House of the Dragon Season 3 Reignites Fan Debate and Dominates Viewership!

The Season 3 premiere of HBO's "House of the Dragon" garnered a global viewership of 21.5 million in its initial three days of availability, as reported by Warner Bros Discovery. This figure, a compilation of Nielsen's HBO cable channel measurements and Warner Bros. Discovery's HBO Max streaming data, indicates a slight 8% decrease compared to the Season 2 premiere's 23.4 million viewers in 2024. It's noteworthy that Season 3 faced direct competition for audience attention from the FIFA World Cup.

"House of the Dragon" has largely been praised for enriching the on-screen depiction of Westeros, delving into aspects previously untouched by "Game of Thrones." However, the prequel has encountered several continuity issues, and its Season 3 premiere continued this trend. A specific point of contention arose during a scene featuring Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), who formed an alliance in Season 2. Their inherent tension was palpable during a disagreement over funeral rites for fallen soldiers. Oscar insisted that the men of the Riverlands required traditional burial, emphasizing they "must be returned to the mud," rather than cremation. This claim directly contradicted a memorable scene from "Game of Thrones" Season 3, Episode 3, "Walk of Punishment," which depicted Lord Hoster Tully's fiery funeral—a classic Riverlord rite involving a canoe, kindling, and a flaming arrow shot on the river, reminiscent of a Viking funeral.

While this particular discrepancy may not fundamentally alter the broader "Game of Thrones" lore, it stands out to fans, especially those familiar primarily with the television series. The Riverlands, being a diverse region of Westeros, could indeed have various local customs. However, for a high-ranking noble like Oscar Tully, an expectation of cremation akin to Lord Hoster's funeral would be more consistent with established House Tully customs. George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" books provide further context, with Brynden Tully mentioning that Hoster's father was similarly laid to rest. Regardless, common soldiers would likely not receive a grand funeral comparable to a Lord of Riverrun.

The scene effectively highlights the ongoing tension between Daemon and the Riverlords. Daemon's practical argument for cremation—it's faster and more sanitary, as "burnt flesh carries no plague"—reveals his motivation to quickly pursue Lannister soldiers and maintain a strategic advantage. Conversely, Oscar's insistence on burial might be driven by an unspoken agenda: maintaining morale among the Riverlands people, who may distrust Daemon and find the sight of their loved ones cremated by his dragon, Caraxes, traumatic.

This isn't an isolated incident for "House of the Dragon" concerning continuity. Previous missteps include the prominent display of a Weirwood tree in the Red Keep, a location where one should not exist. More significantly, author George R.R. Martin himself expressed concerns over the show's depiction of dragons, specifically the wild dragon Sheepstealer, who was shown hunting in the Vale before Rhaena Targaryen became his rider. Martin's blog posts have emphasized that dragons in Westeros are not nomadic, preferring volcanic habitats like Dragonstone, suggesting the show might have taken liberties with established dragon lore.

Despite these criticisms, "House of the Dragon" has also significantly enhanced the world's lore. Season 2, for example, expanded on dreams and visions, hinting at the involvement of old gods and Weirwood trees in a way "Game of Thrones" never fully achieved. The appearance of a Green Man in the Season 3 premiere suggests this trend of deepening magical and religious lore will continue. Ultimately, fans will selectively engage with continuity points, debating minor discrepancies while eagerly anticipating future episodes and the spectacle of dragons in flight. "House of the Dragon" Season 3 airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.