The highly anticipated third season of HBO's House of the Dragon commenced on Sunday, June 21, delivering an immediate and significant casualty that has set the tone for the new instalment. Fans of the Game of Thrones prequel witnessed the dramatic demise of a key character in the premiere episode, a moment the actor involved described as one of the most demanding of his career.
The episode opened with the intense Battle of the Gullet, a pivotal conflict in the ongoing civil war between the 'Blacks', loyal to Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and the 'Greens', led by Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell). Amidst the chaos of the dragon-filled battle, Jace Targaryen, played by Harry Collett, met his end when his dragon, Vermax, was brought down into the water, with Jace subsequently killed by arrows.
Speaking to Variety, Collett opened up about the complexities of filming his character's death. He stated, "It was really hard to act dead – it’s actually one of the hardest acting I’ve ever done in my life." He elaborated on the physical challenges, including keeping his eyes open and staying afloat in the water without inhaling it, which would have compromised the portrayal of a deceased character. Collett also revealed to Entertainment Weekly that he successfully requested to utter the iconic High Valyrian command 'Dracarys' in his final moments, a line not originally in the script.
Collett had been aware from the beginning of his tenure that his character’s arc would conclude after two seasons. Showrunner Ryan Condal had initially intended to include the Battle of the Gullet, and thus Jace's death, in the second season. However, due to budgetary considerations, the spectacular battle sequence was postponed to become the impactful opener of the third season. Collett expressed gratitude for this delay, allowing his character to feature prominently in the new season's launch.
House of the Dragon, which debuted in 2022, was the first spin-off from the hugely successful Game of Thrones series, which concluded in 2019. Its popularity has paved the way for further expansions of the Westeros universe, including the recently premiered A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and several other projects currently under development. The series continues to draw significant viewership, maintaining the high production values and dramatic storytelling that define the franchise.