Warning: This post contains spoilers for the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale.
It's been a good six episodes since Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) at long last seized the Iron Throne and proclaimed herself Queen of the Seven Kingdoms in House of the Dragon Season 3. But it wasn't until Sunday night's finale that we truly got a glimpse into why Westerosi history books dubbed her "Rhaenyra the Cruel."
After learning her half-brother and former king Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) had resurfaced in a literal blaze of glory supplied by his previously presumed dead dragon Sunfyre, Rhaenyra's desperation to assert herself as the realm's rightful ruler was palpable. So, she finally picked a definitive side in the ongoing struggle between Daemon (Matt Smith) and Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) to win her trust. Rather than continuing to work to legitimize her rule through support for the common people per Mysaria's counsel, Rhaenyra opted for the show of brute force Daemon has been all too eager to lead the charge on. As he put it, "The only quality the realm understands is strength."
However, Rhaenyra did have one caveat for giving Daemon the go-ahead to attack Ormund Hightower (James Norton) and his forces at Tumbleton: "The realm is watching. Do not make a monster out of me."
Unfortunately, when dragons are involved, all-out carnage seems like more of an inevitable outcome than an active choice. So it shouldn't have really come as a surprise to anyone involved when the assault on Tumbleton quickly spiraled into a fiery onslaught that turned the city's smallfolk into collateral damage.
As for all our major players, here's everyone who lived and who died in the Battle of Tumbleton.
Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen in House of the Dragon Season 3. Theo Whiteman—HBO
The Rogue Prince lived to fight another day, but not without taking a nearly lethal beatdown at the hands of Ser Jon Roxton (Joplin Sibtain). By the end of the episode, Daemon appeared to be more cowed than we've ever seen him. And if the horrified expression on his face was any indication, he's all too aware of how badly he bungled Rhaneyra's order not to let the battle make her look like an evil tyrant.
Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon Season 3. Ollie Upton—HBO
Corlys (Steve Toussaint) may have lost a finger to Ormund, but he managed to largely stay out of the fray at Tumbleton after Gwayne (Freddie Fox) handed him over to Daemon as part of an attempted peace offering. Unfortunately, his son Alyn (Abubakar Salim) seems to have already grown comfortable filling Corlys' role as Hand of the King back at King's Landing.
Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower in House of the Dragon Season 3. Ollie Upton—HBO
That final shot of a somewhat scorched Gwayne crawling through the ruins of Tumbleton in search of Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) let us know everyone's favorite Hightower had managed to make it through yet another fiery dragon rampage.
Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Daeron Targaryen in House of the Dragon Season 3. Ollie Upton—HBO
Although we didn't get confirmation Daeron survived the blast of dragonfire that sent him and Gwayne flying through the streets of Tumbleton, we also didn't see him die on screen. In the A Song of Ice and Fire universe, that's pretty much a guarantee he'll be back next season. Plus, we haven't even gotten to see him ride his dragon Tessarion yet.
Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer in House of the Dragon Season 3. Ollie Upton—HBO