Warning: This article contains major Fire & Blood plot points that may spoil House of the Dragon‘s later seasons.
While Game of Thrones worked from an incomplete roadmap, House of the Dragon‘s source text, Fire & Blood, is finished. As such, book readers already know how all of House of the Dragon‘s characters die – including series protagonist Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen!
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Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Death in Fire & Blood, Explained
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s death in Fire & Blood is brutal, even by the wider A Song of Ice and Fire series’ standards. What’s worse, it comes after Rhaenyra has already suffered the biggest humiliation of her life: being chased off the Iron Throne.
Increasingly disenfranchised with Rhaenyra’s rule – and blaming her for Helaena Targaryen’s suicide – the small folk of King’s Landing riot. Rhaenyra’s son Joffrey dies in the ensuing chaos, and the queen and what remains of her household promptly hightail it. She later barters her crown for a boat ride back to Dragonstone, in a last-ditch grab for power. It doesn’t work, and Rhaenyra winds up in King Aegon II’s clutches.
And that’s it for Rhaenyra, as Aegon has no intention of keeping her prisoner. Indeed, Aegon wastes no time serving up his half-sister as food for his dragon, Sunfyre – and it isn’t as simple as one big chomp. Sunfyre is in pretty bad shape by this point, and Rhaenyra’s death reflects this. The crippled, half-blind dragon spews fire over Rhaenyra, before attacking her with his teeth. All told, Rhaenyra endures six bites before she dies, with the bottom half of her left leg her only remains.
Related: House of the Dragon: How Is Cregan Stark Related to Game of Thrones’ Ned Stark?
Will Rhaenyra Die in House of the Dragon Season 2?
So, that’s how Rhaenyra Targaryen dies in the book – but what about the show? Is this how the head of the Black Targaryen camp will exit House of the Dragon? Probably. While showrunner Ryan Condal and his team occasionally take liberties with Fire & Blood author (and House of the Dragon co-creator) George R.R. Martin’s established canon, they typically remain true to the broad strokes.
Related: House of the Dragon: What Is the Time Jump Between Seasons 1 and 2?
Does this mean we’ll see Rhaenyra die in House of the Dragon Season 2? It’s impossible to say for certain at this stage, however, it doesn’t seem likely. The second season charts the early days of Fire & Blood‘s Dance of Dragons civil war, whereas Rhaenyra’s death happens around a year later. Given House of the Dragon Season 2 won’t include any major time jumps, we’ll probably have to wait until Season 3 (at the earliest) to witness Rhaenyra’s demise.
House of the Dragon Season 2 is currently airing on HBO and Max, with new episodes dropping Sundays.
Published: Jun 20, 2024 12:06 am