Production is officially underway on the third season of House of the Dragon, which continues to bring about new spoilers as updates leak from the set.
This is nothing new for Game of Thrones fans, as spoilers have always been a key part of the franchise with sleuths scouting filming locations in hopes of catching glimpses of the behind-the-scenes magic. These behind-the-scenes glances often yield exciting updates as to key moments from the book and exciting looks at new and returning characters, as well as the elaborate set pieces being used to bring the book’s most iconic locations to life.
With production on House of the Dragon underway, we’ve been getting a lot of new intel and the latest season 3 leak is sure to excite fans!
According to House the Dragons, a trusted source for filming updates and spoilers, season 3 of HBO’s hit drama will be bringing back a key character many presumed dead following the events of season 2. So just who seems to be rising from the dead and staging a comeback in season 3?
That would be Aegon II Targaryen’s dragon, Sunfyre, who many believed to be killed in season 2 following the events of season 2, episode 4, “The Red Dragon and the Gold.”
In the episode, we get to witness the Battle at Rook’s Rest, a battle that sees Aemond having Vhagar breathe fire onto both Sunfyre and Meleys in a moment that knocks Aegon and Sunfyre out of the fight. Aegon is severely injured and it’s implied later in the season that Sunfyre died as a result of the battle.
"My dragon is dead," Aegon explicitly tells Larys during the season 2 finale, "The Queen Who Ever Was," seemingly just presuming so after the battle. However, if new reports are true, this belief is incorrect.
Sunfyre will return in House of the Dragon season 3
As fans of the books know, Sunfyre does not die during the Battle at Rook’s Rest. While the show might have led viewers to believe the show took creative liberties and changed Sunfyre’s fate, that is not the case.
According to House the Dragons, the show has recently filmed scenes with Sunfyre at Hankley Common. The filmed scenes take place against the backdrop of Rook’s Rest and involve House Mooton soldiers discovering “a lair filled with human and animal remains,” who are then “suddenly attacked by Sunfyre.”
While unconfirmed by HBO, this would align with the events of Fire & Blood. In the book, Sunfyre is indeed injured during the Battle at Rook’s Rest, and the dragon is separated from Aegon for a time as it recovers. Eventually, the two reunite, and Sunfyre plays a major role in one of the book’s most pivotal scenes.
Warning: If you haven’t read Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, there are major book spoilers ahead that could spoil the events of House of the Dragon.
In Fire & Blood, Sunfyre is responsible for killing Rhaenyra Targaryen at the behest of Aegon. After fleeing King’s Landing, Rhaenyra heads to Dragonstone, unaware that the castle has fallen to Aegon. When Rhaenyra is captured by Aegon’s forces, he sentences her to death, an order that is carried out by Sunfyre, who devours her in a gruesome sequence.
When it was assumed Sunfyre had died, many fans questioned what that could mean for Rhaenyra’s fate; however, with Sunfyre back on the board, it seems the show can still stick to the events of the book, with Rhaenyra meeting her end by Sunfyre ending her life. Not that we're happy to know Rhaenyra's fate remains the same.
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