MAJOR SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episodes 1 & 2.
Summary
TheGame of Thronesuniverse is known for its bloody violence, andHouse of the Dragonseason 2 hasn’t disappointed so far with plenty of significant character deaths. Season 2 of the prequel series is set roughly 170 years before the events ofGame of Thrones, and though theHouse of the Dragoncastisn’t quite as expansive as the original, there are still enough characters to the point where no one is safe. Both shows are based on source material from author George R.R. Martin, confirming that shocking betrayals and brutal deaths will continue to occur in abundance.
House of the Dragon’sseason 1 endingsaw the death of Lucerys Velaryon, but it wasn’t the first in the series. King Viserys, Laenor, Laena, and Queen Aemma were all prominent characters who perished throughout the first ten episodes. With the Dance of the Dragons fully unfolding and war ravaging Westeros,season 2 will see bloodshed become even more apparent as the domino effect following Lucerys' death begins to unfold. The season premiere already saw the Black faction responding with their own act of violence, establishing a cycle that will continue throughout the series.
InHouse Targaryen’s historyand in the annals of Westeros,the Dance of the Dragons is one of the most brutal conflicts that’s ever been seen. Targaryens, members of other noble houses, and dragons alike will all fall victim to the brutality, with the realm suffering all the more for it. With the Aegon’s Dream prophecy factored in, each death has all the more meaning.
5Jaehaerys Targaryen
Killed By Blood & Cheese In The Red Keep
Jaehaerys Targaryen was the eldest son of King Aegon II and his sister-wife Helaena Targaryen, making him the heir to the Iron Throne during his short-lived life. While it’s known that Aegon and Helaena have children in season 1, they don’t truly appear in the foreground until the season 2 premiere, preparing audiences for Jaehaerys' tragic massacre. In the episode, he’s brought to the small council for a cute scene where he irritates Tyland Lannister to the amusement of Aegon, the newly appointed king.
the assassins Blood & Cheese find Queen Helaena, but their directions specifically state that they’re to bring Daemon"a son for a son."
In response to Lucerys Velaryon’s murder, Rhaenyra demands the life of Aemond Targaryen, and Daemon takes immediate action on her behalf. He hires assassins to sneak into the Red Keep through the tunnels to slay Prince Aemond, but it’s revealed that he was out visiting a brothel during this time. In his place, the assassins Blood & Cheese find Queen Helaena, but their directions specifically state that they’re to bring Daemon"a son for a son."
One of thebiggestHouse of the Dragonseason 2 book changesis the fact that Aegon only has one son, changing the dynamic of this scene. InFire & Blood, he has a younger child named Maelor, though in either case, little Jaehaerys is the one who perishes.He’s mercilessly killed by the assassins who take his head and flee the Red Keepfor their gold reward. With the death of Jaehaerys, Aegon II is without a direct heir, and the slaying puts the king into a violent frenzy that will serve as the primary motivation for his actions going forward.
Who King Aegon II’s Heir Is & How Many Kids He & Helaena Have In House Of The Dragon
Following Blood & Cheese, Aegon II Targaryen is left without a son. So, who’s his rightful heir to the Iron Throne now? Here’s what we know.
4Blood
Killed By Aegon II As Vengeance For Killing Jaehaerys
Blood is one of the assassins hired by Daemon Targaryen to slay Prince Aemond, but ends up deciding to kill Jaehaerys instead. Blood isn’t the character’s real name, as, according toFire & Blood, the Greens had the assassin’s information stripped from all histories for their terrible crimes. All that’s known about Blood inHouse of the Dragonis thathe’s a member of the City Watch known for his brutal behavior, while the book version of the character was a butcher who’d previously been removed from the City Watch for murdering someone. Either way, he’s a nasty guy.
In episode 2, Larys Strong enters the small council room to declare that he’s captured Blood and taken him prisoner after the assassin had attempted to flee the city.Blood is taken in for questioning by Lord Larys, who’s known for his adept skill at gathering information. In this case, Blood doesn’t put up a huge fight, as he gives up Prince Daemon’s name almost immediately before torture even begins. He also gives up the fact that his cohort was a ratcatcher, though he doesn’t know his name.
In the book, Blood resists revealing the names of his employers for days as he’s tortured, eventually giving up the names and dying from the non-stop pain. However, the TV series handles this event quite differently, asHouse of the Dragonsees Aegon II personally arrive to avenge his son, bludgeoning Blood to deathin an instant. Despite knowing Daemon was the one who had Jaehaerys killed, the Greens pin the situation on Rhaenyra, hoping to use it as propaganda to gain favor with noble houses in Westeros.
