • The Dance introduces huge numbers of characters and battles, so “winnowing” and merging roles is inevitable.
    • Mallory: “Sort of like, no surprise that Roddy the Ruin is going to be here as one of the figures in the Winter Wolves who we will actually get to like meaningfully incorporate…” (14:27)

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3. Visual and Narrative Vibe: Trailer’s Focus

• “We Heard You Wanted Battles…”
  • The trailer’s main message: Less “people talking in rooms,” more “massive battles and dragon action.”
  • “It’s a lot of — it’s either shots of dragons, people looking up probably at dragons, or people fighting in a battle.” (15:04)
• Effective Use of Dragon Math
  • Strategic placement of shots detailing each side’s dragons and armies; clear symbolic focus on legitimacy, power, and dragon-rider math.
• Adaptive Challenges:
  • Mallory & Joanna both reflect on how the show's changes from Fire & Blood’s “unreliable history” create fun puzzles for book-aware fans.

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4. Teaser Trailer Segment-by-Segment Breakdown

A. Opening Thrones: Power, Legitimacy & Echoes (20:35–25:51)

• Alicent Confronts Aemond on the Throne:
  • Mirrors Season 1’s Daemon–Rhaenyra throne scene (20:37).
  • Aemond, shadowed by the Iron Throne’s light: “Where were you?”
  • Discussion: Aemond possesses major symbols of legitimacy (Blackfyre, the Conqueror’s sword), but not quite everything. Rhaenyra also has her own crown and trappings.
  • Joanna: “It is very clear in the frame — this Blackfyre moment is so important.” (24:09)
• Alicent’s Dilemma:
  • Still in her “blue” dress (a nod to early innocence, before she “went full green”) — visually not repping Team Green at the moment.

B. The Queen’s Council & Trust Issues (27:42–33:29)

• Rhaenyra’s Small Council Debates Alicent’s Offer:
  • At Dragonstone’s Painted Table, Rhaenyra reports Alicent’s promise to open the gates.
  • “You cannot trust her,” says Jace (28:44).
    • Debated whether Jace means Alicent or Mysaria, who is also present. (Joanna’s bet: Mysaria.)
• Intrateam Friction:
  • Classic “Rhaenyra’s Council” vibe — every advisor reminding her not to be so trusting; potential for blunders (31:10).

C. The War Machine: Battles, Dragons, and Map Games (34:10–47:06)

• Battle of the Gullet Confirmed:
  • First major dragon shown: Baela on Moondancer at the Battle of the Gullet, the season’s centerpiece sea battle (34:30).
  • Mallory: “This is a very gullet-forward trailer. Gullitatious. Simply gullitable.” (34:38)
• Dragon Roll Call:
  • Tessarion (Darren's blue dragon) appears — suggesting more dragon math, including Team Green’s growing strength.
  • Vhagar (Aemond’s) — massive and terrifying as ever, lighting up Harrenhal (36:54).
  • Caraxes (Daemon’s dragon) and Vermax (Jace’s dragon) both make short but memorable appearance.
  • Regular dragon check-ins throughout, with hosts gleefully noting each sighting.
• Key Armies in Motion:
  • Ormund Hightower’s army (James Norton debut), Lannister forces, and the Winter Wolves are all prominently featured.
  • Helmetless, bloody Daemon planted firmly amidst the chaos; Corlys and Alyn Helmed aboard the Queen Who Never Was (sea battle vessels).

D. Character Snapshots, Trauma, and Desperation (47:15–62:09)

• Criston Cole’s Breakdown:
  • Seen in muddy, broken state; trauma from Season 2’s ending lingers (54:32).
  • “The PTSD for Criston Cole in the wake of Rook’s Rest…” (54:51, Mallory)
• Rhaenyra’s Grief:
  • Multiple shots of tear-streaked Rhaenyra — speculation this aligns with Jace’s death at the Gullet, which catalyzes her resolve (80:36, Spoiler Section).
• Aegon’s Low Point:
  • Aegon on the road with Larys, recovering from mutilation, potentially encountering his lost dragon Sunfyre (79:23, Spoiler Section).

E. “This Is the Moment You Become Queen” — Emblematic End Scene (63:50–64:24)

• Heavily Armored Rhaenyra:
  • Tearful, resolute, and “becoming” the queen in the midst of utter devastation.

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5. Book Spoiler Section – Adaptation Theorizing (64:39–87:50)

WARNING: Major Book Spoilers Discussed — skip this section in the podcast if you wish to remain unsullied.

• Poster Imagery and “Throne That Cuts:”
  • Direct callback to Fire & Blood: Rhaenyra is cut by the Iron Throne upon taking it, omen of her short and cursed reign.
  • Joanna (reading from Fire & Blood): “The Iron Throne had spurned her, and her days upon it would be few.” (65:02)
• Battle Ordering:
  • Speculation on how Season 3 will sequence the Gullet, Fish Feed, Butcher’s Ball, and Tumbleton.
    • Mallory leans Gullet early (“Episode 1 or 2”), Rhaenyra’s takeover of King’s Landing by midseason, Tumbleton likely as penultimate or finale.
    • Joanna posits King’s Landing might be the finale.
• Adaptive Choices:
  • Daemon likely present for the Fish Feed (brutal Riverlands battle) as a powerful adaptive improvement.
• Jace’s Death:
  • Trailer shot of Vermax (“too low!”) marks his doom at the Gullet, per the book tradition.
• Aegon & Sunfyre:
  • Aegon’s surprise reunion, post-mutilation, with Sunfyre probable — will it mirror the secretive narrative of the source, or be more plainly depicted for viewers?
• Missing Characters?
  • No sign yet of Hugh Hammer, Ulf the White, or Nettles — speculation they’ll debut later for the big Tumbleton betrayal twist.
• Other Notable Shuffles:
  • The taking of King’s Landing, Butcher’s Ball, and storming of the Dragonpit all on the horizon — just how compressed will the show be?

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Most Notable Quotes & Moments

“This is the time in the dance... we are dancing with dragons in a meaningful way. The vibe of this trailer is very much, ‘We heard you were mad about no battles. So here are all the battles.’”
— Joanna Robinson, 15:04

“If she expects [Alicent's offer] to go over smoothly, it’s a blunder for sure. You know what Rhaenyra likes to do sometimes? A blunder.”
— Joanna, 31:10

“The PTSD for Criston Cole in the wake of Rook’s Rest. This reminder to stare plainly in the face of how insignificant and small men can feel in a dragon war.”
— Mallory Rubin, 54:51

“This is the moment you become queen.”
— Daemon Targaryen (trailer line), 63:50

“As her lord husband, Prince Daemon, escorted her from the hall, cuts were seen upon Her Grace’s legs... The Iron Throne had spurned her and her days upon it would be few.”
— Mallory reading Fire & Blood, 65:02

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Important Timestamps

• 00:12–01:20: Banter, Mailbag Announcement, Spoiler Policy
• 06:38–09:43: Show Timing, Trailer Drop Analysis
• 11:26–14:48: Casting News & Character Adaptation
• 15:04–17:26: “We heard you wanted battles” — tone & vibe
• 20:35–25:51: Opening scene breakdown (Alicent & Aemond)
• 28:44: Jace: “You cannot trust her”
• 34:10–36:02: Dragon roll call; Gullet battle preview
• 54:32: Criston Cole’s trauma
• 63:50–64:24: “This is the moment you become queen” — trailer closing
• 64:39–87:50: Book Spoiler Section

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Takeaways and Final Thoughts

• Season 3 will be significantly more action-heavy and battle-forward than previous installments, answering calls from fans (and book readers) for more spectacle.
• The series will continue to wrestle with issues of legitimacy, power, and the costs of war, while balancing a huge ensemble and complex book adaptation challenges.
• Trailer delivers “mood and muscle” over plot specifics — deeper secrets, betrayals, losses, and hard choices remain (literally) locked behind doors.
• Joanna and Mallory balance unfiltered enthusiasm with sly skepticism, especially about adaptive shuffles and narrative priorities: “There’s so much we don’t know, and that’s kind of exciting.”
• Their recurring advice: Enjoy the ride, embrace the changes, and don’t expect the show to stick exactly to the book timeline — but do expect dragons. A lot of dragons.

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For Next Time

The hosts announce a mailbag episode for next week and encourage fans to write in with any and all thoughts, theories, and nerdy obsessions:

"hobbitsanddragonsmail.com ... Send us your emails, please."

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End of Episode Summary

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. Welcome back to House of R. I'm Joanna Robinson. That's Mallory Rubin. Are we wearing the same clothing we were in our previous episode?

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Don't worry about it. We're here live from our brand new, beautiful Beesbury inspired set to talk to you about House of The Dragon Season 3 teaser trailer, which we're gonna do in depth after this.

[B]

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[A]

All right, Mallory.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Night of the Seven Kingdoms has wrapped up.

[B]

I know. I'm despondent.

[A]

We did our last deep dive.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

We did our last Talk of the Thrones. Yeah, but are we done talking about Night of the Seven Kingdoms?

[B]

I mean, never. Really? Never?

[A]

Because we're doing this hot D trailer breakdown today.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Thank you everyone for your patience. We appreciate you.

[B]

Thank you,

[A]

Thank you. You've never sounded more convincing in your life. But next week we're going to be doing a mailbag episode. That's right.

[B]

Love a seasonal mailbag. Love a bag.

[A]

You can ask about anything. Ask us about wonder man Percy. Mallory read Will of the Many.

[B]

I did.

[A]

So you can ask her about a book.

[B]

That's right. That's great.

[A]

You can ask us about any old thing you like. And also Night of the Seven Kingdoms. What do you. Hobbits and dragons. Gmail dot com.

[B]

We love to hear from you. Send us. Send us your emails, please.

[A]

Spoiler running today.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Majority. We're going to go through sort of beat by beat, second by second of this teaser trailer this minute and a half. Yeah. Really? Just like a minute of actual footage.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Will that stop us? No, no.

[A]

We're going to go through that in a spoiler free way.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then we're going to do it all again, but faster this time.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

With some book context spoilers at the end. We'll have some book context as we go. But indeed, basically, if you've not read Fire and Blood, you will not be spoiled on any major events.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

Probably. We promise.

[B]

That's right, Mallory.

[A]

How can folks keep track of every House of the Dragon frame of a trailer every Night of the Seven Kingdoms deep dive? Every project. Hail Mary. That's right. Second. That we have coming up in our future.

[B]

Thanks for asking. Here's what I would recommend.

[A]

Follow the pod.

[B]

Follow House of R on Spotify or wherever you get your podcast. You can watch full video episodes of the House of R. You can see this beautiful new studio.

[A]

Buzzwond, baby.

[B]

How many people are like, you guys were wearing those outfits as observed. Is it just because your studio's so, so amazing that you've decided to live there?

[A]

I live here now. Yeah. I mean, I feel like we could sleep on this.

