Upcoming House of the Dragon Death Ranks Most Iconic In Game of Thrones Lore

Summary

• House of the Dragon follows in the footsteps of its parent series when it comes to showing as many jaw-dropping deaths as possible.
• The most shocking and tear-jerking moment of the series so far is certainly the killing of Lucerys Velaryon.
• But Fire & Blood readers are sure that the most epic Targaryen death is yet to come.

With its first season, House of the Dragon has shown that it is not going to spare the feelings of its viewers. The tragedy and death that haunts House Targaryen is sure to become a central part of the Game of Thrones prequel, now that the war between the two political factions of the Seven Kingdoms realm can't be avoided.

The tragic end of Lucerys Velaryon in the Season 1 finale has become not only the turning point in the conflict between the Blacks and the Greens dubbed the Dance of the Dragons, but also the most shocking and tear-jerking moment for many viewers. Especially those who hadn't read George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, which became the basis for the series, and weren't prepared for it.

At the same time, those who did read Fire & Blood shed a few tears and switched over to waiting for another major Targaryen death to be the highlight of the HBO series.

Rogue Prince

Season 1 had some confusing storylines with time jumps and recasting of major characters. But there was one figure who remained in the spotlight throughout the chapter. The charming rogue prince Daemon Targaryen, brilliantly portrayed by Matt Smith, stole the hearts of millions of viewers.

Yes, Daemon is a bad boy of Westeros. Yes, he never hesitates to bring destruction and death, even to his own wife. Yes, he married his own niece, whose status he is jealous of. But we still can't help but love him.

Needless to say, it is Daemon's death that is considered the most legendary in the Game of Thrones universe. Even more so since the epic scene takes the life of another prominent character.

Epic End

In Fire & Blood, Daemon ultimately faces off against his nephew Aemond Targaryen in the Battle Above the Gods Eye, the defining moment in the Dance of the Dragons that will likely take place in the final season of the series.

George R.R. Martin's fans are both excited and apprehensive about the fight. On the one hand, it promises to be a visually stunning showdown involving not only Daemon and Aemond, but also their formidable dragons, Caraxes and Vhagar - the mightiest in all of Westeros. On the other hand, all four participants are destined to meet their end in this battle.

Before meeting his demise, Daemon plunges his sword into Aemond's remaining eye - a poetic twist, really - with such force that it drives the blade through the prince's throat. Shortly thereafter, both Vhagar and Caraxes fall into a lake where they drown, presumably taking their riders with them.

Origin of the Legend

Of course, the loss of two of their best warriors and powerful dragons is a big blow to both the Greens and the Blacks, but that's not the only reason why Daemon's death is often called legendary. Another reason is that it is a source of hot fan speculation.

You see, the bodies of the dragons and Aemond are later recovered, but Daemon's remains are never found. This detail has sparked numerous fan theories speculating on Daemon's possible survival.

Some believe that Daemon recovered and lived out his days with Nettles, another dragon rider yet to be introduced in the series. Others think he may have been rescued by the Green Men and transformed into one of them, potentially allowing him to live through the events of Game of Thrones.

Given the House of the Dragon creators' track record of sparing characters, such as the resurrection of Laenor Velaryon, there's a chance the show will take a creative approach to Daemon's mysterious disappearance. This could lead to an unexpected twist in the story and give fans an alternate fate for Daemon Targaryen.