House Of The Dragon: How Every Main Character Dies In The Books

After a long wait, "House of the Dragon" has finally returned for its third season. Even compared to its notoriously bloody predecessor, "Game of Thrones," "House of the Dragon" has gained quite a reputation for killing off main characters from episode to episode. Where it differs from the original HBO series is that its source material, George R. R. Martin's "Fire & Blood," chronicles the history of the Targaryen dynasty, meaning many of these characters' fates were decided long before the show was greenlit. 

It should go without saying that by the time the main "A Song of Ice & Fire" saga begins, all of these main characters are dead, whether from natural causes or at the hands of another character. Still, the television show takes creative liberties in both major and minor ways. Though we have no idea how faithfully "House of the Dragon" will adapt some of these canonical deaths, here's everything we know from the books about how the show's main cast will eventually die. 

Major spoiler warning for "House of the Dragon" and "Fire & Blood"! 

Everything that happens in "House of the Dragon" mainly stems from the characters' relationship to one man: King Viserys I Targaryen, who sits on the Iron Throne at the series' beginning. Show fans will certainly remember that, in "House of the Dragon" Season 1, Viserys dies in a delirious haze just after Alicent misunderstands his final words as a blessing to crown their son, Aegon, rather than the rightful heir, Viserys' daughter Rhaenyra. 

According to the "Fire & Blood" book, Viserys' death on the page is similar in the sense that he still dies in his sleep, albeit there's no miscommunication with Alicent right before he goes. Instead, Viserys spent his last moments regaling his grandchildren with a fairy tale about his grandfather, King Jahaerys I. When Alicent discovers his passing, she conceals the truth from the public to arrange Aegon's crowning. As far as book readers know, her actions are motivated by self-interest rather than a belief that she's honoring Viserys' final wishes. 

Daemon Targaryen may be one of the best warriors in the entire Targaryen family tree, but not even he ends up surviving the Dance of Dragons, the civil war that most of "House of the Dragon" chronicles. As the story goes, Daemon battles his nephew, Prince Aemond Targaryen, on dragonback in what later becomes known as the Battle Above the God's Eye. 

Although Daemon is said to have defeated Aemond in one-on-one combat on the back of Vhagar, the two supposedly both perished as their two dragons crashed into the water of the Gods Eye. However, because Daemon's body was never found, there's always a chance "House of the Dragon" surprises book readers with the truth about what Daemon's actual fate was. Though it's incredibly unlikely that Daemon could've survived a fall like this, stranger things have happened in the world of Westeros, so perhaps there's another chapter to the story that only George R. R. Martin knows.

It shouldn't come as a surprise to "House of the Dragon" fans that Rhaenyra Targaryen isn't destined to have a long reign. In "Fire & Blood," it's noted that Rhaenyra often cut herself while sitting on the Iron Throne, an omen that a ruler was not fit to serve the Seven Kingdoms. However, even the support of the people of King's Landing wouldn't last long, as Rhaenyra fled the city after a series of riots that resulted in the deaths of several of her supporters and the disappearance or deaths of many of her dragons, leaving only her son Aegon III at her side. 

Rhaenyra reportedly sold her own crown to buy passage to Dragonstone, only to be betrayed by the knights escorting her. After killing her Queensguard, they left her defenseless and delivered her — along with Aegon III — into Aegon II's custody. Though her son's life was spared, Rhaenyra was fed to Aegon II's dragon, Sunfyre, a cruel and painful death that, if adapted faithfully in "House of the Dragon," is sure to leave plenty of viewers feeling upset. 

Given how much liberty "House of the Dragon" has already taken with Alicent Hightower's character, it's not impossible that the story "Fire & Blood" readers know isn't exactly true. Unlike Rhaenyra, Alicent survives the Dance of the Dragons, but she doesn't live much of a life after it, given she's arrested for the alleged poisoning of Aegon II. Aegon III decided to show mercy to the Dowager Queen, but given that no one trusted her, Alicent was sentenced to life imprisonment in her own chambers in the Red Keep.

Within a year, Alicent had descended into madness, and when the Winter Fever spread throughout King's Landing, she fell victim to the illness. Of course, the delirious side effects of the illness were unnoticeable given Alicent's mental decline, so by the time the sickness took her life, she was probably better off dead than alive at that point. At the very least, "House of the Dragon" fans who dislike Alicent will see her get far more than she deserves. 

It's only a shame that Aegon II's death doesn't come earlier than it does, according to Targaryen history. Though the recent events in "House of the Dragon" Season 3 see Aegon lose the Iron Throne to Rhaenyra, he's eventually restored as king following Rhaenyra's death. However, his restoration is short-lived, as the walls were still closing in on Aegon after he refused to pardon the lords who supported Rhaenyra's claim. Still, Aegon refused to concede a war that was already doomed.

