House of the Dragon season 3 review: A blood-soaked finale, a mad Queen rising?

The final episode of House of the Dragon Season 3 is out, and the show that started with the Battle of the Gullet has ended with tragedy at Tumbleton; yes, we will call it tragedy. While this season had its share of highs and lows, it was emotionally heavy. Like the rest of the episodes, the eighth episode wrapped with tragedy, the consequences of wrong decisions. It has already been confirmed that the show will conclude with its fourth season. And looking at how season 3 has ended, the civil war between the Greens and the Blacks has surely taken a more brutal turn. While things felt stretched this season and not always gripping or satisfying, it has surely laid the base for the finale season.

There’s no winner at the end of season 3. What it has shown is how Queen Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) journey to the Throne has been cursed, with back-to-back challenges. What we thought was a fight between the Blacks and the Greens became more about Queen Rhaenyra vs Ormund Hightower. And that’s all because of Prince Daemon, who let him walk free by fooling him. At the note that season 3 has ended with the good and the bad, here’s what you need to know.

What happens in House of the Dragon finale season?

House Targaryen has been torn apart, and this season exaggerated things to explain actions and consequences. Things have escalated now. The Queen is in tears after hearing that Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) has risen and found his dragon Sunfyre again. Both of them are half-burned. But they are a threat to Rhaenyra and the throne for which she has sacrificed everything and overcome every challenge.

Still from House of the Dragon season 3 finale Photograph: (HBO)

Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is alive after being poisoned by his mother, Alicent (Olivia Cooke). He’s now been saved by Alys Rivers. And the very first thing Aegon did after reuniting with his dragon was to go to Harrenhal to find his brother, who once tried to kill him.

Meanwhile, Alicent, Aegon, and Aemond are not aware of what is happening in Tumbleton, where the final battle kicks off between Daemon and Ormund Hightower (the maddest person on this show, in my opinion, and he shouldn’t have been given this much importance.) Queen Rhaenyra, meanwhile, got dressed up in one of the most bizarre ways, but not for war, it seems. It was only to go to the High Septon for her anointment dressed as a prince, where she showed a glimpse of the mad queen she might be becoming soon after being told that she is the princess. Personally, I don’t know why, but I saw Cersei from GOT season 8 in her. Ulf has shown who he actually is, and why Rhaenyra should be very careful. Now he has burnt it all. It would be interesting to see now how Daemon is going to do with Ulf in season 4.

Rhaenyra: A mad Queen incoming?

Rhaenyra’s desperation to become Queen was so clear in the moment she gave one of the oddest speeches, where she didn’t talk about anything present, but only her Targaryen lineage, calling her true Valyrian blood as she says, even going as far as, “I am the prince that was promised.” But while here she’s only fighting against the patriarchy and asking for what her father promised her, her actions and decisions are becoming her curse.

Still from House of the Dragon season 3 finale Photograph: (HBO)

Dismissing Mysaria, and force-feeding Helena shows how far she has fallen in her desperation to become Queen. Or we could say, how all this is turning into an ugly, bloodthirsty Queen. Helena is way too good to be at this palace, and she just wanted to raise her kids and chickens. But unfortunately, that soul chose to end her life.

Off-pacing with the moments delivered

This season felt like one of the most intense in the entire Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon universe, with things happening and people being killed. But somehow, it didn’t come off as very appealing. With the storyline, it hasn’t delivered much, and that too with unsatisfying pacing. Talking about the moments, it did have a few strong ones. Throughout the season, I yearned for dragons, which we got in the first episode, and again in this one. But all in all, this finale was not something we would call a GOT world finale. It didn’t have that level of adrenaline rush. You’ll watch it for the sake of watching it.

Still from House of the Dragon season 3 finale Photograph: (HBO)

So much is happening, but all of it comes with underwhelming twists and turns. Many questions were left unanswered, which left me with the impression that it all happened in a rush. This episode played out in a very uneven way with no clear focus. While nothing good or flowery to expect when the war is going on, it also has moments that will entertain you, but you will not talk about it later while having a serious conversation about HOD.

Still from House of the Dragon season 3 finale Photograph: (HBO)

The world of GOT has always been good with visuals, dialogue, and performances. But, this was a lacklustre finale with the shocking death of the very good girl that I was expecting from the first episode.