House Of The Dragon Episode 3 Review - 9 Ups & 1 Down

Readers of Martin's canon know that this particular sibling relationship turns bloody. Viewers got their first glimpse at the cracks already appearing in the relationship between the son of Viserys and Alicent, young Prince Aegon, the titular Second of His Name who was born in the time jump following the second episode, and the current heir Rhaenyra, in what can only be described as deliciously foreboding fashion.

While Viserys' new son Aegon is only turning two when the events of this episode take place, the importance of the boy's standing within the Kingdom already cannot be overstated; scheming courtiers pressure the King into replacing Rhaenyra with Aegon as the heir, which is posited to be question of "when" rather than "if". The dramatic benefit of the burgeoning conflict between stepsister and a stepbrother still in the stages of infancy is that it throws into sharp relief the massive disadvantages that women face, even in a fantastical setting such as Westeros. This is a land where fire breathing dragons exist, but the concept of a woman in power is utterly unfathomable.

The eye-watering sexist disadvantages that the Princess faces as a result of Aegon's birth serves to increase the relatability and subsequent popularity of Rhaenyra, as she continues picking up the mantle of Emilia Clarke's Daenerys and championing a formidable, empowered woman as the focal point and lead protagonist of the new series. Who knows, the show runners may even succeed in not destroying an eight season progressive character arc in the space of a few episodes this time.