Summary
House of the DragonSeason 2 ended on several cliffhangers which showrunners are keen on making good in the next chapter of the Targaryen Civil War (dubbed “the Dance of the Dragons”). A slain she-dragon, a fallen princess, and two dead sons later, the “House of the Dragon” becomes more divided and prepared to go on an all-out revenge spree.
AsHouse of the DragonSeason 3 officially begins filmingat London’s Leavesden Studios, some details are already seeping out. These include Corlys Velaryon’s Ship, as well as the construction of a new mysterious town. Audiences have also gotten glimpses of new faces in the cast, including Tommy Flanagan as Roddy the Ruin, Peter Polycarpou as Lord Gaunt, and Dan Fogler as Ser Torrhen Manderly. But one detail is so subtle that it’s easy to miss its underpinnings.
The Character List for House of the Dragon Season 3 Is Telling
Two Major Characters Are Reportedly Omitting Surnames
House of the DragonSeason 3’s character list, particularly for Episode 4, already sparked interest when Steve Touissant, who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon — otherwise known by the cool alias of “the Sea Snake” — accidentally revealedthe surprise introduction of a missing Targaryen prince. But one other less eye-catching detail is notable.
As reported byWesterosies on X, a leaked snapshot of the character list for the episode showed Olivia Cooke’s Alicent being referred to as “Queen Alicent” instead of “Queen Alicent Hightower,” and her firstborn, King Aegon II Targaryen, missing his surname as well. It’s an eyebrow-raising detail considering, that every character on the list retained their complete titles and last names.
What May This Mean for the Next Chapter of House of the Dragon?
Not Much We Didn’t Already Know
Anyone paying attention during the closing stages ofHouse of the DragonSeason 2 will have noticed Queen Alicent and King Aegon (or, more appropriately, “former” Queen and King) becoming non-aligned with Greens. For the former, it’s a matter of personal conviction, and for the latter, it’s by condition. Queen Alicent’s mix of a warm heart, disdain for bloodshed, longtime relationship with Rhaenyra Targaryen, a dead grandson, and a badly burned son leads her once pro-Green Council stance to fracture. She secretly meets with Rhaenyra on Dragonstone to facilitate a bloodless transition of power in King’s Landing, although by that point,the “Queen Who Ever Was”had reached a point of no return.
King Aegon II’s fate is more severe. The Battle at Rook’s Rest leaves him and his dragon, Sunfyre, badly scorched at the hands (and “mouth”) of his brother Prince Aemond andthe mighty she-dragon, Vhagar. Afterward, Aegon’s physical incapacity makes him increasingly insecure about his throne. His fear is confirmed when Larys Strong convinces him that he stands no chance should his brother decide to challenge him again, or worse, if he decides to flee and leave him and King’s Landing to the mercy of Rhaenyra and her new-found dragon-riding “bastards.” One of the last scenes fans remember from that season is King Aegon abdicating the throne discreetly.
It may seem like a minute detail, but it needs restating that in medieval Western European culture — on which Westeros is based — surnames, especially those of high-ranking houses, carry the same power as a title. Omitting surnames is a reflection of withdrawn legitimacy. Could it be that the King’s Landing folk have come to see the Greens, particularly Aegon and Alicent, for what they are? Or could it be a consequence of Alicent and Aegon disassociating from the throne?
The Greens Are Fractured
Suffice it to say, things aren’t looking good for Team Green coming intoHouse of the DragonSeason 3. After the fall of Queen Rhaenyra and her Dragon Meleys atthe Battle at Rook’s Rest, the occupiers of the Iron Throne were riding high on the “victory.” But it’s clear now that their position has flipped. Rhaenyra has an army and extra, bigger dragons. With the character list leak, there might be an interim power vacuum in the Iron Throne.
Character Lists Leaks Are Not Definitive
It Isn’t the First Attempt at Deceiving Fans
Leaks about characters in a movie are rarely conclusive proof. In other words, while they often serve as fertile ground for speculation, they shouldn’t be taken as fact. For one, studios themselves may plant fake leaks to stoke interest, fool the anticipating audience, or catch leakers. Fans are increasingly suspicious of Marvel toeing this line by possibly includingfake character decoys in the upcomingMarvel Rivalsgame.Star Warshas also had several character leaks of its own which later turned out to be fake.
Perhaps more appropriate to use as an example, the showrunners ofGame of Throneshave used different tactics to misdirect leakers, including bringing back major characters who didn’t later appear, on set and filming fake scenes. For example, characters such as The Waif and Jaqen H’ghar appeared fully costumed in an HBOGame of Thronesdocumentary for Season 8 but failed to feature
All this is to say, fans should take these leaks with a grain of salt. Still, the recent one withHouse of the Dragon, Season 3, Episode 4 pretty much falls in line with what happens in the source material, George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood.
