House of the Dragon season 3 will officially change Game of Thrones‘ most iconic series tradition.
The spinoff’s return is looming large, and with it comes a major change to one of the most iconic attributes of Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon season 3 will finally see the Dance of the Dragons properly begin, with promises of a violent Targaryen civil war that will change Westeros forever. The spinoff is directly tied to the original show via its Targaryen lineage, following the ancestors of Daenerys from Game of Thrones over 150 years before her birth. One other connection is the iconic theme song, which the spinoff adopts for its own intro.
Dragonstone Archives · The Dance Begins The Dance of the Dragons Awaits “The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion.”
🐉The BlacksTeam Rhaenyra
👑The GreensTeam Aegon
🔥DragonsFire & Blood
⚔The CrownSuccession
🔮ProphecyA Song of Ice
01
King Viserys I names his heir early in the series, defying tradition that would favor his firstborn son. Who does he name as his successor?
✓ Correct! Viserys named his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne after the death of his first wife, Aemma, and their infant son. He forced the lords of the realm to swear oaths of fealty to her — oaths many would later break.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Rhaenyra Targaryen. Viserys defied Westerosi precedent by naming his daughter over his brother Daemon. Even after fathering sons with Alicent Hightower, Viserys never changed his decree.
02
Alicent Hightower’s faction is known as “the Greens.” Who is her father, the cunning Hand of the King who orchestrates much of their political strategy?
✓ Correct! Otto Hightower served as Hand of the King and was the mastermind behind the Green faction. He strategically positioned his daughter Alicent to marry Viserys, and spent decades maneuvering to place Alicent’s son Aegon on the throne.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Otto Hightower. He served as Hand to both Jaehaerys I and Viserys I, and engineered the marriage between Alicent and the King. Corlys Velaryon sided with the Blacks, and Lyonel Strong served as Hand before Otto’s return.
03
Daemon Targaryen rides a fierce, battle-scarred dragon known for its Blood Wyrm nickname. What is the name of his fearsome mount?
✓ Correct! Caraxes, known as “the Blood Wyrm,” is Daemon’s dragon — a lean, red, battle-scarred beast. While Vhagar is the largest and oldest dragon alive, Caraxes is the most experienced in combat and fiercely loyal to Daemon.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Caraxes. Syrax is Rhaenyra’s dragon, Vhagar is the oldest dragon (ridden by Aemond), and Meleys “the Red Queen” is Rhaenys’s mount. Caraxes the Blood Wyrm is Daemon’s partner in the skies.
04
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen is known by a nickname reflecting the fact she was passed over for the throne in favor of Viserys. What is she called?
✓ Correct! Rhaenys was dubbed “The Queen Who Never Was” after the Great Council of 101 AC chose Viserys over her, despite her strong claim. Married to Corlys Velaryon, she became one of the most formidable figures in the Dance, riding Meleys the Red Queen.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Queen Who Never Was. “The Realm’s Delight” is actually young Rhaenyra’s nickname. Rhaenys earned her title when the lords of the realm chose Viserys over her at the Great Council, setting the precedent that later fueled the Dance.
05
Vhagar is the largest living dragon during the Dance. Which Targaryen prince claims her — dramatically shifting the balance of power to the Greens?
✓ Correct! Aemond Targaryen claimed Vhagar at Driftmark after the funeral of Laena Velaryon — Vhagar’s previous rider. This bold act gave the Greens their most devastating weapon and sparked the confrontation that cost Aemond his eye.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Aemond Targaryen. Aegon II rides Sunfyre, Jacaerys rides Vermax, and Daeron rides Tessarion. Aemond’s daring claim of Vhagar at Driftmark was a pivotal moment that made him the Greens’ most dangerous warrior.
06
Viserys shares a secret Targaryen prophecy with Rhaenyra about a threat from the North and a promised prince. What is this prophecy called?
