There’s one thing the majority of grand battles in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have in common; they all tend to happen at the end of a season. From sprawling sieges to dragon-fueled devastation, these climactic clashes traditionally serve as the payoff to hours of political maneuvering across the preceding episodes. That’s precisely why the ending of House of the Dragon season 2 felt so unexpected.
Heading into HotD season 2, all signs pointed toward a major showdown in the finale: the Battle of the Gullet. In the lore of the Dance of the Dragons, this naval conflict is one of the war’s most pivotal engagements. It sees the Velaryon fleet clashing with the Triarchy and marks a turning point in the brutal Targaryen civil war.
Dragonstone Archives · The Dance Begins
The Dance of the Dragons Awaits
“The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion.”
🐉The BlacksTeam Rhaenyra
👑The GreensTeam Aegon
🔥DragonsFire & Blood
⚔The CrownSuccession
🔮ProphecyA Song of Ice
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01
King Viserys I names his heir early in the series, defying tradition that would favor his firstborn son. Who does he name as his successor?
ADaemon Targaryen
BAegon Targaryen
CRhaenyra Targaryen
DAemond Targaryen
✓ Correct! Viserys named his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne after the death of his first wife, Aemma, and their infant son. He forced the lords of the realm to swear oaths of fealty to her — oaths many would later break.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Rhaenyra Targaryen. Viserys defied Westerosi precedent by naming his daughter over his brother Daemon. Even after fathering sons with Alicent Hightower, Viserys never changed his decree.
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02
Alicent Hightower’s faction is known as “the Greens.” Who is her father, the cunning Hand of the King who orchestrates much of their political strategy?
ACorlys Velaryon
BOtto Hightower
CLyonel Strong
DTyland Lannister
✓ Correct! Otto Hightower served as Hand of the King and was the mastermind behind the Green faction. He strategically positioned his daughter Alicent to marry Viserys, and spent decades maneuvering to place Alicent’s son Aegon on the throne.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Otto Hightower. He served as Hand to both Jaehaerys I and Viserys I, and engineered the marriage between Alicent and the King. Corlys Velaryon sided with the Blacks, and Lyonel Strong served as Hand before Otto’s return.
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03
Daemon Targaryen rides a fierce, battle-scarred dragon known for its Blood Wyrm nickname. What is the name of his fearsome mount?
ASyrax
BVhagar
CMeleys
DCaraxes
✓ Correct! Caraxes, known as “the Blood Wyrm,” is Daemon’s dragon — a lean, red, battle-scarred beast. While Vhagar is the largest and oldest dragon alive, Caraxes is the most experienced in combat and fiercely loyal to Daemon.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Caraxes. Syrax is Rhaenyra’s dragon, Vhagar is the oldest dragon (ridden by Aemond), and Meleys “the Red Queen” is Rhaenys’s mount. Caraxes the Blood Wyrm is Daemon’s partner in the skies.
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04
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen is known by a nickname reflecting the fact she was passed over for the throne in favor of Viserys. What is she called?
AThe Queen Who Never Was
BThe Dragon Queen
CThe Realm’s Delight
DThe Black Queen
✓ Correct! Rhaenys was dubbed “The Queen Who Never Was” after the Great Council of 101 AC chose Viserys over her, despite her strong claim. Married to Corlys Velaryon, she became one of the most formidable figures in the Dance, riding Meleys the Red Queen.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Queen Who Never Was. “The Realm’s Delight” is actually young Rhaenyra’s nickname. Rhaenys earned her title when the lords of the realm chose Viserys over her at the Great Council, setting the precedent that later fueled the Dance.
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05
Vhagar is the largest living dragon during the Dance. Which Targaryen prince claims her — dramatically shifting the balance of power to the Greens?
AAegon II Targaryen
BJacaerys Velaryon
CAemond Targaryen
DDaeron Targaryen
✓ Correct! Aemond Targaryen claimed Vhagar at Driftmark after the funeral of Laena Velaryon — Vhagar’s previous rider. This bold act gave the Greens their most devastating weapon and sparked the confrontation that cost Aemond his eye.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Aemond Targaryen. Aegon II rides Sunfyre, Jacaerys rides Vermax, and Daeron rides Tessarion. Aemond’s daring claim of Vhagar at Driftmark was a pivotal moment that made him the Greens’ most dangerous warrior.
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06
Viserys shares a secret Targaryen prophecy with Rhaenyra about a threat from the North and a promised prince. What is this prophecy called?
AThe Prince That Was Promised
BA Song of Ice and Fire
CThe Long Night Prophecy
DAegon’s Conquest
✓ Correct! Aegon the Conqueror had a prophetic dream he called “A Song of Ice and Fire” — a vision of a terrible winter coming from the North that would destroy the world of the living. This secret was passed from king to heir, and Viserys shared it with Rhaenyra on the night he named her heir.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is A Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon the Conqueror’s dream foretold a great threat from the North requiring a Targaryen on the Iron Throne to unite the realm. Viserys revealed this to Rhaenyra, connecting House of the Dragon directly to the events of Game of Thrones.
