In Act II, Scene i of Henry VI, Part 3, Edward and Richard arrive at Mortimer’s Cross in a state of grief and uncertainty following the defeat of their father, the Duke of York, at the Battle of Wakefield. The two brothers witness an extraordinary atmospheric phenomenon — three suns appearing in the sky simultaneously — which they interpret as an omen. Edward takes the vision as an auspicious sign, choosing to see the three suns as representing himself and his two brothers, George and Richard, united in strength and purpose. He declares that henceforth he will bear the sun as his emblem, a symbol of his rising power and ambition. Shortly after, a messenger arrives bearing the devastating news that their father, the Duke of York, has been killed by Queen Margaret’s forces, and that their allies the Earl of Salisbury and the Earl of Rutland have also perished.

Upon receiving this news, Edward and Richard react with intense grief and a fierce desire for revenge. Richard, characteristically channeling his grief into anger, vows to weep no tears but instead to let his fury drive him toward vengeance. A second messenger arrives with further grim tidings, reporting that the Lancastrian forces, bolstered by Scottish allies, are marching toward York with considerable strength. The Earl of Warwick then enters and delivers an account of his own recent defeat at the Second Battle of St. Albans, where Queen Margaret routed his forces and recaptured King Henry VI. Despite these setbacks, Warwick, Edward, and Richard resolve to unite their remaining forces and march boldly against the Lancastrians, reinvigorating their Yorkist cause with renewed determination.

Henry VI, Part 3 opens with the aftermath of the Battle of St. Albans, where the Yorkists have achieved victory over the Lancastrians. The Duke of York enters Parliament and claims the throne, leading to a confrontation with King Henry VI. A compromise is reached whereby Henry remains king for his lifetime but agrees to disinherit his son Prince Edward in favor of York and his heirs. When Queen Margaret learns of this arrangement, she is furious and raises an army to defend her son’s birthright.

The conflict escalates into full civil war. Margaret’s forces defeat and kill the Duke of York at the Battle of Wakefield, but York’s sons—Edward, George, and Richard—continue the fight. They achieve victory at the Battle of Towton, where King Henry is captured and Edward of York is proclaimed King Edward IV. Henry escapes and flees to Scotland with Margaret and Prince Edward, while Edward IV consolidates his power and marries Elizabeth Woodville, causing tension with his supporter the Earl of Warwick.

Warwick, feeling betrayed by Edward’s marriage, switches sides and allies with Margaret and the exiled Henry VI. With French support, they invade England and briefly restore Henry to the throne while Edward flees to Burgundy. However, Edward returns with an army and reclaims his crown. The final act culminates in the Battle of Tewkesbury, where the Yorkists achieve decisive victory. Prince Edward is killed in battle, Queen Margaret is captured, and Henry VI is murdered in the Tower of London by Richard of Gloucester. The play concludes with Edward IV seemingly secure on the throne, though Richard’s final soliloquy hints at his own future ambitions for the crown.