House of the Dragon: End of episode 3 “The Burning Mill” explained

Warning, there are spoilers for episode 3 “The Burning Mill” of the second “House of the Dragon” season!

In the new episode of “House of the Dragon” Season 2, a lot happens that paves the way for widespread riots. King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) blows the fuse once and for all and sends Ser Kriston (Fabien Frankel) into battle. This is preceded by a proxy war in which two feuding families fight each other.

The Battle of the Burning Mill

The Battle of the Burning Mill is a proxy battle, because the conflict between the Blackwoods and Brackens is not really about Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), but rather about a family feud that has been going on for thousands of years.

At the beginning of the episode, we see two members of the feuding families fighting each other. There is a cut and we see many, many dead people. We don’t see the battle itself, just Aegon consulting with his council and Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) consulting with hers.

If you want to know more about the Battle of the Burning Mill, we have summarized the most important information from George RR Martin’s books!

Daemon takes Harrenhal

Armed only with his sword and his dragon Caraxes, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) takes the fortress of Harrenhal in the Riverlands and demands that the Harrens swear their loyalty to Rhaenyra. He also demands the same from the Tullys, who are the liege lords of the Harrens.

This is finally done quite quickly and Daemon is invited to dinner and a room is prepared for the night. The night in Harrenhal is anything but quiet. Daemon is haunted by visions or hallucinations, perhaps just dreams and a guilty conscience. In this context he also sees a young Rhaenyra.

Milly Alcock’s cameo appearance

Returning for a cameo is actress Milly Alcock, who played the young Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first five episodes of Season 1. Now she is seen again in a brief but important moment, blaming Daemon for sending assassins who killed a small child.

Already in the second episode, Daemon was blamed for this a lot. Rhaenyra is disappointed by Daemon’s actions, but he doesn’t really get it through to him. However, when he sees young Rhaenyra disappointed in him, Daemon realizes what he has actually done.

For Geeta Vasant Patel, who directed the third episode, it was necessary to include a character that Daemon could reach on an emotional level and that was the young Rhaenyra. Only when she tells him clearly again what he has done does he actually feel it.

Rhaenyra schickt Rhaena fort

While Daemon is at Harrenhal, Rhaenyra has other worries. She is bringing the dragon eggs from Dragonstone and her children to safety. She sends Daemon and Laena Velaryon’s (Nanna Blondell) daughter Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) with her as a protector. She is not enthusiastic at first and feels labeled “useless”. She would much rather help in the fight.

However, Rhaenyra can make it clear to her that Rhaena’s task is no less important. She is moving to the free cities (Pentos, Braavos, Lys, Myr and Volantis, to name a few) and is supposed to secure the future of the Targaryens and the dragons.

In the book, she is sent to the Vale by Jeyne Arryn. There she survives the Dance of Dragons and almost all the other characters, such as Rhaenyra. It is likely that she will also survive in the series. But she will probably not move back to the Vale.

Ser Gawain Hightower goes with Ser Kriston

While Rhaenyra sends Rhaena away, knowing that war is imminent, Aegon gathers his men to send them to the Riverlands and not give up Harrenhal without a fight. Ser Kriston leads the army, but is supported by Alicent’s brother, Ser Gawain Hightower (Freddie Fox).

In the books, he has long been part of the Night’s Watch. In the series, he now seems to be a critical counterpart to Ser Criston, who is anything but impressed when they first meet. The reason for this is that Ser Criston has, in a sense, replaced Otto Hightower, Gawain’s father, as the new Hand of the King.

Rhaenyra speaks with Alicent

Towards the end of the episode, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) manages to speak to Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) in private for the first time. She sneaks into King’s Landing and is able to resolve the misunderstanding that caused the entire war between the Targaryens in the first place.

At the end of the first season of “House of the Dragon”, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) dies and in his final moments he stammers something about “Aegon”. Alicent naturally thinks that he means their son and wants to make it clear who he wants as his successor.

Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is finally crowned, which surprises Rhaenyra greatly. After all, she had been chosen by her father as his successor. She decides to take action against Alicent and Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) as well as Aegon.

When she learns in conversation with Alicent that Alicent placed Aegon on the throne because she believed that Viserys’s final words had changed his mind about his succession, she sets things straight and reveals to Alicent that Viserys was talking about Aegon the Conqueror and was referring to his dream.

Every Monday there is a new episode of “House of the Dragon” on Sky and Wow in the new releases program. The second HotD season consists of eight episodes in total, but fans can already be sure of new episodes: “House of the Dragon” season 3 is confirmed!

Here you can see the trailer for episode 4 of “House of the Dragon” season 2!