Are you wondering if Rhaenyra Targaryen dies in House of the Dragon after finishing season 1? We don’t blame you because season 1 ended in true Games of Thrones fashion and left a lot of unanswered questions. If you aren’t aware of the series of events after this, then you may wonder what Rhaenyra’s fate would be in future seasons of House of the Dragon, and the prequel series will lead into the Game of Thrones series. Here is the most extensive answer to whether Rhaeynra Targaryen dies in House of the Dragon.
Does Rhaenyra Targaryen Die in House of the Dragon?
The official answer is that Rhaenyra Targaryen does not die in season 1 of House of the Dragon, but based on the franchise’s history, we know she will die eventually. Everything below this paragraph is considered spoilers and will ruin the House of the Dragon and the book series, so continue reading at your own risk.
The Fable of Rhaenyra Targaryen
You should hopefully realize by now that no character is ever safe in the Game of Thrones universe. So, for example, while Rhaenyra doesn’t die in season 1 of House of the Dragon, her fate is well-known and discussed in the Game of Thrones television show and the books. So then, when and how does she die, and will we expect that to happen in House of the Dragon? Rhaenyra’s fate is hinted at in the Game of Thrones series when Joffrey Baratheon discusses her fate during the third episode of season four, as seen in the clip below.
These events are discussed at great length in Martin’s book Fire & Blood, which acts as a history book that discusses the Targaryen’s rulers over 150 years (Aegon the Conqueror to the end of Dance of the Dragons). This is the book on which season 1 of House of the Dragon is based.
Like at the end of season 1, Rhaenyra learns that her brother Aegon II has claimed the Iron Throne. The Targaryen Civil War resulted, where Rhaenyra would eventually win the title. However, after ruling for six months, we see that she is not a good ruler and is forced to flee Kings Landing, where her brother eventually captures her.
Rhaenyra is fed to Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre, while her son watches. Her son, Aegon the Younger, would eventually become the seventh Targaryen king. He is blamed for the last dragon dying due to his dismay for them after seeing his mother die and because of his own death.
So what’s in store for House of the Dragon after season 1? Season 2 and beyond will begin to cover the events in Martin’s book Dance of the Dragons, where we will see the true fate of Rhaenyra and her people. So her death should happen at some point in the prequel series, but most likely not for another season or two, depending on how much of the book is covered.
House of the Dragon is available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.
