Warning: This article contains massive SPOILERS for the Fire & Blood book.
This article contains descriptions of graphic violence and suicide.
House of the Dragon, based on the book Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin, recounts how House Targaryen is nearly wiped out at the height of its power. House of the Dragon is about how the hubris and pride of House Targaryen would lead to its destruction and the mounting personal cost of a bloody civil war. Unlike Game of Thrones, which was based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, House of the Dragon is based on the in-universe “historical treatise” that offers an overview of the Targaryens’ history and reveals the fate of dozens of characters that predate the likes of Daenerys.
Game of Thrones is known for brutal deaths, and the Targaryen prequel is no different. House of the Dragon has already made its way through a couple of canon character deaths, though the TV adaptation approaches some details differently. While most go into a Game of Thrones show expecting graphic violence, some viewers may benefit from knowing how all the House of the Dragon cast members will meet their ends before watching it.
Jacaerys Velaryon
Shot down by crossbows in battle
The pride of the senior members of House Targaryen results in the deaths of most of their children. After losing Lucerys (Luke) in the season 1 finale, Rhaenyra’s eldest son Jacaerys (Jace) dies in the premiere of House of the Dragon season 3. Just as in the show, Jacaerys dies in the Battle of the Gullet in the book, and is one of many key Targaryen casualties that have a significant impact on the Dance of the Dragons.
The death of Jacaerys Velaryon was a shocking one for the rest of his family, and the blacks as a group, since it occurred when an easy victory seemed all but assured. At the Battle of the Gullet, when his dragon Vermax is wounded by crossbows, Jace leaps from the dragon’s back, only to be shot down himself. Before his death, Jace secures a key alliance for the blacks by recruiting Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell.
Criston Cole
Shot By Archers In Battle
Ser Criston Cole isn’t destined to make it to the end of House of the Dragons alive unless the show deviates significantly from the source material. Ser Criston Cole is one of the most divisive characters in House of the Dragon, and his desire to spite Rhaenyra never wanes.
He serves King Aegon II loyally until his death, becoming Hand of the King when Aegon grows tired of his grandfather Otto Hightower’s conservative strategies. That said, a satisfying death for Cole does happen; he dies at the battle known as the Butcher’s Ball, where he is shot by Robb Rivers and two other archers. Rivers, whose surname suggests that he is a bastard of House Blackwood, is regarded as the most skilled archer in Westeros during his time.
Aegon Targaryen
Poisoned By An Unknown Assassin
House of the Dragon season 2 spent a lot of time establishing Aegon Targaryen as a character, but, like many of his family, he’s almost guaranteed to be dead by the time the Game of Thrones prequel concludes. In Fire & Blood, Aegon is shown to be incredibly complacent once he ascends the Iron Throne, which costs him his life.
After “winning” the civil war, King Aegon II does nothing about the approaching armies, spending his time contemplating his future marriage to Cassandra Baratheon and commissioning statues of his late brothers. With the green armies depleted and more enemies coming, the small council realizes too late that Aegon is a terrible king. Aegon is then found dead with blood on his lips. His killer is never confirmed, although Larys Strong and Corlys Velaryon are among the suspects.
The show does seem to be taking a different route with Aegon II. In House of the Dragon season 2, he ends up significantly injured after an encounter with Aemond. Aegon manages to make it back to King’s Landing still alive, but barely. While this happens in the books, it wasn’t Aemond who injured his brother. This added conflict between Aegon and Aemond suggests that House of the Dragon has more in store here. More likely than not, the show will actually reveal, said and done, who killed the king.
Larys Strong
Executed By Cregan Stark
Larys is one of the main suspects in Aegon’s murder. When Cregan Stark arrives at King’s Landing, various conspirators are convicted. Many choose to join the Night’s Watch to avoid execution, but Larys chooses death instead. He is beheaded by Cregan, using his blade Ice. His last request is that Cregan remove his bad foot from his corpse, which is granted. The sword Ice is passed down to Eddard Stark and later reforged into two blades: Widow’s Wail, possessed by Joffrey Baratheon, and Oathkeeper, by Brienne of Tarth.
While this is how Larys Strong dies in the book, the possible change to the death of Aegon II in House of the Dragon may also mean that the fate of Larys Strong is altered too. Ifthe show reveals that a different character murders Aegon, Larys may be placed on an entirely new path.
