‘House of the Dragon’s Premiere Proves the Sea Snake Show Should Never Have Been Cancelled

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 1.

When it comes to Game of Thrones, everyone loves a good dragon battle, but, as much of this as there is in the House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere, it’s actually Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), the Sea Snake, who steals the show. During the Battle of the Gullet, he has a personal confrontation against Captain Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn) of the Triarchy, including some of the best naval battle scenes in recent pop culture. The thing is, we once had the prospect of seeing many more such battles and adventures, as HBO once announced the development of the Sea Snake’s own series, 9 Voyages. Now, House of the Dragon proves how massive a mistake it might be to not see that series released.

HBO Once Had a Live-Action Project About the Sea Snake’s Adventures Before ‘House of the Dragon’

Between May 2019 and August 2022, fans of A Song of Ice and Fire didn’t have much to watch on TV, but that doesn’t mean things weren’t happening. In March 2021, for example, HBO announced the development of three spin-off shows, including 9 Voyages. It would follow Lord Corlys’ adventures as he sails around the world in his epic voyages. This is one of the most important parts in the character’s story, when he collects most of House Velaryon’s treasures and earns the Sea Snake title, and something fans have long wanted to see.

At the time, it was announced that 9 Voyages was being developed by Bruno Heller, creator of another HBO epic series, Rome. It felt like a no-brainer, given the very nature and scale of Corlys’ story before settling down in Driftmark, but the project lost momentum to the point where it seemed like it was about to get cancelled entirely. Now, following the most recent news, the series has been pivoted to an animated format and is now called The Sea Snake, with Genndy Tartakovsky at the helm. However, it is still in development, so let’s hope it eventually sets sail for real.

Corlys Velaryon’s Voyages Are Teased Multiple Times in the ‘House of the Dragon’

Corlys’ confrontation with Lohar is nothing short of epic, and it really does steal the spotlight from the dragons on many occasions. His leading her into the narrows for an ambush is easily one of the highlights of the episode, a chase sequence unlike any other in Game of Thrones television so far. There are other moments, however, that tease the Sea Snake’s glorious past as a warrior and explorer — he wields a Dothraki arrakh in battle, drinks wine from Ib with Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim), and Lohar mentions he has been killing her mates for 20 years.

In total, Corlys is said to have made nine voyages as the captain of his flagship, the Sea Snake, going to the furthest corners of the known world and, in many cases, becoming the first Westerosi to ever do it. Although his feats were later recorded by Maester Mathis in his book, The Nine Voyages, there aren’t many details about the trips themselves, making them perfect for a series to explore. What is known is where he went: Yi Ti, Leng, Asshai, the Shivering Sea to the north, Qarth, and much more. Before that, he had already been to most of the Free Cities, Ib, and even Hardhome beyond the Wall.

It was during this period that Corlys multiplied the wealth of House Velaryon and turned it into one of the richest in Westeros. On his ninth and final voyage to Qarth, he returned to Driftmark with ships filled with gold, silk, and spices, and even attempted to bring elephants. He then built High Tide and filled it with the treasures from his voyages, and that’s why seeing it burn under Lohar’s orders hurts him so much. The scene in the Narrows is only a fraction of what Corlys truly is as a captain and sailor, which begs the question: just how good was he in his prime? That’s what we want answered.

‘The Sea Snake’ Is Currently Being Developed as an Animated Show, but It Deserves the Spotlight

Image via Ollie Upton/HBO

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In January, HBO chief Casey Bloys confirmed that The Sea Snake is being developed as an animated series, not live-action, contrary to what was believed. It would make this the first-ever Game of Thrones animated show, which is exciting for the franchise, but, given the treatment the industry tends to give animated projects, it’s also a little concerning. They usually aren’t among most studios’ priorities, and, when a project is pivoted to animation, it’s frequently a bad sign, as if executives have lost faith in it.

Hopefully, though, Corlys’ incredible scenes in the third season premiere of House of the Dragon are enough to convince HBO executives not only to keep The Sea Snake in active development but also to make it a priority. It wouldn’t just be about delivering similar naval sequences every episode, but about fleshing out the history of one of Westeros’ most interesting characters. His relationship with Alyn, for example, feels very reminiscent of the naval action classic Master and Commander, as does the way he commands his ship.

An animated series really sounds great, an opportunity to develop a new visual language for Game of Thrones and bring the Sea Snake’s stories to life in a unique way. He encounters creatures that are infinitely stranger and, some, even more dangerous than dragons, which might work better in animation rather than live-action. Recently, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms proved the franchise can greatly benefit from different tones and fresh approaches, so something like a Master and Commander in Westeros would be perfect for Corlys and the fans of this massive franchise.

House of the Dragon is available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes air weekly on Sunday nights.