Includes SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is adapted from.
House of the Dragonseason 3 is still some time away, but that leaves plenty of time to speculate on which characters are likely to perish upon its return. The HBO prequel series is based onFire & Blood, a companion lore book related toGeorge R.R. Martin’sA Song of Ice & Firesaga, though it’s taken creative liberties with its storytelling.House of the Dragon’stimelineis different at points from the original text, andwith an unknown episode count for the next season, it’s hard to discern exactly what’s going to happen when.
HBO confirmed thatHouse of the Dragonwill only have four seasons in total, meaning that the Storming of the Dragonpit could be the expected ending point for the season. The Battle Above the God’s Eye is another option, though the series might want to keep those characters around for season 4’s marketing. With that speculation in mind forHouse of the Dragonseason 3, there are still a decent number of deaths to anticipate.
5Otto Hightower
Otto’s Death Happens After Rhaenyra Retakes King’s Landing
Otto Hightower was absent for most ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2 after King Aegon II Targaryen dismissed him from his position as Hand of the King, replacing him with Ser Criston Cole. Otto returned to the Reach, hoping to rally the forces ofthe Hightowersto return to his grandson’s aid. The Hightower army spent much of the season marching, butquestions were eventually raised about Otto’s whereabouts.
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Otto was shown inHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s endingcaptured in a dungeon, an event that doesn’t occur in the books. This could drastically alter when Otto dies, with HBO wanting to get more out of Rhys Ifans. In the book, however,Otto is executed upon Rhaenyra’s capture of King’s Landing, which should happen in the opening episodesof season 3.
4Jacaerys Velaryon
Jace Will Die At The Battle Of The Gullet
Another major event teased byHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s finale montage is the Battle of the Gullet, which sees Rhaenyra’s forces colliding with the Triarchy, who attempt to destroy Corlys Velaryon’s blockade. This is another event that will be different than the book version, as Tyland Lannister will be present, and Nettles is presumably going to be absent.
The Velaryon fleet loses a significant portion of its ships, and Rhaenyra loses her heir and his dragon.
That being said, Jacaerys Velaryon’s death is the most crucial takeaway from the naval battle. Rhaenyra’s dragonseeds, joined by Jace, help the Velaryon fleet deflect the Triarchy’s navy, butit ends up being a pyrrhic victory for Rhaenyra’s forces, if a victory at all. The Velaryon fleet loses a significant portion of its ships, and Rhaenyra loses her heir and his dragon.
3Criston Cole
Criston Cole Will Be Ambushed By The Stark/Tully Forces
Criston Cole’s death will likely be a point of celebration for many viewers, and it’ll occur after a war strategy disagreement between him and Aemond. Aemond and Cole capture an unguarded Harrenhal after Daemon helps Rhaenyra take King’s Landing, and Aemond furiously begins to light the Riverlands on fire, hoping to draw Daemon into a fight.Cole, on the other hand, believes they should retreat with their remaining forcesand join together with the Hightower army.
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Cole’s strategy is ultimately correct, and it might have worked better if he had been accompanied by Vhagar. Instead, Cole is intercepted by the Winter Wolves of the North and forces from the Riverlands, who ambush him at a ridge south of the God’s Eye, killing him and hundreds of his men at a brutal event called the Butcher’s Ball.
2Helaena Targaryen
Helaena’s Death Has Been Frequently Foreshadowed
House of the Dragonhas already teased Helaena’s fate multiple times, with her standing near a ledge of the Red Keep in the season 2 finale. Her death in the TV show is difficult to anticipate, asit happens after the death of her son, Maelor, in the book. Maelor hasn’t actually been cast inHouse of the Dragon, and he should have been present during the Blood & Cheese killings in season 2’s premiere.
Following Rhaenyra taking King’s Landing and Maelor’s subsequent death,Helaena Targaryen jumps from her room in the Red Keep, killing herself. She’s one of the most beloved characters in the series, with a beautiful performance given by actress Phia Saban, meaning this should be an incredibly tragic moment.
1Storming Of The Dragonpit
Includes Multiple Minor Dragon & Character Deaths
Since many of the deaths related to the Storming of the Dragonpit are for minor characters and dragons, they’re worth clumping up into a single space. Following Rhaenyra’s capture of King’s Landing, Larys Strong stirs chaos among the smallfolk, anda riot eventually kicks off following the death of the beloved Queen Helaena Targaryen. This riot leads to one of the most devastating sequences in George R.R. Martin’s world.
The riot leads to thedeaths of Prince Joffrey Velaryon and several dragons: Shrykos, Morghul, Dreamfyre, Tyraxes, and Rhaenyra’s dragon Syrax. Only one of these dragons has been properly introduced in the series, but the dragon and direwolf deaths tend to hit audiences a bit differently, especially in the brutal manner in which this event transpires. Out of everythingHouse of the Dragonhas coming, this could be the most horrifying.
