House of the Dragon is back and bloodier than ever. Admit it, you’re watching it for the shocking deaths, aren’t you? Well, you won’t be disappointed.
In the Song of Ice and Fire shows, no one is safe. Fan-favorite main characters have been killed off and, more harrowingly, so have their children. Let’s take a rundown of all the deaths (named characters only!) in House of the Dragon season two so far.
Spoilers ahead for season 2 of House of the Dragon!
Jaehaerys Targaryen
![Jaehaerys sleeping, moments before his death](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Jaehaerys-Targaryen.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
After the horrific death of Lucerys at the hands of Aemond and his dragon, the Blacks sought revenge, and Daemon didn’t particularly care what prince paid the price in his “a son for a son” demand. So assassins Blood and Cheese murdered little Jaehaerys, King Aegon’s son, in the most gruesome way possible. Thankfully, we didn’t see it.
Blood and Cheese
![Blood and Cheese (Sam C. Wilson and Mark Stobbart)](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Blood-and-Cheese.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
Blood was not the brightest of people. He attempted to leave King’s Landing when it was on high alert, with Jaehaerys’ head still on his person (gaaah) and was caught. Unsurprisingly, he didn’t last long after that. After confessing that Daemon hired him and that his accomplice was a ratcatcher, Aegon smashed his head in with a mace.
Cheese on the other hand remained where he was, and was hanged when King Aegon executed all the ratcatchers. So the child-killer died, but lots of innocent ratcatchers died too.
Erryk and Arryk Cargyll
![Arryk and Erryk (Elliott and Luke Tittensor) lying in the same grave](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Arryk-Erryk.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
The identical (and almost identically named) twins found themselves on different sides during the Dance of Dragons. Ser Criston Cole decided to send Arryk to kill Rhaenyra, taking advantage of the whole identical twins thing to pull off a stealth attack, but it didn’t work. Erryk killed his own brother, preventing him from hurting Rhaenyra, and then he took his own life by falling on his sword. The twins were buried together, just for that little extra bit of sadness.
Aeron Bracken
![Aeron Bracken (Ryan Kopel)](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Aeron-Bracken.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
House Blackwood and House Bracken have been at each other’s throats since forever, and now Blackwood has declared for the Blacks and Bracken has declared for the Greens. So when a border dispute gets out of hand, it escalates into the Battle of the Burning Mill, and the next thing we know Aeron is lying dead with a blade in his face. (This is all a bit different in the books.)
Gunthor Darklyn
![Gunthor Darklyn (Steven Pacey) about to be beheaded](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Guthor-Darklyn.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
Lord Gunthor Darklyn is beheaded by Criston Cole (that guy is just the worst) for not pledging loyalty to King Aegon. He spent his last moments making Cole uncomfortable, telling him his own death would be coming soon, so he got a pretty cool ending all in all.
Rhaenys Targaryen and Meleys
![Rhaenys (Eve Best) on the back of her dragon](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Rhaenys.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
Rhaenys got something not always granted to the women of Westeros: a truly badass ending. When her dragon Meleys was mortally wounded after a bite from the bigger Vhagar, both of them fell to their deaths. But Rhaenys knew it was coming and shared a sad moment with her dragon before letting go. RIP, Queen Who Never Was.
Steffon Darklyn
![Steffon Darklyn faces down Seasmoke](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Steffon-Darklyn.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
The Darklyns really don’t have a lot of luck. In the episode “Smallfolk” poor Steffon Darklyn is summoned by Rhaenyra and asked if he would take a shot at claiming a dragon to ride, since he has Targaryen ancestry way back in his line. Steffon swears to try, despite knowing it’s certain death if he fails… and alas, he does fail. The dragon Seasmoke lets out a flame and barbecues Steffon and an unnamed dragonkeeper. Well, you play with fire…
Willem Blackwood
![Willem Blackwood just before Daemon beheads him](https://www.themarysue.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/House-of-the-Dragon-Willem-Blackwood.jpg?resize=1200%2C675)
The hatred between House Blackwood and House Bracken is what did for Willem Blackwood in the end. He began a brutal campaign against the opposing House—thanks to Daemon—and the Riverlords wanted justice. “Justice” in this case meaning, of course, Blackwood’s life. And it was Daemon who had to carry out the deed. All in all, a big loss for Daemon and obviously Blackwood—but a big win for Oscar Tully.
Published: Jul 29, 2024 01:37 pm