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House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 recap: 'Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood' sees multiple deaths and full-blown war
Spoiler warning for the season 3 premiere.
HBO
- Lewis Knight
Published: Monday, 22 June 2026 at 3:37 pm
It's finally here...House of the Dragon season 3.
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The popular prequel series to Game of Thrones is back for its third outing, adapting George R. R. Martin's Fire and Blood, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons.
The opening episode of the third run sees a full-scale battle in Westeros on both land and sea, while both Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) seek to bring an end to the war that is as bloodless as possible.
But will they look likely? Of course, not.
*Spoiler warning for the episode*
House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1 recap
In King’s Landing
Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 3. HBO
In the Red Keep, Prince Regent Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) threatens Grand Maester Orwyle (Kurt Egyiawan) as he realises King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) is missing.
Later, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) returns to King’s Landing and finds Aemond sitting upon the Iron Throne.
Additionally, Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) warns Alicent that Aemond now knows he will die.
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower in House of the Dragon season 3. HBO
Later, Alicent sends a messenger to her cousin, Lord Ormund Hightower, who is heading to King’s Landing with their family’s host from Oldtown.
Towards the end of the episode, Aemond and Alicent talk in her chambers, with the latter saying he should have been king. Alicent encourages him to go to Harrenhal for his own safety and to draw his uncle Daemon out and kill him. Alicent also suggests that she will eventually meet Aemond there. Alicent’s pleading results in him kissing her on the lips before leaving, with Alicent left shocked and disgusted by the incestuous moment.
In the Crownlands
Matthew Needham as Lord Larys Strong and Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen in House of the Dragon. HBO
Having fled King’s Landing in a carriage, Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) and King Aegon are thrown from their transport and interrogated by marauders and are in danger, until Larys reveals their true identities.
On the Kingsroad
In an encampment on the road to the capital, Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton) is approached with word from ‘King’ Aemond Targaryen, with word to stay where they are and make camp.
On Dragonstone
Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon is caressed by Emma D'Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in a scene from House of the Dragon. HBO
In his mother's fortress, Crown Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) is angry with his mother, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy), for trusting Alicent.
Lady Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) warns her cousin and stepmother, Rhaenyra, that war is occurring in the waters of the Gullet, prompting the Queen to plan to ride from Dragonstone to face the Greens' forces, despite Jace’s anger.
Jace then orders the Queensguard member Ser Lorent Marbrand (Max Wrottesley) to bar Rhaenyra from leaving while he goes to battle in her stead. Baela begs her betrothed, Jace, to cease his sedition, but he refuses, and he asks Baela to join him instead.
Resultantly, Ser Lorent locks Rhaenyra and her advisor Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) in the Queen’s chambers under her son’s orders, and her servants and Small Council do not free her as she bashes on the door to be let out.
In the Riverlands
Tommy Flanagan as Roddy the Ruin in House of the Dragon season 3. HBO
To great success, Rhaenyra's uncle-husband, King Consort Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), fights Green enemies in the Riverlands at the Battle of the Red Fork and slays Lord Jason Lannister (Jefferson Hall) before the Blacks’ allies arrive in the form of Northmen sent by Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell.
Meanwhile, in their camp, the Greens' Hand of the King and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), is nihilistic about the current situation, and his comrade Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) hopes for an honourable end.
Elsewhere, Rhaenyra's Dragonseed - Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), and Ulf White (Tom Bennett)- bond with each other while waiting to ambush Aemond under orders from Daemon.
Ulf is arrogant and greedy, while Addam is sceptical of their mission, and Hugh is angry. The group are then surprised by the sight of a fantastical creature and then the witchy Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin), who warns them to go to battle near Dragonstone, where they are needed.
In the Vale
In the wilderness of the Vale, Daemon's younger daughter from his first marriage, Lady Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell), survives but tries to ride the wild Sheepstealer and is injured in the process before the dragon rides forth to the Gullet.
In the Gullet
Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon season 3 HBO
Awaiting the sea battle to come, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) drinks with Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) and tries to make amends with his bastard son.
The Triarchy ships approach as both sides prepare for war, with Admiral Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorne) mocking the Greens’ Master of Coin, Ser Tyland Lannister (also Jefferson Hall). Lohar aims to sack Corlys’s ancestral home, High Tide on Driftmark, for revenge on Corlys and to draw his focus away.
The fiery battling on the waters sees the personal feud between Lohar and Corlys clear. Tyland orders Lohar away from single pursuit of her old foe, but she refuses and plans to kill Corlys.
Amidst this, Jace and Baela arrive and take part in the battle against Lohar’s fleet.
Corlys plans to escape through a narrow pass, but Lohar pursues, and the Sea Snake's ship manages to get through thanks to Corlys’s sailing. Corlys intends to return from the Teeth and to the battle in the Gullet, as Lohar’s boat runs into trouble but manages to pull through. Ser Tyland is pushed from the deck into the waters below by Lohar to lose weight.
Lady Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia) rides her dragon in House of the Dragon. HBO
In the skies above, Rhaena rides towards the battle on Sheepstealer, but her dragon attacks the wrong soldiers, turning on Corlys’s fleet instead.
In the chaos, Alyn is knocked into the water but manages to save himself and takes his armour off. While Corlys and Lohar face off in single combat until Corlys is thrown overboard into the Gullet's waters. Alyn then fights Lohar himself and drowns her before stabbing her in the throat.
Meanwhile, in the sky, Baela chases after Sheepstealer, not knowing it’s her younger sister Rhaena riding the wild dragon, but then Sheepstealer chases after Baela instead, against Rhaena’s pleas. Jace chases after them both to defend his betrothed Baela until Sheepstealer turns on and attacks Jace riding on Vermax instead. The Triarchy soldiers manage to harpoon Verma, as Sheepstealer, and then flies away. Baela flies to the rescue of Jace, but Vermax sadly drowns, and Jace ends up in the water before being shot repeatedly by Triarchy archers and dying.
RIP, Crown Prince Jacaerys Verlaryon (Harry Collett). HBO
At the close of the episode, Alyn emerges from the wreckage of the battle, while Baela flies overhead surveying the wreckage of the fleets.
Who dies in House of the Dragon season 3 episode 1?
- Lord Jason Lannister - slain and beheaded by the Blacks in the Battle of the Red Fork.
- Admiral Sharako Lohar - stabbed in the neck by Alyn of Hull during the Battle of the Gullet.
- Vermax - The dragon is injured and then harpooned and drowns in the Gullet.
- Crown Prince Jacaerys Velaryon - shot with arrows by the forces of the Triarchy during the Battle of the Gullet.
Read More
- House of the Dragon season 3 star reveals her devastating input into character’s "shocking" death scene
- House of the Dragon star reacts to season 3's devastating death - and teases impact on "angry" Rhaenyra
House of the Dragon season 3 will arrive on HBO Max on 22 June in the UK. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on HBO Max, Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.
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Authors
Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor
Lewis is the news and trends editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.
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