13 Most Shocking Deaths in 'House of the Dragon'

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Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) in 'House of the Dragon' Season 3. Image via HBO

Published Aug 14, 2026, 8:02 PM EDT

Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts! 
On Block Talk, he interviews nightlife personalities, covers the wide world of entertainment through features, ranking episodes, and recaps ALL of Drag Race, as well as Dragula and Survivor. He has interviewed hundreds of RuGirls that span the globe at DragCon NYC, DragCon LA, and DragCon UK. 
In his free time, he makes one-of-a-kind jewelry and gift baskets with his mom. He is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. 

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Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 3.We've been ingrained to understand that with any George R. R. Martin story, having a favorite character is a dangerous thing to do. As fans learned with Game of Thrones, everyone is on the chopping block. Even fan-favorite characters. It's the brilliant element of his storytelling; no one is safe. Whether you're faithful to the books or simply just watch the HBO series, shocking deaths are bound to happen. That is very much the case for the prequel series, House of the Dragon.

Created by Martin and Ryan Condal, House of the Dragon explores the peak of House Targaryen's reign. Sparked by the aging King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) breaking tradition and naming his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock and Emma D'Arcy), as his heir, the realm's peace is shattered. The series chronicles the brutal, destructive civil war known as the "Dance of the Dragons" that tears their family and the Seven Kingdoms apart. With the claim to the Iron Throne challenged by Rhaenyra's half-brother Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), backed by his mother, Queen Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke), Westeros is divided into two warring factions: the Blacks and the Greens.

Another brilliant political high-fantasy thriller with dragons and bloodshed, House of the Dragon has not lacked shocking deaths. Now, through three triumphant seasons, it's time to rank the deaths that left our jaws on the floor and our fingers pressing rewind in hopes that our favorites' fates somehow change. As we await a fourth and final season, we pour one out for 13 memorable moments. Whose death still has you reeling?

13 Vaemond Velaryon

Played by Wil Johnson

Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson) in 'House of the Dragon' Image via HBO

Being a proud and noble knight often means unwavering loyalty. Unless you're outspoken— then things may go haywire. Such was the case for Ser Vaemond Velaryon (Wil Johnson). The younger brother of Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), Ser Vaemond sparked a massive political crisis over the succession of Driftmark. His role in the family was marked by loyal service, but when his brother was severely injured in the War for the Stepstones, a dispute broke out over who would inherit the Driftmark throne. Vaemond argued quite confidently that he should be the one to take the throne, arguing that Corlys' grandson, Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), was illegitimate. Claim to the throne is not necessarily a brazen action, but the declaration that Vaemond made that led to his death was what made his demise so beautifully shocking.

His most infamous moment came in Season 1, Episode 8, "The Lord of the Tides." During his formal petition to King Viserys I in the throne room. Vaemond, with sheer confidence, would not back down, famously declaring, "Her children...are bastards! And she...is a wh—e!" Not the thing to utter to a king about his daughter. And certainly not with an unhinged brother standing by. Before his father could finish his sentence, Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) swiftly sliced his head off with his sword, Dark Sister. Vaemond's public display of treason served as a reminder that blood or not, defying the king is undoubtedly a crime. It was quite a dramatic display, as Viserys only ordered that Vaemond's tongue be taken out. Vaemond's shocking death was a crucial character development for Daemon, who continued to display his rogue and perhaps flamboyant nature. "He can keep his tongue," he says as Vaemond's decapitated body, tongue intact, lay on the floor, which was just as shocking an image as the action itself.

12 Rhea Royce

Played by Rachel Redford

Rhea Royce (Rachel Redford) in 'House of the Dragon' Season 1. Image via HBO

If there's one thing we've learned, even as he's grown on the show, do not cross Daemon. His estranged first wife learned that the hard way. Lady Rhea Royce (Rachel Redford) was known as the Lady of Runestone, or the Bronze B—h, according to her ex. She was the ruler of the powerful house in Vale, but having Daemon hate you doesn't mean how powerful you might be; Daemon will get his wish. Her marriage to Daemon was unconsummated and entirely loveless. So there was no love lost upon her death. Especially coming by his hands.

