Warning: This story contains spoilers from Episodes 1-7 of “House of the Dragon” Season 3.

Fever dreams are high in the penultimate episode of “House of the Dragon” Season 3 as Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) holds the Iron Throne and dragons clash ahead of the bloody Battle of Tumbleton.

The final episode’s preview teases an all-out war between the Targaryens and Hightowers, as well as shocking betrayals that are sure to shake up the series.

The season also started on a bloody note with the rival Targaryen factions clashing in the Battle of the Gullet, leading to Rhaenyra assuming the Iron Throne while Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) fled town.

Based on George R.R. Martin’s “Fire & Blood,” the series is set 200 years before the events of “Game of Thrones” and tells the story of House Targaryen.

However, the author has had a difficult relationship with the HBO show. In 2024, he penned a scathing blog entry slamming changes the series has made to his source material and, in the process, spoiled an upcoming plot point from Season 3 that he was unhappy about. Martin later deleted the blog.

USA TODAY TV critic Kelly Lawler gave the new season ★★½ out of four, writing that Season 3 “still has too many forgettable and stilted characters and not nearly enough oomph behind its biggest conflicts, even with two seasons’ worth of backstory in its wake.”

“But there are glimmers of hope, particularly after the first two (sadly) table-setting episodes, that there is some honest-to-goodness storytelling momentum here,” her review said. “The pace quickens, the characters start using their brains, and there’s even a smidgen of levity mixed in with all the heads on pikes and grieving mothers.”

When is the ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 finale?

The Season 3 finale of “House of the Dragon” will air on HBO on Sunday, Aug. 9, at 9 p.m. ET/PT and will be available to stream on HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

How to watch ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 finale on TV, streaming

“House of the Dragon” Season 3 airs on HBO at 9 p.m. ET/PT and is available to stream on HBO Max at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT on Sundays.

Watch ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 finale preview

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 cast

• Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen
• Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Olivia Cooke as Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower
• Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen
• Phia Saban as Queen Helaena Targaryen
• Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
• Bethany Antonia as Lady Baela Targaryen
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
• Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
• Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
• Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
• Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
• Matthew Needham as Lord Larys Strong
• Abigail Thorn as Admiral Sharako Lohar

Will ‘House of the Dragon’ return for Season 4?

Yes. The series is expected to return for its fourth and final season in 2028.

HBO Chairman and CEO Casey Bloys, in a January interview with Deadline, said Season 4 would likely be the last.

“Yes, that is the idea,” Bloys said when asked to confirm whether Season 4 would be the last, as showrunner Ryan Condal implied. “The idea has always been to follow the history of the Targaryens. If you know the books, you know how the Targaryens end up. So, there is a natural end to this particular history of that House of the Targaryens.”

Season 4 is expected to air sometime in 2028.

Contributing: Kelly Lawler, Brendan Morrow, Bryan Alexander / USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.