House of the Dragon Season 3 Finale: Steve Toussaint on Corlys' Cunning Politics

If Daemon weren't Daemon, I think that plan would have worked. Rhaenyra remains queen, Daeron becomes Warden of the South, and everyone is happy.

Yes, I think you're absolutely right. But the moment Corlys says, "You have to decide what you want: whether you want Rhaenyra on the throne or a pile of dead Hightowers," he knows the moment it leaves his mouth, he says, "Oh, it's Daemon."

Of course, Daemon wants the pile of dead Hightowers! Corlys doesn't really participate in the Battle of Tumbleton, but he's there. What was it like being on set for those sequences? Did all the dragon pyrotechnics heat you up?

It was a hot day anyway. I couldn't see the whole battle where Ulf turns. I arrive at the part where I look up and see the dragon coming, and I run and hide. We were in this geographic bowl, this huge field, like a valley. It feels huge, big, and epic. Our director Andrij (Parekh) was shouting, 'There's the dragon!' and then you run and dive. But then, as we were preparing to film the scene where I pull Daemon out of the battle, you see all the corpses that have been strewn about everywhere. It's quite impactful. It's great because it helps you. Basically, no acting is required.

Many viewers really believed Corlys might be dead, not captured, after episode 6. Do you remember having a similar reaction when you read that script? Did (showrunner) Ryan Condal pull you aside?

Yes, I thought that when I read it. Firstly, when reading the first episode and it ends with Corlys falling into the sea, you think, 'Oh, wow, is that how it goes for him?' And then later, again with this. But I think it's the same as everyone else. You just flick through (the scripts) and hope you're alive at the end.