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07
Corlys Velaryon is one of the richest and most powerful men in Westeros, famous for his legendary voyages. What is his well-known title?
AThe Master of Ships
BThe Lord of Tides
CThe Kraken
DThe Sea Snake
✓ Correct! Corlys Velaryon earned the name “The Sea Snake” through his legendary nine voyages across the known world aboard his ship. He amassed a fortune that made House Velaryon wealthier than even the Lannisters, and his naval power proved crucial in the Dance.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Sea Snake. While Corlys did serve on the Small Council, his legendary title comes from his nine great voyages. “Lord of the Tides” is the formal title of the head of House Velaryon, but “The Sea Snake” is his personal epithet.
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08
The Season 1 finale ends with a devastating loss for Rhaenyra when one of her sons is killed in a dragonback confrontation. Which son does she lose, and who kills him?
ALucerys, killed by Aemond and Vhagar
BJacaerys, killed by Aegon and Sunfyre
CJoffrey, killed by Daeron and Tessarion
DLucerys, killed by Daemon and Caraxes
✓ Correct! Lucerys Velaryon, riding his young dragon Arrax, was pursued and killed by Aemond on the colossal Vhagar above Shipbreaker Bay near Storm’s End. The show portrays this as partly accidental — Vhagar acted on her own — but the result ignited the Dance of the Dragons into open war.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Lucerys, killed by Aemond and Vhagar. Luke was sent as an envoy to Storm’s End but was confronted by Aemond. The massive Vhagar devoured young Arrax and his rider above Shipbreaker Bay — the act that turned a succession dispute into a full-scale civil war.
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House of the Dragon season 2 concluded earlier than expected, running for eight episodes rather than the usual ten, and The Battle of the Gullet was notably absent. It’s not been abandoned, however. Rather than skipping it entirely, this crucial conflict has been repositioned as the start of the upcoming season 3. By doing this, House of the Dragon is breaking one of the most consistent narrative tropes of Game of Thrones.
House Of The Dragon Season 3 Is Kicking Off With A Bang
HotD Is Flipping The Franchise’s Formula On Its Head
If the Battle of the Gullet had played out as expected, it would have neatly followed the blueprint set by Game of Thrones and been the finale or penultimate episode of House of the Dragon season 2. The franchise has long reserved its most ambitious spectacles for the closing stretch. The Battle of the Blackwater in Game of Thrones season 2 and the Battle of the Bastards in season 6 are prime examples, each arriving as a narrative crescendo.
House of the Dragon season 1 adhered to this structure as well. The conflict at Storm’s End, which results in the death of Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), may not have been a full-scale battle, but it still delivered a shocking and emotionally charged climax. It set the stage for the war to come while preserving the tradition of ending a season on a dramatic high note.
Season 3, however, appears ready to invert that formula entirely. By opening with the Battle of the Gullet, House of the Dragon is effectively front-loading one of the Dance of the Dragons’ most explosive confrontations. Starting the season here immediately raises the stakes in a way that Game of Thrones never attempted. Instead of a slow burn leading to a final eruption, HotD season 3 will throw viewers straight into the chaos from the first moments, and it could redefine the long-term pacing of the franchise forever.
There’s A Reason HotD Season 3 Can Start With A Huge Battle
The War Is Only Getting Bigger From Here
For viewers unfamiliar with the source material, opening with the Battle of the Gullet might seem like a gamble. There’s a natural concern that beginning House of the Dragon season 3 with such a massive event could leave the rest of the season struggling to match that intensity. In most shows, that would be a valid worry. However, HotD is adapting a story where the central war is only just reaching its most destructive phase.
The Dance of the Dragons is not defined by a single decisive battle, but by a series of escalating confrontations that tear Westeros apart. The Battle of the Gullet is merely one of many turning points, and its aftermath leads directly into even more significant events. Rather than starting loud and finishing quiet, season 3 is expected to cover some of the most brutal battles of the conflict.
Unless there are major deviations from George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the book HotD is based on, season 3 will include many clashes between the Greens and the Blacks that would feel right at home as a season finale. These include The Fall of King’s Landing, the Butcher’s Ball, and the First Battle of Tumbleton. Within this context, starting season 3 with the Battle of the Gullet isn’t just low risk, it actually makes sense.
The next season of House of the Dragon isn’t starting with its biggest moment. It’s setting the pace for what could be the most action-packed season in the franchise’s history. By breaking away from tradition, House of the Dragon isn’t just changing its structure; it’s reflecting the relentless escalation of the story it’s telling.
Release Date
August 21, 2022
Network
HBO
Directors
Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel
Fabien Frankel
Ser Criston Cole