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House Of The Dragon’s Battle Of The Gullet Destroyed The Greyjoys’ Claim To Fame In Game Of Thrones

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House Of The Dragon’s Battle Of The Gullet Destroyed The Greyjoys’ Claim To Fame In Game Of Thrones

Warning: SPOILERS For House Of The Dragon Season 3, Episode 1 – “Salt And Sea, Fire And Blood” House of the Dragon‘s Battle of the Gullet displayed seamanship that destroyed...

Maria Nushi
June 26, 2026 9 Mins Read
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Warning: SPOILERS For House Of The Dragon Season 3, Episode 1 – “Salt And Sea, Fire And Blood”

House of the Dragon‘s Battle of the Gullet displayed seamanship that destroyed House Greyjoy’s claim to fame in Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon season 3 kicked off with one of the most anticipated and bloody battles in the Dance of the Dragons, as the Triarchy sailed from Essos to attack Driftmark, the seat of Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint).

The Battle of the Gullet was costly for Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emmy D’Arcy) side. Though the Triarchy was stopped, a third of the Velaryon Fleet was destroyed, and Lord Corlys’ castle, High Tide, was sacked. Corlys himself was seemingly killed by Admiral Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn), who was then finished off by Corlys’ son, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim).

The most tragic deaths in the Battle of the Gullet were Prince Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) and his dragon Vermax, who were both felled by the Triarchy’s arrows and Scorpion dragon-slayers. Even as the Targaryen and Velaryon dragons entered the conflict, however, the Battle of the Gullet was a war on the seas between the most powerful navies of Westeros and Essos, and their greatest sailors.

Corlys Velaryon & Admiral Lohar Are Better Sailors Than Game Of Thrones’ Greyjoys

Abubakar Salim's Alyn and Steve Toussaint's Corlys looking intense dressed in armor on a ship in House of the Dragon season 3
Abubakar Salim’s Alyn and Steve Toussaint’s Corlys looking intense dressed in armor on a ship in House of the Dragon season 3
Ollie Upton/HBO

House of the Dragon‘s Battle of the Gullet featured the most spectacular naval conflict ever seen in Game of Thrones, showing off the unmatched skills of Corlys Velaryon and Admiral Lohar as sea captains. Corlys and Lohar proved their worth in the shallow waters of the Teeth, as the Triarchy’s flagship, the Bitchfist, pursued Corlys’ famed vessel, the Sea Snake.


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Lord Corlys specifically led Admiral Lohar into the Teeth in a bid to sink the head of the Triarchy’s fleet. Taking manual control of the Sea Snake himself, Corlys used his intimate knowledge of his home waters, his unerring judgment, and precision to navigate through the Teeth. Corlys expected the Teeth to be the end of Lohar, and the rest of the Triarchy’s ship’s did succumb, but not the Admiral.

Tossing aside everything weighing the Bitchfist down, including Ser Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall), Admiral Lohar matched Lord Velaryon’s skill and deftly guided her ship through the Teeth, shocking Corlys. Lohar’s faster vessel then rammed the Sea Snake, sparking their final showdown.

Both Corlys and Lohar exhibited breathtaking seamanship in House of the Dragon season 3’s premiere, better than anything by the Greyjoys in Game of Thrones. To be fair, Game of Thrones only showed one great naval battle: the Battle of the Blackwater in season 2. Otherwise, the Greyjoy’s fabled seamanship was mainly talked about. Sadly, Game of Thrones never truly showed Yara Greyjoy’s (Gemma Whelan) skills as a captain.

It wasn’t until Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) was introduced in Game of Thrones season 7 that a Greyjoy displayed the seamanship befitting House Greyjoy’s reputation as Westeros’ greatest sailors. Euron’s savagery destroyed Daenerys Targaryen’s (Emilia Clarke) Iron Fleet, and Euron himself killed Rhaegal, one of her dragons.

House Of The Dragon Set Up How The Greyjoys Became Westeros’ Greatest Sailors

Euron Greyjoy

House of the Dragon takes place nearly two centuries before Game of Thrones, but the Battle of the Gullet marks the beginning of House Velaryon’s downfall. Lord Corlys’ Velaryon Fleet made his House one of the wealthiest in Westeros, and their blood ties to House Targaryen also made them among the most powerful families in the Seven Kingdoms.



















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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.

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Did you ride to glory — or fall from the sky?

However, the Battle of the Gullet was a devastating event for Corlys and House Velaryon. In George R.R. Martin’s “Fire and Blood,” Lord Corlys survives the Battle of the Gullet and continues serving as Rhaenyra’s Hand of the Queen. This should also be the case in House of the Dragon, but the Triarchy sacking High Tide and the loss of the Sea Snake diminishes the power of House Velaryon.

The upcoming events of House of the Dragon season 3 and 4 also don’t bode well for House Velaryon, and they never regain their wealth, power, and dominance of the seas before the Battle of the Gullet. As time marches on in Westeros, House Velaryon loses its stature as one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, so that they are rarely mentioned in Game of Thrones.

The fall of House Velaryon after House of the Dragon leads to House Greyjoy’s rise, with their Iron Fleet supplanting the Velaryons’, and Pyke replacing Driftmark as the seat of the most powerful navy in Westeros. Just like dragons until Drogon, Rhaegal, and Visarion in Game of Thrones, Corlys Velaryon’s legend as Westeros’ greatest sailor faded from memory after House of the Dragon.


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Release Date

August 21, 2022

Network

HBO

Directors

Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel

Writers

Gabe Fonseca

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