In Season 1, Episode 5, "We Light the Way," Daemon returned to Vale after being banished from King's Landing by King Viserys. He encountered her while she was out on a hunt. Using his dragon, Caraxes, he startled her horse, causing the horse to throw her off, crushing her back. Helpless on the ground, Daemon picked up a rock and crushed in her head. Why? To make her death look like a riding accident. Though Lady Rhea may have been a throwaway character in the grander picture, her death was a prime example of the sociopathic antics of Daemon. Part of his action was to disrupt the political landscape of the Vale, but his attempts were thwarted by Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin).

11 Joffrey Lonmouth

Played by Solly McLeod

Laenor (Theo Nate) and Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) face to face and smiling in House of the Dragon. Image via HBO

Even in Westeros, non-traditional sexuality is considered taboo. As is infidelity and having children out of wedlock. But what they all have in common is that when you keep secrets, if they bubble to the surface, don't expect it to go over well. Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) learned that the hard way. A knight of House Lonmouth, the "Knight of Kisses" is perhaps best remembered as the secret lover of Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan). When Laenor enters an arranged, political marriage with Princess Rhaenyra, Joffrey continues to play a significant role in Laenor's life. His loyalty went beyond their romantic entanglement; he even attended war council meetings on his behalf. But it all came crashing down at the wedding celebration of Rhaenyra and Laenor in Season 1, Episode 6, "The Princess and the Queen."

Joffrey was quite an intuitive individual. So much so, he deduced that Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) was secretly Rhaenyra's lover. Believing their affairs were conducted in the same way and that they were in the same positions, Joffrey suggested that they both act to protect each other's romantic secrets—and their lovers. We can't say Criston felt a particular way about Joffrey and Laenor; he did feel rage at having his dark secret exposed. A triggered Criston, not realizing he could have had it all, brutally beat Joffrey to death on the dance floor. Despite Laenor's attempt to come to Joffrey's aid, the attack caused immediate chaos and ended the wedding celebrations. While he may not have been officially outed, Laenor did pay respects to his late lover by naming one of "his" sons with Rhaenyra after him. Protect that child at all costs! Keep him away from dragons!

10 Ser Criston Cole

Played by Fabien Frankel

Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) in House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 6 Image via HBO

It’s easy to become a fan favorite character in Westeros. Maintaining that moniker can be difficult, as we’ve learned. For Ser Criston Cole, he began his tenure as the object of temptation. Cole was an expert knight from a minor house who rose to become Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and a fierce leader for the Green faction during the civil war. He initially catches the eye of Princess Rhaenyra, before a falling out and wandering eye move toward an alliance with Queen Alicent. He served as Hand of the King for Aegon II during the civil war, showcasing a bitter, fiercely loyal, and uncompromising military mindset driven by rigid concepts of honor and duty. Like many in the Dance of the Dragons, pride becomes his ultimate downfall. For the third season, Ser Criston didn't have the greatest of runs. He served as a disillusioned battlefield commander for Team Green. Cole set out with a reorganized army, joined reluctantly by Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox), struggling against rough terrain and ambushes.

During the Season 3 episode "Faceless Men," the former fan-favorite character's journey was met with a simply poetically pathetic ending. Having been outmaneuvered by Team Black's Rivermen and Winter Wolves, the Butcher's Ball served as his final bow. Outnumbered and surrounded in the Riverlands, Cole attempted to offer terms to save his remaining men, but his request for single combat was refused. Instead, Alysanne "Black Aly" Blackwood (Annie Shapero) fired three fatal arrows directly into the master-at-arms. Cole's death became a shocking one because it subverted a major character's arc with an unceremonious, sudden execution rather than an epic, glorious battlefield duel. The "Kingmaker" was denied the grand, heroic stand, with his ego dying in the process. He did, however, clutch Alicent's handkerchief around his sword hilt, highlighting his tragic, self-delusional romanticism. Cole desperately craved to be remembered in songs for his military prowess and sought formal single combat against the opposing commanders at the Butcher's Ball. Instead, he's remembered by an arrow in the face.

