House of the Dragon is this actor’s only title dominating HBO Max.
After a two-year hiatus, House of the Dragon season 3 has debuted, and it gets 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%, following Season 2’s 84% and Season 1’s 90%. With Season 4 already renewed and confirmed as the end of the series, the Targaryen family civil war continues to escalate, as does the scope 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 black onesTeam Rhaenyra
👑The GreensTeam Aegon
🔥DragonsFire & Blood
⚔The crownSuccession
🔮ProphecyA song about ice cream
01
King Viserys I names his heir early in the series, defying traditions that would favor his firstborn son. Who does he appoint 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 kingdom to swear fealty to her – oaths that many would later break.
✗ Dragons! The answer is Rhaenyra Targaryen. Viserys defied Westerosi precedent by naming his daughter after 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 acted as the 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.
✗ Dragons! 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 by its Blood Wyrm nickname. What is the name of his fearsome mountain?
✓ Correct! Caraxes, known as “the Blood Wyrm”, is the Demon Dragon – a gaunt, red, battle-scarred beast. While Vhagar is the largest and oldest dragon alive, Caraxes is the most experienced in battle and fiercely loyal to Daemon.
✗ Dragons! The answer is Caraxes. Syrax is Rhaenyra’s dragon, Vhagar is the Elder Dragon (ridden by Aemond), and Meley’s “red queen” is Rhaenys’ mount. Caraxes the Blood Wyrm is Daemon’s partner in the clouds.
04
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen is known by a nickname that reflects the fact that she was passed over for the throne in favor of Viserys. What is her name?
✓ Correct! Rhaenys was dubbed “The Queen Who Never Was” after the Great Council of 101 AC chose Viserys over her, despite her strong demands. Married to Corlys Velaryon, she became one of the most formidable figures in the dance as she rode Meley’s the Red Queen.
✗ Dragons! 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 a precedent that later fueled the dance.
05
Vhagar is the largest living dragon during the dance. Which Targaryen prince claims her – and shifts the balance of power dramatically to the Greens?
✓ Correct! Aemond Targaryen claimed Vhagar at Driftmark after the burial of Laena Velaryon – Vhagar’s former rider. This bold act gave the Greens their most devastating weapon and sparked the confrontation that cost Aemond his eye.
✗ Dragons! The answer is Aemond Targaryen. Aegon II rides Sunfyre, Jacaerys rides Vermax, and Daeron rides Tessarion. Aemond’s daring claim on Vhagar at the Driftmark was a defining moment that made him the Green’s 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 down from king to heir, and Viserys shared it with Rhaenyra the night he named her heir.
✗ Dragons! The answer is A Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon the Conqueror’s dream foretold a great threat from the North that required a Targaryen on the Iron Throne to unite the realm. Viserys revealed this to Rhaenyra, directly connecting the House of Dragons 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 travels. What is his familiar 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 richer than even the Lannisters, and his naval power proved decisive in the dance.
✗ Dragons! The answer is The Sea Snake. While Corlys served 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 as one of her sons is killed in a dragonback confrontation. Which son does she lose and who kills him?
✓ Correct! Lucerys Velaryon, riding her 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 his own – but the result ignited the Dance of Dragons into open war.
✗ Dragons! The answer is Lucerys, killed by Aemond and Vhagar. Luke was sent as an emissary to Storm’s End, but was confronted by Aemond. The massive Vhagar swallowed young Arrax and his rider over Shipbreaker Bay—the act that turned a succession conflict 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 did you 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 the American list of films. Both projects have Olivia Cooke in prominent rolesas she plays Alicent Hightower in 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 fourth on the film’s US chart, with the 2018 film trailing only Glen Powell’s How to make a killing A24s Undertone, and Zazie Beetz They will kill youall of which are 2026 releases.That’s itin front Infection, A story 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 UK it is the number one film on HBO Max.
Olivia Cooke in Ready Player One
The timing is perfect with Cooke as one of the main stars in House of the Dragons high-profile return, and HBO Max subscribers who want to see more of her work can watch Ready Player One while they wait for new episodes. While her breakout role was playing Emma Decody in Bates Moteland she received critical acclaim for her performances in Me and Earl and the dying girl and ThoroughbredThe science fiction film was her first blockbuster.
Ready Player One takes place in a future with an intricate virtual reality world known as the OASIS, which is much more appealing than the alternative presented by the bleak 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 goes by the avatar name Art3mis, is also on the hunt for it, along with the sinister company Innovative Online Industries and plenty of others.
With a “Certified Fresh” 71% critic 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 in 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 latest return to the genre with Disclosure Daywhich is still playing in theaters, also makes it the perfect time to watch his 2018 film.
