House of the Dragon isn’t this actor’s only title dominating HBO Max.
After a two-year hiatus, House of the Dragon season 3 has debuted, and it is off to an explosive start after opening with the Battle of the Gullet. On Rotten Tomatoes, the new season has a series-high critics’ score of 91% after season 2’s 84% and season 1’s 90%. With season 4 already renewed and confirmed to be the end of the series, the Targaryen family’s civil war continues to escalate, as does the scale of the overall series.
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?
While House of the Dragon is number one on HBO Max’s streaming chart for TV shows, Ready Player One is at the top of U.S. chart for movies. Both projects feature Olivia Cooke in prominent roles, as she plays Alicent Hightower in the Game of Thrones prequel, and she plays Samantha Cook/Art3mis in the Steven Spielberg-directed adaptation of Ernest Cline’s science-fiction novel.
On HBO Max, Ready Player One is in fourth place on the movies U.S. chart, where the 2018 film is only behind Glen Powell’s How to Make a Killing, A24’s Undertone, and Zazie Beetz’s They Will Kill You, all of which are 2026 releases.It isahead of Contagion, A History of Violence, Rampage, The Rock, Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World), and Madea’s Witness Protection. In the U.K., it is the number one movie on HBO Max.
Olivia Cooke in Ready Player One
The timing is perfect with Cooke being one of the main stars in House of the Dragon‘s high-profile return, and HBO Max subscribers who want to see more of her work can watch Ready Player One as they wait for new episodes. While her breakout role was playing Emma Decody in Bates Motel, and she received critical acclaim for her performances in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and Thoroughbreds, the science-fiction movie was her first blockbuster.
Ready Player One is set in a future with an intricate virtual reality world known as the OASIS, which is much more appealing than the alternative presented by the grim state of the real world. When OASIS founder James Halliday (Mark Rylance) dies, he leaves behind an Easter egg, and the winner who finds it will inherit the virtual world. Teenager Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), whose avatar goes by Parvizal, sets out to find the egg. Samantha, who has the avatar name Art3mis, is also on the hunt for it, along with the sinister corporation Innovative Online Industries and plenty of others.
With a “Certified Fresh” 71% critics’ score and a 77% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Ready Player One received mostly positive reviews. It was hailed as a successful return to science-fiction for Spielberg, and not just because of the many nostalgic pop culture references within the OASIS. The film was also a massive box office success, grossing $583 million worldwide after being made on a reported production budget of $175 million. Spielberg’s recent return to the genre with Disclosure Day, which is still playing in theaters, also makes it the perfect time to watch his 2018 movie.
