Viewers are wondering which house between the Blackwood and the Bracken won the Battle of Burning Hill in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 3. The episode begins by offering a glimpse of one of the most ancient feudal rivalries in Westeros. Both in Fire & Blood and House of the Dragon, the Brackens and the Blackwoods have been in a perpetual state of conflict with each other for thousands of years. The tensions between Houses Blackwood and Bracken erupt into the Dance of the Dragons’ first major clash on the battlefield. Fittingly, these two rivals become the central figures in the Battle of the Burning Mill, as they declare for opposing sides in the Targaryen civil war: the Blackwoods for Rhaenyra and the Brackens for Aegon II.
Here is what happened in the Burning Mill battle in House of the Dragon Season 2.
What happened in the Burning Mill battle in House of the Dragon Season 2?
In Episode 3, Aemond reports that the Brackens attacked the Blackwoods after declaring for Rhaenyra, killing Samwell Blackwood. The Greens gained first blood, but both sides suffered heavy losses. No clear victor was found.
From what Aemond says at the small council meeting in Episode 3, it was the Brackens who attacked the Blackwoods after the latter house declared for Rhaenyra. And, Samwell Blackwood, the head of the House Blackwood, was killed in the battle. Hearing this, Aegon remarks that this is good as the first blood has gone to the Greens. This prompts other council members to point out that both sides suffered heavy losses, and there was no clear victor.
In the book, the Battle of Burning Hill takes place in 129 AC and seems to have a clear winner. It appears that the writers of the series have used the first battle of the Targaryen civil war as a metaphor for the entire war itself. Underscoring the fact that both sides endured heavy casualties, they are pointing at where the civil war will ultimately lead.
Did House Bracken win the Burning Mill battle?
No, House Bracken did not win the Battle of Burning Hill.
As mentioned above, the series establishes that the battle didn’t have a clear winner. The Blackwoods emerged as the victors in the book. Samwell Blackwood led the Blackwood host, whereas Ser Amos Bracken commanded the Bracken army. Amos killed Samwell in single combat, and, in turn, died after a weirwood arrow lodged into his skull. It was purportedly shot by Alysanne, Samwell’s 16-year-old sister. As mentioned above, Samwell is only mentioned in the episode. Meanwhile, Amos is neither mentioned nor makes an appearance.
The Bracken army broke and escaped the battlefield, while Daemon took control of Stone Hedge with the help of other Riverlands houses.
Why did House of the Dragon Season 2 skip the Burning Mill battle?
HBO and series creators likely intentionally excluded the Battle of Burning Hill.
Geeta Vasant Patel, who directed the episode, implied as much in an interview with Screen Rant. Asked about the reasons behind skipping the battle, Patel said that the question should be asked to HBO and Ryan Condal. She added that she was initially disappointed that she didn’t get to film the battle scene. “I felt the challenge of what I needed to deliver as director, and what we needed as cinematographers, actors — everybody as a team,” Patel stated.
The battle itself doesn’t directly involve the main characters. House of the Dragon cleverly chooses to depict it through the eyes of two newly introduced young boys. This approach conveys the war’s brutality and devastation in a concise and impactful way.