Collider Exclusive · Game of Thrones Personality Quiz Which Game of Thrones House Do You Belong To? Stark · Lannister · Targaryen · Baratheon · Tyrell

Five great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties — and your nature — truly lie.

🐺Stark

🦁Lannister

🐉Targaryen

🦌Baratheon

🌹Tyrell

FIND YOUR HOUSE →

01

Someone powerful is acting dishonourably and everyone knows it. What do you do? In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house.

ACall it out, openly and on the record. If honour means anything, it has to mean something when it's costly. BUse it. Information about someone else's dishonour is leverage — and leverage is power. CAct decisively to correct it — with or without the approval of those around me. DChallenge them directly. Strength settles disputes more honestly than courtroom manoeuvring. ENavigate carefully — build alliances, apply quiet pressure, and create a situation where the right outcome becomes inevitable.

NEXT QUESTION →

02

What is the source of your power? Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours?

AThe loyalty of people who trust me — earned over generations, not bought with gold. BWealth, intelligence, and the willingness to use both without sentiment. CA legacy so fearsome and a vision so total that opposition becomes unthinkable. DPhysical strength, military force, and the respect that comes from being the kind of person nobody wants to fight. ECharm, connection, and the ability to make powerful people feel that my success is also theirs.

NEXT QUESTION →

03

Who do you truly fight for? Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything.

AMy family and my people — those who depend on me and have kept faith with me through everything. BMy family — the ones who share my blood, even when they exhaust me, even when they disappoint me. CMy cause — a vision larger than any single person, including me. DMyself, and those few who've proven themselves worth fighting beside. EMy house — its name, its future, the position I intend to leave it in when I'm gone.

NEXT QUESTION →

04

How do you deal with your enemies? A house's method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could.

AHonestly — I face them directly, and I give quarter when it's warranted. BThoroughly — I don't leave loose ends, and I don't make the same enemy twice. CDecisively — fire answers questions that diplomacy only delays. DHead-on — I'd rather meet a threat on the battlefield than behind closed doors. EElegantly — I prefer to make former enemies into allies, or at least into people who owe me something.

NEXT QUESTION →

05

What kind of ruler do you believe in? Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly.

AA just one — someone who serves the realm rather than using it, who leads by example rather than fear. BA capable one — someone smart enough to navigate the game, ruthless enough to win it, and realistic about what winning costs. CA transformative one — someone who doesn't just rule what exists but reshapes what's possible. DA strong one — someone whose authority is beyond question because the alternative is obviously worse. EA wise one — someone who understands that the realm is fed by more than armies, and that a full stomach keeps more peace than a sharp sword.

NEXT QUESTION →

06

You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond? How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory.

AWe grieve, properly and together — and then we endure, because endurance is what we do. BWe adapt. We reassess. And we ensure that whoever caused this loss comes to regret it completely. CWe burn hotter. Setbacks don't soften us — they clarify what needs to happen next. DWe hit back. Grief and revenge are the same motion in our house. EWe regroup quietly, rebuild our position, and return when we're ready — on our terms, not theirs.

NEXT QUESTION →

07

Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe? Every house has a philosophy. This is yours.

AThe lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. Nothing matters more than the people you protect. BA Lannister always pays their debts — in gold or in kind. Reputation is built on consistency. CI am the blood of the dragon. Some destinies are written before the person who carries them is born. DOurs is the fury. When we move, we move completely — and we don't stop until it's done. EGrowing strong means knowing when to bloom and when to wait. Patience is its own kind of power.

NEXT QUESTION →

08

The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do? The answer reveals not just your ambition — but your character.