[B]

Could be that. It could be that. We finished the deep dive 34 minutes ago. Either one is possible. Follow along. You can also subscribe to the Ringerverse YouTube channel, where you can also see full video episodes of the House of R. Midnight Boys. Pew, pew. While you're at it, follow the Ringerverse on the social media platform of your choosing. Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, whatever the case may be. You can get updates, you can get memes, you can get video breakouts from the pods. And then send us like. Like we already said, send us your emails, because the inbox is always open. We'd love to hear for you for the mailbag. But just in general, I thought of

[A]

another thing they can email us about.

[B]

What is it?

[A]

The Mando and Grogu tribute.

[B]

Mando Grogu. Yep.

[A]

Yeah. Mallory has not had a platform to really speak on that at length. So listen, some members.

[B]

Spider Noir. Yeah, yeah. What else? What else has come out recently? Bone Temple.

[A]

Bone Temple.

[B]

I haven't seen it yet.

[A]

Nope, don't email us about that. We were looking together and then we didn't.

[B]

I think it's streaming now. Maybe I'll watch it this weekend ahead of the mail. You know your Buffy thoughts as we continue to journey through Buffy. Send us that. We're not too long far away from Shadowlord. You know, mall, Animated mall. Your husband back in our lives soon. Email us about whatever you fucking want to email us about. Whatever's on your mind. We'd love to hear from you. This is just. We can't wait for your thoughts on. On Dunk Egg Baylor.

[A]

House of the Dragon House.

[B]

We're about to drag them. Yeah, exactly. All of it.

[A]

All right. Any of it.

[B]

Oriole Spring training thoughts. How are you enjoying the Polar Bear? Pete Alonso in orange. I'm thrilled.

[A]

Survivor 50 questions.

[B]

Send us some survivor questions.

[A]

Traders questions. I have. I'm just full of traders.

[B]

Here's my question for you. I've not seen a second of Traders Should I start from the beginning?

[A]

No. Okay.

[B]

Just the current season or wait till the next one and just enjoy that in real time.

[A]

You have time in your maniacal way to catch up before this season ends. I think there's like actually just maybe one more episode, but I think you could do it.

[B]

Okay. I consume it through Instagram, you know.

[A]

So you know about Rob Rauch.

[B]

Oh, I'm very familiar. I'm very familiar.

[A]

My thoughts have zigged and zagged on that particular character. All right, so. But you know that Boston Rob co hosts the official podcast for.

[B]

I do.

[A]

Okay, yeah. All right.

[B]

I know that Colton was on this season.

[A]

It was a lot.

[B]

Yeah. What else?

[A]

Michael Rappaport. Anyway, that concludes traitor section of this trailer podcast. Hobbitsanddragonsmail.com if you have anything. I have a lot of mora thoughts. You send me a mora prompt, I'll give you a mora answer. Okay. For most of this outline that I put together for our deep dive into a minute of footage today, I have used quotes from the new trailer, but I could not resist using one quote from last season's trailer because it is a house of our favorite. So to all then, the opening snapshot. All right, so before we get into to the trailer, let's talk about dates, posters, taglines, and maybe some of our top line thoughts. Some casting. Great. So June. We don't know what day in June, but June is when houses. We've got a brand new studio. I'm looking for housing in la. So I'll be here. Maybe I'll live here.

[B]

It's nice here.

[A]

Just like pull one of our cloaks over my. And I'll just curl up here and sleep on this couch.

[B]

It's nice here.

[A]

What are you guys charging for rent? Okay.

[B]

Plenty of space.

[A]

Two years later, beautiful water cooler. But it's just June.

[B]

Yes. Okay, June. What do you think? Prediction? Mid June, Late June.

[A]

You think it's mid June?

[B]

Yeah, I just think they all wish. They don't tend to. Yeah. I'm like.

[A]

So it doesn't interfere with something else we have to do.

[B]

How many days do I have left to rewatch? Reread. And also. Yeah, deal with some travel in early June. I think they tend to go for the middle of the month or late in the month.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

But who could say?

[A]

We also got a poster. We sure did. And a tagline from Fire comes darkness is the tagline. Yeah.

[B]

It's a little too democracy dies in darkness for me, but.

[A]

But it's no spring is Coming this winter. That was great.

[B]

Remember that?

[A]

But from fire comes darkness. Yeah.

[B]

It's good.

[A]

We've got Rhaenyra.

[B]

We sure do.

[A]

She seems to be on the Iron Throne.

[B]

Yep. That's all we can say about that Viserys crown. You know, it's just. It's Jaehaerys crown.

[A]

It looks great. Yeah. The trappings of her office.

[B]

I would say there are a number of embers here of.

[A]

You see, there's both fire and darkness. Yeah. And there's some blood, too.

[B]

I was gonna say fire and blood. You know, we got to glimpse Rhaenyra on the throne in Daemon's Weirwood tree vision in the season two finale. So we've seen similar imagery. Yeah.

[A]

Induced by Alice with ten fingers. That's right.

[B]

That's right. That's how you know we're transitioning to a new throne show. We've moved from Alice with three fingers to Alice with ten fingers and lots of weirwood paste hallucinogenics. Great to be back.

[A]

So this new teaser dropped despite not being like a full trailer. And our theory is that they dropped this while the Night of the Seven Kingdoms was still airing just to keep the Thrones momentum going. So just be like, hey, guys, are you enjoying this time? Yeah, don't worry. You can come back to Westeros in June. Don't forget about us. We are the dragon show. We're much more expensive. We have a lot of dragons.

[B]

Do you think this was a good decision? On the one hand, you're capitalizing on the Thrones fandom being very like, buzzy and active. On the other hand, buzzy, buzz, buzz. On the other hand, a lot of like the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms discourse this season was, this is really great and fun. I'm not sure I miss Hati. Not from necessarily either participant of this podcast, but some folks out in the world. You always make fun of me, but I like to look at how many views these trailers have on YouTube.

[A]

Yeah, you do.

[B]

I'm a little worried how many. 4 million is not a lot for a Thrones trailer.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

That said, it is just a teaser trailer. That's only one of the places people can watch it. I don't know that. Hot D. Since the very first teaser for season one has necessarily been like a trailer driven. Everybody's like, let's fucking ride show. It's more in real time once the show actually starts that it feels like people are opting in. So hopefully that will happen with week one.

[A]

I have a lot of empathy right now for Ryan Condal.

[B]

Me too.

[A]

You know, George put him in the crosshairs and there's so much. We had some notes about the second season, but there's so much we love about House of the Dragon, for sure. I'd also say that, like, I made it a joke every week, but like, Duncan Egg is a story of like a lot of guys and this is a very female driven show. And so, like, I don't want this show to feel this show, which is like the, the bigger show with all the dragons, to feel like the stepsister to the big hit or something like that. So I'm not saying that's why, but it's just sort of like it's so cool to be in this world where Alicent and Rhaenyra and Baela and all of these characters are complicated. And also Messaria is here, et cetera, et cetera. And I'm like frantically counting the lines that women are speaking in A Night of the Seven Kingdoms.

[B]

So Gwyn got one finale line.

[A]

I'm really rooting for this show. Me too, for a number of reasons, but that's. That's a reason. Also, we got some info about new cast members, right? Mm. So on Talk of the Thrones, we mentioned this trailer briefly with Chris and we mentioned that James Norton gets a very prominent shot in this trailer. James Norton, who is Ormond playing Ormond Hightower, but James Norton, who's been like kicking around Happy Valley, Grantchester, you know, he's just been like a real mainstay of British television. Not a huge hit in the US yet, but he's great and so I'm really excited that he's here. Anyone else new on the cast list that you're particularly excited about,

[B]

though? Unlike Chris, I am not a member of Team Green. I am very excited for James Norton as Ormond Hightower. Great Valyrian sword, vigilance. Wonderful stuff. Can't wait to see that. So certainly thrilled. Even though I don't have quite as much of a familiarity with his filmography as you and Chris do, I'm excited

[A]

to tell you briefly that Grantchester

[B]

is

[A]

what my friends used to call hot vicar. Solves crime.

[B]

That's wonderful.

[A]

So he was the titular hot, hot vicar who solved crime.

[B]

I don't really need to know anything else.

[A]

Something to think about.

[B]

I am very excited that Tommy Flanagan is here playing Roddy the ruin. This is a thrill.

[A]

He's my number one.

[B]

Yeah, he's wonderful and this is a cool character. I'm excited to just broadly have the winter wolves here. We got to glimpse them at the end of season two, obviously on the heels of Jace heading up to meet with Cregan Stark at the beginning of the season. Episode two, the winter wolves marching at the crossing was one of the many you're gonna get a war eventually soon. Montage shots at the kind of like season three trailer that ended season two. And so we had an early winter wolves glimpse. But Roddi's a cool character who's gonna be in the thick of a lot of meaningful action and I'm excited about that. Just having a connection to the north is always really fun in a sense.

[A]

Ronnie DeGruen is like up there with Baelor. Breakspear is like a very cool Game of Thrones character. Name Tommy Flanagan. Sons of Anarchy Gladiator. An ill advised season of Westworld. Like Tommy Flanagan is always delivers. He's got such an incredible face. And for like a grizzled Northman who is capable of fucking some shit up. Tommy Flanagan, perfect. Dan Fogler. Fascinating choice, honestly.

[B]

Yeah. Manderly.

[A]

And then Tom Cullen, who I love from the movie weekend and stuff like that is also here.

[B]

So Luther. That's exciting.

[A]

Yeah, Luther, Lord Commander of the City Watch.

[B]

That's a fun one.

[A]

Also we got Black Alley, Blackwood. Again, we're just saying names that maybe don't mean a lot to you guys

[B]

if you're not Darren, but Thrilling Darren the Daring. All of season two.

[A]

We have some questions about the casting on that. We don't know the full answer to that, so. But Darren's dragon is here, so surely Darren can't be too far behind.

[B]

Yes, I will say just in general. Fire and Blood, fictional history, competing narrators. As we've mentioned many times, part of the fun of the adaptation is what is the at least show version of the true story story of what happened was Mushroom. Right. Et cetera. Usually there are. So I would say especially at this stretch, the stretch of story that will be Adapted in Season 3, so many characters and I think it is a necessity of adaptation to distill and winnow that down.

[A]

Oh, they will be condensing, no question.

[B]

And so it's fun to see. Sort of like no surprise that Roddy the Ruin is going to be be here as one of the figures in the Winter Wolves who we will actually get to like meaningfully incorporate into the story. But it's cool to see. All right, here's a name of a performer next to a name of the character. This is one of the people who like made the cut. Basically. That's just A fun part of the Black Alleys journey to be at.

[A]

Very important to me. There are so many characters and there are so many battles. Battles are thick. We are dancing with dragons in a meaningful way. The vibe of this trailer is very much. We heard you were mad about no battles. So here are all the battles.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's a lot of. It's either shots of dragons, people looking up probably at dragons, or people fighting in a battle. There's very little people in room talking. Some Alison's doing some talking. But like, mostly it's a lot of battles. And will they. To your point about characters, I don't think they can even do all the battles that are in this stretch of the book. I think we'll see some condensing of some of the action around the globe here.

