WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon’s season 2 finale and George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, on which the show is based!
Summary
Though Rhaenyra tells Alicent that she’ll have to kill Aegonwhen taking the Iron Throne, whether she gets the opportunity inHouse of the Dragonis another story. Nearly twenty years before the Green usurped the crown, Otto Hightower baked the idea into his daughter that Rhaenyra must kill Alicent and Viserys’ children to take the Iron Throne. Alicent tragically turned this into a self-fulfilling prophecy, as her fears for her children led her to push Rhaenyra away, prepare Aegon to rule, usurp the Iron Throne, and launch a war in which Rhaenyra has no choice but to kill Aegon.
In a desperate attempt to conclude the war, Alicent secretly visits Rhaenyra on Dragonstone inHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s ending. Alicent tells Rhaenyra that Helaena will surrender King’s Landing to her, but asks that she let them flee and live anonymously. Alicent also initially asks to spare Aegon, but Rhaenyra reiterates that to secure her rule she must “end the opposition,”forcing Alicent to choose to either escape with Helaena and allow Aegon to die, or continue this war.Alicent reluctantly prepares to let Rhaenyra kill Aegon– but this isn’t actually what happens in the Dance.
Rhaenyra Doesn’t Kill Aegon In The Dance – He Kills Her
Aegon Can’t Be Found When Rhaenyra Take’s King’s Landing, But They Do Meet Again
Though Rhaenyra believes that she’ll arrive at King’s Landing to an unresistant Aegon due to his physical state, she’ll find that he secretly escaped the city prior to her flight from Dragonstone. Consequently,Rhaenyra does not kill Aegon inHouse of the Dragondespite successfully taking King’s Landing. In George R.R. Martin’sFire & Bloodbook,Larys helps Aegon escape to Dragonstone, where he goes into hiding while Rhaenyra rules as Queen on the Iron Throne.
Aegon takes the Queen before his dragon and forces her son, Aegon the Younger, to watch as Sunfyre fatally burns and devours Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra doesn’t kill Aegon, as it’s actually Aegon whokills Rhaenyra inHouse of the Dragon. After only six months on the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra is forced to flee King’s Landing following a series of dangerous riots by the smallfolk, one of which culminates in the deaths of five dragons (including Syrax and Dreamfyre) and her son, Joffrey. When Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone, she’s unexpectedly met by King Aegon II Targaryen. Aegon then takes the Queen before his dragon andforces her son, Aegon the Younger, to watch as Sunfyre fatally burns and devours Rhaenyra.
Who Wins The Dance Of The Dragons? It’s Complicated
In the Dance of the Dragons, Targaryens fought Targaryens in a blood feud that consumed Westeros. But who really won that “game of thrones?”
How Aegon Actually Dies In House Of The Dragon & What Happens After His Death
Aegon Is Poisoned By His Own Men
Aegon may not be killed by Rhaenyra in the Dance of the Dragons, but he does suffer a brutal fate. Not too long after he kills Rhaenyra and reclaims his seat in King’s Landing,King Aegon II Targaryen is fatally poisoned by his own men. Aegon enters a carriage with a flagon of wine and is soon found dead inside with blood on his lip.Fire & Bloodreveals that the primaryco-conspirators behind Aegon’s death are Larys Strong, Corlys Verlaryon, and Ser Perkin the Flea, whose fates are later judged by Lord Cregan Stark for their treachery.
Following King Aegon II Targaryen’s death, the only known living Targaryens are his daughter Jaehaera, Daemon’s daughters Baela and Rhaena, and Rhaenyra’s sons Aegon and Viserys.
After King Aegon II’s death,he’s succeeded by Rhaenyra’s son King Aegon III Targaryen, his last-known male Targaryen heir. In order to rebuild the realm with peace, previous Green and Black loyalists make up a council of Aegon’s regents, with Cregan Stark serving as Hand for just a few days until justice is served against traitors on both sides. Ultimately, Aegon’s entire line is extinguished when his daughter, Jaehaera, dies soon after, meaning all subsequent Targaryens afterHouse of the Dragondirectly descend from Rhaenyra.
House of the Dragon
Cast
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.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