AClaim it only if the realm needs me to — and rule in a way that makes it worth having. BEnsure someone who owes us sits in it. The power behind the throne is safer than the throne itself. CTake it. It was always meant to be mine — I feel that in my bones and in my blood. DSeize it — with both hands, without hesitation. Opportunity in Westeros does not wait to be asked. EPosition my house to be indispensable to whoever sits there — influence outlasts any single reign.

REVEAL MY HOUSE →

The Maester Has Spoken Your House Is…

Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee — or don't. That's very much up to you.

🐺 House Stark

Winter is Coming — and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view.

  • You lead with honour even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having.
  • Your loyalty to family and people runs deep — not as sentiment but as a code that doesn't bend when things get difficult.
  • The North endures because Starks endure — not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold.
  • You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf dies. You already know which one you are.

🦁 House Lannister

You understand the game — its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology.

  • You are sharper than most people realise, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage.
  • A Lannister always pays their debts — and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order.
  • You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway.
  • The lion doesn't concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you.

🐉 House Targaryen

You carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore — the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it.

  • You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality.
  • Fire and blood are not just words to you — they are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs.
  • The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible.
  • At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them.

🦌 House Baratheon

You are a force — direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a conflict. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them.

  • Ours is the fury — and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally fear from those who underestimate what's behind it.
  • You value strength and straight dealing. You'd rather know where you stand in a fight than navigate a web of courtly whispers.
  • The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history — and then struggled with what came after.
  • The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too.

🌹 House Tyrell

You understand that power does not always announce itself — that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn't quite reach the eyes.

  • Growing strong is your house's motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts.
  • You are charming by choice and calculating by nature — a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter.
  • The Tyrells fed King's Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne — and they were arguably more powerful for it.
  • You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

9 Ser Arryk Cargyll and Ser Erryk Cargyll

Played by Luke and Elliott Tittensor

Luke Tittensor as Arryk Cargyll and Elliot Tittensor as Erryk Cargyll facing off in a deadly duel in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Image via HBO

Martin was quite cheeky when he named the Cargyll twins, Ser Arryk (Luke Tittensor) and Erryk (Elliott Tittensor). The twin brothers were elite knights who served in the Kingsguard. As the Targaryen civil war breaks out, the brothers are torn apart, forcing the identical twins to fight on opposing sides of the divided kingdom. Ser Erryk remained loyal to Princess Rhaenyra, defecting to the Black faction, while Ser Arryk chose to side with the Greens, pledging absolute loyalty to King Aegon II. Their time together came to a tragic and emotional head during Season 2, Episode 2, "Rhaenyra the Cruel." When you can't tell which twin is which, it means the ensuing fight will be brutal.

As the war escalated, the Green Hand of the King, Ser Criston, devised a desperate plan to send Ser Arryk to Dragonstone, tasking him to infiltrate the castle while disguised as his brother to assassinate Queen Rhaenyra. He manages to get into the queen's chambers, but Erryk discovers the deception at the nick of time. The brothers engage in an intense duel in which Arryk is fatally wounded. But wait, there's more. Devastated by the fact that he was forced to kill his own twin, a grieving Erryk fell on his own sword, committing suicide beside him. Born together, die together. It's a brilliantly devised scene that packs an emotional gut-punch. Both characters were fan favorites, only to be dealt a poetic final blow. It's not easy to lose likable characters, but it was one hell of a way to go in the grand scheme of deaths in this franchise.

8 Laena Velaryon

Played by Nanna Blondell

Nanna Blondell as Laena looks at someone with a serious expression in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 4. Image via HBO

The Velayron body count on House of the Dragon is quite high. Depending on which team you're on, it's quite a devastating blow to lose any beloved family member. Such was the case in the death of Laena Velaryon. Because of the time jump, she is one of the few actors on the series to be played by three different actresses: Nova Foueillis-Mosé as a young child, Savannah Steyn as an adolescent, and Nanna Blondell as an adult. She is best known as the rider of Vhagar. Her story is quite wild. She was briefly offered to King Viserys I by her parents, ultimately choosing Alicent Hightower instead. Years later, she married Daemon Targaryen, in which they had twins, Baela (Bethany Antonia) and Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), as seen in Season 1, Episode 6, "The Princess and the Queen."

