House of the Dragon episode 3 gives the franchise its first great medium-sized battle
HBO’sGame of Thrones always had an eye for combat. The small-scale battles were often exciting, like the Hound facing off against Brienne of Tarth, but the show’s massive melees were almost always showstoppers. But one thing that was always missing from the show was the in-between. Thankfully, in just three episodes,House of the Dragon has already given us the Game of Thrones franchise’s first great medium-sized battle.
[Ed. note: This post contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.]
House of the Dragon’s third episode concludes with Daemon Targaryen getting to show off why he’s one of the most feared warriors in the Seven Kingdoms. After he and Corlys Velaryon find that their war against the Crabfeeder has come to a stalemate, the two receive word from Daemon’s brother, King Viserys, that the crown is sending help. While this may sound useful on the surface, both men see it as a not-so-subtle indictment of their martial prowess. So they devise an all-or-nothing plan with its intentions hidden from both the enemy and theHouse of the Dragon audience.
After a sneaky beginning, it turns into something instantly recognizable as a Game of Thrones battle. There are hundreds of extras joining the fray, montages of close-up kills full of blood and mud, and the slow focus on the main characters that most of Thrones’ best battles include. But House of the Dragon’s first big fight includes something those didn’t: a dragon.
The war for the Stepstones may be led by Corlys and Daemon, but its final battle is ultimately won by Laenor Velaryon riding in on his dragon, Seasmoke. It also marks the first sign of just how much bigger House of the Dragon’s scale is than its predecessor.
A dragon soaring onto the battlefield and scorching
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