House of the Dragon Plans Its "Battle of the Bastards" Replacement for Season 3 or 4
Officially, the ending of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 7 names the successor for Game Of Thrones's "Battle of the Bastards."
Targaryen Bastards as Dragonriders Prepare Tumbleton's Second Battle
Rhaenyra notes in House Of The Dragon season 2, episode 7 that she will "build an army of bastards," before Rhaenyra Targaryen and Mysaria reach Dragonstone to claim the family's available dragons. With the "dragonseeds," Rhaenyra does precisely that: Prince Jacaerys on Vermax, Addam of Hull on Seasmoke, Hugh Hammer on Vermithor, and Ulf on Silverwing lead her army now has four dragonriding bastards to spearhead the charge. Although he hasn't been spotted riding his dragon, Rhaenyra's bastard son Joffrey is on her side with Tyraxes.
Although Rhaenyra boasts an army of bastards on one side in House of the Dragon season 2, this is not always the case. Later in the conflict, Hugh Hammer and Ulf defecting to the Greens turn their dragons against Team Black's own army, therefore betraying Rhaenyra at the First Battle of Tumbleton. Rhaenyra becomes wary about Addam of Hull doing the same, hence Corlys Velaryon's bastard son seeks to prove his allegiance by flying to Tumbleton and confronting the betrayers on his own.
The bastards and their dragons fight a terrible battle between Addam of Hull on one side and Hugh Hammer on the other that results in the deaths of not just the dragonriders but also each of their dragons. As such, the Second Battle of Tumbleton functions as House of the Dragon's own "Battle of the Bastards," much as the conflict in Game Of Thrones. Comparatively to Ramsay being legitimized as a Bolton, Addam is legitimized as a Velaryon by this time in George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood book, hence advancing the analogies between Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon's fights.
When in House of the Dragon will the Second Battle of Tumbleton take place?
There will be much of exposition to still cover before the Second Battle of Tumbleton arrives since it marks the last major conflict in the Dance of the Dragons. House of the Dragon has to adapt the Battle of the Gullet, Battle of the Honeywine, Fishfeed, Fall of King's Landing, Butcher's Ball, First Battle of Tumbleton, Battle Above the Gods Eye, and Storming of the Dragonpit before the Second Battle of Tumbleton. It's doubtful that season 3 will cover all of the few large wars that each may occupy several episodes.
House of the Dragon probably needs five seasons to cover the whole Dance of the Dragons and its immediate aftermath. The chronology of House of the Dragon might be changed to make the Second Battle of Tumbleton happen before the Battle Above the Gods Eye and Storming of the Dragonpit, therefore fitting it at the very end of season 3. Season 3 will most likely, however, finish with a major event like the Battle Above the Gods Eye, the duel in which Daemon and Aemond Targaryen and their dragons perish. Given Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen's death immediately following, the show might thus save the Second Battle of Tumbleton till early season 4.
House of the Dragon faces a great challenge beating Got's Battle of the Bastards.
Given how highly considered the Battle of the Bastards is among Game of Thrones' best fights, it will be challenging to match another bastard versus. bastard clash in House of the Dragon. Crucially, among the fighters in the Second Battle of Tumbleton, none is a beloved character. Though Hugh's narrative has been made more tragic on the show, Addam is a really likeable character and the principal "bastard" Jon Snow confronting one of the worst villains to avenge his sister, brother, and home has less impact.
Fire & Blood notes that Hugh dies early on when he is killed by members of Team Green and Ulf drunkenly sleeps through the whole conflict as Addam flies to Tumbleton to attack Hugh and Ulf. While the war of House of the Dragon is very fascinating when dragons are included into the bastard vs. bastard fight, the emotional weight of the fight won't be as great as in Game of Thrones. But considering numerous dragons are involved, the Second Battle of Tumbleton will undoubtedly show far more damage and devastation than Game of Thrones' Battle of the Bastards. Seeing three large Targaryen dragons die will also be quite the show as House of the Dragon marks the end of the Dance.
