The season 1 finale of House of the Dragon culminated with a death that would finally throw House Targaryen into the civil war that had been building since the first betrayal between Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen. The tension had slowly been building throughout the series and now, with the first stone cast, it’s all going to go downhill. There were a number of factors at play during the chase between Aemond and Lucerys, and fans can’t seem to decide who they want to blame for his death in House of the Dragon season 1.
Events Leading Up To The Death
Aegon has been declared king by his mother and grandfather (Hand of the King), and now both sides are scrambling to gain the favour of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Both Aemond and Lucerys are sent by their mothers to Strom’s End in an attempt to convince Lord Borros Baratheon to join them, but he’s quick to send both of them away, warning them against violence in his home.
Lucerys leaves Storm’s End on Arrax, and Aemond, still wanting revenge for his missing eye, decides to go after them on Vhagar. The two fly into a storm, and both begin to struggle with their dragons. In a moment of fear, Arrax spits fire at the ancient dragon, and Vhagar, who has had many years of war experience and won’t be disrespected by a smaller dragon, is swift in taking out both the dragon and rider.
The Aftermath of Lucerys’ Death
Upon seeing what Vhagar had done to his nephew, Aemond (who some believe could be the Night King in Game of Thrones) is shown with a look of remorse for the way things had played out. He knows that this death will be the beginning of the end of the small amount of peace that was still present in House Targaryen.
Rhaenyra, who, up to this point, has been doing what she can to keep Damon’s rage and thirst for war at bay, hears about her son’s death, and it shatters her resolve. She has lost her father to forces beyond her control, her daughter to a difficult pregnancy, and her throne to greedy relatives, but still, she has remained strong and done what she can to avoid bloodshed. This is the final straw in the build-up to the civil war, and she is sure to bring down the rage of a grieving mother upon the greens and those who stand behind Alicent and her son.
There has been a lot of talk about who is truly to blame for Lucerys’ death. Some blame Rhaenyra for sending her son out in the first place. Others blame Lord Baratheon for not stopping a man who was clearly on the hunt, and a few blame Aemond for losing control of his dragon. At the end of the day, Lucerys’ death in House of the Dragon was a result of nothing more than bad timing and an ill-tempered dragon.
Who do you think should be blamed for Lucerys’ death in House of the Dragon? How likely is it that Lucerys Velaryon somehow survived his 1000-foot plummet? Read our full review of House of the Dragon Season 2.
House of the Dragon |
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An internal succession war within House Targaryen at the height of its power, 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. |
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| Creator: Ryan J. Condal, George R.R. Martin |
| Cast: Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Graham McTavish, Fabien Frankel, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Ewan Mitchell, Paddy Considine, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey |
| Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama |
| Number of Seasons: 2 |
| Streaming Service: HBO Max |
