Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood
Alicent returns; the Battle of the Gullet begins.
"Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood" opens the third season of *House of the Dragon*, the fantasy drama prequel to *Game of Thrones*. The episode continues the story of the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons. Ryan Condal, the series’ co-creator, wrote it; Loni Peristere directed. It aired on HBO and HBO Max on June 21, 2026.
Picking up right after the second season’s finale, the episode follows Alicent as she returns to King’s Landing from her secret meeting with Rhaenyra. She discovers Aegon is gone and Aemond has crowned himself king. Rhaenyra readies her forces to capture the capital, while Rhaena tries to bond with the wild dragon Sheepstealer. Aegon and Larys begin their journey on the road. Meanwhile, spurred by a deal with Tyland, Sharako Lohar leads the Triarchy fleet in an attack on Corlys and the Velaryon fleet at the Gullet, sparking one of the largest naval battles in Westerosi history.
Critics praised the episode for its production, writing, emotional weight, and performances—especially those of Abigail Thorn, Harry Collett, Olivia Cooke, and James Norton. The long-awaited Battle of the Gullet was widely lauded, though some reviewers noted the episode suffered from being moved from the end of season two to the start of season three.
In the Vale, a feverish Rhaena approaches the wild dragon Sheepstealer, forming a shaky bond before mounting it and flying away. In the Crownlands, soldiers loyal to Rhaenyra stop Aegon and Larys. When Aegon refuses to bend the knee, Larys reveals his identity and convinces the soldiers the pair would make valuable hostages. In King’s Landing, Aemond threatens to kill Grand Maester Orwyle unless he reveals Aegon’s location, but Jasper stops him by noting Larys is also missing. Alicent returns to find Aemond has declared himself king. She forges a letter from Aemond to her cousin Ormund Hightower, then urges Aemond to leave for Harrenhal, warning that Rhaenyra will kill him if he stays.
In the Riverlands, Jason Lannister’s army clashes with Daemon’s forces and is overwhelmed. Roderick Dustin and the Winter Wolves arrive after the battle, and Roderick presents Jason’s severed head to Daemon. On the Isle of Faces, Ulf recounts his abusive childhood to Addam and Hugh as they wait to ambush Aemond. Alys appears, warning them they are missing a battle. At their camp, Criston tells Gwayne they will die if Aemon
- Series
- House of the Dragon
- Season
- 3
- Episode
- 1
- Written by
- Ryan Condal
- Directed by
- Loni Peristere
- Original air date
- June 21, 2026
- Network
- HBO and HBO Max
Lore & Background
The episode directly follows the second season finale. Alicent returns to King's Landing after her clandestine meeting with Rhaenyra to find that Aegon is gone and Aemond has declared himself king. Rhaenyra prepares her forces to take King's Landing, and Rhaena attempts to claim the wild dragon Sheepstealer, while Aegon and Larys begin their journey on the road. Spurred by her deal with Tyland, Sharako Lohar and the Triarchy fleet launch an attack on Corlys and the Velaryon fleet at the Gullet, with the ensuing battle becoming one of the largest naval skirmishes in Westeros' history.
The episode was written in 2023 prior to the filming of season two, as Condal originally intended for that season to run for ten episodes. Following interruptions due to the Writers Guild of America strike and budget cuts across Warner Bros. Pictures, the episode was moved to the start of the third season. The Battle of the Gullet scenes used three million litres of water, four boat sets, wet, dry, and underwater tanks, 15,000 stunt crowds, 3,500 props, and 25 tons of propane.
Reader's Guide
The episode received critical acclaim for its production values, writing, emotional beats, cast performances (particularly Abigail Thorn, Harry Collett, Olivia Cooke, and James Norton), and the adaptation of the much-anticipated Battle of the Gullet, though some reviewers noted that the episode suffered somewhat from having to be moved from the end of season two to season three. The episode marks Condal's seventh writing credit and Peristere's second directing credit after "The Red Sowing." It is the second episode in the Game of Thrones television franchise to feature the motto of House Targaryen in the title, following "Fire and Blood," the season finale of the first season of Game of Thrones. The episode includes the death of Jace (Harry Collett), who was aware of his fate when he initially signed onto the show in season one. Condal described the Battle of the Gullet as "unlike anything that's ever been done on television before" and referred to the undertaking as "kind of crazy and frankly irresponsible" but that the effort was "necessary" and "a seminal moment for the show."
Did You Know?
- The episode was originally intended to be the finale of season two but was moved to the start of season three due to the Writers Guild of America strike and budget cuts.
- Harry Collett asked to shout the iconic 'dracarys' command during the battle, which wasn't in the original script.
- The Battle of the Gullet scenes used three million litres of water, four boat sets, and 25 tons of propane.
- Abigail Thorn, who plays Sharako Lohar, had significant input into her character's death and emotional arc, deciding that in her final moments Lohar is 'just a woman who is afraid.'
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