During a complicated labor, Laena faces a similar fatal childbirth scenario to Queen Aemma Arryn (Siân Brooke). Upon overhearing the maester offer Daemon the same impossible choice his father once faced—save the mother or the baby—she takes matters into her own hands. Having endured eight seasons of Game of Thrones, when a character utters, "Dracarys," we know what's to come. Knowing full well she would not survive, she walks out to command her dragon to incinerate her, choosing a warrior's dragonrider's death over perishing in a bedchamber. It's a shocking result, but truly one of the most epic deaths in the entire series. It's a tragic yet bold example of another strong, powerful woman in Westeros.

7 Ormund Hightower

Played by James Norton

James Norton in the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale Image via HBO

Many TV shows tend to have a single antagonist last as the primary baddie for a season. Martin's works tend to have his antagonists cross longer spans. Except that wasn't the case for House of the Dragon Season 3. The extraordinarily complex Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton) arrived and went in glorious fashion. The powerful Lord of Oldtown, head of House Hightower, and a major antagonist played a pivotal role in the season's overarching action. Cousin to Alicent and Gwayne, he commanded the massive Hightower army marching in support of Team Green. Almost to a detriment. His main mission was to challenge Rhaenyra's forces with the ulterior motive of installing Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as puppet king. After his inciting kid-swap, Ormund established himself as a deceitful and dastardly individual who would stop at nothing to prevail. That said, Ormund proved that having high-and-mighty military pride can lead to a comically perfect conclusion.

The brutal Battle of Tumbleton was destined to be a complete game changer. Ormund knew he needed to get his hands on a dragon, and used his masterful manipulation skills to convince Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) to switch sides after he had felt embarrassed by the Daemon, having grown deeply disillusioned. After a promise of high status and a grand lordship, Ormund had his secret weapon. That is, if Ulf arrived at the fight on time. Upon being found, Ormund scoffed at the previous promise, giving Ulf the mindset to go rogue. Before a dragon could even enter the fray, Northman Roderick "Roddy the Ruin" Dustin (Tommy Flanagan) was on a crusade to find Ormund, leading to a ferocious hand-to-hand battle. In a brilliant combat sequence, after having his arm graphically severed, Roddy fatally stabs Ormund. It didn't matter, though.

Ulf, on the back of the dragon, looked straight into Ormund's eyes and reminded him why you never humiliate a man with a dragon. Though both Roddy and Ormund perished, it was the latter's ultimate demise that caused the fall and decay of the city. The fiery eradication of Ormund may be one of the greatest karmic finales of any character in Westeros. Ormund spent the season acting as a cold, calculating strategist willing to use children as human shields. There was simply no way his demise wouldn't be delicious. His death is on par with Tywin Lannister's (Charles Dance) toilet demise on Game of Thrones. Ormund was a brilliantly complicated character you loved to hate, but we don't hate to see him go.

6 Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen

Played by Jude Rock

Jaehaerys Targaryen standing in the the small council room in House of the Dragon Image via HBO

Westeros is a funny place because character names can get confusing for the casual fan. There once was a man named King Jaehaerys I (Michael Carter), The Old King, who brought long and unprecedented peace to Westeros. Because his direct heirs passed away, he convened the Great Council to choose his successor, which ultimately resulted in the lords voting for his grandson, Viserys. Needless to say, his decision was a key factor in the series' events. He is an important character, but he's not the Jaehaerys we're here to discuss. No, that honor is bestowed on the firstborn son, Prince Jaehaerys (Jude Rock), and heir to King Aegon II and Queen Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban). His shocking demise came in Season 2, Episode 1, "A Son for a Son."

