House of the Dragon Fans Believe Lucerys Velaryon Is Alive

Like all great conclusions, the season finale of House of the Dragon Season 1 carries significant weight. Representing a tipping point in the series, Prince Lucerys Velaryon, son of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon, is killed in a tragic accident. Was it really an accident? What does this mean for the coming war in House of the Dragon Season 2? And could the young Prince Lucerys Velaryon have survived the attack and the fall? Is Lucerys Velaryon alive?

Lucerys Velaryon’s Death

The events of the Season 1 finale took a dark turn that has shocking implications for House of the Dragon Season 2 and the impending war.

Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen sent her eldest sons, Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon, as envoys to confirm support from potential allies across Westeros. We follow Lucerys on his dragon, Arrax, as he travels to Storm’s End to meet with Lord Borros at the ancestral seat of House Baratheon.

While there, he finds Aemond trying to win Lord Borros over to his family’s side. Seeing that his efforts would be inconsequential, Prince Lucerys starts for home at Dragonstone. Before he leaves, however, his uncle Aemond threatens him regarding an old grudge the two had between them. Told not to fight in Lord Borros’ home, Luc takes to the skies, unaware that his angry uncle is following him.

Trying desperately to get away from danger, Lucerys relies on the speed and manoeuvrability of his smaller dragon to try to escape. However, his dragon, Arrax, hits Vhagar with a burst of flames to the face, and Vhagar takes matters into her own hands. Ignoring Aemond’s screams, she grabs both dragon and rider in her enormous maw.

Because of the unfortunate events, it is thought that Aemond’s dragon, Vhagar (one of the most powerful dragons in House of the Dragon), killed both the dragon and dragon rider.

Did Lucerys Survive?

There are a ton of theories surrounding the fateful events of House of the Dragon, starting with the usual “an off screen death is not a death” – because we didn’t physically see Luc’s death for ourselves, that he could be alive. Luckily for us, the theory is based on some interesting evidence.

On Facebook, someone noted, “If you observe the attack closely, Arrax’s mount remains intact, with what seems to be Luc climbing up its side, holding on.” This observation holds true. While it’s implied, we never witness Vhagar killing Prince Lucerys Velaryon. Nonetheless, even if that’s true, some argue that the fall from the dragon would have been fatal.

Lucerys and Aemond battled amidst the clouds, where surviving a fall from such heights would be impossible.

“Is it likely? No. Is it possible? Absolutely,” the Facebook post continues.

According to the post, Lucerys and Aemond would have been just below the low-level cloud line which is somewhere between 2,000-6,500 ft. There have been instances where people survived falls from heights of 30,000 feet. Therefore, it’s conceivable, especially since he was positioned between a wing and a part of his dragon’s body that could potentially cushion the impact.

But What About The Books?

Some fans cite the source material as evidence of the young prince’s death. Yet, his father, Laenor Velaryon, demonstrates that characters who are reported dead in the books can still survive in the show, showing that precedent doesn’t always dictate outcomes.

George R.R. Martin himself has said that the books are merely first-hand accounts of events that may differ from the TV series – which will reveal the truth about the situation, not being limited to only one perspective.

In the opening episode of Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen searches for her son’s remains, discovering only rubble and scattered belongings. Lucerys’s actual body is nowhere to be found, only remnants of the dragon and some of his clothing. Could he have survived?

What Does This Mean For House of the Dragon? Is Lucerys Velaryon Alive?

Although it was technically an accident, Aemond lost control of his dragon, causing the death of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen’s son, Prince Lucerys Velaryon. Up until this point, Rhaenyra had made considerable efforts to remain peaceful, especially since this was the dying request of her father, King Viserys.

Although it might have been an accident, her son is now dead, and nothing quite hurts as much as losing a child. “But now he’s done it, and he has to decide whether or not he’s gonna own it in his travel back to King’s Landing. Because obviously if the usurping of the throne [the greens] crowning Aegon in the dragonpit wasn’t the start of the war, certainly killing one of the queen’s sons is,” shared showrunner Ryan Condal regarding the ramifications of Aegon’s actions.

With war in her eyes, as she learns about the death of her son, there is no doubt that these events have caused the start of the Dance of the Dragons.

The return of Lucerys Velaryon seems improbable. However, as the show has demonstrated, anything is possible. While the books serve as a guide, the actual narrative could diverge significantly.

Do you think Lucerys Velaryon survived and is out there somewhere alive and well? Who do you think is to blame for Lucerys’ death? Also, did House of the Dragon Season 2 just tease Melisandre’s return?