[B]

Yeah, I think that there's a version of season three where we have a battle or a. What is this season's equivalent of. We cut to Aemond on Vhagar and he has burned sharp point. Like probably some of it will go that way. But even. Even with a few choices like that, I don't think we'll go more than two episodes at any point this season without like a major setback.

[A]

I don't think it's possible.

[B]

Yeah, it's just not possible.

[A]

So this is just like a really important time in. In. In the story we're telling here. And. And we think it's gonna be. It's four seasons total, right?

[B]

Four seasons. And it sounds like it'll be eight this season and next season. So that's not that many remaining episodes.

[A]

But this is. This is the time in the dance when, you know, we're not doing like cute little cargo bowls anymore. Right. We're doing.

[B]

You never miss a chance to shit on those two big battles. Yes. We both had quite a few notes on the season two finale, as many House of the Dragon viewers and even House of the Dragon fans and enthusiasts did think undeniably, as we discussed a lot at that point in time, the decision to end the season with the promise of more, but not actually giving us the convergence of the forces marching toward each other in the Riverlands. A battle that we know is coming and we'll be. I think there's one battle we will like, use a name for because it has been so actively discussed by the show team and the press. As we go through the non spoiler section. The rest will be a little bit more judicious with how we frame things until we get to the spoiler section. Gullett. Was the one that was talked about the most openly. It's like this just got moved because the season got shortened. It was supposed to end season two. It didn't. People were very pissed. And one of the things that we talked about in real time with Chris on Talk of Thrones in the deep dive was season three sets up to be bangers only. Like, there's just so much action and material coming.

[A]

Depending on your definition of banger, depending on your exact.

[B]

That's what I was gonna say next. Cause like battles only, the action should be riveting. Is there then enough room? And I think that generally House of the Dragon has actually threaded this needle pretty well. And many of the bold and really strong adaptive opportunities, but then also choices and executions is giving us moments between characters that we never would have known to expect because the history books didn't chronicle them.

[A]

So Alicent and Rhaenyra are always gonna find a way to talk to each

[B]

other, and we'll always be surprised by it. So I think that as long as those moments where the history that we have with the characters and they have with each other remains very centrally incorporated, if we're getting major battles every, like, I don't know, hour and a half, two and a half hours like that, my hopes are very high for the season. The teaser trailer, I think, looks cool. I'm expecting that the first full trailer, like, when we get two and a half, three minutes of action, is. I would expect it to be like, really an injection of enthusiasm and hype heading into the season, which I would expect to be very good. I will say bummer of all bummers that, like, you could not read an article even, like, with just a headline embedded link, two paragraphs reminding you basically what the show is about without the George R.R. martin Ryan Condal feud being mentioned.

[A]

It's just.

[B]

It's inextricable right now from how people are talking about the state of the show, as is the response to the end of season two. So I think there's, like, stuff to work through here to win the fan base back. But I think that the story is positioned to bring people back in with a quickness.

[A]

I think something that's like really squeezing my puzzle brain is trying to reconcile what we know from the source text with the various adaptive changes, like fairly significant adaptive changes that Condal and his writing team have made. So I'm like, well, how is this character going to be here when they've decided to put him or her over here? So that's just like, you know, Then we'll all find out together. What a joy.

[B]

Or if a character isn't in the story at all, how will another character do a thing that maybe was influenced by something that happened to that character? Not sure if you've heard it's on Georgia's mind.

[A]

Let's. Let's look at some footage and talk about it, shall we?

[B]

Let's do it.

[A]

All right. An absolute power within your grasp. The trailer breakdown this episode is brought

[B]

to you by Redfin. You're listening to a podcast, which means you're probably multitasking, maybe even scrolling home listings on Redfin, saving homes without expecting to get them. But Redfin isn't just built for endless browsing. It's built to help you find and own a home with agents who close twice as many deals. When you find the one, you've got a real shot at getting it. Get [e-mail]. own the dream.

[A]

All right, can we have please this first nine second I guess clip.

[B]

Where were you?

[A]

Yep, that's how we're breaking down this trailer second by second. All right, so Alicent walks into the throne room to find Aemon on the throne. Yep. A beam of light through the window casts him in shadow and he asks her, where were you? Right. This is 1 million percent. A callback to season one, episode one, when young Rhaenyra, played by Supergirl herself.

[B]

That's right, yeah.

[A]

Walked into the throne room to find Aemond's doppelganger Daemon on the throne. Neither Aemond nor Daemon, younger brothers, both were actually king. No, though Aemond is.

[B]

Aemond is a hell of a lot

[A]

closer than Daemon, protector of the realm, ever was regent.

[B]

And now. And Alicent, who is walking into this moment does not yet know this, but we the viewer do.

[A]

Aegon's gone.

[B]

Aegon is peaced out with Larys.

[A]

Aegon Begonia.

[B]

Begone witch.

[A]

It's been hours that we've been recording.

[B]

Oh my God. So yeah, I think that the. That that series opening note as you're. As you're observing undeniable. There are so many moments where characters have walked toward each other in this room and so many great Viserys Daemon Ones in particular and Rhaenyra Daemon Ones.

[A]

But I think that Aemond.

[B]

No question the comp is inescapable the

[A]

like we've sat our butt on the throne even though we are not the king. This is what we've decided to do.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Look how beautif beautiful our long blonde hair looks.

[B]

No question. And like who is sitting there and why? What power are they trying to project? Or remind people that they're in possession of or pretend that they're in possession of? Always a deliberate choice. You could take a meeting anywhere. If you're taking it on the Iron Throne, you're trying to say something. And Eamon, not the best mood when we left him. Right.

[A]

He.

[B]

Where art.

[A]

Where were you? Like, he.

[B]

He doesn't know what we know. Is he suspicious of the particulars? We'll find out. Is he just like on edge in general? Because Alicent and Aemond had that finale exchange. She's like, would you not have us prevail? Not like this. There is a rift between them, obviously. Everything that happened between Aemond and Aegon was immensely consequential. And Aemond has also lost Helaena. So he is feeling as isolated and alone as he ever has. And when Aemond the one eye feels isolated and alone, bad shit happens.

[A]

Well, I think what's also important is for Alicent who was like, hey, I should have some power in all of this, and was overlooked for Aemond, essentially. Right. And this is the world that she helped create. This is the patriarchy that she pushed forward into the world. And then she became the victim of. If victim's the word you want to use. Aemond's got black fire. His father's sword, his brother's sword.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

And he's sitting on the throne. And there's this line we love to talk about. Right. When we talked about who has legitimate power. Right.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Quote Aegon Targaryen sits the Iron Throne. Not anymore. He wears the Conqueror's crown. Wields the Conqueror's sword. Has the Conqueror's name. He was anointed by a septum of the faith before the eyes of thousands. Every symbol of legitimacy belongs to him. So Aemon doesn't have the full package here, but he's got some important trappings of legitimacy here as he, in non king fashion, sits his butt on the throne. Rhaenyra's got a crown like Rhaenyra's got some things going for her. But I just. The very clear in the frame blackfyre moment that we get here is so important.

[B]

The warring symbols of the two crowns has been such a great choice in this story. In this Targaryen civil war, the might of the Conqueror, the connection to the. The Og like king versus. What does Jaehaerys the.

[A]

The.

[B]

The old king, the conciliator signify? Viserys reminding people he chose me. You're the ones who fucked it up. But this is what he wanted. Aemond, in some ways, has always had the strongest symbol of not legitimacy, but strength and might.

[A]

Faygar. Faygar, yeah. So now the biggest, baddest bitch. Yeah. In the realm.

[B]

We already have Vhagar. Everyone quakes in terror. And then you get to hold that sword in your hand and you get to sit on that throne.

[A]

Location, location, location, baby.

[B]

Rhaenyra can make exact. Daemon has dark sister, Rhaenyra has the other crown. They don't have the Iron Throne. And a lot of the end of last season was spent talking about how many days until we can get there. So we open with the person who's there now and that is deliberate.

[A]

Alicent we should be. We should say. Is she still wearing the blue silk dress she wore in the finale to visit Rhaenyra? Her color of choice is like girl before she went full green. So she's not repping team green here. And she looks like caught out and afraid in the face of Aemond's interrogation on the throne. Surprised to see Aemond there. Surprised to be interrogated. Olivia Cook is giving real like oh shit face in this moment. Do I have some questions about Alicent wearing the same dress when she can't just hop on a dragon to get to Dragonstone and back. It should have taken her a minute to make this trip. Do you think she's wearing that blue gown the whole time?

[B]

It's entirely possible. The hygiene in Westeros is appalling and it always has been.

[A]

Here's a reminder of the deal that Alicent and Rhaenyra made. It was a very long, very well acted scene between these two actresses. But here's what Alicent says. Aemond will soon fly to join Cole in the Riverlands. When he's gone, Helaena as queen will be the crown's authority. If you come then to King's Landing, I will see to it that our guards throw down their arms. We will open the gates. We will shed no blood. You will enter as a conqueror. Already you have the stronger hand. Once you take the throne, this senseless war must end. And Rhaenyra's like almost, yeah, yeah, you're

[B]

gonna need to let me kill your kid.

[A]

But I gotta have Aegon. And Alicent nodded her assent. Okay. She's sacrificing Aegon.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To Rhaenyra in order to end this. This war. And as we'll hear her say later in the trailer, she's doing some basic dragon math. And she knows that Rhaenyra has amassed a Lot. And mostly at this point. Alicent remember last season, like, had her like, sort of like big bathtub, like suicide watch moment.

[B]

I'll never forget. Big bathtub and bigger bathtub. Never.

[A]

But Helena seems to be her focus now.

[B]

Yes. And that was part of the bargaining with Rhaenyra was like, I just want to go and I just want to take her.

[A]

I want to take my granddaughter in the wilderness. I want to wander the wilderness. Rhaenyra's like, good for you, I guess. Great moment. Great. But she's like, okay, in order to do that, you have to let me kill your son. And Alicent's like, okay. Problem? Yeah. As we hear Aemond say a bit later in the trailer, Aegon's not here. So Alicent steel is a bit fucked.

[B]

It's null and void.

[A]

Yeah. Rhaenyra doesn't know that. Let's. Let's watch this next clip. Alicent came to Dragonstone.

[B]

She will open the gates of the

[A]

Red Keep and surrender to me. You cannot trust her. All right. So Rhaenyra's small Council is here.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Our guy Jace, his hair looks stunning.

[B]

Immaculate.

[A]

Ser Laurent Marbrandt is here. Lord Celtigar. Sure. Everyone's favorite character, Maester Gerardys is here. And then Mysaria walks into frame, and they're at the painted table at Dragonstone. And Rhaenyra seems to be directing her words here, mostly to Mysaria.

[B]

Yeah, lamentably, we don't get to hear Mysaria's return to do a season three accent check. We'll have to wait.

[A]

I can only hope it has grown even more powerful in our absence. We see Alicent walking the bright sun, like in the bright sunshine, walking into the Red Keep with Ser Rickard Thorne of the Kingsguard behind her and a guard nodding to her and green banners everywhere. So this is just like before she walked into the throne room. This is her coming back from the trip because she's still wearing that. That blue dress close up on her face.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And then Jace says, in slightly hushed tones but still too loud for a room full of small council members, side meetings, people. Side meetings. He says, you cannot trust her. Yeah. Do you think he means Alicent or does he mean Messaria, who is in the room? Awkward. What do.

