House of the Dragons Steve Toussaint breaks down Corlys quest for peace at Tumbleton

Bryce Sawayn Technology 10 Aug, 2026 Americas

In "House of the Dragon" Season 3, Corlys Velaryon has gone from lord to hostage. Steve Toussaint breaks down his journey.

Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is a legendary warrior and a key player in Rhaenyra Targaryen's (Emma D'Arcy) war efforts. But in House of the Dragon's Season 3 finale, the formidable Sea Snake is all about peace.

The episode sees him attempting to broker a truce between Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) before the Battle of Tumbleton. While the move is unsuccessful, it marks the culmination of Corlys' increasing disillusionment with Rhaenyra's war and its cost, both for his family and the realm as a whole.

In a conversation with Mashable, Toussaint broke down Corlys' hopes for peace, his reaction to the carnage at Tumbleton, and the Corlys scenes that didn't make the final cut.

We start the season by seeing Corlys in full battle mode at the Battle of the Gullet, but by the end of the season, he's trying his best to sue for peace. Walk me through the way he's changed and the way his thoughts on the war have changed from the Battle of the Gullet to the Battle of Tumbleton.

Steve Toussaint: I think that arc began even before this season, towards the end of Season 2. In fact, it could be argued that it started even before that. Basically, one of the things about Corlys is that he is one of the few men in the realm, outside of Daemon, who has experienced an awful lot of war and a lot of battle. Where we meet him, obviously still grieving his wife, I think he's wondering about the futility of war.

There's that famous saying that in war there's no winners. Only war itself is the winner. Corlys is coming to that conclusion, and he's also trying to obviously reconcile with his boys and set them up in some way. The last thing you want for your newly recognized children is to launch them into a world of turmoil and chaos. All of those things are playing a part, so that when we have that scene towards the end of the finale between Corlys, Gwayne, and Daemon, Corlys says, "Look, this isn't worth it. [Rhaenyra] will still be on the throne."

Around episodes 2, 3, 4, and 5, there's also a sense of righteous indignation, a sense that he's been betrayed, that he's given up so much in the cause of his queen and received little, if anything, in return. A lot of that is playing into where he is at at the moment.

I like that you mention that quote about war, because we see that devastation in the final sequence at Tumbleton, where Daemon is struggling through the burning city, and Corlys winds up being the grounding presence who gets him out of there. Tell me about playing that moment, and what it means for their relationship.

One of the things I think about Daemon in that sequence, up until Corlys turns up, is that he has got to a point where he wants to be chopped down. If he's going to die, he wants to die with his sword in his hand and in battle. So I think he goes seeking that, and I think Corlys recognizes that in him. So I grab him, and in other words [say], "No, you have to live and fight another day." Basically, what he's saying is, "This is pointless. What's the point of you dying here?"

What does it mean for their relationship? I'm not entirely sure, because their relationship has always been one of uneasy respect for each other. I think Corlys see Daemon as clearly a formidable warrior, but sometimes something of a lone wolf. Although in this season and part of last season, Daemon is now thinking about himself and Rhaenyra, so that's a good thing. But I think Corlys recognizes where Daemon is at and steps in to save him from himself, and also the fact is he will be useful in the war that they will have to continue to fight.

That was a powerful moment. Another moment I found very effective is when we see Ulf's first attack on the army through Corlys' eyes. I'd love to hear about shooting that run across the battlefield and mustering up the fear of a dragon attack.

There are two aspects of it. There's what you go through mentally as a performer, which is first of all like, "Oh, here's one of our dragons. I know that's one of ours," and then you see what he's doing, which is like, "Oh my God, all is lost." So, that thing was — I mean, they cut my heroic dive. I did a dive, but you don't see it, unfortunately.

Oh, no!

After all that work I put in!

Having a conversation with Andrij [Parekh], our director, about what's going through his mind, it does become a scramble for survival. You don't have time at that stage to be thinking about recrimination, about how we're going to get Ulf back. At that stage, look, I just have to survive like everybody else, and so that's the impetus, the motivation to that run.

There is a shot, briefly, of Corlys as he looks and sees the devastation, and realizes again that so much of the work they put in has now gone by the wayside.

Steve Toussaint in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

We're so used to seeing Corlys in positions of power: as a lord, a commander, or a trusted voice on the Small Council. In these last two episodes, he's become a hostage. That's new to the show, and a new position for him to be in. What was your reaction when you first found out you'd be playing this new material?

I was excited. Look, you always want to try and explore different facets of the character you're playing, so it was interesting to have him, as you say, for once not be in charge of his own fate because he's in chains. Of course, he doesn't show any fear sitting at the table. [Laughs] I was disappointed that they decided to, you know, cut his finger off. I was like, "Can they just not take his ring?" But it's Westeros, so we've gotta shed blood where we can.

