Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon.‘House of the Dragon’ returned with a fiery and action-packed Season 3 premiere on Monday, June 22 (IST). After keeping fans waiting for two years, the series served up dragon fights, political betrayals, devastating losses and a controversial incestual scene that quickly became the most talked-about moment on social media.The highly anticipated Season 3 began with the Targaryen civil war in full gear, with the Greens and the Blacks finally clashing on land, air and sea and featured several shocking character developments that immediately set the internet ablaze.
Prince Jacaerys meets his end
Among the episode’s most heartbreaking moments was the death of Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, whose fate left viewers devastated. The young prince’s final stand quickly became one of the most discussed scenes of the episode, with fans gearing up for the long season ahead, which kicked off not only with the death of the heir to the throne, but also the death of his dragon.“the fact that lucerys and jacaerys died on top of their dragons like targaryens and were burried at sea like velaryons…” wrote one viewer.Another fan admitted, “the way i screamed when that first arrow hit him even though i knew it was coming… oh jace.”Others were particularly emotional over the circumstances surrounding his final moments, with one post reading, “JACE SACRIFICED HIMSELF FOR BAELA IM CRYING.”
Aemond and Alicent’s KISS shocks fans
While Jacaerys’ death dominated much of the conversation, another scene left viewers stunned for an entirely different reason. During a tense interaction between Aemond Targaryen and his mother Alicent Hightower, the acting king, unexpectedly kisses her on the lips. Besides the character reacting in shock, many viewers were stunned and expressed their discomfort at the scene.“I had to rewind three times because there’s no way my eyes just witnessed that. House of the Dragon keeps finding new ways to leave me absolutely speechless,” one fan wrote.Actress Olivia Cooke, who portrays Alicent, addressed the moment and its impact on her character. “I think alicent has always thought that there’s something more malignant with the feelings that aemond has towards his mother, but didn’t ever think that they would manifest. she’s completely left dumbfounded and fearful of what that means.”Ewan Mitchell, who plays Aemond, also weighed in on the prince’s complicated emotions. He said, “Maybe a little bit of an Oedipus complex. Aemond has a very skewered perception of what love is, lacking it when he was growing up. And so he doesn’t particularly know how to show it.”
The North remembers
The episode also delivered a major boost for Team Black with the long-awaited arrival of northern reinforcements. Roderick Dustin and the Winter Wolves finally made their debut, bringing the support of the North to Rhaenyra Targaryen’s cause.The arrival of the Starks’ allies was greeted enthusiastically by fans, many of whom have been waiting to see the northern warriors enter the conflict since the series began adapting George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood.
A bloody start to Season 3
With key characters falling in battle and alliances shifting across Westeros, Season 3 has officially set the ball rolling for the deadliest Dance of the Dragons. The trailer for episode 2 was also posted online, giving fans a tease of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s rage as she vows to ‘devour’ her enemies.