[B]

Either would be totally plausible to me. I think that while I think it is definitely possible, even likely, that he's talking about Mysaria, given the very consistent drumbeat of jealousy that Jace experiences and the persistent laments across the last season that she did not pick him either to bring into her confidence in a given moment or hey, I'm gonna fly to Harrenhal. Adam come with. Jace is like, what the fuck, dude? Right? This is an important aspect of their relationship in season two. It made the moments where they actively worked and planned together for something like the sewing very powerful, but in part as a contrast. So Mysaria is someone that Jace is jealous of. I think that's clear. However, if this is about Alicent and if every single other person in that room also tells Rhaenyra that she can't trust Alicent Hightower, I would say not only would that not surprise me, I would expect the characters to be honest with you because it is a crazy thing that she is going to them and saying.

[A]

I would be shocked if they didn't.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But also this is just a classic Rhaenyra small council meeting where every single person in the room is like, I don't think so.

[B]

Bunch of bros being like, I know that I remained loyal and said I would love to see you as queen, but I'd like to mansplain to you for a few minutes about why you're wrong and dumb. It's. It's the way the Team Black operates.

[A]

But Massaria had been sort of orchestrating a bit of this Alicent Rhaenyra, you know, conversation. So she, out of everyone in the room, might be the only one who says this plan has merit, which is

[B]

just guaranteed then to make the other guys who are standing there even more dug in in the face of that budding alliance.

[A]

I think he's talking about Mysaria. That would be my guess.

[B]

Rhaenyra. If her expectation is that going to the small council here and saying Alicent swung by. We talked. She's gonna let me kill Aegon. She's gonna open the gates. Everything's fine.

[A]

Thank you. Promised.

[B]

If she expects that to go over smoothly, it's a blunder for sure.

[A]

You know what Rhaenyra likes to do sometimes?

[B]

Blunder.

[A]

A blunder. All right, Daemon. In this sequence we saw Daemon, who is not at Dragonstone at the moment. So this looks like a shot from a different scene entirely spliced in here, right? Looks back over his shoulder. There are men in armor behind him. Which I will come back to in the spoiler section. The trust her of Jace's line is played over Daemon's face here. And we know that these two have had a lot of issues with trust over the season. So that doesn't seem accidental. Even though he's talking about either Alicent or Mysaria. This moment of you cannot trust. The fact that we see Daemon's face does not feel accidental.

[B]

No question. One of the. As we've chronicled at length over many hours of podcasts, over two seasons of television, one of the big areas of fascination for us has been Daemon and the adaptive choices with Daemon. There's a lot of canonical text material around Daemon, but there have been a lot of moments where we're like, oh, is that what he was thinking or is that what he was doing? We've learned a lot where Daemon and Rhaenyra left things when Rhaenyra was compelled. Remember, our guy Simon just sent a little raven. You might want to come and check on Damon. He's raised his own army. He's raised his own army. Come check in.

[A]

He's raised his own army. He's not sleeping. We're a little worried.

[B]

He keeps putting his hand in like bloody Weirwood set Rhaenyra going in this very tense moment. And then Daemon, who has seen this vision, who has been on the. Not only receiving end of this, this journey of evolution at Harrenhal across the season, but this like you're the whole. Like you're the. Not the player, right? Is this forever now? Damon's big great, you know, oh, we fight for our queen moments and getting

[A]

everybody to kneel, to bend the knee,

[B]

to bend the knee. Beautiful moments that we loved and that were very touching. You know, even Rhaenyra in real time was like, don't leave me again. And Damon had the perfect reply, like, I've tried, you know, I've tried and I can't. Will things be smooth? That's not really their relationship, but Daemon does seem to have a newfound sense of who he is and who he wants to be. He's put some of the Viserys didn't love me as much as he loved you. Baggage to rest.

[A]

I will say that a bit of a bummer about season two. As much as I actually, like loved the haunted Harrenhal stuff and the vision stuff and Alice Rivers and all of that stuff, I actually really, really loved that separating Rhaenyra and Daemon, even though it's textual for so much of the season was tough and all of their scenes together were electric.

[B]

Incredible.

[A]

So there is a promo photo going around from the new season where they have very elaborately braided hair and they're touching foreheads.

[B]

Listen, we love to see these two cut each other's lips open, smear blood on each other and just be weird and sexual. Valyrian dies.

[A]

We believe in romance, so what can we say? Can we see this next very brief section, please? Okay, that's it. It's Baela on dancer. Moondancer screeches, breathes fire over the site of a naval battle. This is Gullet. The Battle of the Gullet. This is the only battle we're going to name.

[B]

Yes, Battle of the Gullet.

[A]

This. So every naval battle sequence of which you see much in this trailer. Yeah. Is the Battle of the Gutlet.

[B]

Yeah. Other stuff happens on ships in the story, but what we have in this trailer is very. This is a very gullet forward trailer. Yeah.

[A]

It's gullitatious. Simply gullitable. It is.

[B]

It really is.

[A]

Shout out Moondancer for being the first dragon in this new trailer.

[B]

We're gonna do a thing.

[A]

Every time we see a dragon, we're just gonna look at that dragon again. Will you show me that dragon?

[B]

Wonderful.

[A]

Moondancer. What do you wanna say?

[B]

Thrilled. Thrilled to see Moondancer. Thrilled to see dragons. I love dragons. Love House of the Dragon. Doesn't seem like Ryan Condell got your note in time to sub out all of the CGI dragons for puppets. Wonder if you can reach out again ahead of season four.

[A]

Also didn't do, like, a cool David Bowie, like, let's dance like, musical cue for a moon dancer.

[B]

No, that's what the ringer verse Instagram is for.

[A]

Okay, great. Jomi takes the notes. That's what the ringer is. Jomi, I know you're watching. Yeah.

[B]

This is exciting. Gullet is something that people have been talking about for two years for a reason. It is a very anticipated moment in the story. And I don't think this is a spoiler to say because again, the show, team Condol and interviews dating back to the season two finale, all in the off season, the run up to making this season. The fact that it was so openly discussed that this was supposed to be the end of season two is probably gonna kick off. It's gonna be early in season three. We're not gonna be waiting long. Yeah.

[A]

Whether or not it's the first episode or the second, we're not sure. This is like the conversation we had about blood and cheese in season two. Like, yeah, they were talking about a lot. They were teasing it a lot. And we were like, are we gonna get in the first episode? Second episode. How long do we wait for this? Anything else you want to say about those few seconds of footage?

[B]

No. We'll be Coming back to Gullah in some other shots so we can. We can hit it there.

[A]

Will, let's see this next section, please.

[B]

The king has abdicated the throne. A new dawn is coming. Hell yeah. A new line of Unsullied kings. Fuck yeah. Now, now, now. We're now cooking with gas, Right?

[A]

Okay, so we. In the. In the opener here, we're hearing Aemond is who's speaking over this section, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And as he says, the king has abdicated the throne. Probably giving Alicent some bad news. Some news she did not want to hear. We see my best friend, Larys. Yep. Do you want to point out Preston behind you? Preston the Rat with us always.

[B]

You know, Preston made the journey to not only a new studio, but a completely different part of Los Angeles. In we learned Carlos's backpack, new Jansport

[A]

that you bought him from the Buffy bus.

[B]

It's all connected here at the house of R. Preston the Rat.

[A]

Laris's rat being smuggled in the Buffy Jansport backpack over here.

[B]

That's a real house of sentence. That's a real house of our sentence.

[A]

House of our baby. All right, so Aemon's saying the king's abdicated throne. We see Larys and Aegon making their way through some spring woods. Spring is coming this summer. The last time we saw them, they were in a wagon. Why are they now on foot? I don't know. Seems like a couple of folks who would have some trouble navigating the woods, but. Aegon Targaryen. Welcome to the murder cloak gang.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, boy, he's in rough shape, you know? Here he looks okay. We get a very close up shot.

[A]

Here's a quote from the season two finale when Larys is like, hey, come with me. Why don't you leave a beautiful scene

[B]

that we're actually like.

[A]

A genuinely beautiful scene, but also contains this line. My cock is destroyed. Did they tell you that? Yeah. It burst into flames like a sausage on the spit. Yeah.

[B]

Talked about how he couldn't piss without it dripping down his leg. He was really going through it. Larys was like, I'm trying to. Game plan, man. Trying to get that. Get out of this alive.

[A]

He also said, you know, Larry's like, I've stored. I've tucked some gold away for a rainy day.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

Yeah. Let's go to Braavos, the Bank of Braavos, everyone's favorite place. And Aegon said, you want to take me to Essos to live with the goat fuckers?

[B]

Great scene, you guys house the Dragon

[A]

is a great show.

[B]

I'm really excited for season three. I can't wait. Truly can't wait.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So there's some stuff that we'll talk about in the spoiler section certainly but

[A]

like a reminder that a reason that Aegon went with Larys is not just Larys sort of bid for connection of like I know what it's like to have trouble getting through the world but also Aemond was like I'm gonna kill

[B]

you pressed a murder ball into your mangled chest. Small ball. And yeah the specific Aemond Aegon fear and tension but also more broadly this like pitch of patience. Let them all kill each other and then come back wait em out. There was a wisdom born of Larys experience that coupled with the authenticity of their wear like armor bond that we got to watch over the back half of season two post Rook's rest that led to this. We love friendship that we really enjoyed. Yeah. So we're not team green unlike fucking Chris. But this is a relationship that I am really eager to be back with.

[A]

It will outshine the Hound in Arya. Forget forget Brienne and Pod. It's all about Larys and Aegon on the road.

[B]

I think we know it's all about Criston Cole and Gawain Hightower. How dare you. We'll get to that. Why are they not in the wagon? You know, I assume it's as simple as like at some point they're off the road and they're on foot because that's the secret path they have to take in a wagon. Doesn't fit. But maybe it's also that shit has gone wrong.

[A]

Maybe they have someone has hitched betrayed someone.

[B]

Maybe the road was blocked. Maybe they were found out and they had to hide any number of things.

[A]

Maybe Aegon tried to take a piss. It dribbled down his leg and they're like you can't do that in the

[B]

wagon in Westeros you definitely can. People are pissing everywhere in Western US.

[A]

29 seconds in we get a battle map and an armored hand is placing a dragon among what looks like, I don't know, some windmills perhaps. I feel like this is maybe the Riverlands just because that's where I know windmills are.

[B]

Sure. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Aon doesn't wear armor, so this is probably Damon. Yeah, Damon's mailed fist.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And there appear to be lion heads on the map. So Lannister forces would be my guess.

[B]

Remember when we got to see actual real lions? I do remember how much time in season two we Spent talking about where Jason Lannister and his forces were. And then we got to see some lions and we were like, this shit is about to be electric. And then it just ended with that same army.

[A]

It just didn't matter.

[B]

Marching. And they're like, there's Harrenhal in the distance. There it is. And in two years, we'll be there.

