Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Death: What to Expect in House of the Dragon

Warning: Major SPOILERS ahead for the book Fire & Blood, the basis for House of the Dragon. In the relentless world of Westeros, death is inevitable, and while the demise of Rhaenyra Targaryen is not immediate, those well-versed in the lore of the Dance of the Dragons are aware of her eventual tragic end. Though Emma D’Arcy holds a leading role as Rhaenyra, the unpredictable nature of this saga means no character is truly safe. With the show taking place more than a century before Game of Thrones, all characters inevitably meet their fates, with Rhaenyra’s impending demise being particularly harrowing.

Throughout much of the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra remains relatively sheltered on Dragonstone. However, her circumstances shift dramatically in season 3 of House of the Dragon as she seizes control of King’s Landing. Attaining the Iron Throne has long been her ambition, but this victory sets the stage for her downfall. Rhaenyra’s fate is intricately tied to the narrative established by both George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood and the world of Game of Thrones, suggesting that her tragic end is being carefully foreshadowed in the series.

The Demise of Rhaenyra Targaryen at the Hands of Sunfyre

Aegon’s Dragon Consumes the Queen

The tragic death of Rhaenyra occurs during the latter stages of the Targaryen civil war, a conflict characterized by significant losses on both sides—the Greens and the Blacks. After finally achieving her goal to rule as queen and taking over King’s Landing, Rhaenyra’s reign quickly deteriorates, leading to civil unrest, riots, and the assault on the Dragonpit, culminating in the death of her son, Joffrey. Ultimately, Rhaenyra is forced to escape the capital.

Her subsequent journey is marked by despair, with the once-mighty queen resorting to selling her crown to secure passage on a ship. Rhaenyra eventually returns to Dragonstone, where she encounters treachery from Ser Alfred Broome, discovering that Aegon has usurped control of the island. Following the defeat of her remaining loyalists, Aegon subjects his half-sister to a gruesome fate at the jaws of his dragon, Sunfyre. As detailed in Fire & Blood:

“… King Aegon II delivered his halfsister to his dragon. Sunfyre, it is said, did not seem at first to take any interest in the offering, until Broome pricked the queen’s breast with his dagger. The smell of blood roused the dragon, who sniffed at Her Grace, then bathed her in a blast of flame, so suddenly that Ser Alfred’s cloak caught fire as he leapt away. Rhaenyra Targaryen had time to raise her head toward the sky and shriek out one last curse upon her half-brother before Sunfyre’s jaws closed round her, tearing off her arm and shoulder.

“Septon Eustace tells us that the golden dragon devoured the queen in six bites, leaving only her left leg below the shin ‘for the Stranger.’ Elinda Massey, youngest and gentlest of Rhaenyra’s ladies-in-waiting, supposedly gouged out her own eyes at the sight, whilst the queen’s son Aegon the Younger watched in horror, unable to move. Rhaenyra Targaryen, the Realm’s Delight and Half-Year Queen, passed from this veil of tears upon the twenty-second day of the tenth moon of the 130th year after Aegon’s Conquest. She was thirty-three years of age.”

Anticipating Rhaenyra’s Death in House of the Dragon

It Will Not Be Depicted for Several Years

Significant events must unfold before Rhaenyra’s eventual death in House of the Dragon. After an entire season characterized by warfare, many additional battles, shifting alliances, and character deaths will precede her tragic end.

Given Rhaenyra’s pivotal role in the series, HBO is likely to ensure her survival extends through several seasons. With her planned ascension to the Iron Throne in season 3, it wouldn’t be logical for her demise to occur in the same season. The show’s overall duration remains uncertain, potentially spanning four or five seasons, which affects the pacing of her character arc.

While pivotal plot points must be addressed after Rhaenyra’s death, including Aegon II’s fate and the resolution of the civil war, these could be resolved within a handful of episodes. Consequently, audiences might expect her death to transpire approximately halfway through the fourth season or possibly towards the end of the fifth season of House of the Dragon.

Rhaenyra’s Fate Foreshadowed in Game of Thrones

Another Entry on Joffrey’s List of Atrocities

Joffrey and Margaery in Game of Thrones season 3

In the episode “And Now His Watch Is Ended”from season 3 of Game of Thrones, Joffrey Baratheon gleefully recounts Rhaenyra’s grim fate to Margaery Tyrell:

“Rhaenyra Targaryen was murdered by her brother, or rather, his dragon. It ate her while her son watched. What’s left of her is buried in the crypts right down there.”

This cruel revelation from Joffrey not only highlights his sadistic character but also inadvertently discloses Rhaenyra’s tragic end to audiences ahead of the publication of Fire & Blood in 2018. While there remains a chance that House of the Dragon will adapt this event differently, significant alterations may prove challenging, given its essential role in the overarching storyline.

Potential Changes to Rhaenyra’s Death in Adaptation

Utilizing Audience Expectations

Fans familiar with George R.R. Martin’s books and the Game of Thrones series are aware that adaptations frequently deviate from the source material. House of the Dragon has already demonstrated this through various storytelling choices, prompting even Martin to critique certain elements. This opens up the possibility of altering the manner in which Rhaenyra meets her end.

While Joffrey’s recounting of Rhaenyra’s demise is consistent with common lore, it could well be a fabrication.

This notion is reinforced by Rhaenyra’s first husband, Laenor Velaryon’s death, which appeared to be a murder to facilitate Daemon Targaryen’s rise. In reality, Rhaenyra assisted Laenor in faking his demise, allowing him to embark on a new life. Given that Martin’s narrative doesn’t specify Laenor’s fate, House of the Dragon may opt for a similar twist regarding Rhaenyra’s fate.

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