House of the Dragon fans boycotting season 3 will regret it

‘That was one of the most underwhelming finales I’ve ever watched.’

Two years ago, the House of the Dragon season 2 finale left a bitter taste in the mouths of viewers across the globe.

Many had been hoping that the tension building between the Blacks (led by Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen) and the Greens (led by Olivia Cooke’s Alicent Hightower) would culminate in all-out war, including the highly anticipated Battle of the Gullet.

However, it felt as though the final episode had been cut short when it ended on an excruciating cliffhanger, with House Stark marching from Winterfell, and Rhaenyra and Alicent striking a secret bargain to end their feud once and for all. (Good luck to them).

Fans were livid. Where was the explosive Battle of the Gullet, a pivotal clash that takes place in George RR Martin’s book Fire & Blood, which will have major repercussions?

For some, this was the final straw. They declared that their dedication to House of the Dragon was over and that they’d be boycotting the series from now on. In my opinion, that reaction was extremely over the top.

I thought it then, and as we near the release of season three, my mind hasn’t changed. Anyone who’s chosen to give this epic series the cold shoulder is missing out, and they’re probably going to regret it… that is, if they haven’t already backtracked on their word.

Nowadays, there are often times when it feels as though TV fans are too quick to throw in the towel when a show that they previously adored isn’t going their way. Not that House of the Dragon fans were wrong to share their complaints about the last batch of episodes.

It’s widely known that the second season of the Game of Thrones spin-off was cut short, as it was originally intended to span 10 episodes, instead of eight. This meant that one of the most significant battles in the story, which was supposed to mark the end of season two, was pushed back to the start of season three, two years later.

‘One of the things that came into play in season two is: What is the final destination of the series and where are we going? It was a combination of factors that led us to rebalance the season knowing now where we’re going,’ showrunner Ryan Condal told The Hollywood Reporter.

‘We wanted to rebalance the story in such a way that we had three great seasons of television [after season one] to round out and tell this story. When you’re trying to mount the show, which requires a tremendous amount of resources, construction, armor, costumes, visual effects … we are trying to give The Gullet — which is arguably the second most anticipated action event of Fire & Blood — trying to give it the time and the space that it deserves.’

The second season of the show had its fair share of brilliantly gripping moments. Princess Rhaenys Targaryen being an utter legend before her devastating demise. Three bastards with Targaryen ancestry claiming dragons. The tension you could cut with a knife between complicated brothers Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell).

However, it felt as though it was building toward a huge climax at the end… only to leave viewers unsatisfied when the payoff they were hoping for never came. Even fans who enjoyed the lead-up to the finale couldn’t help but admit their disappointment.

‘Coming from someone who liked the season and definitely enjoys the show: it’s still absolutely bananas that they ended on a cliffhanger. They’ve built up a lot, had some good arcs going into this place, and the next season is going to be incredibly stacked, but this wait is just an objectively bad decision for maintaining your audience,’ nosayso wrote on Reddit.

‘This season could’ve been an email,’ Galahad_the_Ranger wrote scathingly, while GregorianShant, clearly still upset by the final season of Game of Thrones, added: ‘Classic “Fool me once”. After I got burned by GOT, I refuse to watch any Thrones media. I am happy with my choice.’

Despite agreeing that the finale felt incomplete, I was far from done with the show, or any Game of Thrones spin-off for that matter. I had faith that the third season would bring House of the Dragon back to the greatness that it began with – and as far as first reactions to season three go, I was right to remain hopeful.

Earlier this week, a screening took place where people watched the opening episode of season three for the first time… and the responses on social media have given us good reason to be very excited.

‘Just watched the first episode of House of the Dragon s3 at the world premiere…. I’m speechless. No one is ready…’ @watchwithdiya wrote on X.

‘HOTD S03E01 is nothing like we’ve EVER seen, not just in Westeros but in television in general. In the words of the phenomenal @thegenuinetoussaint “GIRD YOUR LOINS”,’ @gameofthroneshistorian shared on Instagram.

Some Game of Thrones fans had their doubts about the recently released spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which blew their expectations out of the water with how fantastic it was. Proof that you shouldn’t judge these shows harshly before you’ve given them a chance.

Considering House of the Dragon is going to end after four seasons, if you’ve decided to give up at the halfway point, it’s your loss. Despite its dip, this is still one of the most spectacular shows on television, and I have a feeling that the final two seasons are going to remind us why we fell in love with Westeros in the first place.

House of the Dragon season 3 premieres on Monday June 22 on HBO Max, Sky and NOW.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE: Game of Thrones star Kit Harington didn’t know his real name until he was 11 years old

MORE: Louise Thompson blasts Euphoria over stoma bag scene: ‘That’s pretty rank’

MORE: ‘Phenomenal’ true-life Western about man who escaped slavery shoots up Netflix chart