Well, it seems we have a new big bad in Westeros.
House of the Dragon season 3 has continued in earnest with a dramatic new outing that gave us a full sense of Rhaenyra’s latest threat, Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton).
Meanwhile, Queen Rhaenyra Targeyn (Emma D’Arcy) herself struggles with the demands of ruling as the smallfolk show some signs of dissent.
Elsewhere, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) made a surprising discovery.
So, what else went down?
House of the Dragon season 3 episode 4 recap
In the Vale
In the Eeyrie, a bitter Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin) receives King Consort Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), previously acrimoniously married into her family, and is frosty about providing gold to Rhaenyra. To encourage his exit, Jeyne concedes.
As Daemon leaves, his dragom Caraxes goes wild and flies away towards the dragon Sheepstealer’s cave. Inside, Daemon is shocked to see his daughter, Lady Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell), dishevelled. The pair stop their dragons from clashing, and Daemon realises that Rhaena is Sheepstealer’s rider and the unwitting killer of Jacaerys. While Daemon is furious at the situation, Rhaena rails against her father for his treatment of her over the years. Rhaena refuses to join Daemon and return to King’s Landing and asks him not to speak of her guilt to Rhaenyra. Rhaena then flies away on Sheepstealer.
After Rhaena’s departure, Daemon spots a shepherd whom he subsequently kills and passes off as Sheepstealer’s rider to protect Rhaena.
In King’s Landing
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and her councillors discuss the Hightower occupation of the market town of Tumbleton and a plan to appoint the Northern noble Ser Torrhen Mandlerly (Dan Fogler) as Master of Coin, providing a potential scapegoat should economic troubles persist.
Later, Rhaenyra receives information from Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) about her cousin, Lord Ormund Hightower, and they discuss the latter’s decision to send her youngest son, Prince Daeron, to the ward at Oldtown at such a young age. Alicent reveals Lord Ormund’s sensitivity to scents.
Meanwhile, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) departs King’s Landing with his soldiers following his fallout with the Queen and leaves his bastard son, Ser Alyn of Hull, to stand in his stead on the Small Council.
In the royal chambers, Ser Alyn informs Rhaenyra of Lord Corlys’s decision to campaign against Triarchy plunderers in the kingdom, while she overlooks her father’s old model of the seat of Old Valyria – a reminder that great dynasties can fall.
Afterwards, Ser Hugh the Hammer (Kieran Bew) asks Rhaenyra to join Ser Ulf the White in overseeing Tumbleton due to Hugh’s personal stake in his family now residing there, and Rhaenyra accepts.
Following this, Ser Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) notes graffiti referring to Rhaenyra as “Queen of Bastards” before returning to his local tavern, where he is lauded as a dragon lord.
Rhaenyra speaks with Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) about the Faith, and he suggests the lack of anointing is not important and advises her not to remove the High Septon unless she considers murder, but Rhaenyra does not allow it and wishes to wait for word from Daemon. Rhaenyra learns that the late Ser Otto did not have any communication with his nephew, Lord Ormund, for years, with the Hightower ancestral seat of Oldtown essentially being ruled as a separate kingdom for years now.
Ulf soon approaches Rhaenyra asking favours for his friends, including pardons and holdings. Rhaenyra instead orders Ulf to no longer frequent taverns and to remain in the Red Keep to perform his duties as a dragonrider. A stifled Ulf then informs Rhaenyra of the graffiti he has seen about her before leaving, leaving Rhaenyra disturbed. Rhaenyra then gives the order for Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen) and his City Watch to remove the graffiti and find those responsible.
In the Small Council, Daemon arrives with the head of a Vale shepherd, whom he claims rode Sheepstealer and the money he collected from Lady Jeyne Arryn. Rhaenyra is shaken by the rider’s execution, while Daemon clashes with Mysaria. Rhaenyra orders the room cleared bar Daemon, as she questions him on Sheepstealer’s rider and reveals she wanted to confront the one she blames for Jacaerys’s death. Rhaenyra orders the money he collected to go towards the Smallfolk and for Daemon to placate the City Watch. Rhaenyra thanks Daemon and leaves. Outside the chamber, Mysaria makes clear her suspicion about the head Daemon returned with to him.
In their chambers, Alicent reads before she and Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) are visited by Rhaenyra, who brings news of Ser Otto’s remains being taken to Oldtown, and she returns his ring to Alicent. After Rhaenyra leaves, Alicent notices that Helaena is secretly pregnant with her third child by Aegon.
Finally, the City Watch, led by Ser Luthor, terrorise those in King’s Landing for knowledge of those producing the graffiti and tortures innocent people.
Near Rook’s Rest
In a forest, King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) come across the former’s fallen dragon Sunfyre, and while the former is convinced the dragon is alive, nearby marauders force Larys to make Aegon leave.
At Rook’s Rest, there is no garrison and just scavengers and survivors, with the remains of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen’s dragon Meleys still lying on the castle battlements. The pair are approached by the angry stewards who take Aegon and Larys’s money and put them to toil and labour to earn their lodgings. Aegon is furious.
As time goes on, Aegon works the latrines and voices his fury before Larys shares the news that Aegon has been declared dead by Rhaenyra, slain by Aemond. While Aegon is angry, Larys predicts Aegon’s eventual ‘resurrection’ will be the stuff of legend.
Later, Aegon is angered by not getting food and confronts the self-styled Lord of Rook’s Rest, and is forced to his knees and ordered to kiss the man’s feet or die. A humiliated Aegon complies.
In Harrenhal
Lord Commander Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) arrive to find no sign of Prince Aemond. Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) then appears and shares the news of Rhaenyra taking control of King’s Landing.
A furious Criston and troubled Gwayne then argue over what to do next and decide to head out and strike at Rhaenyra’s supporters man-to-man, with Criston’s decision being final.
In Tumbleton
Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton) has taken the market town of Tumbleton and installed his host there with the real Prince Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth).
In one scene, Ormund flaunts his nudity after stepping out of a bath in an audience with the leaders of the town where he makes clear his plans to stay put.
Soldiers are installed with Hugh’s wife, Kat (Ellora Torchia) and her family, who struggle with their presence and who insist on inspecting all of their goods. One soldier tries to rape Kat, and her family defend her, but are beaten as a result.
Later, Kat’s family and the offending soldier approach Lord Ormund to judge the case, before Ormund judges that the offending soldier, Garek, be gelded and his arm broken as recompense. Ormund warns Daeron that they must keep a grip on the market town as tensions run high.
Following this, Ormund receives a message from Harrenhal and Daeron orders the messenger to leave before a manic Ormund flies into a fury that Criston’s host and Aemond will not be riding to join them at Tumbleton.
Outside, the Hightower forces are frightened by the presence of Hugh flying atop his dragon Vermithor overhead.
As the episode closes, in the bowels of their lodgings, Daeron cares for his own dragon Tessarion.
Ormund visits and warns him not to love Tessarion too much, while Ormund shows his love towards Daeron but dislikes the Targaryens, and he believes Daeron is due a divine purpose as a Hightower, and he must be king. Daeron is terrified as Ormund reveals that Daeron must restore the old order.
Ormund orders Daeron to kill Kat’s brother to dispense justice for striking a Hightower soldier. As Ormund pressures Daeron not to disappoint him, Kat’s brother pleads before Daeron strikes him in the heart.
Ormund bows his head to Daeron before Tessarion incinerates the corpse of Kat’s brother and devours it. Illuminated by dragon fire, Ormund declares, “And now we begin.”
House of the Dragon season 3 will arrive on HBO Max on 22 June in the UK. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on HBO Max, Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.
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