Fans were worried about House of the Dragon from the moment it was announced. Game of Thrones had just ended with a complete mess of a final season that rushed to tie up its loose ends after running out of source material to adapt. Would House of the Dragon do the same thing and start making things up as soon as its basis, George R. R. Martin’s in-universe historical account Fire & Blood, ran out? We finally have our answer, and it’s an encouraging one.
During an appearance on the Escape Hatch podcast, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that writing had begun on Season 4, which will be the show’s last season. “It really feels like we’ve turned a big page here,” he said. “Knowing there’s only one more season left, it feels like we can leave it all out on the field.”
With two seasons done, we’re already halfway through House of the Dragon.
This isn’t a huge surprise. In a 2022 blog post, George R. R. Martin speculated that it would take four seasons to adapt the Dance of Dragons, the inter-Targaryen saga House of the Dragon focuses on. And before the premiere of Season 2 back in 2024, Condal was already looking ahead to the endgame. “I do know now where we’re going to end this particular story,” he told Inverse. “And when I say end it, I just mean drop the curtain on it.”
While it’s sad to know we’re already halfway through with this saga, this is really a comfort to fans still reeling from Game of Thrones’ sharp decline. House of the Dragon will (presumably) end right where Fire & Blood ends, and won’t try to stretch the story out or waver from the original in an attempt to make more seasons. Plus, this is only the start for the broader Thronesverse, as we’re just a few weeks away from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiering and filling in some gaps between the two shows.
It’s never great to see a good show end, but at least House of the Dragon is going out on its own terms and quitting while it’s ahead. Game of Thrones may have made some brutal mistakes, but they’re being learned from.
