House of the Dragon season 3 is almost over, but HBO already has its perfect replacement series lined up, and that show will debut next week. 2026 has proven itself a great year for Game of Thrones spinoffs. Earlier this year we had the debut of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which showed how this fantasy franchise can present a huge variety.
After all, that series was far more light-hearted than House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, even though it had quite a few intense and dark moments. It also focused on the smaller characters that inhabit George R. R. Martin’s Westeros far more. Now, House of the Dragon season 3 has delivered the most action-packed series of the franchise’s first spinoff thus far.
Several characters have died, major moves have been made, and plenty of surprising twists played out in the first seven episodes of House of the Dragon season 3. There is only one episode left before the season calls it a day, and it is coming this Sunday, August 9. While many will be said to see the show enter another hiatus, a replacement is on the way.
Dragonstone Archives · The Dance Begins The Dance of the Dragons Awaits “The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion.”
🐉The BlacksTeam Rhaenyra
👑The GreensTeam Aegon
🔥DragonsFire & Blood
⚔The CrownSuccession
🔮ProphecyA Song of Ice
01
King Viserys I names his heir early in the series, defying tradition that would favor his firstborn son. Who does he name as his successor?
✓ Correct! Viserys named his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne after the death of his first wife, Aemma, and their infant son. He forced the lords of the realm to swear oaths of fealty to her — oaths many would later break.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Rhaenyra Targaryen. Viserys defied Westerosi precedent by naming his daughter over his brother Daemon. Even after fathering sons with Alicent Hightower, Viserys never changed his decree.
02
Alicent Hightower’s faction is known as “the Greens.” Who is her father, the cunning Hand of the King who orchestrates much of their political strategy?
✓ Correct! Otto Hightower served as Hand of the King and was the mastermind behind the Green faction. He strategically positioned his daughter Alicent to marry Viserys, and spent decades maneuvering to place Alicent’s son Aegon on the throne.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Otto Hightower. He served as Hand to both Jaehaerys I and Viserys I, and engineered the marriage between Alicent and the King. Corlys Velaryon sided with the Blacks, and Lyonel Strong served as Hand before Otto’s return.
03
Daemon Targaryen rides a fierce, battle-scarred dragon known for its Blood Wyrm nickname. What is the name of his fearsome mount?
✓ Correct! Caraxes, known as “the Blood Wyrm,” is Daemon’s dragon — a lean, red, battle-scarred beast. While Vhagar is the largest and oldest dragon alive, Caraxes is the most experienced in combat and fiercely loyal to Daemon.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Caraxes. Syrax is Rhaenyra’s dragon, Vhagar is the oldest dragon (ridden by Aemond), and Meleys “the Red Queen” is Rhaenys’s mount. Caraxes the Blood Wyrm is Daemon’s partner in the skies.
04
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen is known by a nickname reflecting the fact she was passed over for the throne in favor of Viserys. What is she called?
✓ Correct! Rhaenys was dubbed “The Queen Who Never Was” after the Great Council of 101 AC chose Viserys over her, despite her strong claim. Married to Corlys Velaryon, she became one of the most formidable figures in the Dance, riding Meleys the Red Queen.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Queen Who Never Was. “The Realm’s Delight” is actually young Rhaenyra’s nickname. Rhaenys earned her title when the lords of the realm chose Viserys over her at the Great Council, setting the precedent that later fueled the Dance.
05
Vhagar is the largest living dragon during the Dance. Which Targaryen prince claims her — dramatically shifting the balance of power to the Greens?
✓ Correct! Aemond Targaryen claimed Vhagar at Driftmark after the funeral of Laena Velaryon — Vhagar’s previous rider. This bold act gave the Greens their most devastating weapon and sparked the confrontation that cost Aemond his eye.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Aemond Targaryen. Aegon II rides Sunfyre, Jacaerys rides Vermax, and Daeron rides Tessarion. Aemond’s daring claim of Vhagar at Driftmark was a pivotal moment that made him the Greens’ most dangerous warrior.
06
Viserys shares a secret Targaryen prophecy with Rhaenyra about a threat from the North and a promised prince. What is this prophecy called?
