5 Major Character Deaths To Expect In House Of The Dragon Season 3

Includes SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is adapted from.

House of the Dragon season 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 on Fire & Blood, a companion lore book related to George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire saga, though it’s taken creative liberties with its storytelling. House of the Dragon’s timeline is different at points from the original text, and with an unknown episode count for the next season, it’s hard to discern exactly what’s going to happen when.

HBO confirmed that House of the Dragon will 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 for House of the Dragon season 3, there are still a decent number of deaths to anticipate.

5

Otto Hightower

Otto’s Death Happens After Rhaenyra Retakes King’s Landing

Otto Hightower was absent for most of House of the Dragon season 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 of the Hightowers to return to his grandson’s aid. The Hightower army spent much of the season marching, but questions were eventually raised about Otto’s whereabouts.

Otto was shown in House of the Dragon season 2’s ending captured 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 episodes of season 3.

4

Jacaerys Velaryon

Jace Will Die At The Battle Of The Gullet

Another major event teased by House of the Dragon season 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.

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, but it 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.

3

Criston 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 forces and 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.

2

Helaena Targaryen

Helaena’s Death Has Been Frequently Foreshadowed

House of the Dragon has 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, as it happens after the death of her son, Maelor, in the book. Maelor hasn’t actually been cast in House 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.

1

Storming 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, and a 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 the deaths 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 everything House of the Dragon has coming, this could be the most horrifying.

TV Show

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Release Date

August 21, 2022

Network

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  Emma D’Arcy

  Alicent Hightower