This article includes discussion of suicide that some readers may find distressing.
This season of the Game of Thrones spin-off has far surpassed the last instalment - although some may argue that the bar was rather low, considering season 2's controversial finale.
Here’s everything you need to know about how House of the Dragon season 3 ended as we look ahead to season 4.
House of the Dragon season 3 ending explained: Who died?
Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban)Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton)The High Septon (Simon Chandler)Ser Roderick Dustin AKA Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan)Hugh Hammer’s wife, Kat (Ellora Torchia)
Meanwhile, Prince Daeron Targaryen’s (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) fate is left up in the air. However, it did seem that his blue dragon Tessarion flew away from Tumbleton.
House of the Dragon season 3 ending explained: Why did Queen Helaena Targaryen kill herself?
Earlier in the season, Helaena revealed she was pregnant and was later left alone in captivity when her mother, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), left to seek her fugitive brother Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell). Following her mother’s departure, Helaena’s mental state appeared to worsen.
In episode 8, things only get worse for Helaena when her half-sister Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) learns she isn’t eating, and orders for her to be force-fed. Finally, a disgruntled Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) gives Helaena a message upon her departure from the Red Keep, telling her that Rhaenyra will never release her.
Why did Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen tell Ser Alyn of Hull to kill the High Septon?
Earlier in the season, the High Septon refused to anoint Rhaenyra as she could not prove that her half-brother and rival King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) was dead, making her rule precarious.
In episode 8, after hearing that Aegon is still alive (or has been ‘resurrected’, as her subjects see it), she returns to the High Septon, trying to force his hand. The High Septon too has heard of Aegon’s resurrection, and refuses again.
That encourages Alyn to finally kill the High Septon - although he’s clearly conflicted about his own actions afterwards.
Why did Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen fire Mysaria and send her away?
Perhaps it’s a heavy-handed way of ending their romantic affair - or maybe Rhaenyra has figured out that Mysaria has been manipulating her and wants to put an immediate end to it.
Last episode saw Mysaria be more openly manipulative than we’ve ever seen her before, clearly trying to turn Rhaenyra against the latter's husband - and Mysaria's former lover - King Consort Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Rhaenyra confronted Mysaria about this, but then seemed to abandon her misgivings as she and Mysaria kissed.
Will Mysaria now turn against Rhaenyra in more dangerous ways? One theory is that she’s going to be the one to turn the smallfolk against Rhaenyra and even be the one to incite the actions of a revolutionary figure of the book Fire and Blood - The Shepherd - but only time will tell on that.
What happened at the Battle of Tumbleton?
However, Daeron and Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) put together a hastily organised peace treaty to take to Daemon. They proposed splitting the realm into two, so that Rhaenyra could still be queen, but Daeron could rule from Oldtown.
Daemon, however, refuses. He has to believe that Rhaenyra’s sole rule is the only way forward, and forges ahead with the battle, telling Ser Gwayne that Aegon is alive.
However, the Greens also faced huge losses on their side - including the death of Lord Ormund Hightower at the hands of both Ser Roderick Dustin and then the dragonfire caused by Ser Ulf.
Why did Ser Ulf the White betray Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen - and then betray Lord Ormund Hightower?
Ser Ulf was seen sharing a drink with Ormund in episode 7 as he felt mistreated by Rhaenyra.
Ormund suggests that he could become the new Lord of the Tides now Coryls is in captivity, so Ser Ulf and his dragon, Silverwing, become a key part of the Greens’ strategy going into the battle of Tumbleton.
After Ormund rages at Ser Ulf, the dragonrider realises that neither side has treated him well - and he ends up raining fire down on both sides at the battle.
How did Lord Ormund Hightower die?
Roddy, however, has the last laugh, shoving his sword somewhere we shan’t mention on Radio Times and giving him an incredibly undignified death.
Following this, Ser Ulf - disgruntled with both sides of the war - turned his dragonfire on the battlements of Tumbleton and burned both Ormund and a delighted Roddy alive.
Why did King Aegon II Targaryen let treacherous Prince Aemond Targaryen live?
Despite Aegon having intentions of killing his brother, he changed his mind after seeing Aemond’s remorseful state.
"He had to learn how to be a better king and perhaps that he needed to be away and walk amongst the people as a pauper. I mean, the irony of the season is that Aegon, now not in the proximity of the throne, goes on this incredible character evolution where he becomes a much more dimensionalised man who is more sympathetic and possibly more suited to rule.
"It's him seeing Aemond's change and then realising where he is standing with his dragon, and suddenly this incredible wind of legitimacy behind him. Now that the realm is calling him, he's basically experienced a messianic return. I think it would ruin and spoil that for him to kill the person that's potentially his greatest and strongest ally."
What could go wrong?
What did the final scene mean?
On it, she sees a scene of a tearful woman falling through the air - clearly depicting Helaena's death. She also sees herself sat on the Iron Throne, surrounded by dragonfire and with what appears to be blood on her - perhaps foreshadowing a dark future ahead.
Looking out of the window, she surveys King's Landing for a moment, before shutting the window - shutting out the world and plunging herself and the room into darkness.
"So I think her death sort of condemns Rhaenyra to the path she's chosen. [There's] no way back after that. There's certainly no route back to a more moderate form of leadership.
If you need help and support on issues raised within this article, please visit Samaritans, CALM, Rethink Mental Illness and Mind for guidance.
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