The Most Intense Premiere in the Entire Franchise!
I’ve watched every episode of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, and I don’t say this lightly: Season 3 opens with what might be the most intense premiere in the entire franchise. Thanks to HBO MAX for inviting me to the Philippine premiere. What a wonderful experience!
From the moment the episode begins, there’s a feeling that nobody is safe anymore. The war that everyone has been talking about for two seasons is finally here, and you can feel the weight of it in every scene. There are no slow introductions, no easing the audience back into Westeros. The episode throws you straight into the chaos, and it never lets go.
What stayed with me the most was Queen Rhaenyra. Emma D’Arcy absolutely owns this episode. There is a moment when word reaches her about what is happening in the Gullet, and I honestly couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. She barely says anything, but the emotions are all there—the fear, the grief, the anger, and the realization that the war has become something much bigger than a fight for the Iron Throne. It was one of those scenes where an actor doesn’t need a speech to break your heart.
Prince Jace was another standout. Harry Collett has grown so much in this role. This season immediately shows a young man carrying responsibilities that would crush most people. Every scene with Jace felt urgent. Every decision felt important. He isn’t just Rhaenyra’s son anymore—he’s a leader trying to hold everything together while the world around him falls apart.
Then there’s Corlys Velaryon. What a character.
Corlys has always been one of my favorites, and this episode reminded me why. The legendary Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark, and head of House Velaryon fights with the determination of a man who has already lost too much and refuses to lose any more. Steve Toussaint brings so much presence to the role that every scene involving Corlys feels important. Even surrounded by dragons and battles, he still manages to command your attention.
Speaking of battles, let’s talk about the Battle of the Gullet. This was television on a scale that honestly felt cinematic. Massive fleets clashing at sea, dragons filling the sky, fire, destruction, panic—it was everything I imagined while reading Fire & Blood and somehow even bigger. The production team deserves a lot of credit because mounting a battle of this size is no easy task. There are moments during the sequence that genuinely left me speechless.
Here’s how House of the Dragon majorly alters the tragic Battle of the Gullet from the book version: https://t.co/2W330gN0Yf pic.twitter.com/1MV2NNksME
— IGN (@IGN) June 22, 2026
I watched the episode during a cinema screening, and while I personally found some scenes a little too dark visually, that didn’t stop me from appreciating what they accomplished. In fact, today, I ended up watching the pilot again on my television just to take everything in properly. That’s how much this episode affected me.
On the Green side, things are becoming even more complicated.
The scene involving Alicent and Aemond left me uncomfortable, confused, and completely fascinated. It was one of those moments that instantly makes fans start talking. At the same time, Alicent seems increasingly worried that everything she has worked toward is beginning to unravel. You can see the fear growing as events start moving beyond her control, especially when Aemond chooses a different path than the one she expected.
As someone who has read Fire & Blood, I came into Season 3 expecting certain moments. I knew where the story was heading. But nothing prepared me for how emotional this episode would be.
And yes, I cried.
I knew what was coming. I had read the book. Yet somehow that didn’t make it easier. If anything, it made it worse because I spent the entire episode hoping the show would find a way to delay the inevitable. When the episode reached its final moments, I was genuinely devastated. The loss of Jace hit me harder than I expected. Watching him disappear beneath the chaos of the Gullet was heartbreaking. Even knowing his fate from the source material, I wasn’t ready to see it happen this early in the season.
— mídias – fan account (@PortalHOTD) June 22, 2026
I also found myself thinking about Nettles while watching. Readers know her as the lowborn dragonseed who eventually claims Sheepstealer. The series appears to be taking a different route by connecting that storyline to Rhaena instead. It’s a significant change from the book, but one that adds an element of surprise for longtime readers who thought they knew exactly what was coming.
When the credits rolled, I just sat there. Just silence. That’s how much this episode affected me. This wasn’t simply a season premiere. It felt like the moment the Dance of the Dragons truly began. The losses are becoming real. The stakes are becoming unbearable. And the war is only getting started.
If this is how Season 3 begins, then we’re in for one hell of a ride. Episode 2 can’t come soon enough. House of the Dragon Season three premieres June 22 exclusively on HBO Max, with new episodes every Monday. If you want to have more updates about anything HBO Max in the Philippines, you may join this Facebook Group, HBO Max Philippines.
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