House of the Dragon boss defends huge omission from season 2 finale after backlash
A House of the Dragon showrunner has explained the decision to hold off on one major plot point in season 2's finale - despite some fans' frustrations.
*Warning: This article contains minor spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2 finale*
The grand finale of House of the Dragon season 2 left fans divided, with some eagerly anticipating what season 3 might bring, while others were left disappointed by the lack of major battle scenes.
However, the HBO series' showrunners have since justified their decision to push all its key characters to the edge of a massive battle without actually delving into any real combat.
Ryan Condal, the showrunner of the Game of Thrones spin-off, teased what's in store for season 3 during a chat with reporters on Monday.
He acknowledged that some fans might be unhappy with the decision, which wasn't taken lightly, but assured that the third instalment would make it all worth it.
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Season 2 concluded with several plot threads in motion as different factions prepare themselves for the looming civil war. Towards the episode's end, we see various armies from Team Green and Team Black marching off to battle.
Several elements are now set for some of the most iconic battles from George R. R. Martin's book, reports the Express.
Fore example, Fire and Ice readers will be eagerly anticipating the Battle of the Gullet, which sees the Greens trying to break Corlys' blockade.
Condal explained the reasons behind delaying the epic battle sequence for now, as reported by TVLine.
"When you're trying to mount this show, which requires a tremendous amount of resources - construction, armour, costumes, visual effects - we were trying to give the Gullet, which is arguably the most anticipated - well, maybe the second most anticipated action event of Fire and Blood - trying to give it the time and the space that it deserves," he said.
He added: "We are building to that event. That event will happen very shortly, in terms of the storytelling of House of the Dragon."
"And it should be, I mean, based on what we know now, it should be the biggest thing to date that we've pulled off.
"And we just wanted to have the time and the space to do that at a level that is going to excite and satisfy the fans in a way that's deserved."
Though no official premiere date for House of the Dragon season 3 has been set, Condal has confirmed that pre-production is kicking off in Autumn, 2024, with the cameras slated to roll "early-ish 2025."
He noted: "I apologise for the wait, but I will just say that if [the Battle of] Rook's Rest and the Red Sowing are any indication, the team that we have together, we're going to pull off a hell of a win with the Gullet in the future."
House Of The Dragon is available to watch on Sky Atlantic and HBO.