It’s getting closer, so here’s how brutally every major character in House of the Dragon dies

If you thought House of the Dragon has been brutal so far, well, we’ve seen nothing yet because this is how every major character is going to die, as per the book.

George R.R. Martin really wasn’t in the mood to give anyone a peaceful ending, because basically every major character has an absolutely awful fate waiting for them. Some are genuinely heartbreaking, some are surprisingly satisfying, and others are just so unbelievably grim that I’m already dreading seeing them on screen.

Now, the show has already changed loads from Fire & Blood, so there’s every chance some of these deaths happen differently. But if it sticks fairly close to the books, here’s what’s expected.

Corlys Velaryon

via HBO

Corlys probably has one of the kinder endings in the entire story. After surviving the Dance of the Dragons, he continues serving on King Aegon III’s council before eventually collapsing on the steps of the Red Keep. He dies of old age and is buried at sea aboard the Sea Snake, which actually feels like a pretty fitting ending for him.

Larys Strong

via HBO

Larys somehow manages to survive almost all of the chaos. Eventually he’s accused of helping poison Aegon II. Rather than joining the Night’s Watch, he chooses execution instead. He’s then beheaded with the Stark greatsword, Ice. It feels quite fitting that someone who spent so long manipulating everyone else finally runs out of moves.

Ser Criston Cole

via HBO

I’m not saying Criston had it coming… actually, no, I kind of am. Criston dies during what’s known as the Butcher’s Ball after marching his army straight into an ambush. Realising there’s no way out, he offers to fight the enemy commanders himself instead of letting more soldiers die.

They basically tell him no. Instead, he’s shot with arrows before he even gets the chance to draw his sword. Afterwards, his head is cut off and carried on a spear as a warning to the Greens. Not exactly the heroic ending he probably imagined.

Helaena Targaryen

via HBO

I’m already not emotionally prepared for this one. Helaena’s death is one of the saddest in the whole story. In the books, she throws herself from a window in Maegor’s Holdfast and dies after landing on the spikes below.

There are a few different rumours about why she did it, but George R.R. Martin later confirmed it was because she couldn’t cope with the grief after losing her son Maelor. The show has already changed that storyline, though, so it will almost certainly give her a different reason if it follows the same ending.

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Aegon II Targaryen

via HBO

You’d think surviving almost the entire war would mean Aegon gets a happier ending. Not quite.  After taking back the Iron Throne, he refuses to forgive the lords who supported Rhaenyra. Then, not long afterwards, he drinks poisoned wine and dies before he can even leave in his litter. The best part is that nobody ever officially works out who poisoned him.

Aemond Targaryen

via HBO

We’ve all been waiting for Daemon and Aemond to finally face each other, and the books don’t disappoint. The two fight high above the Gods Eye on dragonback. Then Daemon does something completely insane and jumps from Caraxes onto Vhagar before driving Dark Sister straight through Aemond’s remaining eye. Both dragons fall into the lake below, taking Aemond with them.

Daemon Targaryen

via HBO

So, Daemon wins the fight, but he doesn’t exactly walk away from it. After the dragons crash into the Gods Eye, Caraxes somehow manages to crawl onto land before dying from its injuries. Daemon’s body is never found, which has kept readers talking for years. Officially, though, he’s considered dead after the battle.

Alicent Hightower

via HBO

Compared to everyone else, Alicent actually gets off fairly lightly. She survives the war but spends her final years imprisoned inside the Red Keep after Aegon II dies. After losing almost everyone she loves, she eventually dies during an outbreak of Winter Fever.

Rhaenyra Targaryen

via HBO

This is probably one of the most horrifying deaths George R.R. Martin has ever written. After losing King’s Landing, Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone thinking she’ll be safe. Instead, she’s betrayed and handed over to Aegon II. He then orders Sunfyre to kill her, forcing her young son Aegon to watch as she’s burned and eaten alive by the dragon.

Yeah… this one is going to be a difficult watch.

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