[A]

The Lannister forces are marching.

[B]

Yeah, but.

[A]

But Daemon's doing some dragon math, so.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

We'll see. We'll see what happens. Okay. 30 seconds in. Tessaryan, the Blue Queen.

[B]

I'm thrilled.

[A]

This is Darren's dragon with a princely saddle on it. But no shot of Tesserion's rider. Darren. But let's see that dragon.

[B]

A new dawn is coming.

[A]

It's dragon number two, Tessarion. Tessarion.

[B]

This is just a great dragon.

[A]

Cobalt and bronze.

[B]

Gorgeous. Tessarion, the Blue Queen is a beautiful dragon. Even just seeing the quick fly above at the end of season two was. I mean, that was one of the moments. It happens not infrequently on Talk of the Thrones, but where Chris is like. It does seem like you're talking for like 97 days in a row about something we saw for 0.3 seconds. This was one of those things. We had spent all season and the show was winking and leaning into, finally alluding to and mentioning Darren. Darren's absence.

[A]

Who's Darren?

[B]

For folks at home, Darren is Alicent and Viserys. Other child. Third son, fourth kid. So this is Aegon and Eamon and Helena's younger brother. That he's a prince. Like, this is a character who matters. And as you can see here from Tearium, a Dragon Rider. And we hammer the dragon math all the time because it is very important in a dragon war to know who the Dragon Riders are and where they are. So it's not just that. We see Tessarion here. All the green tents behind. This is the Hightower camp.

[A]

Hightower camp.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So there are like. It's like a pen of sorts around Tessarion. And there's a dragon keeper right behind her as well.

[B]

Always got some notes for the targs when they keep their dragons penned up.

[A]

But in a field? Anywhere.

[B]

Fucking anywhere.

[A]

No. But, like, what purpose is that serving?

[B]

Great question. Great question.

[A]

Can she not just go?

[B]

That's a great question. So, you know, we just lovingly and gently, but also sincerely kind of mocked the persistent. This is where the Lannister forces are marching from. We had a version of that all season as well. With ormond Hightower's Hightower troops. Right. And they're on the march as well. We got to glimpse them at the end of last season. We get some cool shots of Ormond Hightower here. So D was off to Ward in Old Town, right? That's why he's not back at the Red Keep back in King's Landing. He's grown up away from his family, which is like not the worst thing. As we just talked about on another podcast that we did Alicent mere hours ago.

[A]

Everything's been going really well with your kids.

[B]

So Daeron being here matters, Cerion being here matters, but also the fact that this Hightower force, Ormund Hightower's marching force, has a dragon here. Here on the road, on a different part of the map. We're heading from. We're heading from Ultan, we're heading from the Reach. We're in a different part of the world that the team agree now has a dragon in. That's a big deal.

[A]

Right. And so I think it's no coincidence that that is juxtaposed with that shot of Damon putting a dragon on the map. Right. We're doing. We're constantly doing dragon math. Rhaenyra has bulked up her numbers. Yes, they were. Team Black was on the back foot because Veigar is so formidable. Aemond has Vhagar, quite scary. But Rhaenyra's like, what if we bump the numbers?

[B]

Yeah, let's do a sewing. Let's do a sewing of the seeds. And the other thing on the Dragonmaath front that we should just refresh people on from the very end of season two is that Aemond made a ill advised and very hostile and aggressive push with Helaena to get on Dreamfyre. So even Aemond, who is as I don't need fucking anyone but Vhagar as anyone.

[A]

He's done the math.

[B]

Has done the math. So, and you can see in this great shot of Ormond Hightower in this next stretch here, that's a big force behind him. He has a huge army.

[A]

So 31 seconds in, a new dawn is coming. And heavily armed soldiers pound their spears, I guess, into the ground in unison. Just to show, I think like pairing

[B]

that with Unsullied classic thrones.

[A]

How very nice, how coordinated they are. And then a new line of Unsullied kings. So here's James Norton as Ormond Hightower, head of House Hightower. He's Otto's nephew.

[B]

Can't wait to find out what the fuck is going on with Otto. Yeah, just in his little weird pen. Speaking of a pen, we have a

[A]

lot of questions to ask him. Why? We don't know. His armor with the Hightower sigil emblazed on, emblazoned on it, looks incredibly sick.

[B]

Really good.

[A]

Looks really, really good. Huge army. Yeah. To your point. At the beginning of season two, Otto was doing team green alliance math on the whiteboard and he said, we think we have Storm's End. Thanks to Aemond, Jason Lannister is amassing forces in the west and the Golden Tooth. So that's the lions. Right. Lord Ormund is marshaling forces from Oldtown. So that was a season ago. So Alicent is just gallivanting back and forth from Dragonstone, but Ormond has been slowly marching up the continent with a force and roll down and then it is master ships to Dalton Greyjoy, the Red Kraken.

[B]

Yeah, that'll be fine.

[A]

What could go wrong? Okay, so even though the the new line of Unsullied Kings plays over Ormond, Eamon is talking, I believe, about either trying to marry Helena and create some pure, none of this High Tower blood nonsense Targaryen heirs, or at least throwing some shade at the strong boys. Yeah, eugenics, incest. This guy can just like. What can he do?

[B]

He loves a three strong boys toast. He loves it.

[A]

Yeah, he loves it. 36 seconds in, Eamon on Vegar lights some up at Harrenhal. Let's see that dragon.

[B]

Here's the thing. Every now and then, it's as simple as that dragon looks sick. And that's. That's it. It's a Vegar. Awesome. Look at the size of that flame. Holy hell.

[A]

Damon has been at Harrenhal all of season two. Yes. Vhagar is at Harrenhal. Are we going to see Aemond and Daemon interact? Right, And Aemond yell at each other from dragon back.

[B]

Fuck you.

[A]

No, fuck you.

[B]

We're gonna get to Criston Cole soon. But Aemond sent Chris Cole and that army off to march toward Harrenhal. That force is heading toward the Riverlands, much to Chris Cole's chagrin. Right. Right.

[A]

And this is what. This is what Alicent said. Aemond's going to leave in a couple days to go join Criston Cole at Harrenhal. And that's when I'm just going to open the gates and you can just walk on in.

[B]

Yes. And then Aemond went to Helaen and was like, fly with me to Harrenhal. And she was like, bugs. Let me tell you a few things about your future that you're not going to want to hear.

[A]

But also bugs.

[B]

But also bugs. Yeah.

[A]

All right, let's see this next section. You are the queen of dragons.

[B]

You have an absolute power within your grasp.

[A]

Absolute power within your grasp.

[B]

I have no notes.

[A]

Daemon Targaryen. Welcome to the trailer. Rhaenyra staring into the fire, sparks flying. She looks very unhappy.

[B]

One thing I'll say is that everybody in the first trailer for season three of House of the Dragon seems like they're in a great mood and experiencing a lot of joy in their lives. People seem like they're getting along.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And things seem like they're going well.

[A]

They. They saw nine of the Seven Kingdoms, and they're like.

[B]

The people love this charm and this

[A]

hope and this dancing. These egg breakfast sandwiches.

[B]

Yeah. There's a place for, like, a very dour, severe tale. But maybe it's not Westeros.

[A]

No.

[B]

Oh, is that not the vibe? Okay.

[A]

All right. The camera pans out on Daemon Cladden, his armor, as we hear him say in voiceover, you are the queen of dragons. And then a bloody helmless daemon.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Shoves Dark Sister into. We can't see the ground. A body.

[B]

I'm going to say a body, just because. Why not? Could be the ground. Probably a body.

[A]

Probably a body.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's probably not great to shove your ancestral sword into the ground for no reason.

[B]

Yeah. Adam got me Dark Sister, you know, as a gift, and it's. It's fucking awesome. And I'm planning some pretty cool Instagram content for the summer, so stay tuned.

[A]

Can you give us a tease? Give me one. Give me one idea you have cooking. Let's see.

[B]

I'll pledge to you right now that anything Damon does with Dark Sister I'll do at home. I'll find a way at home.

[A]

Or, like, here in the studio.

[B]

I once brought my, like, right here.

[A]

This should be your. Your Dark Sister. Sage. Yeah.

[B]

There's maybe too many wires. I did once, back in the day in Grantland days, I brought Sale. Also, I have Longclaw, also a gift from my very wonderful husband. And I brought it in to the Grantland offices one day before we started this podcast. Not before we started our first podcast of the day, but before we started this podcast. Just some friends hanging out. You, me, Arjuna, Carlos. And there was some discussion of how just anytime I move my arms, there's a lot of cracking of the joints. I wouldn't say that lugging Longclaw to the office was, like, the greatest stroke of genius I've ever had. It's fucking heavy. So I don't know if I'll be bringing Dark Sister in. That said, Dark Sister is lighter. It is, but it's very sharp. It's very sharp. Maybe you just come over, we'll make some content at home.

[A]

You have a hero sword. You have like an actually sharp sword sword.

[B]

Like you put this on, they are sharper than you think. They would be the sharpest. One of the weapons that we have in our ever growing armory, the cat's paw dagger is like you could. You could hurt somebody.

[A]

Delightful. In addition to all of the trailer footage we see we get of Daemon at war, there was a promo photo.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

That went out of a blood spattered Damon and Oscar, Tully and a bunch of riverlanders. Stay tuned.

[B]

So Rhaenyra went to Harrenhal. She and Daemon had her moment at the end of last season. But Rhaenyra flew home and Daemon has not yet he is here. That is clear. He is in the Riverlands, at least to begin the season.

[A]

Allan of Hull.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Stares over the side of his ship. Yeah. The queen who never was is what the ship is now called.

[B]

That was just great renaming from Corlys there.

[A]

We love a rebranding. Just riddled with arrows as the sea battle rages around.

[B]

There are so many arrows here again. Are there going to be ships in the show outside of the Gullet? Yeah, there are. There are a number of fleets and also just a lot of boat stuff. People sneaking around in boats. It happens all the time in House of the Dragon across two seasons. However, boat sex. Well, some very memorable boat sex across Game of Thrones. So yeah, the number of arrows here, the armor. This is war. This is gullet. It has to be. Let's just refresh people on. We've talked a little bit about the forces that have promised to end up in the Riverlands near Harrenhal or are actively there or on the march. Well, we had a version of that at the end of the season two with our naval forces. The renaming from sea snake to the Queen who never was. My glory to her glory. This was part of the Valyrian fleet heading back out to sea. A lot of season two was oriented around this blockade. The festering resentment among the people of King's Landing who were starving, who was being blamed for it versus who was enacting it and what would they do to break it. So you have the blockade through season two. We have the Valyrian fleet heading into the water. And I'm not sure if everybody collectively has repressed this. No, they remember or remembers it. But four scenes in the season two finale. Four, I think four, three, four were devoted to Tyland Lannister going to recruit the Triarchy. That is the thing that happened.

[A]

The Triarchy also Chris Ryan's favorite.

[B]

That's right. Yeah. Sharknado and the Triarchy are. Have entered the chat. And so that is a force that is sailing.

[A]

So Tyland wants to break the blockade with the Triarchy forces that he has come mud wrestled for and sang.

