4 Ways House Of The Dragon's "Bigger And Grimmer" Season 3 Can Finally Reach Game Of Thrones' Level Of Success

House of the Dragonseason 3 could be the best outing of the HBO series yet, especially if the showrunners' excitement is anything to judge the coming episodes by. While House of the Dragon season 3 won't premiere until 2026 at the earliest, the setup of season 2's finale already has anticipation for its premiere at a high. The fact that Ryan Condal is teasing a "bigger and grimmer" chapter only heightens it (via Entertainment Weekly).

In fact, House of the Dragon season 3 could even achieve something viewers have been waiting for: it could reach the same level of success as Game of Thrones. While the spinoff is one of the better fantasy TV shows to debut in the 2020s, it has yet to truly match the best seasons of its predecessor. That could change if season 3 lives up to expectations, and there are a few clear-cut ways to ensure HOTD does that.

4 House Of The Dragon's Bigger Battle Sequences Could Match Game Of Thrones'

The Conflicts Were Some Of Its Predecessor's Biggest Draws

With the Dance of the Dragons fully underway, House of the Dragon season 3 seems certain to have bigger action sequences than we've seen from the spinoff so far. Condal is already teasing the Battle of the Gullet, a major conflict from George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, so we'll definitely see that unfold in the coming episodes. This important House of the Dragon battle is enough reason to get excited about the third outing, and there will be other major events from Martin's books included as well.

Delivering something as well-crafted and epic as Game of Thrones' fights could alter its legacy for the better.

With Condal telling EW how much work has gone into the Battle of the Gullet, it seems like House of the Dragon's upcoming conflict could finally match Game of Thrones' best battles. Sequences like the Battle of the Blackwater, the Battle of the Bastards, and even the Battle of Winterfell are what cemented the original series as one of the greatest additions to the fantasy genre. House of the Dragon has some engaging action, but it doesn't compare. Delivering something as well-crafted and epic as Game of Thrones' fights could alter its legacy for the better.

3 Bigger Deaths Will Help The Spinoff Land Similar Emotional Blows To Game Of Thrones

It Will Bring The Spinoff Tonally Closer To HBO's Original Show

House of the Dragon is just as brutal as Game of Thrones when it comes to killing characters, but thus far, most of the ones who die aren't given enough time to make an impact. Rhaenys Targaryen's season 2 death is probably the most devastating, but Lucerys barely gets development before perishing in season 1. And although the infamous Blood and Cheese sequence is gruesome, it lacks the emotional core that deaths like Ned's or Robb's have in Game of Thrones.

Rhaenyra and dragons battling from House of the Dragon season 2

5 Major Character Deaths To Expect In House Of The Dragon Season 3

House of the Dragon season 3 will continue in Game of Thrones tradition and be packed with deaths. Here are five that are almost guaranteed.

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Fortunately, after three seasons, viewers are now pretty attached to House of the Dragon's remaining players — and we know to expect several big deaths, thanks to Fire & Blood. The characters expected to die will hit nearly as hard as Game of Thrones' major losses. This will give the spinoff a leg up, bringing it tonally closer to its predecessor.

2 House Of The Dragon Season 3's Politics Getting More Intense Will Help It Match GOT

Relationships Will Pass The Point Of No Return

House of the Dragon has been somewhat tame in terms of politics so far, lightening the enmity between Rhaenyra and Alicent — and even showing both characters' efforts to prevent a war. This is a controversial change, and it makes the stakes of HOTD feel a bit smaller than those of Game of Thrones, even if other characters are more cutthroat in their actions. But House of the Dragon season 2's ending sets the stage for Rhaenyra and Alicent to fall out more fully, and heightening the political tensions will be to the show's benefit.

1 Being Truer To George R.R. Martin's Source Material Could Help HOTD

This Was A Major Complaint About Season 2

Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship changes aren't the only criticism House of the Dragon has received, and many of them stem from the series diverging from Martin's source material. This is especially noticeable in season 2, as cutting a major Targaryen alters the impact of the Blood and Cheese scene, and it will continue to affect the series. Martin himself even pointed out the problems with the show's changes, and the author's blog post didn't inspire hope that season 3 would fix this issue.

However, if House of the Dragon season 3 does commit to adapting Martin's source material more faithfully — as much as it still can, given the changes already in place — it could win fans of the books back over. This will be a must if it wants to have a similar legacy to Game of Thrones. While the later outings of the original show veer off course after running out of source material, the best ones bring Martin's work to life closely. House of the Dragon should aim to do so as well.

Source: Entertainment Weekly