Condal didn't directly discuss how the episode cut led to a relatively lackluster Sunday finale, or why the decision was made not to end on a high note. But Condal did remind fans that the drama isn’t infinitely rich in the time and resources necessary to stage a battle every time.
“As a showrunner, you’re always in a position where you have to find a balance between the story and the resources you have available to tell that story,” Condal said. “We’re also starting to think about what the ultimate destination of this series is and where we’re going. A combination of factors led to that new balance. There’s a tremendous amount of resources, construction, armor, costumes, and visual effects that are needed to give the Gullet, perhaps the second most anticipated action after Fire and Blood, the time and space it deserves. We’re building toward that event. It’s going to happen very quickly in terms of storytelling. It’s going to be the biggest thing we’ve done so far. We want to have the time and space to do that at a level that’s going to excite the fans.” Condal was relatively reticent about sharing any major plot points for season three, other than confirming that House of the Dragon will run for four seasons (previously it was three or four) and that production will resume in early 2025. He declined to say how many episodes the new season will have or whether we can expect more dragons. He also declined to say what to expect from Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), who unexpectedly appeared behind bars at the end of season two, other than to hint that "the story is not over yet."
"There are so many big events that we're already writing for season three," he said. "This war really comes to a head at this point in the storyline. I mean, if you look at season two, it's largely a metaphor for nuclear conflict ... There are going to be huge moments of spectacle, but also real moments of surprise and character nuance that we're really looking forward to. Some of my favorite moments in the book, as a reader, I'm excited to adapt as a dramaturge." Condal once again raised the challenge of creating a series for an audience who have not read Martin's books. House of the Dragon is set 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen.
"I invite everyone to use the off-season to buy and read Fire and Blood so that you can go into season three armed with a lot of information," said Condal, who has already begun writing season three. "It's a very difficult position to be in my chair. Sara Hess and I are the guardians of this world. We have to make an exciting television adaptation of this story, knowing that there will be a percentage of the huge television audience who have not read the book. We are constantly trying to serve both worlds."