[B]

There was some singing, singing. Some talk about fucking my wives.

[A]

Some coin.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

And some mud wrestling.

[B]

The mud wrestling looked fun. I. I think the mud wrestling looked so gullett the.

[A]

The Velaryon forces triarchy coming on the come up. All right.

[B]

And the gullet is of course, if anyone's like, where is this? Remind me. We've got King's Landing. We have Dragonstone and Driftmark. We have Blackwater Bay. We have the Gullet. Like these things are close together. Now we're oriented. Now we remember where everybody is heading.

[A]

Will they meet?

[B]

We'll find out.

[A]

Should the teaser just have been a map showing like.

[B]

Yeah, but you have to use your arm.

[A]

Use your arm for it. So the Riverlands are amazing. Okay. Anyway, close up on Corly's face as Damon says a thing about absolute power.

[B]

Sick armor. This is just great. The armor is so good.

[A]

And then perhaps most importantly at all, the 47 second mark. Christopher Ryan swoons, as is sooty greasy Criston Cole, looking rather worse for the wear, stares up at the sky from as the camera counts above him, a dragon footprint in the mud. This has to be Vhagar. Given the size. I really don't think there's another option.

[B]

Let's. Let's refresh on Chris Cole's state of mind when we left him. He was talking a lot about morning mist and honor and sniffing in plain sight of Gawain Hightower, her brother and their entire army

[A]

about Lemon on the. On the sword.

[B]

Lemon polishing the sword and saying, and I'm paraphrasing, it would be a blessing to just die, wouldn't it? The PTSD for Criston Cole in the wake of Rook's dressed. This reminder to stare plainly in the face of how insignificant and small men can feel in the face of dragon war. That is where we left him and where he still is as his commander, as his regent has sent him back out on the march.

[A]

How Devastated, were you that you did not get any Gwayne Hightower in this?

[B]

I don't want to say that I'm infuriated in a way I can't recover from, because I do know that we're getting another trailer. But if Gawain is not in that next trailer, I will revolt. I will revolt.

[A]

49 seconds in, we get Damon on Caraxi somewhere nice and green. Let's see that dragon.

[B]

That was the shortest one yet.

[A]

My fave. That's great.

[B]

Craxes rules long.

[A]

Boy. I love the. I always love the way that the blood worm. It's like.

[B]

And his little sweet little feet.

[A]

Yes, his sweet little feet.

[B]

Yeah, he's got a sweet feet.

[A]

He's like the sweet foot of this show.

[B]

What do you think Caraxes thinks of green apples?

[A]

Apples. Crackies, cracksies. Could up some green apples.

[B]

Prefers pigs. It's canon.

[A]

Well, the problem is I don't think dragons ever eat like, uncooked apples. Right?

[B]

I mean, I guess if they ate a person who was holding an apple, maybe they've probably accidentally ingested some apples at some point.

[A]

Several Hightower men draw their swords in a defensive position around the throne.

[B]

They sure do.

[A]

Who are they defending against? And it is very strange to me that it is High Tower men and not the Kingsguard. More to come in the spoiler section. Indeed. All right.

[B]

Indeed.

[A]

What else can we say? Let's show the next section, please.

[B]

Soon or late, Rhaenyra will send her new dragons here.

[A]

It would be the end. All right, so more Gullet Seth Alyn shouting a command aboard the ship as the battle explodes around them. And then 51 seconds in it, it's only the bloody Starks Winter wolves. The winter wolves are here. They're yelling and running up a hill and doing general war stuff. Here's what Cregan Starks said to Jace in season two, episode one. So we've been waiting an entire season. Maybe this is the problem. A problem in season two, which is they like seeded all this stuff right at the beginning of the season. Ormund Hightower is marching up like first half of hotd.

[B]

Season two was amazing.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And episode seven was awesome. I still think if episode eight had been episode eight of a nine or ten episode season, we would. No, I think very differently about this. No, I agree. I'm just saying, like, yeah, the promise

[A]

early the winter wolf stuff and like all of the promo and Entertainment Weekly and whatever was like, the Starks are here. The Starks are here. And they were here for like, yeah, a scene Yeah, a cool sequence. A really, really cool sequence. But okay.

[B]

Yeah, you're right. Even like Jace, mid season, heading to the twins. It's sprinkled throughout. And then we're just like, all right, we'll check in And June of 2026 is a long time to wait. It is okay.

[A]

Cregan Stark says, I have a thousand greybeards who have already seen too many winters. They are well honed. Jay says, so they're old. Cregan says I can ready them to march at once. And Jay says if your graybeards can fight, the queen will have them. And Cregan says they will fight hard, like northerners.

[B]

Just incredible.

[A]

And as you mentioned, we saw them marching across the twins in the season two finale. And now we've got, though, though, he's not in that shot, right. Tommy Flanagan. Roddy the Ruin.

[B]

Sensational. I. I'm thrilled.

[A]

So the twins were. Were in the Riverlands. Right. So that's where the Starks are. Okay. In the same battle as the Starks. Question mark. Possibly unclear, but unlikely. Very unlikely. We see Aegon viciously stabbing a man on the ground. Aegon's penis might have popped like a sausage on a fire, but he's got some fight left in him.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Good job.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

52 seconds. Another battle on a beach.

[B]

Yeah, and it does look. I mean, it's definitely hard to tell, but it does look like Aegon is in a sandy. I mean, it could just be dirt, but it's kind of like a sandy.

[A]

You think Aegon's near the beach ground here?

[B]

Maybe it's just a patch of dirt.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

But it could be sand. And we cut right to the sand. I think that could be sand. I do.

[A]

Okay, I do battle on the beach. 53 seconds. Another battle. A bunch of horses and fire.

[B]

You think they. They can get away with doing beach battle stuff in HOTI without bringing back crab feeder? I would revive from the dead.

[A]

I, grayscale and all, would like to know who talks about the crab feeder more than you. Nobody.

[B]

I mean, literally no one.

[A]

Yeah, literally no one ever remembers army. Yeah.

[B]

None of his kin. No one he infected with their high scale. No one.

[A]

54 seconds in. Damon inside, full battle armor. Definitely looks to me like he's fighting the Team Green guards we saw at the 52nd mark. The throne room. That's what that looks like to me.

[B]

I would say that it is a setting that looks familiar. Yeah.

[A]

Okay. That's.

[B]

Yeah, that seems to be a room we know.

[A]

55 seconds in. Allison, who I believe is still in blue. A darker blue velvet dress that she's also wearing in the promo photos that HBO tweeted out is the seemingly trying to convince Aon that surrender is the way to go. She mentions the quote new dragons, as in the dragon Seeds. But we do not see Ulf.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Hugh, Reina, etc, or the people. Adam.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Who. Who claim dragons. Right. Yeah. So no dragons.

[B]

Cut to Reyna looking for Sheep Stealer, I believe also four times in the finale. There were some. Some mistakes were made. Some mistakes were made. Sheepy looked great, though. When we finally saw that was wonderful.

[A]

Sheep Sealer looked amazing. And then at the minute Mark Allison says it would be the end as we get a shot of Rhaenyra looking up. A lot of looking up in this.

[B]

There's a lot of looking up. You know, it is a show about dragons and people flying them, so. Makes sense.

[A]

Let's see the next section.

[B]

Look at it. That's the one that gave me a chill.

[A]

The armored.

[B]

That stretch.

[A]

This stretch. Oh, this stretch. When everything goes really fast. Okay.

[B]

Jace.

[A]

Dracarys. So Jace and his dragon Vermax joined the battle of the Gullet that Corlys and Alyn and Baela are engaged in. And just. We get a classic Drakarys. Let's see. Is this our last one? This our final dragon.

[B]

Dragon. Wonderful stuff. Who else is here? We're going to preserve the surprise of that until they show more in other trailers. But we have, as you just noted, seen undeniably certain participants in this. This is. It's. This was when I was like, let's go.

[A]

Like, that's the shot for me too, June. Now I like tweeted it and I was just like, well, here we go.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, this is. This is the stuff.

[A]

This is the stuff. Rhaenyra. This section is great because the score, the pounding of the drums on the score go along with. Though not perfectly synced to. And I really. I really like the way it's syncopated to Raniera pounding on a door.

[B]

You little sat. Word of the day.

[A]

Syncopated.

[B]

That was wonderful.

[A]

Did I use it correctly?

[B]

I have no idea, but I love it.

[A]

Pop returns turquoise when you oxidize it. That's a call factor.

[B]

Oxidize. There we go.

[A]

Just bear in mind that I looked that up and learned it before you guys wrote me emails about it. Okay. Anyway, Rhaenyra's patting Adora. The Valyrian glyphs on the wall. This is her room.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So someone has locked Queen Rhaenyra in

[B]

Her room sure seems that way and

[A]

she does not seem happy about it.

[B]

No, nor would I be.

[A]

Kristen Cole muddied in a sullied and far far cry from his crisp white cloak.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Chokes a man to death. Things are getting desperate out there.

[B]

I can't wait to talk about this more.

[A]

Okay. Rhaenyra bangs on the door some more. A minute six Aegon wearing a cloak looks guess where up. Yeah.

[B]

And astonished and he's his body is still healing. That is my takeaway from his job

[A]

is smacked and his body is is healing.

[B]

Sheesh.

[A]

Corliss looks over his shoulder aggravated and alarmed on on the boat. So this is gullet stuff. Rhaenyra bangs on the door again some more.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Someone maybe Alyn or just maybe a random velaryon person goes overboard. Unclear to me.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Alicent looks horrified at a minute 9 seconds gaping mouth in the glove over her hands.

[B]

Great stuff.

[A]

See you in the spoiler section. Minute 10 Damon covered in soot and blood. His favorite is screaming in the heat of battle.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

A minute 11 an armored someone in a narrow space swings a sword down as dragonfire erupts behind him.

[B]

I would say that also looks like a familiar location.

[A]

Oh really?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I had a different suspicion.

[B]

Interesting.

[A]

Talk about it in the spoiler section.

[B]

Great.

[A]

And then let's see the last section here in the non spoiler section.

[B]

This is the moment you become queen. And everyone looks like things are going well.

[A]

Rhaenyra for them, tear streaked, sooty resolved, wearing some sick armor.

[B]

Looks amazing. We will be we will be returning to that expression in the spoiler section which we're about to get to for a teaser. I thought that it achieved what it needed to achieve which is setting the mood. That's what a teaser is meant to do.

[A]

Battle, sad battle, sad battle. Look up sad sad. Fire, spark, blood, soot, blood dragon dragon.

[B]

Exactly that Just so. And also like everybody is still fighting with each other across the team lines and inside of them. And that is the other crucial thing to always remember about HOTD is that nobody is getting along whether or not they're supposed to. Spoilers.

[A]

This is the moment you become queen. Let's go to the book spoiler section. All right. This is where we can say way more.

[B]

Okay, just leave if you don't want to hear this because we're gonna talk about everything that happened.

[A]

Everything that happened.

[B]

Everything. Did you leave first?