✓ Correct! Aegon the Conqueror had a prophetic dream he called “A Song of Ice and Fire” — a vision of a terrible winter coming from the North that would destroy the world of the living. This secret was passed from king to heir, and Viserys shared it with Rhaenyra on the night he named her heir.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is A Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon the Conqueror’s dream foretold a great threat from the North requiring a Targaryen on the Iron Throne to unite the realm. Viserys revealed this to Rhaenyra, connecting House of the Dragon directly to the events of Game of Thrones.
07
Corlys Velaryon is one of the richest and most powerful men in Westeros, famous for his legendary voyages. What is his well-known title?
✓ Correct! Corlys Velaryon earned the name “The Sea Snake” through his legendary nine voyages across the known world aboard his ship. He amassed a fortune that made House Velaryon wealthier than even the Lannisters, and his naval power proved crucial in the Dance.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Sea Snake. While Corlys did serve on the Small Council, his legendary title comes from his nine great voyages. “Lord of the Tides” is the formal title of the head of House Velaryon, but “The Sea Snake” is his personal epithet.
08
The Season 1 finale ends with a devastating loss for Rhaenyra when one of her sons is killed in a dragonback confrontation. Which son does she lose, and who kills him?
✓ Correct! Lucerys Velaryon, riding his young dragon Arrax, was pursued and killed by Aemond on the colossal Vhagar above Shipbreaker Bay near Storm’s End. The show portrays this as partly accidental — Vhagar acted on her own — but the result ignited the Dance of the Dragons into open war.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Lucerys, killed by Aemond and Vhagar. Luke was sent as an envoy to Storm’s End but was confronted by Aemond. The massive Vhagar devoured young Arrax and his rider above Shipbreaker Bay — the act that turned a succession dispute into a full-scale civil war.
Dragonstone Archives · Sealed by Fire Your Dragon Rider Record
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Did you ride to glory — or fall from the sky?
But House of the Dragon season 3 is about to alter that tradition. HBO has confirmed to ScreenRant new details about the changes made to Game of Thrones‘ iconic theme song for the spinoff’s next chapter. The theme song will be somewhat different, adding drums to the beginning. While it will maintain the same base composition created by Ramin Djawadi, the composer has made an updated version that will reflect the darker tone of the upcoming season. Series co-creator, showrunner, and executive producer Ryan Condal confirmed this darker update and what it means for the show.
Check out what Condal had to say below:
We wanted to mark the darker tone this season with something small but noticeable. When Ramin shared this update to his iconic theme, we knew it was the way to go.
The prospect of a darker theme for the prequel series’ next chapter makes sense considering the blood-soaked war that’s about to arrive. House of the Dragon season 2 ended with Rhaenyra and Alicent agreeing to end the approaching war by having Aegon executed and Rhaenyra given the Iron Throne. However, neither are aware the young king has fled King’s Landing, all while armies across Westeros allied with the Greens and the Blacks begin their march to war.
So far, it seems that war is going to be delivering on all its promises. Reviews for House of the Dragon season 3 have been overwhelmingly positive, scoring a Certified Fresh 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest of the whole series. Critics have praised not only the depiction of the civil war and a fixed, fast-paced story, but also just how brutal and intense the show becomes as the war carries on. The series isn’t holding back any more of its punches, something the new theme song will no doubt help to reflect.
The eight-episode season is poised to mark a turning point in the show, one where the war and how much it tears Westeros apart becomes the central focus. By having the theme song change slightly to reflect this in the intro, it sets the stage for the second half of the series, which will be unlike anything the Game of Thrones universe has tackled thus far. Adding to the potential is that House of the Dragon won’t end until season 4 in 2028, making this just the start of its dark turn.
With the show returning on Sunday, June 21 on HBO and HBO Max, it won’t be long before the new theme song is heard in the intro for the first time before the war finally, properly begins. Since House of the Dragon will be taking a darker turn in season 3, the way the new intro is incorporated into the story will be critical to just how much it sets the stage for everything to come.
