The series House of the Dragon centers on a single conflict: the Dance of the Dragons, a vicious intra-Targaryen war between Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and the Blacks versus Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and the Greens. In , a lengthy prologue and time jump established the backdrop. In , the narrative escalated to a critical point with initial deaths and several emotionally devastating sequences.
However, Season 2 concluded immediately prior to one of the Dance’s most savage events: the , a colossal naval confrontation that inflicts a catastrophic defeat on one faction. Following years of anticipation after that cliffhanger, we now receive our first look at this monumental occurrence—and its subsequent consequences. Watch the trailer below:
The teaser addresses several unresolved storylines from Season 2. Beyond the sheer devastation of the Battle of the Gullet, it references Rhaenyra’s “new dragons”—the contingent of bastard Targaryen “dragonseeds” she enlisted in Season 2—as well as Alicent’s trip to Dragonstone to negotiate a fragile truce with Rhaenyra. The preview also features Ormund Hightower (James Norton), Alicent’s cousin who emerges as a pivotal figure in this subsequent phase of the Dance.
Yet perhaps the teaser’s most fascinating element occurs when we witness a tearful, devastated Rhaenyra as Daemon (Matt Smith) declares, “This is the moment you become queen.” Should the show adhere to the source material, this could rank among House of the Dragon‘s most heartbreaking scenes to date.
The trailer arrives mere days before the season finale of , the wildly popular small-scale Game of Thrones spinoff. Come June, viewers should brace for a dramatic shift: House of the Dragon occupies the opposite extreme, featuring massive stakes, realm-spanning conflict and, crucially, genuine dragons rather than merely puppet versions.
With any luck, the era of waiting over a year for new Game of Thrones material is over, as HBO has confirmed that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will come back for Season 2 in 2027, and House of the Dragon’s will debut in 2028. With numerous other Game of Thrones spinoffs at different development stages—including an, an and a potential film—Game of Thrones enthusiasts can anticipate yearly events for the near future, though House of the Dragon Season 3 appears poised to establish a lofty benchmark for this entire ambitious slate.