[A]

Start here. We start with the poster. We're back to the poster. Here's a passage from Fire and Blood.

[B]

This is one of my favorites in the entire.

[A]

Do you want to read it?

[B]

No, no, please.

[A]

You can read it.

[B]

Go. I'm just thrilled that we're, like, getting to talk about this now.

[A]

And as her lord husband, Prince Daemon, escorted her from the hall, cuts were seen upon Her Grace's legs, and the palm of her left hand wrote Eustace. Drops of blood fell to the floor as she went past, and wise men looked at one another, although none dared speak the truth aloud. The Iron Throne had spurned her and her days upon it would be few. This is Rhaenyra and Daemon have taken King's Landing.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

She sits upon the Iron Throne, the seat of power that was promised to her.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And it cuts her. And this is an ill omen, as discussed in Fire and Blood many times. And so this poster that we see of her on the throne with blood on the swords is the throne has cut Rhaenyra. And even though she got the throne, her days there are numbered.

[B]

Yes. I love this. The fact that in Fire and Blood, it's presented as like, she wouldn't wait. She couldn't wait. At last they're here. King's Landing is theirs. King's Landing falls. This is one of the things I'm most excited to see. There's a lot I'm excited for the season. This is one of the things I'm most excited to see, actually, because of the Aemond part of it. Like being so severely outmaneuvered, leaving King's

[A]

Landing defenseless, Aemond goes to Harrenhal and Daemon's like, psych. I went to King's Landing.

[B]

Exactly. And we're going to talk about this in a minute. But we believe that Damon has been incorporated into the fish feed plot. That seems like very clear like, which makes sense and is a real improvement.

[A]

Is a great.

[B]

A great choice. And it's. It seemed since he was just, you know, amassing this army for so long at the end of season two, and then stayed like that's where we would be heading. But the fact that he'll participate in fish feed and then still bounce, Aemond will fly out to meet him to find that he is gone. Have a moment. If things play out in the show, according to the text of like boasting he was too afraid to face me. Right. And then learning that King's Landing fell also the way that. That influences in the future, the way that we're near on, everyone will think about how. Who do you have to leave behind? How many dragons have to be here et CETERA which ends up being obviously hugely consequential. I'm really excited about all of that. One of the things that we freaked out about and a lot of book readers freaked out about when we first got to watch House of the Dragon back in season one was the cut to Viserys Finger from the Throne. Because, like, all of the stuff in the. In Fire and Blood, with Maegor the Cruel and the rejection of the throne and the omens tracing back to, like, you know, blade through the neck, et cetera. So to see the way that this, like, if memory serves, and I'm quoting the show team correctly, magical leprosy that, like, inflicted Viserys as his body parts started to just fall off of him, began with that. The blade to the finger. For this, for Rhaenyra to.

[A]

For this to be the poster.

[B]

Yeah. Like, it's just.

[A]

And I think it's a really fun signal to people like to. To book readers, to ball knowers. Right. Here's Rhaenyra on the throne, but here's the blood. And that signals that her reign will be short and cursed.

[B]

Yeah, it's a perfect choice. It's a great wink to the readers. And like, for. If you're a viewer, I could see how you'd be like, wait, this feels like just actually a massive spoiler, but I think it's a great way to sort of point to the fact that, like, there's a long road ahead. There's a long road ahead. So, yeah, just fantastic.

[A]

Okay, so then, at the 22nd mark.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

In the vein of this whole Taking King's Landing section, Daemon looks back over his shoulder. There are men in armor behind him. I think this is Daemon in the Throne Room. And I think those men could possibly be the Gold Cloaks who have helped him get into the city. The Gold Cloaks who are loyal to Daemon because they're wearing City Guard armor, but no Gold Cloaks. So, like, do they take them off to be, like, you know. Ser Luthor laughed. Daemon gave us these cloaks, he said, and they're gold no matter how you turn them. Then he drove his sword through Ser Gwayne's belly and ordered the city gates open to the men pouring off the sea. Snake ships.

[B]

Gawain, not here.

[A]

I don't think he's not here.

[B]

Gonna be there. So he'll die another way, I guess.

[A]

Fish feed.

[B]

Plenty of opportunities for him, I assume he'll die at Butcher's Ball with Criston.

[A]

Are they gonna do both? Butcher's Ball and Fish Feed I think

[B]

Butcher's Ball is a must. I think that Criston has been propped up as a character who deserves a really iconic death.

[A]

But what if they do the fish feed and Daemon's there and Criston's there and Gawain's there and it's just like the fish feed is the Butcher's ball. It's just like all one battle.

[B]

I'll be curious to see how like

[A]

Criston will get an iconic battle for sure.

[B]

So the thing I was alluding to earlier about. And there will be some battles that maybe are just compressed to like a mention or we see the wreckage, but we don't actually like, Honeywine is an example to me of like, I don't think we're gonna get necessarily a full proper Honeyw in part because we don't know those characters yet. But I do think that, like, that will be a part of how we come to acclimate with Ormund and Darren and Tessarion. I think that the post fish Feed Criston's march after fish Feed through the wreckage, in part that Aemond is spreading in his fit of rage, burning the Riverlands, attacking house after house, but also that the Riverlords, the way that they like, burn the path that he's about to head down so that there's no food for his army. And then those like fish feed corpses and the like, fake out feasts. I feel like that's some of the most visually evocative stuff in the story. So my hope is that that will be there toward the end, like an episode six, maybe episode seven sequence. Butcher's Ball. And I think too that like Winter wolves, obviously they'll be at Fish Feed, but I think we'll get. We'll get the surviving portion of the Winter Wolves, including Roddi at Butcher's Ball. I think we'll get it.

[A]

Okay, 25 second Mark Baela on Moondancer at the Gullet. This is a huge update that Baela on Moondancer at the Gullet. From Fire and Blood, the battle in the Gullet rage into the night north and south of Dragonstone. The remains and remains amongst the bloodiest sea battles in all of history. But Baela being here to see Jace and Corlys, perhaps seeing Baela there, there's that reaction shot of him looking up and him looking horrified, which could either be him seeing what happens to Jace. Jace dies at the Battle of the Gullet. But that's a low thing. So what is he looking up at? And for me, I thought maybe it's seeing Baela there, thinking she should be there. There's all this back and forth about whether or not Baela should be out there.

[B]

Right? It could be that. It could be even just the shock of seeing all of the dragon riders arrive. You called early in season two Baela being at Gullet as like a likely change. And I don't know still if like this will be in place of the nettles. Sheepstealer. Rhaena Sheepstealer. Like it would be I think kind of surpri. Maybe Reyna could still show up in time but that would be like a little surprising perhaps Corlys is just looking up and is like five dragons are here. We're gonna be okay. And then you know one of the great lines in the book is it is written that when the sea snake was congratulated as victory the old said if this be victory, I pray I never win another. So to look and think our salvation is here and then have like the loss that awaits I think would be really cool.

[A]

26 to 36 second mark. Bowing her fire and blood, bowing her head in defeat, Queen Alicent surrendered the keys to the castle and ordered her knights and men at arms to lay down their swords. The city is yours princess, she is reported to have said. But you will not hold it long. The rats play when the cat is gone. But my son Aemon will return with fire and blood.

[B]

They're always talking about the fire and blood I think.

[A]

So this. This section where Alicent is forced to give Rhaenyra like the keys of the city. I wonder if it will play out very differently given like the conversation we got this season and stuff like that.

[B]

Yeah. I'm curious.

[A]

Is that gonna be theater that she does for like people who are watching or something? You know.

[B]

That seems likely.

[A]

Anything you wanna say about Tessarion in a.

[B]

Well I guess just on this Aegon front or were we gonna hit that Aegon and Larys later Cause we see them here. So I guess like you know we can just quickly hit the. In the spoiler section or you do you have the. You have Sunfyre so we can hit it when we get to the Aegon looking up later and what we think they might be up to Tessarion. You know again this would be like Honeywine. I think just in general the fact that Darren comes in on Tessarion swings Honeywine. It's such a big moment for Team Black of like we don't. We're not as solidly positioned as we think. And then the way that Tessarion is able to basically fly out ahead and clear and blaze this path. Yeah, I'm curious to see if we're witnessing a lot of that or just sort of hearing about it, but we have to get enough of a sense of the Hightower army, Ormund's forces, and Tessarion and Daeron before Tumbleton. There has to be at least enough firsthand witnessing of who this force is before, like, the swinging of the two Betrayers.

[A]

Right. All right. When Daemon shoves Dark Sister into probably a body. This, like, because this looks like early dawn. This is why people think Daemon will be at the fish feed. Right. Because the bloodiest land battle of the Dance of the Dragons began the next day with the rising of the sun in the annals of the Citadel is known as the Battle by the Lakeshore. But to those men who lived to tell of it, it was always the fish feed. So we were. We were concerned about the fish feed because we were like, who the fuck cares about all these. These various characters are going to be at the fish feed. So I think. Yeah, you think they're gonna do the butcher's ball? I just think that, like, if you can get Damon and Kristen and Gwain and the Stark forces all at the fish feed, this will feel like. And that shot, the promo shot that we talked about earlier of Daemon and Oscar Tully, covered in blood and looking, like, horrified. This other quote, the Lannister host was shattered and slaughtered, but who cares? And at such cost that young Ben Blackwood, the boy Lord of Raventree, wept when he saw the heaps of the dead. So, like, are they making Oscar Tully stand in for bloody Ben?

[B]

I definitely could see Criston and Gawain being a part of the fish feed without dying there. Yeah. And then still preserving, like, the even more beleaguered, defeated, you know, the fact that that army is in tatters and hungry and their men start to defect. I feel like actually that would be great because the more beaten down and worn down Kristen is by the time he gets to like, what if you know, me against the three of you and like, my peace banner and can we just talk? You know, you've got to build toward. I'll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker, declared Longleaf. There's tens of thousands dead on your account. He was speaking to a corpse. Like, that feels to me. If Tumbleton is the finale, which I think it will be, that feels like a great Episode seven moment.

[A]

Is there any way they moved Tumbleton before the taking of King's Landing and the taking of King's Landing is the finale.

[B]

So I was thinking about this and

[A]

like, Rhaenyra on the throne is the end of the season.

[B]

I thought that was really possible until the posterior. And now I'm like. Because even just them saying a lot at the end of season two, a few days. A few days. We're gonna do it. We're gonna do it. Just the fact that Daemon is here still, I mean, you can fly pretty fast on a dragon, but Gullet has to play out, like, I think ultimately it will go. If it's. If it's Rhaenyra at the end taking King's Landing, I don't think she's there for long enough. I think she needs to be there by, like, mid season so that we have enough time to, you know, have like, the taxes and the resentment. The queen, the realm's delight becomes a person that we hate and, like, build toward the shepherd and the storming of the pit and, like, second Tumbleton, obviously, elsewhere there's so much they have to do, so there's a lot they have to do. Still, to your point about compression, could

[A]

they do a time jump? If we end with Rhaenyra on the throne at the end of this season and then we time jump and like, shit has really progressed in King's Landing under Rhaenyra's reign, Maybe.

