House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6, “Smallfolk,” includes one scene that teases a brutal moment I’m really not prepared for: Rhaenyra Targaryen’s death. Having read George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, I know where Rhaenyra’s story ends up, but that doesn’t mean looking forward to that destination, because the journey with the character is already so good (in no small part thanks to Emma D’Arcy’s wonderful performance as the lead of House of the Dragon’s cast).
Rhaenyra is, so far, the main hero in the Dance of the Dragons, or at least the character I most root for to succeed. That may well change – and I’ll be intrigued to see if it does, since she does become a darker character in the book, but that itself is based on unreliable, biased historical views. But until it does, I’ll look ahead to her death with trepidation, which makes the setup for it all the harder to take.
How House Of The Dragon Season 2, Episode 6 Foreshadows Rhaenyra’s Death
It’s A Fiery, Brutal Moment
The foreshadowing for Rhaenyra’s death comes when trying to get Seasmoke a new rider, and the unfortunate death of Ser Steffon Darklyn that comes with that. Ser Steffon, along with one of the dragonkeepers, are set alight by the dragon. The latter cuts their own throat, but Steffon is burned to death – as Rhaenyra watches on in horror, with one of her sons by her side. This, as you may have surmised, is what happens to Rhaenyra herself, only it’s even worse.
Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre, blasts Rhaenyra with fire before devouring her, while her son Aegon the Younger looks on in horror.
Rhaenyra’s death comes later in the civil war, by which point she’s taken and lost King’s Landing, and takes place back on Dragonstone, where she is reunited with her half-brother, Aegon. Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre, blasts Rhaenyra with fire before devouring her, while her son Aegon the Younger looks on in horror. It’s a moment similar to the one Rhaenyra and Jacaerys have to witness in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 6, but will be a lot more harrowing for viewers, or at least I’d certainly imagine so.
What makes me dread this even more is just how far Rhaenyra has fallen by this point. She’s been forced to flee King’s Landing, to sell her crown, and lost many of her allies. She’s described as “grey and haggard,” and is a pale shadow of the Rhaenyra we know in House of the Dragon season 2. That could well be a compelling transformation if done right in the show, and D’Arcy is certainly up to the task, but I hope they are able to do the character justice up to that point.
When Will Rhaenyra’s Death Happen In House Of The Dragon?
Thankfully, It Won’t Be Happening Anytime Soon
There is, clearly, a lot of plot to get through before Rhaenyra’s death takes place. Firstly, she actually needs to take King’s Landing in the first place, which itself may not happen until House of the Dragon season 3 at this rate. The show has gradually been setting it up, and it could begin the fall of the city in the season 2 finale, but it seems unlikely to end with Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne at this point.
Rhaenyra’s death is an event that represents a pivot towards the endgame, and it’d be a shock if HBO didn’t want her in the final season…
From there, then there are many more battles to be fought, and several other major characters who need to die first. Unless the pacing is extremely fast, then we can probably rule out her death happening in season 3. It then depends on how many seasons House of the Dragon has – either four or five seems most likely.
Rhaenyra’s death is an event that represents a pivot towards the endgame, and it’d be a shock if HBO didn’t want her in the final season, given she’s the character the show is marketed around (alongside Alicent Hightower). That means, depending on how long it goes, Rhaenyra will probably die in the first half of House of the Dragon season 4 or 5, whichever is the last one.
New episodes of House of the Dragon season 2 release Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO and Max.