THAT Dragon Twist Explained & How It Sets Up House Of The Dragon's Biggest Death
Warning! Spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 7, ahead!Just as it looked like things were over for Aegon the Usurper in House of the Dragon season 3, his dragon Sunfyre arrived to save the day. It's quite a twist, since this Game of Thrones spinoff series took a real detour to assure viewers that the king's dragon was dead. At the end of season 2, Sunfyre and his rider were plunged into Vhagar's flames, causing them to crash, burning, into the earth. Aegon made it out alive, but Sunfyre looked beyond saving. House of the Dragon season 3 seemed to confirm that fact by showing the dragon's mangled, decaying corpse.
Baela Targaryen reported seeing Sunfyre in a state of decomposition, and then later, Aegon himself had a chance to pay his dragon a visit. While he claimed that Sunfyre wasn't dead, Larys urged the king to accept what his eyes were telling him. The beast had been lying, maimed and burned, in the forest for weeks without food, water, or any signs of healing. Yet, in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 7, when Aegon prepared to die at the hands of those loyal to Queen Rhaenyra, Sunfyre appeared and burned them to a crisp.
Sunfyre looks about as good as his master does. The side of the dragon's face that had been pressed against the ground for so long appears misshapen, whether from the crash or weeks of what truly appeared to be decay in the forest. Regardless, it seems Aegon was right about Sunfyre. It's not a surprise as far as canon goes, since Sunfyre lived in Martin's Fire & Blood too. Still, the reasons are much less clear in HBO's show.
Sunfyre's Survival Is Much More Baffling In House of The Dragon
In Martin's Fire & Blood, everyone knew that Sunfyre was seriously injured and likely to die, but there was no true confirmation of death like what we seemed to get in House of the Dragon season 3. Instead, Criston Cole left some of his men to guard, feed, and water the dragon, hoping that he would one day heal. Under the constant care of these soldiers, Sunfyre slowly regained the ability to fly, and he was ultimately reunited with Aegon. Of course, this isn't what happened in the show.
In House of the Dragon, no one has been taking care of Sunfyre in the time since the Battle of Rook's Rest. In fact, people have been charging admission to let others come see or touch the beast's corpse. It's therefore not clear precisely how Sunfyre managed to get up so long after his supposed death and head to Aegon's aid.
While Fire & Blood suggests that Sunfyre couldn't have healed without the care of Criston Cole's soldiers, House of the Dragon takes a different approach. The dragon is a magical creature, after all, so it can pull off some additional miracles. It's as if Sunfyre went into some kind of state of deep hibernation while his body healed itself enough to take flight. Then, when he sensed that Aegon was in danger, Sunfyre must have become restless. That would have been quite the sight for those men charging people to touch the thing.
Sunfyre got to Aegon in the nick of time, and though neither this prince nor his golden dragon is the glorious sight they used to be, it can't be denied that they are dangerous. Aegon went from being a pain-riddled beggar to a Targaryen dragon lord again, and that's going to mean a significant boost in his trajectory.
What Is Next For Aegon Now That Sunfyre Has Returned?
Everything has changed for Aegon now that Sunfyre is back. However, that doesn't mean he can act hastily. The usurper can't exactly fly to be reunited with the brother that tried to kill him. Nor could Aegon fly straight for King's Landing given both his and Sunfyre's state. Instead, it seems more likely that Aegon will begin to reposition himself to rule, but he must be careful not to push Sunfyre too much all at once.
Tyland Lanister—another character who miraculously survived—wants Aegon to come with him to Casterly Rock, where they can regroup and prepare their next play. However, this option seems even less likely than before. Casterly Rock is nearly a thousand miles from Rook's Rest, and it's unlikely Sunfyre could fly that far right now. Instead, based on distance and the vague outline provided by canon, Aegon is likely to fly Sunfyre the 150 miles to Dragonstone instead.
Aegon and Larys already talked about hiding out at Dragonstone, though the prospect didn't last all that long. According to Martin's Fire & Blood, this is precisely where the prince and his dragon go. It makes some sense, since Dragonstone would be well equipped to provide Sunfyre with the TLC he needs. Additionally, this is precisely where Aegon is meant to face the next part of his journey.
The Biggest Death Of House Of The Dragon Depended On Sunfyre's Survival
Warning! MAJOR spoilers for Fire & Blood ahead!
The fact that House of the Dragon might have actually killed off Sunfyre was rather alarming, since this dragon has a significant role to play as the Dance of the Dragons continues. While Aegon holds Dragonstone, Rhaenyra Targaryen will be forced to flee from King's Landing, and she naturally returns to her old home without knowing that her brother is already there. When the queen arrives, Aegon takes her captive. Then, he orders the still-injured Sunfyre to burn and consume Rhaenyra Targaryen's body.
As great as it would be to see Rhaenyra face a different fate as House of the Dragon continues, removing Sunfyre from the equation would have been a baffling move. Unfortunately, for this story to play out in any way like what Martin wrote, the queen must die, and it must be Aegon and Sunfyre that do it. This isn't the type of show that offers too many long-lasting victories, but the only consolation is that this is true for the villains as well. Aegon may have his dragon, and his sister's life may as well be his. Still, House of the Dragon is sure to turn its cruel attention to the king next.