✓ Correct! Aegon the Conqueror had a prophetic dream he called “A Song of Ice and Fire” — a vision of a terrible winter coming from the North that would destroy the world of the living. This secret was passed from king to heir, and Viserys shared it with Rhaenyra on the night he named her heir.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is A Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon the Conqueror’s dream foretold a great threat from the North requiring a Targaryen on the Iron Throne to unite the realm. Viserys revealed this to Rhaenyra, connecting House of the Dragon directly to the events of Game of Thrones.
07
Corlys Velaryon is one of the richest and most powerful men in Westeros, famous for his legendary voyages. What is his well-known title?
✓ Correct! Corlys Velaryon earned the name “The Sea Snake” through his legendary nine voyages across the known world aboard his ship. He amassed a fortune that made House Velaryon wealthier than even the Lannisters, and his naval power proved crucial in the Dance.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is The Sea Snake. While Corlys did serve on the Small Council, his legendary title comes from his nine great voyages. “Lord of the Tides” is the formal title of the head of House Velaryon, but “The Sea Snake” is his personal epithet.
08
The Season 1 finale ends with a devastating loss for Rhaenyra when one of her sons is killed in a dragonback confrontation. Which son does she lose, and who kills him?
✓ Correct! Lucerys Velaryon, riding his young dragon Arrax, was pursued and killed by Aemond on the colossal Vhagar above Shipbreaker Bay near Storm’s End. The show portrays this as partly accidental — Vhagar acted on her own — but the result ignited the Dance of the Dragons into open war.
✗ Dracarys! The answer is Lucerys, killed by Aemond and Vhagar. Luke was sent as an envoy to Storm’s End but was confronted by Aemond. The massive Vhagar devoured young Arrax and his rider above Shipbreaker Bay — the act that turned a succession dispute into a full-scale civil war.
Dragonstone Archives · Sealed by Fire Your Dragon Rider Record
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Did you ride to glory — or fall from the sky?
HBO’s replacement for House of the Dragon is not a fantasy series or another Game of Thrones spinoff. Instead, it is Lanterns, a new live-action series set within James Gunn’s DC Universe. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Green Lantern show when it debuts on HBO next week, and House of the Dragon fans should give it a try.
Lanterns Will Take Over House Of The Dragon’s Spot At HBO
Currently, House of the Dragon season 3 is the prestige HBO series airing on its premium Sunday night slot, which is usually reserved for event series, such as Game of Thrones, Westworld, The White Lotus, Succession, and more did before it. House of the Dragon will be followed by Lanterns in that slot, with DC’s new Green Lantern series airing its first episode on August 16, at 9:00 PM ET. Adding to that, HBO’s Lanterns is arriving exactly one week after the final episode of House of the Dragon season 3, which makes the connection between them clear.
Lanterns might not be a fantasy series, but it is HBO’s House of the Dragon replacement as a prestige Sunday night show, debuting a week after season 3 finishes, which ensures that viewers will have no gaps in event series. Lanterns is the only live-action series set to come from DC this year, which makes it as high-profile a series as it gets. It also follows two of the biggest heroes from DC Comics, making it a must-watch for fans of the genre. For all of those reasons, it deserves its spot as HBO’s next prestige series.
Why DC’s Lanterns Is Worth Watching On HBO
Hal Jordan uses his green lantern ring in Lanterns
The House of the Dragon replacement has been billed by DC Studios co-CEO’s Gunn and Peter Safran as similar to HBO’s hit True Detective. Instead of being a cosmic adventure, the new DCU series will primarily take place on Earth, following Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan as he reluctantly trains Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart while they investigate a mystery in a small town that Hal believes is related to aliens. The show will merge the dark atmosphere and grit of True Detective with the Green Lanterns Corps’ fantastical lore from the comics, making it a unique series on HBO.
Lanterns is also the first proper live-action Green Lantern project since the 2011 movie with Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan failed to excite. It features three major human Green Lanterns, with Nathan Fillion also returning as Guy Gardner after making his DCU debut in 2025’s Superman. Adding to all those exciting elements, Lanterns is also worth watching on HBO due to its star-studded lineup of creators, which includes Damon Lindelof (Lost), Chris Mundy (Ozark), and Tom King (Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow). Lanterns emerges as HBO’s perfect House of the Dragon replacement.
