Even in 2021, older archives work best. Here is the step-by-step process for viewers struggling with missing translations:
In the search bar, type exactly:
Game of Thrones S03E01 Foreign Parts Only
Or look for tags like:
Avoid: Files with SDH or CC in the name. These are for full translation and will clutter your screen with English dialogue subtitles. Even in 2021, older archives work best
By [Author Name]
In 2021, nearly a decade after its original 2013 broadcast, Game of Thrones Season 3 remained one of the most beloved and scrutinized entries in the series. While dragons and Red Weddings dominated conversation, a quieter, ongoing debate lived in the subtitles—specifically, how streaming platforms and home video releases handled the show’s numerous non-English dialogues. For fans rewatching in 2021, the difference between "burned-in" translations and standard closed captions became a point of clarity, confusion, and even controversy.
Game of Thrones Season 3’s non-English dialogues are not flavor text—they are narrative engines. The slave master’s crude jokes, the bloodrider’s loyalty, and Daenerys’s growing fluency in Valyrian all reward the attentive viewer. In 2021, as the show reached new audiences via pandemic bingeing and first-time digital purchases, the inconsistency of subtitles served as a reminder: translation is not an afterthought. It is storytelling.
For fans revisiting Season 3 today, check your subtitle settings twice. And if you see only [SPEAKING HIGH VALYRIAN] during the Astapor scene, you’re not getting the whole story. Game of Thrones S03E01 Foreign Parts Only
Note: This article reflects the state of streaming and home video subtitles as observed in 2021. Platform updates may have since corrected some issues.
To get English subtitles strictly for the non-English (Valyrian and Dothraki) parts of Game of Thrones Season 3, you are looking for "Forced Subtitles"
Because the show was filmed with massive segments in invented languages, standard subtitles translate every word spoken (English and non-English alike), which can be distracting for viewers who only need translations for the Essos scenes. Understanding "Forced" Subtitles What they are
: Forced subtitles (sometimes labeled as "foreign parts only" or "forced SRT") are a separate subtitle track that stays completely silent when characters speak English, and only pop up when a character speaks a foreign or constructed language like High Valyrian. Why they are sometimes missing Or look for tags like:
: If you are watching a digital backup or ripped version of the show on media players like Plex or VLC, forced subtitles are often not enabled by default or require the specific extracted track. How to Get and Use Them
If your media player is showing no subtitles at all or full English subtitles during Season 3, follow these steps to secure just the translated parts: In your Media Player (Plex, Kodi, VLC, etc.)
: Check the subtitle tracks on your file. Often there will be multiple English tracks. Look for one specifically labeled English (Forced) Acquiring External Subtitles
: If your file does not include them, search subtitle platforms for files labeled precisely with the "Forced" or "Foreign parts only" tag. Manual Tagging (for Plex users)
: If you acquire the standalone file but your player doesn't trigger it automatically, rename the subtitle file to match your video file, adding the specific tag before the extension (e.g., Game.of.Thrones.S03E01.en.forced.srt Are you currently viewing the show on a streaming service or managing your own local media files via a platform like
