Logo text
[Thisstorycontainsmajorspoilersfrom[ThisstorycontainsMAJORspoilersfromtheDragon House Season 3 premiere.]
After a long wait, the battle begins!
More than two years after Season 2 premiered on HBO Dragon House is back with a Season 3 premiere that wasted no time in throwing the Westeros faithful back into the deep end. the game of thrones Successor to executive producer and showrunner Ryan Condal, it was originally intended to include a massive naval battle at the end of its second season, but was forced to cut the sequence due to the writers’ strike in 2023. Now, the battle is back, opening a season rather than closing it — and, if nothing else, setting a killer tone.
The episode revolves around the Battle of Joliet, well known among George R.R. Martin fans as one of the most important battles in the Dragon Dance conflict between the Blacks and the Greens – the armies loyal to Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma Darcy) and her nephew Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), respectively. From a standpoint rooted on both sides of the sea battle, the Black side wins the day in the end, but not without suffering a great loss: Jace Velaryon, Rhaenyria’s eldest son, now her second child lost in this violent conflict.
As Rhaenyra and her allies are about to begin mourning for Jace, the man who brought the young heir to life – actor Harry Collette – says… Hollywood Reporter He goes into full party mode.
“I’m very happy with the way it turned out,” he says. “It’s a great way to move forward. It’s not just being swept under the rug. It’s very moving, in such a wonderful, epic episode. What a heroic death. It’s not just a boring death. I’m very happy about it.”
A heroic death seems like a footnote on a dreary day at sea. Several people on both sides of the fight died by the end of the fight, including Abigail Thorne as Shark Lohar, who leads the fleet against Sea Snake Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). But another conflict erupts when Jess’s beloved Bayla (Bethany Antonia) loses control of her dragon, thanks to the sudden appearance of her sister Rayna (Phoebe Campbell) riding an uncontrollable dragon of her own. Jace tries to help, but when he and his fire-breathing steed finally settle into the sea, a series of massive bolts pierce Jace, killing him instantly.
Colette had a long time to prepare for his death, primarily due to the sudden delay of the battle, and the fact that he and his fellow cast members all had access to their characters’ fates, thanks to Dragon HouseIts roots are in Martin’s books.
“Fortunately, I found out what happened to Jess around the first season,” Collette says. “So it wasn’t a shock, and I’m happy! I don’t think it has to be that way. I think it’s quite mean, which is what Ryan would never do: Don’t tell the actor, and then have them read the script, and that’s when they find out: ‘What?’ Am I dead? Fortunately, nothing like that. You discover the fate of the characters as you make your choice. Some things may change, but nothing that drastic.”
There was enough notice for other cast members to swing by and pay their respects as well. Speaking about his final days on set, Collette said: “Emma came through, Matt [Smith] came. A large number of people who were filming at other studios also came. It was really beautiful.
Also lovely: Colette’s parting gifts. According to the actor, he has moved away from Dragon House With two huge props: Jace’s sword, as well as Jace Vermax’s dragon stunt head. “It’s huge,” he says with a big laugh. “I’m so upset.”
People back in Westeros? Considerably less funny, starting with Jess’s most common scene partner, Bayla. Aside from being saddened by the loss of her friend from the show, Bayla’s actress, Bethany Antonia, feels that Jess’s death is making her want to leave. Dragon House Heartbreakingly fast for the rest of the season.
“You have to remind yourself why Rhaenyra is doing any of this in the first place when everyone around her is dead,” she says. “The main reason she did it was to legitimize her kids. What’s the cost? What’s the point of a war now, if people aren’t there to get the thing you were fighting for? It really changes the whole dynamic of the season, seeing what happens from here, now that those reasons are removed.”
In fact, Rhaenyra’s coming grief (which includes a final scene from Colette) is particularly poignant when she pauses to realize that Jace wasn’t supposed to be in the battle at all; Obviously it prevented him from sailing into combat. For his part, even when Colette said goodbye Dragon House With so many memories and even some mementos, he couldn’t help but think about the tragedy of it.
“I think he showed himself to be a true leader, giving his life for his mother to protect her, but as much as this was his decision — and it had been brewing for a long time — he’s just a kid. Kids do stupid things. I don’t think he ever thought he was going to die. That’s no way to die,” he says.
He thinks about it a while longer, and adds, “You know what? It would have been an honor for him to die in battle. It was absolutely legendary. And without losing his life? The battle has been won.”
The battles continue as well Dragon House is marching through its third season.
