House of the Dragon season 3 episode 3 review and what's next: Rhaenyra feels the weight of the crown

In episode 2, Queen Rhaenyra finally sits on the Iron Throne after a long wait, becoming the first woman of House Targaryen to do so. But sitting on the Iron Throne is not enough, and it's probably where her real struggle has begun.

The third episode of House of the Dragon is out, and it finally shows where things are heading. In episode 2, Emma D'Arcy gave a bow-worthy performance as Rhaenyra Targaryen. Now, after she has taken the throne, things that many thought would be easy for her are proving otherwise, and the graph for her is only going down. While she has been the Queen of the Blacks, and after years of fights, she has returned to the place where she truly belongs, the situation she’s returned to has put her in a position where she not only has to fight her inner doubts as a mother, a woman, but also face a court where, as Queen, she is questioned at every step.

Also read: House of the Dragon season 3 episode 2 review: Emma D'Arcy, take a bow

Much like episode 2, this one also feels like a battle of emotions, words, and politics, far away from the dragons.

What happens in episode 3?

This week's episode revolves around things beyond Rhaenyra Targaryen's expectations. There are "mice" in the large, dark palace. She, who finally wants to be anointed as Queen, has been questioned to prove that King Aegon is dead. However, she still takes the throne. Then, she has to answer how things will move forward, as her kingdom is almost bankrupt, with no gold or food left. But before this, the episode begins with Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), standing with the three dragons. In front of him is Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton), with fear on his face. He has been informed about what happened in King's Landing, and after Ormund agrees to bow down in front of the Queen, all Daemon has asked is - Alicent Hightower's youngest son, Prince Daeron Targaryen. And Ormund rightfully does it. But surely, Ormund, did something that no one ever thought.

Also read:

Rhaenyra is a Queen, but first, a Woman

In episode 3, several scenes show the fear on Rhaenyra’s face and the insufferable pain she suffers. It’s especially painful for her to sit on the Iron Throne right after having her period. She is in pain, but all she has are questions, problems, and solutions that only she has to find. No one else. She has to prove herself at everything that she does, and when Lord Corlys calls her son's bastards after she refuses to accept his bastard son as his heir.

But as things are crumbling down, she is a woman with principles and emotions, too. In House of the Dragon, Alicent and Rhaenyra have had one of the best exchanges, and in this episode, too, when Alicent is afraid, but she has that confidence, and Rhaenyra knows she has to appear strong, she still manages to ask Alicent how she ran the palace in King’s Landing.

What works in this episode?

In episode 3, the pain of Rhaenyra hits hard in several scenes. But with all that, what she has left is that she’s the Queen, and she carries it with all her focus and vulnerability.

What works in this episode are the facial expressions and how well the scenes were shot, whether it was the opening scene of Daemon with Caraxes, Vermithor, and Silverwing behind him, or Rhaenyra’s scenes where she is sitting on the throne in pain, being questioned, distributing food, or even when she sees a mouse. This episode works with the well-shot sequences

Where are things heading?

With its third episode, House of the Dragon’s next focus is on Rhaenyra’s fight with Ormund Hightower, who has deceived her by sending someone else in place of Prince Daeron. Not only this, but he has also captured Dragonstone near Tumbleton, one of the biggest moves by the Greens in this season. Now it will be interesting to watch where things head from here. For now, the first three episodes have mainly focused on the Blacks, and more specifically, on Rhaenyra and her return to King’s Landing. From here, the focus shifts to the Greens.