In order to avenge the death of Rhaenyra's son, Daemon hired two assassins known as Blood (Sam C. Wilson) and Cheese (Mark Stobbart) to sneak into the Red Keep in King's Landing to kill Prince Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) in an "eye for an eye" strategy. But when you fire two inept assassins, the plan is bound to go awry. Blood, a disgraced former City Watchman, and Cheese, a Red Keep ratcatcher, fail to find their target, instead stumbling upon the chambers of Queen Helaena and her young son. While holding Helaena at knifepoint and threatening her daughter, Jaehaera (Lulu Barker and Pearl Clark), they instead murder the sleeping boy by cutting off his head. Fortunately, we didn't see the action, but the sounds were quite disturbing. The aftermath triggered sweeping purges in King's Landing, sank Helaena into permanent madness, and ignited a brutal war where no quarter was given. Kids should be, but are most certainly not off limits in Westeros.

5 Queen Aemma Arryn

Played by Siân Brooke

Viscerys I (Paddy Considine) and Sian Brooke as Aemma Arryn in House of the Dragon Image via HBO

Childbirth in Westeros is not easy and often ends in tragedy. It's shown right from the jump in the pilot of House of the Dragon, "The Heirs of the Dragon." Aemma served as the first wife to King Viserys I and the mother of Princess Rhaenyra. A beloved queen consort of the Seven Kingdoms, she is half-Targaryen by blood as the daughter of Princess Daella Targaryen, who is King Jaehaerys' daughter. As discussed, this family tree was a crucial cog in the events of House of the Dragon. Anyway, in this world, a male heir to the throne is quite desired, and Aemma desperately tried to provide one. She endured multiple miscarriages and stillbirths before her final, tragic pregnancy.

In the opening, Aemma finally goes into labor and gives birth to a boy. Because the infant is breeched, the maesters give Viserys the devastating choice to either let both mother and child die or cut the baby out to save the heir. Viserys makes his motives known, choosing the child, ultimately causing Aemma's heartbreaking death. Unfortunately, the infant dies shortly after. Left as a widower and without a male heir, he is driven to marry Alicent Hightower, which will ultimately set off the Dance of the Dragons. Aemma's death is shocking because of the timing and how the decision was made for her. Aemma did everything for her husband, but his greed ultimately caught up with him. The truth is, karma comes back when you least expect it. His death fell off this list, giving his spot to the next entry.

4 Jacaerys Velaryon

Played by Harry Collett

Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon in 'House of the Dragon' Image via HBO

There's a country song called "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Be Cowboys." Perhaps the Westeros equivalent would be called "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Ride Dragons." The fact that Rhaenyra has lost two children to the same fate is shocking in and of itself. The Season 3 premiere, "Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood," showcased the ill-fated demise of the beloved Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett). Jace is the eldest son of Rhaenyra and heir to the throne. As the Prince of Dragonstone, he was a primary leader and dragonrider of Vermax. Throughout his journey on House of the Dragon, he evolved from a vulnerable boy into a vital political and military tactician for his mother's faction. Legally recognized as the son of Laenor Velaryon, it's no secret Jace's parentage is a cause of the political tension. Despite taking a diplomatic role in the early stages of the civil war, striking up a crucial alliance with Lord Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor) at Winterfell, his boldest decision was his last.

Jace boldly locked his mother in her chamber to protect her from the fight, unaware that it was he who needed protecting. During the naval Battle of the Gullet, on the back of Vermax, the enemy Triarchy fleet used massive harpoons and grappling cables to anchor Vermax mid-flight, dragging him to the water where he would drown. Initially surviving, unfastening his harness to free himself underwater, Jace surfaced and floated on debris before a volley of arrows met him, before any ally could rescue him. It was giving flashbacks to Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson) during the Battle of the Bastards on the flagship series—zigzag for your life, young one! Jace's death is yet another devastating blow for Rhaenyra, amplifying her fury as war rages on. A factor in his shocking death lies within the creative team because it was a bizarre decision to have this battle kick off Season 3, when it would have served perfectly as the Season 2 finale. But alas, the shock factor is alive as the death was brilliantly captured.

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