Olivia Cooke Teases Explosive Start to ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 With an Event Fans Missed in Season 2
The wait for House of the Dragon Season 3 is almost over, and fans just got a big tease about what’s ahead. Olivia Cooke, who plays Alicent Hightower, gave Collider a taste of what to expect while promoting her new movie The Girlfriend.
“Well, I think I can say for the show that it is, you know, it starts off with a bang,” she told Collider’s Therese Lacson.
“The first two eps were essentially supposed to be our finale last year. So you can just imagine coming into that sort of energy. It’s bigger and more ferocious than ever before, I think is what I can say.”
Cooke’s comments match what showrunner Ryan Condal has been hinting at for months. He said on his podcast that even he didn’t realize just how much bigger Season 3 would be compared to Season 2.
That makes sense, because the long buildup to the Dance of the Dragons is finally over. The civil war between Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Blacks and King Aegon II’s Greens is ready to erupt in full.
One of the most anticipated storylines is the Battle of the Gullet. This fight has been talked about for a while and fans thought it would happen in Season 2, but HBO decided to wait. Francesca Orsi, HBO’s Head of Drama, explained the decision. “I’m so glad we waited because it’s going to be better than ever. It’s just so massive, we needed the time to build it.”
The Battle of the Gullet is key to the war because it decides who controls the sea routes that supply King’s Landing. Rhaenyra’s forces control Dragonstone and Driftmark, and their ships patrol the waters, trying to starve the city of supplies.
But the Greens don’t sit back. Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen makes a risky move and orders Lord Tyland Lannister to strike a deal with the Triarchy, a powerful naval alliance. Even though his advisors warn him against it, Aemond refuses to back down. “I have a task for you as well, Ser Tyland. We will make an alliance with the Triarchy. I’ve had enough of this cursed blockade.”
That alliance leads to a massive clash. The Triarchy’s fleet, led by Sharako Lohar, joins with the Greens and sets out to break Rhaenyra’s blockade. The battle turns into one of the biggest sea fights in Westerosi history.
The fight doesn’t just play out at sea, it also involves dragons. Several new dragons are introduced into battle, making the scale even larger. Dragons like Vermithor, Seasmoke, Silverwing, and possibly Sheepstealer join the fight against the Triarchy’s warships. Rhaenyra’s son Prince Jacaerys leads an attack with his dragon Vermax, but tragedy strikes when he does not return.
His brother Viserys is taken by the enemy, and the Blacks are left believing he has been killed. Prince Aegon, flying Stormcloud, barely survives an ambush and escapes to warn Dragonstone.
The Velaryon fleet, which had been keeping King’s Landing under pressure, suffers a major test in this battle.
The Greens manage to punch through the blockade with the help of the Triarchy, but they also pay a heavy price. The Triarchy loses many ships and men, weakening them for the future. The outcome changes the balance of the war and raises the stakes for both sides.
Francesca Orsi also pointed out that the production is treating the battle with special care. Kevin de la Noy, one of the producers who worked on Titanic, is helping shape the look of the fight. His experience is expected to make the sequence one of the most realistic and powerful moments in the show.
With the war now fully in motion, Season 3 promises the chaos, blood, and fire that fans have been waiting for. Olivia Cooke’s words about the opening episodes being “bigger and more ferocious” hint that the new season won’t waste any time in throwing audiences right into the heart of the conflict.
The battle will not only test the strength of both armies but also decide the future of Westeros. With dragons in the sky, ships burning at sea, and powerful houses fighting for survival, the story is about to reach new heights.
Fans have been patient through the long wait, and now the payoff is closer than ever. If Cooke and Orsi’s comments are anything to go by, Season 3 is set to deliver one of the biggest moments in the Game of Thrones universe so far.
Have something to say about Olivia Cooke’s tease and the upcoming Battle of the Gullet? Share your thoughts in the comments!