After a meeting with the small council to discuss what was to be done with his nephew, the future King Aegon III, Aegon II climbed into his litter with a flagon of Arbor red that had, unbeknownst to him, been poisoned. Before the litter had taken off, a member of Aegon's Kingsguard discovered he was already dead. Although the identity of Aegon II's assassin was never determined, the late king's body was burned on a pyre in the hope that it would symbolically bring an end to a reign defined by war, tragedy, and hatred. 

Corlys Velaryon quickly proves himself to be one of the most fearsome members of the extended Targaryen family in "House of the Dragon," especially once he's forged an alliance with Daemon Targaryen early in Season 1. His further allegiance to Princess Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne is only more bad news for the Greens, though Corlys is lucky enough to survive the Dance of the Dragons despite his side's grave losses. 

Corlys ended up serving on the small council of King Aegon III Targaryen for about a year before he died of old age, having collapsed on the steps of the Red Keep. His funeral was held, appropriately, just off the coast of Dragonstone on his own ship, the Sea Snake. According to "Fire & Blood," Corlys's body was buried at sea, which is a far more noble and deserved way to go out than most of the other characters in "House of the Dragon" are predicted to have. 

One of the bigger deaths to occur already in "House of the Dragon" Season 3 is the execution of Otto Hightower by Rhaenyra Targaryen following her siege of King's Landing. The death of Alicent's father was a long time coming, given how instrumental he was in setting the Dance of the Dragons in motion back in "House of the Dragon" Season 1. However, the way it plays out on screen compared to the books shows that nothing in "Fire & Blood" is necessarily as it seems. 

Though the books simply state that Otto was the first traitor beheaded by Rhaenyra after she took King's Landing, the show depicts a far messier execution than viewers have typically seen in the HBO franchise. Rhaenyra herself delivers the killing blow, but it takes a few swings to hack Otto's head off his neck. Additionally, the show sees his daughter, Alicent, walk into the throne room to find her father's dead body, a moment that is never mentioned in the books. 

Princess Rhaenys Targaryen suffers one of the most memorable deaths in "House of the Dragon" Season 2, marking one of the first major losses for the Blacks in the Dance of the Dragons. In the show, she falls to her death after her dragon, Meleys, is killed by Vhagar during the Battle of Rook's Rest. Their fall leaves little to the imagination, lingering on Rhaenys' weary last look before showing her and Meleys crashing into the walls of Rook's Rest in a fiery inferno.

It's a faithful adaptation of Rhaenys' apparent death according to "Fire & Blood," though without the added detail that beside Meleys' deceased carcass on the ground was a body charred beyond recognition, which could only be assumed to be Rhaenys. Though it's yet another situation where George R. R. Martin leaves it up to fans' interpretation of what Rhaenys' fate truly is, the show makes it pretty clear that her death is accurately recorded in Westerosi history. 

Criston Cole is the type of character whose role in "House of the Dragon" illuminates a lot of info that's missing from "Fire & Blood." His heartbreak over Princess Rhaenyra is a major factor in his allegiance with Alicent Hightower and the Greens by the end of the HBO series' first season. He survives many of the series' most pivotal battles, though according to "Fire & Blood," he meets his demise not in a proper battle but in an ambush that wipes out his entire army.

In what's later referred to as the Butcher's Ball, te Blacks ambush Criston's forces en route to the Gods Eye, and Criston offers to face their commanders in a three-on-one duel. Before the duel could commence, however, Criston was struck down by an archer, and the rest of his army was slaughtered. His head was later carried on a spear to the First Battle of Tumbleton, symbolizing the loss of one of the Greens' greatest commanders and one of Rhaenyra's fiercest enemies. 

As previously mentioned, Aemond "One-Eye" Targaryen is a casualty of the Battle Above the Gods Eye, in which he and his dragon Vhagar dueled in the sky against Daemon and his dragon Caraxes. Although Aemond and Vhagar were responsible for many of the most significant deaths in the Dance of the Dragons, Aemond's missing eye ultimately proved to be his downfall. Daemon exploited Aemond's blind side, allowing Caraxes to gain the advantage before attacking. 

Although Daemon is known to have driven his sword, Dark Sister, through Aemond's already-blinded eye, it was really both of them falling along with their dragons that killed both princes, according to both "Fire & Blood" and other texts written by George R. R. Martin. The Aemond of "House of the Dragon" will almost certainly meet the same fate unless the show's writers choose to dramatically depart from one of the most pivotal — and visually spectacular — battles of the Dance of the Dragons. 

Helaena Targaryen in "House of the Dragon" is the melancholic daughter of Alicent and Viserys who marries her brother Aegon II. Although she's far more beloved as Queen Consort than her husband or the other Greens, Helaena's a deeply tragic character who suffers heavily throughout the Dance of Dragons. Most notably, she is forced by two assassins to choose her eldest son, Jaehaerys, to be murdered as revenge for the death of Rhaenyra's son, Lucerys.