Mysaria
Killed In The Streets Of King’s Landing
Mysaria appears to die in season 1, episode 9, “The Green Council,” in a fire. However, she survived since she was supposed to play an important role in the war, and returned once again in House of the Dragon season 2. During the Dance of the Dragons, she serves as Rhaenyra’s unofficial Mistress of Whisperers (the equivalent of Lord Varys, the Master of Whisperers).
If the show follows the same plot as the books, then Mysaria will have one of the most brutal upcoming deaths in House of the Dragon. When Rhaenyra flees King’s Landing, Mysaria stays behind and is taken prisoner when the greens’ forces return. She is told that if she can walk through the streets of the city naked while being whipped, she will be allowed to live. Mysaria dies before completing the journey.
Corlys Velaryon
Dies Of Natural Causes
Whether Corlys Valaryon dies in House of the Dragon depends on how much further after the Targaryen civil war the show chooses to explore, as he passes away a couple of years after it concludes. Corlys survives the Dance of the Dragons and acts as a regent for Rhaenyra’s son, King Aegon III, when he inherits the throne at a young age. Corlys dies of old age and is buried at sea.
His granddaughters, Baela and Rhaena, are the only members of Corlys’ immediate family to live through the war, and he feels survivor’s guilt, dedicating the rest of his life to protecting the family’s legacy. The death of Corlys Valaryon may well arrive in House of the Dragon, but if it does, it will likely be in season 4, and only if the show continues the narrative into the reign of King Aegon III.
Rhaenys Targaryen
Dies In Combat On Dragonback
Rhaenys died in season 2, and the show stayed relatively faithful to how she meets her end in Fire & Blood. In both the book and the HBO show, Rhaenys rides into battle on her dragon Meleys and engages in a fight against both Aemond and Aegon on their dragons.
Outnumbered, Rhaenys and Meleys are both killed, but Aegon is severely injured, and Aemond rules Westeros in his place while he recovers. Rhaenys knew that she would not survive the battle, but forged ahead anyway. There is an interesting parallel between the deaths of Rhaneys and her daughter, Laena. Laena wanted to die “a dragon rider’s death” and ordered Vhagar (then her dragon) to burn her to ash rather than die in childbirth.
Joffrey Velaryon
Falls From Dragonback Riding Into Battle
While he may share a name with one of the most hated characters in Game of Thrones, Joffrey Velaryon in House of the Dragon grows to be a far braver and less sadistic character. Unfortunately, being nothing like Joffrey Lannister isn’t enough to save Joffrey Velayron, and he’s one of the House of the Dragon characters who will die before the end of the show (provided his narrative remains true to the source material, of course).
Rhaenyra’s son Joffrey dies during a riot in King’s Landing. He is afraid for the safety of his dragon and tries to help turn the tide by riding his mother’s dragon Syrax, but falls 200 hundred feet. His dragon Tyraxes and several other dragons are killed by rioters. Since Joffrey’s older brothers both died before him, he is briefly heir to the Iron Throne. Joffrey’s and his brothers’ deaths emphasize the tragedies brought by the war.
Aemond Targaryen
Dies In Combat On Dragonback
Aemond Targaryen is another one of the characters destined to die in House of the Dragon. Those hoping for a showdown between Aemond and Daemon are getting their wish. With Aemond riding Vhagar and Daemon riding Caraxes, they battle each other above the God’s Eye, the largest lake in Westeros.
Both dragons are heavily wounded before Daemon leaps from Caraxes and stabs Aemond through his remaining eye, sending both riders and dragons plunging into the water. Aemond and Vhagar’s bodies are found years later. Aemond is as morally culpable as the rest of his family, but he sees himself as dedicated to them and rides into battle multiple times to protect his brother’s claim to the throne (not quite true in the show, is it?).
Helaena Targaryen
Dies By Suicide
Of all the upcoming deaths in House of the Dragon, one of the most tragic and emotional will likely be that of Helaena Targaryen, who has already been at the center of several of the hardest to watch scenes in the show. Given that her decline has already begun in House of the Dragon, it’s also possible her death will come before the end of season 3.
After her sons’ deaths (she had two in the books), Helaena becomes depressed and eventually throws herself from one of the castle’s towers. Helaena is depicted as a sweet, introverted young woman who was beloved by the people of King’s Landing, and her children were mere toddlers when they died. Their deaths are among the most horrific events in the ASOIAF universe.