Warning: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3 and potentially future episodes.Fans are given an answer regarding one of Westeros’ most enigmatic residents — or has the mystery only deepened?
Alys Rivers‘ (Gayle Rankin) origins are vague in House of the Dragon, but her surname, given to bastards with noble blood born in the Riverlands, means she is likely the daughter of one of the lords of House Strong. But she has lived and served as a healer at Harrenhal for an unknown amount of time when the Dance of the Dragons breaks out, and she sees new opportunities after maybe centuries.
An account in George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, the source material for the spinoff-prequel series, suggests that Alys could have been using magic of some kind to appear younger than she was. But in a new interview with Variety, star Gayle Rankin was directly asked about Alys’ age, and gave a dramatic answer, in light of the reveal that a clutch of dragon eggs has been held at Harrenhal for decades.
“The fact Alys even knows about the dragon eggs that have been hidden away for decades means she might have actually been around Harrenhal for as long as she claims she has. Just how old do you think Alys actually is?” asked Variety. Rankin responded: “I think she’s like 400 years old. I mean, give or take. I think we’re gonna like find out more soon, but she could be 400 years old.“
“Like, I believe her, that’s the thing. I think there’s a lot of skepticism about, is she telling the truth? Is she manipulating? I’m like, believe the woman,” she continued. While Alys appears to have visions of the future and offers seemingly altruistic insights on the line of succession, she navigates tricky relationships with Westeros’ royals with the aim of consolidating her own burgeoning political power.
In House of the Dragon season 2, she spends much time with Prince Daemon (Matt Smith), but when he scoffs at her wish to independently hold Harrenhal in the third season premiere, she decides that allying with the Blacks is not her best shot. So when she has the chance to aid a wounded Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) in season 3, she does, and the two eventually become lovers.
Heading into House of the Dragon season 3’s finale, Alys has established a relationship with Aemond where she has a decent amount of influence. “Going into the Season 3 finale,” continues Variety, “what do you think is the most likely way that we will see Alys eventually go? She’s lived for 400 years, so do you think she’ll make it to the end of this season at the very least? She doesn’t seem in immediate danger right now.“
Rankin says: “I think she’s in immediate danger always, and maybe in immediate danger of something more emotionally profound happening, but not of dying. I think we have more time.“ Notably, Alys survives the Dance of the Dragons in Fire & Blood and comes to rule over the haunted castle and a number of outlaws, earning her the moniker of the witch queen.
She also claims to have given birth to Aemond’s son, who she argues is the true heir to the Iron Throne. Alys has been an engaging character for viewers to watch because of the nebulous nature of her power and her adaptability. If the source material is anything to go by, as well as Rankin’s comments, she will have more screen time in House of the Dragon season 4, where more tantalizing hints may be dropped.
The House of the Dragon season 3 finale premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 9, 2026. All previous episodes are available to stream on HBO Max.
- Release Date
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August 21, 2022
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel
- Writers
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Gabe Fonseca
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Fabien Frankel
Ser Criston Cole