Ideally, you just want to see your character put in different environments and see how he copes with them. We could have continued with him being in charge and being ambitious and angry and so forth. But no, I think it makes him much more interesting, much more compelling, which is how I felt with Season 2 and him grieving for his wife. Anything that shows you another side to the character is a good thing.

For sure. I also think that there is still quite a bit of power to him in these scenes, even though he's in chains. He's still able to command attention. Walk me through finding that kind of power in the hostage scenes, even though Corlys has physically got the short end of the stick.

Even though, as you said, he has the short end of the stick, he still sees respect in the eyes of his captors. Right from the the scene where he's having dinner with Ormund, there is a way that Ormund still tries to speak to him as an equal, and Ormond still tries to almost persuade him onto his side.

Then later on in the cell, [Corlys says] something like, "All I've got left is my honor. Do you think I would just give that away cheaply?" And I think Gwayne recognizes that in him, and I think Corlys recognizes that Gwayne recognizes that. Because often we, as human beings, we receive our values in the eyes of the people that we interact with, and I think the great thing about those performances is that they had to portray a certain amount of respect for this man. Even if they do have him in chains, he's still valuable and he's still a high-worth individual, and Corlys knows that too.

I found that uneasy alliance with Gwayne so interesting, especially in that failed peace treaty negotiation. Tell me about Corlys' mindset there, and what he is willing to do in order to treat for peace.

At that point, despite the fact that Gwayne actually is a decent soldier, I don't know that Corlys has thought that much of him. So, from the minute that they're in the cell, and then [Gwayne] says "the hard way," and then — well, we did shoot it, but we imagine the walk to where where Daemon and his guys are. During that walk, I think Corlys is just like, "Oh, there's a fool. He has no idea what he's doing."

Then, when they meet Daemon, and Gwayne starts to go and relay his plan, some of it makes sense. It actually is surprisingly sensible as far as Corlys is concerned. Not all of it, clearly, which is why he then interjects and says, "Shut up." But he's right. We can't continue with this.

The moment that's key for me is when Daemon says, "What has he given you? What have they bribed you with?" And Corlys says, "Peace." That encapsulates everything about Corlys at that moment. Again, it's that whole thing we were talking about earlier in this conversation about war being futile. I think that's what he wants. Peace, not at any cost, but at a high cost. That's where Corlys is coming from in that moment. He thinks he has a plan, but the minute when I read the script and he said something like, "What you have to decide is how you want to get to Rhaenyra being queen, whether you want to have her be queen or you want a mountain of dead Hightowers," even as I was reading, I was like, "Oh, I know which way Daemon is going. Why am I even asking?"

Exactly. You mentioned that they cut the walk to Daemon, and they also cut your heroic dive. What was another Corlys moment that didn't make it into the season that you were excited about?

It's probably me maiming somebody in the Battle of the Gullet, because you do all these setups where you cut somebody's arm off. In fact, there is one sequence in the midst of the battle, where somebody comes up from behind and I swing my arakh and I get in between the legs. I just thought that was such a cool move, but that didn't make the final cut.

Oh bummer, that would have been awesome.

I know, right? There you go.

Steve Toussaint in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Corlys' descendants also get some big moments this episode. We have Baela (Bethany Antonia) standing up to Rhaenyra, and Alyn (Abubakar Salim) carrying out Rhaenyra's orders and killing the High Septon. How do you think Corlys would react to both of their actions?

Certainly with Alyn killing the High Septon, I think I would be incredibly disappointed. I don't know that Alyn had a choice, frankly, but I think that would be something else that Corlys would count as a cost to his family in their cause. I don't think he'd be happy about that.

With Baela and Rhaenyra, I think as long as Baela remains safe, I think he'd be quite pleased. It's funny, I get this stuff on social media where people are like, "Oh look, he just wants his sons to be to be his heirs," and I'm like, "Don't forget, he actually offered Driftmark to Baela." He sees her as somebody who is capable, and I think her standing up to the queen, he would approve of as long as she stayed safe.

Corlys wasn't around for the big Targaryen dragon showdown in episode 7. But if he was, how do you think he would have handled things? Because I think he would have been a good presence to have around.

Knowing Corlys, he probably would have tried to usher the others to somewhere safe. He doesn't have the love of dragons like a lot of the other characters do. Actually, he's like me with horses. I quite like horses, but I remember the first time I was on a horse, I was like, "Oh my God, I'm on a vehicle that has a mind of its own. That's kind of weird," and I think that's kind of how Corlys looks at dragons. So I think he would have been the one saying, "Quick, quick, get in the cave," or whatever it is. I don't think he should be out in the open with that.

The interview above was edited for length and clarity.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.