Nevertheless, according to "Fire & Blood," there are conflicting accounts of Helaena's own death, having jumped from her room in the Red Keep and being impaled by a spike below. Though George R. R. Martin himself confirmed that Helaena's grief over her son Maelor's death drove her to take her own life, Maelor does not exist in "House of the Dragon," so the show will likely need to change her motivation. Perhaps the writers will tie Helaena's preternatural powers into her inevitable death. 

Baela Targaryen is the daughter of Prince Daemon and his late wife, Laena Velaryon, who died during childbirth, leaving Daemon the widowed father of Baela and her twin, Rhaena. Unlike many of the other characters in "House of the Dragon," Baela is one of the few to survive the entire Dance of the Dragons. She later marries Alyn Velaryon against the wishes of Hand of the King Tyland Lannister, costing her the chance to become King Aegon III's heir instead of her twin, Rhaena. 

In addition to Baela originally harboring affection for Jacaerys in Season 2 of "House of the Dragon," "Fire & Blood" reveals that her marriage to Alyn ends up turning rocky once rumors are sparked of her husband having an affair with a Dornish princess. There's no canonical confirmation on George R. R. Martin's part regarding how or when Baela eventually dies. Given that her death appears to be unimportant to Targaryen history, it's reasonable to assume she lives a full life and dies of old age, a far kinder fate than most members of her family receive. 

Like her twin sister Baela, Rhaena Targaryen survived the Dance of the Dragons, having spent most of it serving Jeyne Arryn, Lady of the Eyrie, as her ward. Even though a war rages on in Westeros, Rhaena lives a comfortable life in the Eyrie, avoiding conflict until the ascension of her half-brother, King Aegon III Targaryen. Unlike Baela, Rhaena was given a choice of suitors by Tyland Lannister and ultimately chose to marry Corwyn Corbray. 

Though her eventual death is not confirmed in any of the written material by George R. R. Martin, there have already been some serious creative liberties taken by Ryan Condal in adapting Rhaena on-screen. Not only does she claim the dragon Sheepstealer, rather than hatch Morning as she does in the books, but "House of the Dragon" Season 3 also sees Rhaena join the Battle of the Gullet on Sheepstealer's back, where her inability to control the dragon results in Jacaerys' death. Her further involvement in the war may not end well for either her or her twin. 

Speaking of Jacaerys Velaryon, the son of Rhaenyra Targaryen, his death is the first big "OMG" moment of "House of the Dragon" Season 3. As the story goes in the books, Jacaerys rode on Vermax to attack the Triarchy's naval forces, only for the two to unexpectedly crash, forcing Jace to leap off the dragon's back. Though he survived the crash and the fall, Jace was killed by arrows after surfacing in the water, another heavy loss for Rhaenyra, who'd already lost a son at the start of the war. 

When the Battle of the Gullet is teased at the end of "House of the Dragon" Season 2, Jacaerys seems poised to win just like in the books, only for the intervention of Rhaena Targaryen to inadvertently cause Vermax to suffer a death by spear. Like it's described in "Fire & Blood," Jace ends up surviving the dragon's fall into the water, but is done in by several arrows to the neck. For all the deaths to get a faithful adaptation from the page to the screen, it's sad to see Jace go out like this. 

Larys Strong has drawn many comparisons from fans to one of the most annoying "Game of Thrones" characters, Littlefinger. But instead of hungering for power, his primary motivation in the first season seems to be a perverse interest in... Alicent Hightower's feet. Suffice it to say, show watchers are impatiently waiting for the moment that Larys gets what he deserves, and according to the books, it'll likely take until the very end of the Dance of Dragons. 

During the Hour of the Wolf, when Cregan Stark governed in King's Landing following the end of the civil war, Larys was accused of being involved in King Aegon II's assassination by poisoning. When given the choice between heading to the Wall or being executed, Larys took the latter on the condition that his clubfoot be amputated so he could be buried without it. The real kicker that "Game of Thrones" fans will love? He's supposedly beheaded with Ice, the Stark greatsword later wielded by Ned Stark before it's melted down into two new blades: Joffrey's "Widow's Wail" and Brienne of Tarth's "Oathkeeper." 

Mysaria is a rather enigmatic figure in "House of the Dragon." The longtime paramour of Daemon Targaryen, she eventually rises through the ranks to become Rhaenyra's mistress of whisperers once the queen claims the Iron Throne. In the show, there's also a romance that sparks between her and Rhaenyra that's never alluded to in the books. Despite this, Mysaria stays in the Red Keep while Rhaenyra flees King's Landing during the riots following Helaena's suicide, and is taken captive as a prisoner of the hedge knight Perkin the Flea. 

Rather than simply being executed or taken as a slave, Mysaria was given the option to be freed if she could survive being whipped while walking naked through the streets of King's Landing to a gate letting her out of the city. According to "Fire & Blood," Mysaria made it halfway before dying, but perhaps there will be a twist to what book readers expect now that her role in the story has more emotional meaning for Rhaenyra.