Warning: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1, "Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood."
The Dance of the Dragons has finally erupted in full force, and the Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon doesn't hold back. After fans were left disappointed when the Battle of the Gullet was cut from Season 2, the new episode delivers a devastating blow to Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) with the death of her eldest son, Crown Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett). But as with many events in this series, the HBO show takes a major detour from the source material, Fire & Blood, and the result is even more gut-wrenching.
In the book, Jace dies heroically while trying to save his younger brothers. In the show, his fate is sealed by a chaotic intervention from an unexpected source: Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) and her newly claimed dragon, Sheepstealer. This change not only alters the course of the battle but also adds a layer of tragic irony to Jace's demise.
Sheepstealer Turns the Tide in 'House of the Dragon'
The civil war is called the Dance of the Dragons for a reason, and that includes dragonriders who aren't in line for the throne. In the book, Rhaenyra recruits dragonseeds—commoners with potential Targaryen blood—to tame the realm's wildest dragons. One of them is Nettles, a mysterious girl who bonds with the notoriously grumpy Sheepstealer. But House of the Dragon replaces Nettles with Rhaena, who has been searching for a dragon of her own.
Rhaena's moment of triumph quickly turns to disaster when she rides an untrained Sheepstealer into the Battle of the Gullet. Unlike Baela's (Bethany Antonia) Moondancer or Jace's Vermax, who have been bonded to their riders since hatching, Sheepstealer is a feral beast with no battle discipline. He attacks every ship in sight, regardless of allegiance, and when Vermax and Moondancer try to intervene, he turns on them. This chaos creates the opening for the bolt that brings down Vermax, sending Jace into the water where he's struck by arrows.
"I think, rightly so, [Rhaena] feels dreadful, and she knows that because of her appearance into the fight, that is the reason that has caused all this," Campbell told Collider. "It was naive to think that a freshly bonded dragon would be able to do what dragons who have years of training still struggle with."
This change contradicts the book, where five dragons fight without any infighting. The result is a scene that could have been a heroic coming-together but instead becomes a tragedy. For more on how this shift impacts the season, check out our analysis of how Rhaena replacing Nettles could derail Season 3.
Sheepstealer Shows How the Dance of Dragons Will Get Out of Hand
Jace's death mirrors that of his brother Lucerys (Elliot Grihauld) in Season 1—both are unjust and ultimately unavoidable. Even with an experienced rider like Aemond One-Eye (Ewan Mitchell), accidents happen. But Sheepstealer's rampage adds a new level of tension, as viewers watch Jace struggle to unbuckle himself and get Vermax airborne again. "It makes people want to scream at their TVs and go, 'Just get up!,'" Collett said about the moment.
The premiere's brutal ending hints at the savage anger Rhaenyra will feel going forward. Unlike Game of Thrones, which often saved big battles for season finales, House of the Dragon kicks off Season 3 with a gut-punch that sets the tone for the rest of the season. For a deeper dive into the battle's secrets, read our piece on what the cast revealed about the Battle of the Gullet.
As the Dance spirals further out of control, one thing is clear: dragons are unpredictable, and even the best-laid plans can go up in flames. The Season 3 premiere is now streaming on HBO and Max.
