House of the Dragon season 3 cast guide: 7 characters to know for the Battle of the Gullet

A breakdown of the key characters and what’s at stake

House of the Dragon season 2 viewers who wanted more action were ultimately left disappointed. Thankfully, showrunner Ryan Condal is quick to remedy the situation in season 3.

Much of the season premiere is devoted to The Battle of the Gullet, an epic conflict where the Triarchy pirate fleet attacks the navy Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) has been using to blockade King’s Landing. The fight is an incredible spectacle with huge implications for Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne.

Unlike previous Game of Thrones battles, the naval fight is well lit. But it can still be tough to keep track of everything that’s going on given it’s been two years since the conflict was set up and The Battle of the Gullet includes a huge number of characters. Consider us your maester as we provide a guide to all the combatants and what this fight means for them.

1 Jacaerys Velaryon

Played by Harry Collett

Rhaenyra’s eldest son and heir, Jace is the rider of the dragon Vermax. He is actually the bastard son of Harwin Strong, the former Lord Commander of the City Watch of King’s Landing, who Rhaenyra took as a lover while she was married to Laenor Velaryon. Jace is betrothed to Baela Targaryen. He helped his mother secure alliances with the Starks and Freys and often argues for aggressive action in the war.

2 Baela Targaryen

Played by Bethany Antonia

The eldest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and his first wife, Laena Velaryon, Baela rides the dragon Moondancer. She is betrothed to Jace.

3 Rhaena Targaryen

Played by Phoebe Campbell

The youngest daughter of Daemon Targaryen and his first wife, Laena Velaryon, Rhaena feels neglected by her family because her dragon egg never hatched and her other attempts to bond with dragons have failed. After Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys was killed by King Aegon’s younger brother Aemond and war over succession became inevitable, Rhaenyra sent her three young sons to the Vale with Rhaena. While Rhaena was meant to travel to Pentos with the children to ensure they were safe from the conflict, she instead decided to stay behind and attempt to tame the wild dragon Sheepstealer.

4 Corlys Velaryon

Played by Steve Toussaint

Rhaenyra’s Hand of the Queen, Corlys also leads the royal fleet. Known as the Sea Snake, Corlys is a longtime enemy of the Triarchy. He fought their forces in the Stepstones alongside his son Laenor and Daemon Targaryen. Corlys was badly wounded in the conflict and saved by his bastard son Alyn of Hull. Laenor later faked his death and went into exile so that Rhaenyra and Daemon could marry, leaving Corlys without a successor and the dragon Seasmoke without a rider. Following the death of his wife, Rhaenys, Corlys has been trying to reconcile with his illegitimate sons.

5 Alyn of Hull

Played by Abubakar Salim

Alyn is a highly skilled sailor and turned down the chance to try to claim a dragon after his brother Addam bonded with Seasmoke. While he has rebuffed Corlys’ attempts at reconciliation, the two will be serving together on the flagship of the Velayron fleet, the Queen Who Never Was.

6 Tyland Lannister

Played by Jefferson Hall

When Corlys left King’s Landing to fight in the Stepstones, Tyland Lannister succeeded him as Master of Ships to King Viserys Targaryen. He was part of a conspiracy led by Otto Hightower to name Viserys’ son Aegon as his successor instead of his eldest daughter Rhaenyra. Tyland helped to secure the treasury after Viserys died and became Aegon’s Master of Coin. The combined Hightower and Lannister navies aren’t strong enough to break the blockade Rhaenyra has placed on King’s Landing, so Tyland was sent to Tyrosh to recruit the Triarchy fleet.

7 Sharako Lohar

Played by Abigail Thorn

The admiral of the Triarchy fleet, Sharako agreed to sail with Tyland in exchange for control over the Stepstones. The deal was sealed with a mud-wrestling match. Sharako has several wives, but declared that she wants to have children with Tyland.