'House of the Dragon' Season 3, Episode 3: The Rift Between Rhaenyra and Corlys Widens

A wise person once said, "Heavy is the head that wears the crown." The third episode of 'House of the Dragon' season three sums up Rhaenyra's story with exactly that phrase. Having finally taken the Iron Throne after the bloody deaths of her sons, Rhaenyra may have won the hearts of the smallfolk, but she's now heading into a conflict that will be very hard to resolve with one of her greatest allies: Lord Corlys Velaryon.

In the episode, Corlys, Addam, Alyn, and Rhaenyra gather for an intimate dinner. The Battle of the Gullet, which Corlys and Alyn fought on Rhaenyra's behalf, cost many of his soldiers and High Tide itself; Addam, meanwhile, continues to stand by his queen as a trusted dragonrider. At this table, Corlys reveals to Rhaenyra that Addam and Alyn are his illegitimate sons, and that he wants to formally acknowledge them and name Alyn his heir. He asks the queen to legitimize them under the Velaryon name. Rhaenyra hesitates, and Corlys presses the issue.

We don't see the rest of the conversation, but when Rhaenyra knights Addam, she leaves his surname as "Hull." The hurt in Addam's eyes is visible, though he doesn't say a word. Naturally, this reaches Corlys before long. He confronts Rhaenyra, demanding to know why she didn't legitimize his sons. The queen replies that with her own sons' legitimacy already under question, she can't elevate children born out of wedlock so early in her reign.

Corlys takes this as an insult to his house, reminding her that he was the one who defended her when her own sons' legitimacy was questioned. He then raises his voice and openly declares that Rhaenyra's sons — including the surviving Joffrey — are, in fact, bastards. As Rhaenyra seethes with rage, word of this exchange reaches other ears. So what does this tension mean for the future of 'House of the Dragon'? Frankly, none of it looks good.

At the end of the episode, Rhaenyra learns that she never actually captured Daeron Targaryen, and that Lord Ormund Hightower has taken Tumbleton. A new war seems inevitable; but without Corlys's support, she's at a serious disadvantage in both numbers and naval strength. What's more, Corlys was one of the rare figures Rhaenyra could count on personally, someone far less chaotic than Daemon.

The most dangerous part is the possibility that Corlys could switch from the Blacks to the Greens in order to remove Rhaenyra from King's Landing. With Aemond and Vhagar still in play, it's not impossible for the seemingly depleted Greens to rise again. Whether Corlys would be willing to fight his own son Addam, or even Baela, remains uncertain. There's also the possibility that Rhaenyra could simply have Corlys killed to end the matter — a move that would finish her in the eyes of the smallfolk. Whatever happens, Rhaenyra has made her already fraught transition to power even harder.