House of the Dragon boss teases "total war" in season 3...for real this time, maybe

The first season of House of the Dragon ended with Rhaenyra Targaryen learning about the death of her son Luke, murdered by her nephew Aemond. She collases in grief, and then turns around to face the camera with cold fury in her eyes. The entire fandom sucked in an excited breathe which we held for two years, certain that the second season of the show would bring fire and blood.

But when season 2 finally came, things were much slower than expected. Far from being a zealous revenge godess, Rhaenyra spent much of her time wringing her hands about minimizing collateral damager. We only saw one proper clash between the greens and the blacks in season 2: the Battle of Rook's Rest. The back half of the season was even slower, with the finale ending on a montage of armies on the march and navies on the move...but none of them engaged each other. After waiting for war for so long, it was a letdown.

Speaking about the finale in an Inside the Episode featurette, showrunner Ryan Condal said that, "While this season was very much about the fits and starts of an early medieval war, season 3 is clearly going to be about total war."

Oh, is it, Ryan? Is it clearly going to be about total war? Because I thought that's what it was clearly going to be about going into this season, so you'll forgive me some skepticism.

Apologies for the snarky tone, but I do feel like the second season of House of the Dragon stretched itself out unnecessarily. We don't fully know why, although we've heard that there were some big events originally planned for the end of season 2 that ended up getting moved to season 3. After watching the finale, I believe it.

Aemond will be a "loose canon" in House of the Dragon season 3

Speaking to Deadline, Condal promised big things ahead. “There are so many great events that we are already writing in season 3 as it is,” he said. “This war really comes to a big head at this point in the storytelling. I mean, if you look at season 2, it’s largely a metaphor for a nuclear conflict … There’s gonna be giant moments of spectacle but real moments of surprise and character nuance that we’re very much looking forward to. Some of my favorite moments of in the book, as a reader, I’m excited to adapt as a dramatist.”

Back to the Inside the Episode featurette, the cast and crew spared a few words for Aemond Targaryen, the king regent of the Seven Kingdoms and a budding psychopath who controls the largest dragon alive. He was backed into a corner in the final episodes of the season, which can't be good for the realm. "A desperate Aemond is a dangerous Aemond," said actor Ewan Mitchell. Producer Sara Hess said that he will be an "interesting loose canon."

And don't forget that there's another claimant to the throne out there: King Aegon Targaryen, who was smuggled out of King's Landing by his Master of Whisperers Larys Strong. "The pendulum could swing the other way very quickly," said actor Tom Glynn-Carney.

Odds are we won't be watching the third season of House of the Dragon until sometime in 2026.

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