Rhaenyra's fury delivers another stunning House of the Dragon episode

James Cox

House of the Dragon made an explosive return last week, and episode two of season three 'Queen's Landing' has kept the momentum going.

While we did not have an epic scale battle this week after the Battle of the Gullet, there is plenty of action.

Before you read on, there are spoilers in this piece if you aren't up to date with House of the Dragon, season three. 

Alyn (Abubakar Salim), Baela (Bethany Antonia) and Addam (Clinton Liberty), eventually find the Seasnake Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), who has somehow survived the battle.

“If this be victory,” he says, “I pray I never win another," as he surveys the casualties and destruction.

Ser Simon Strong (Russell Beale) was a genuinely likeable character, which is increasingly rare in Westeros, and he meets his end at the hands of the villianous Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who makes short work of destroying Harrenhal with his formidable dragon, Vhagar.

However, we are left with an intriguing cliffhanger as he finds himself injured, and most likely dying, and at the mercy of the witch (Gayle Rankin).

Emma D’Arcy arguably has her best performance thus far as Rhaenyra Targaryen. "What have you done?" she asks the lifeless body of her son Jace.

Rhaenyra is understandably griefstricken, and while her 'lord husband' Daemon (Matt Smith), hasn't always been, ahem, present, he steps in here to support her assault on King's Landing.

With Aemond at Harrenhal, and Aegon in exile, it's more of a 'welcome in', despite a few loyalists who Daemon dispacthes in familiar style.

Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) has never lived up to the Master of Whisperers from Game of Thrones, Lord Varys. However, that might be about to change with a brilliant plot twist.

We discover that he has imprisoned Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).

Otto's location had been a mystery, but we now see that Larys was playing the long game to get the favour of Rhaenyra.

In the absecne of Aegon, a triumphant Daemon presents Otto to the new queen to behead so she can assert her authority.

When she struggles with the emotion, as Otto is the father of her childhood companion Alicent (Olivia Cooke) and her late father's closest friend, Daemon steps in again.

He presents her with his sword, Dark Sister. To her credit, her first beheading only takes two attempts!

As if this wasn't enough of a rollercoaster episode, we're presented with a late twist.

Alicent and Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban), who just wants to be left alone with her chickens, have been captured as they attempted to flee King's Landing.

This will present Rhaenyra with another huge issue. She won't want to order more death, but one thing is for sure: King's Landing is not big enough for three queens.

You can watch House of the Dragon on NOW (via the Entertainment membership) and Sky Atlantic.