[B]

I think my prediction. I'll reassess this after we get more trailer footage, but I'm thinking Gullet at the beginning. A mention of honeywine. Fish feed. If Gullet's episode one, maybe fish feeds episode two. I think Rhaenyra takes King's Landing in episode four, mid season. Then Butcher's Ball. If it happens, like episode seven. Tumbleton feels like the right endpoint to the season to me because it's the shock of the betrayal of, like, you thought you had the edge because of the sowing of the seeds. Astonishingly bold gambit to swell the dragon math in your favor. And then they switched, like, Hugh and Ulf. Hugh and Ulf.

[A]

And they lay the track for that. For. I mean, the way that ULF is in general. But then Hugh's family is at Templeton, right?

[B]

So that feels like it would be a good. You know, you have the high of taking King's Landing mid season and then it's like, oh, fuck. And we're swinging back down.

[A]

I'm inclined to think taking. I'm going to. I'm going to take the other side and say King's Landing is where we at taking of Kings Landing is I

[B]

where as you know, years ago that was my prediction for how season two would end. So now I just think ending season three there is. Is too late. But.

[A]

Well, it just depends where.

[B]

We don't know where they're going to

[A]

end this story full stop.

[B]

That's true. Are they going into like the Regency and so yeah, it's true.

[A]

I don't know that they're going to do that. I think they might just be like once the. Once Rhaenyra is off the board. Is this even like a story you want to tell anymore?

[B]

Even after she has the throne? It's like we've got everything with Helena. As you noted, the alicent change and the richness that that can unlock. On the storytelling front there we've got God's Eye with Daemon and Aemond. We have second Tumbleton. You know, Adam going out.

[A]

I mean God's Eye is definitely shepherd

[B]

storming in the pit. Aegon vs. Rhaenyra Dragonstone. There's so much left to do still after she takes the throne.

[A]

So much. But that could be like a chock full final season.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then it's over.

[B]

Yeah. It would be weird for her to wait to go to King's Landing though. Though like especially after she's locked in

[A]

her room by someone who knows who.

[B]

You think it's Jace?

[A]

I definitely think Jace locks her in the room so that she can't go to the gullet.

[B]

And then he dies.

[A]

And then he dies.

[B]

Yeah. Tough one. Tough one.

[A]

Jason, his dragon Vermax in the battle of the gullet. That is the shot of the trailer. Chills. I. When I tweeted it out, someone responded like in Dunk's voice, he's too low. He's saving too low. But yeah, that low fly into the gullet. Like they knew what they were doing when they put that in the trailer. No question. So you think we get gullet in episode one?

[B]

I do. I could see Episode two, but I think that they're. I don't think that creators should make shows or movies out of a position of fear of an angry fan base. I think that's how you get really shitty Star wars movies. But I do think that they're like people will not abide even one episode where nothing happens other than conversations. I just. I feel like all it is episode one thing. But who knows?

[A]

Vermax was swooping through the fleet. One of its prongs found purchase between two scales and was driven deep by the dragon's own Considerable speed. The sailor had coiled his end of the chain about the mast and the weight of the ship and the power of Vermax wings tore a long jagged gash in the dragon's belly. Ellipses. The prince was struck once. So Vermax goes down.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

The prince was struck once and then again. More and more mermen brought crossbows to bear. Finally, one quarrel took him through the neck and Jace was swallowed by the the sea. So the shot we get of Rhaenyra looking up five different times in the trailer, but one time, very tear streaked and upset and in the armor is like. Yeah, I mean that makes sense to me. If like, if like the Jace news, like that has to be the Jace, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

In the armor. Then King's Landing. Like if she's in her armor, I feel like King's Landing has gotta.

[B]

Yeah. And I'm jumping ahead now to the. The last shot in the quote in the outline, but broken by the loss of one song Lucerys Rhaenyra Targaryen seemed to find new strength after the loss of a second. Jace's death hardened her, burning away her fears, leaving only her anger and her hatred. Still possessed of more dragons than her half brother, Her Grace now resolved to use them no matter the cost. She would rain down fire and death upon Aegon and all those who supported him, she told the Black Council, and either tear him from the Iron Throne or die in the attempt. Occurring to me in real time. Fish feed could be first. Fish feed could be the first battle. And then that gets Daemon in position to move a little faster and then gull. But not impossible that they could reorder things that way.

[A]

Okay. Aegon wearing a cloak, looking up, astonished.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Sunfyre lives, slimy with mud, twisting amongst the bones of countless sheep. Sunfyre writhed and coiled like a serpent, his tail lashing, sending blasts of golden flame at his attackers as he struggled. Sunfire was gone like ellipses. Ellipses. Sunfire was gone. Nor were there tracks as surely as there would have had. Would have been had the dragon dragged himself away. Sunfyre the golden had taken wing again, it seemed. But to where no living man could say. So this idea that Aegon, like Aegon and Larys, find themselves near Rook's Rest on their journey. And then Sunfyre emerges and kills all the, you know, all the people who are there. Or Aegon's like, oh shit, my dragon's alive.

[B]

Right? Cause and we were very puzzled throughout season two by everyone talking about Sunfyre being dead. Instead of just like injured and waiting. Because then you. The like pursuit of Sunfire. And Sunfire then escapes. Because I'm like, is Aegon on that beach? I think the fact that they're trying. Aegon and Larish are trying to get to Braavos. Braos. They're trying to get across the Narrow Sea. If this is like. If this beach skirmish, are they basically going into the teeth of like gullet spillover here, trying to get out into the water. Now, Sunfire can't fly in plain sight of any of that. Nobody else can see Sunfire because Sunfire being alive, preserved.

[A]

This is why I like them at Rook's Rest.

[B]

But that's just the. I mean, yeah, I guess it's possible that they could just go there and see him there and then like, this is one of the. I'm interested to see. It's such a thrill in the text when you like, kind of realize that Sunfyre's okay, Aegon's okay, they're together, they're waiting. And the horror that unfolds on Dragonstone as a result of it is just like really all time stuff. That's obviously not how it's gonna go in the show. We're gonna know every step along the way. Only Larys himself knew that the King, stripped of his finery and clad in salt stained fisherman's cloak, had been concealed among a load of codfish on a fishing skiff in the care of a bastard knight with kin on Dragonstone. So, like, maybe they see Sunfire elsewhere, but Aegon getting into a boat and hiding and making his way to the COVID I think we'll get some of that.

[A]

Definitely gotta be some water slayin'. Okay, I'm gonna zoom through the rest of this. Alicent looking horrified. Yeah, could be a number of things. Otto Hightower, beheaded.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Gwain. Obviously we don't think Wayne is dying at King's Landing. We think Wayne's dying, Elsa. So probably not that. Helena.

[B]

Yeah, Falling. When do you think that's gonna be? Like back end of season three?

[A]

It depends. When the Kings Landing thing happened. It's really hard to know. I wonder if.

[B]

I wonder if they'll push that back.

[A]

This is. This is the one where we might Disagree. Right minute 11, this is when the armored someone in a narrow space swings a sword down as Dragonfire erupts behind him. I think this is Tumbleton. You think this is Flea Bottom, I thought.

[B]

Yeah, just the stonework kind of looks.

[A]

I at first thought it was Flea Bottom, but like Cyrax and Caraxes don't torch King's Landing, really?

[B]

No, no. And if it falls in a day. But. And the shot of the Hightower

[A]

man

[B]

guarding the throne is certainly the taking of King's Landing. The taking of King's Landing.

[A]

But Tumbleton, that prosperous market town, was reduced to ash and embers. Thousands burned, and as many died by drowning as they tried to swim the river. Someone later said that they were the fortunate ones, for no mercy was shown the survivors. So, like Tumbleton just being like all of that dragonfire down in the street of someplace.

[B]

Yeah. I think it's possible also that that could be basically any of, like, if they have Aemond at some point, just on a path of carnage, burning, like, various Riverland houses. It could be. Could be that. But yeah, the fact that there's like a fully armored soldier. It would be cool to have gotten a Tumbleton shot in here. Given that how important it is. Should be a massive part of the end of this season.

[A]

All right. And then last but not least, the daemon line. This is the moment you become queen. Is this about her taking King's Landing or about her ascending the throne? I think taking King's Landing.

[B]

I think so.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That feels right. Taking King's Landing. I mean, it's going to be great to see them just up in the air together.

[A]

Caraxis and Cyrax over King's Landing.

[B]

It's going to be emotional.

[A]

It's going to be great.

[B]

Really. Going to be good.

[A]

Anything else you want to say? I mean, like, we're. We're kind of playing shu. Like, we're shuffling the plots around because we don't know what order they're going to do it. And, like, I don't think we should be too concerned about exactly how things are laid out in the book. This is something we learned to let go of in season two. But they're gonna wanna, like, space these battles out a bit. Yeah. You know, so maybe it's every other episode or something like that. Maybe we condense some things. You know, is when is Tumbleton happening in. In the timeline? It's hard. It's hard to say. I don't know. And that's kind of exciting because as much as we know, there's a lot we don't know.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

I mean,

[B]

I agree. Any number of sequences here could work. I mean, the most important thing is that the characters get to the place that you need them to be. We need to understand by the time Tumbleton happens why exactly, or what state Hugh Hammers in when he justifies that to himself. How is he gonna get to a point? Or is he gonna get to a point? Is this one of the things that the histories have mischaracterized by second Tumbleton of saying like Darren, I should be king. You know, and that's obviously season four stuff, but Right. What level of the.

[A]

The Freeman do it on that level. I mean it's, it's interesting to me that Hugh and Ulf are not in this.

[B]

I mean they have so many characters in this show. Yeah, it's. I think it's smart to just give us like a lot of Rhaenyra, Daemon Alicent, Aemond, Aegon and then like, yeah, release the Ulf the white cut for the second trailer maybe. But yeah, I'm excited. I think we'll get a pretty robust meaty second trailer, possibly a third. And I look forward to talking about it with you then. My darling, what a joy to be back in Westeros with you and have not a moment away to go right from a Night of the Seven Kingdoms finale into breaking down this trailer. Thrill of a lifetime. Truly a treat. Can't wait to find out who's been holding Otto Hightower. And I hope we get more than one scene with him before his hat is chopped off.

[A]

And most of all, you're concerned about the triarchy. Okay. Hobbitsanddragonsmail.com if you have any questions about this trailer, anything you think we missed, any where you're like, actually, I spotted a sigil or something like that. We love a.

[B]

Well, actually.

[A]

And we will see you next week for the mailbag. Thanks to who helped us here today, Mallory Rubin. Who didn't.

[B]

Yeah, let's call out the people who couldn't be bothered. No, thank you to CT for riding with us for hours today working on the Deep Dive for Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. And then right into this trailer breakdown. Thank you to Jon Jones for editing this podcast while Carlos is in real time editing the Deep Dive. Everybody's jumping in to help us today. As always, thank you to Carlos. Thank you to Arjuna Ramgar Powell. Thank you to Jomi Adenaron. Our small council, you know, they're killing it.

[A]

Always. See you soon.

[B]

Bye.

[A]

Close your eyes.

[B]

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