3Cheese
Hung In The Streets Of King’s Landing With The Ratcatchers
Cheese was theother assassin complicit in the killing of Prince Jaehaerys Targaryenand was previously a ratcatcher in the Red Keep. Before he’s hired by Daemon,House of the Dragoncleverly shows Cheese walking around in the background in scenes of the Red Keep to demonstrate the character’s knowledge of its halls. He’s a lowborn man from King’s Landing who’s revealed to be in some gambling debt, making the offer from Prince Daemon appealing to him. Like Blood, Cheese’s actual name isn’t known.
As far as emotional deaths in theGame of Thronesuniverse go, seeing the child-murdering, dog-kicking Cheese get what he deserves isn’t the saddest affair.
InFire & Blood, it’s never made clear whether Cheese lives or dies, butAegon II has 100 ratcatchers from the Red Keep hung on the streets of King’s Landing, hoping to take out the assassin.House of the Dragonreveals that Aegon’s decision, though undoubtedly cruel, does kill Cheese among the dozens of other innocents who were hung. As far as emotional deaths in theGame of Thronesuniverse go, seeing the child-murdering, dog-kicking Cheese get what he deserves isn’t the saddest affair.
In its entirety, the Blood & Cheese event is far more brutal in the book version, which has become a divisive subject among audiences. Despite the manychanges to the show’s iteration of Blood & Cheese, the ratcatcher assassin is one of the most accurate minor character adaptations audiences could’ve hoped for, played excellently by actor Mark Stobbart.
I’m Shocked By How Much House Of The Dragon Season 2 Makes Me Like King Aegon, Despite Being Team Black
House of the Dragon season 2 has made King Aegon II Targaryen into one of the show’s best characters, helped a lot by Tom Glynn-Carney’s performance.
2Arryk Cargyll
Killed By Erryk Cargyll While Trying To Kill Rhaenyra
Twins Arryk and Erryk Cargyll are knights from a minor noble house in the Crownlands who rise to prominence as members of King Viserys Targaryen’s Kingsguard. However, upon thesplit between the Blacks and the Greens, the two brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the war.Ser Arryk Cargyll remains with Aegon II, believing Viserys' eldest son to be the rightful rulerof the Seven Kingdoms. He continues to serve him faithfully into season 2, helping defend the Red Keep from potential dragonriders from Rhaenyra’s side.
In season 2, episode 2, Criston Cole finds Ser Arryk eating, noticing dirt at the base of his white cloak. As the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Cole uses the opportunity to bully Ser Arryk, accusing him of not defending Jaehaerys from Blood & Cheese. When Arryk defends himself well,Cole outright accuses Arryk of being a spy, working in cohorts with his brother to help Rhaenyra infiltrate the Greens.
Criston Cole uses the opportunity to attempt an outlandish countermove against Blood & Cheese, which somehow nearly works.He commands Ser Arryk to travel to Dragonstone in Kingsguard apparel, hoping that by disguising himself as his own twin brother, he can sneak into Rhaenyra’s chambers and kill her. This is not the way of the knight, but Cole pressures Arryk into accepting by threatening to accuse him of betrayal in front of King Aegon II. Arryk almost succeeds in the mission, but he’s killed by his own brother in combat.
Cargylls vs. Cleganebowl: Which Game Of Thrones Brother Battle Is Better
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have featured two brotherly battles, Cleganebowl and the Cargylls respectively, but which was better?
1Erryk Cargyll
Kills Himself After Killing His Brother, Arryk Cargyll
Ser Erryk Cargyll arrived in Dragonstone at the end ofHouse of the Dragonseason 1 to swear fealty to Rhaenyra Targaryen and join her Queensguard. He upholds this oath until his own end, even at the cost of having to kill his own brother, who’s chosen to remain with the Greens. When Arryk arrives at Dragonstone to assassinate Rhaenyra, Mysaria notices him on the beach and presumably returns to the castle to warn Erryk of his brother’s presence.Erryk arrives in Rhaenyra’s chambers to defend his queenjust in the nick of time.
Despite coming out victorious, Erryk takes his own life in response.
Ser Erryk Cargyll and Arryk have a brutal, bloody duel, which differs significantly from the version inFire & Blood. In George R.R. Martin’s text, accounts of the event suggest that Erryk and Arryk both kill each other in combat, for which Rhaenyra was not present. In the show,Erryk manages to get the upper hand over his twin brother, killing himwhile Ser Lorent Marbrand watches, unsure of which brother to help. Despite coming out victorious, Erryk takes his own life in response.
Thereason for Erryk killing himselfwith his own sword is likely out of guilt for what he’s done to his brother. Despite falling on opposite sides, Erryk and Arryk have genuine love and affection for each other, and it’s a horrible situation for both of them to find themselves in. Not to mention, being a kinslayer is taboo in Westeros and would taint Ser Erryk’s reputation as a knight. Each episode ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2 has already ended in a bloody death, and there’s still plenty more to come.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
