House of the Dragon has never shied away from killing off its silver-haired royals. The Dance of the Dragons is, after all, a civil war that leaves few Targaryens standing. With Season 3 now underway and the Battle of the Gullet claiming Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, it's time to look back at every Targaryen death so far and rank them by emotional impact, storytelling weight, and sheer dramatic power.
Some of these deaths are quiet and tragic, others are brutal and operatic. But each one has shaped the war in its own way. Here's our ranking, from least to most devastating.
7. Queen Aemma Arryn
Queen Aemma (Siân Brooke) is the first Targaryen we lose, dying in childbirth in the series premiere. She's a loving wife to King Viserys and mother to young Rhaenyra, desperate to give her husband a male heir after multiple stillbirths. When her labor goes wrong, Viserys allows the maesters to cut the baby out, killing Aemma in the process. Her son Baelon dies shortly after.
While Aemma's death is a crucial catalyst—it opens the door for Viserys to marry Alicent Hightower—we barely get to know her. The tragedy is real, but the emotional punch is muted because she's on screen for only a few minutes. Still, her loss haunts Viserys for the rest of his life and sets the entire story in motion.
6. Laena Velaryon
Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell) is Daemon Targaryen's second wife, mother to twins Rhaena and Baela, and rider of the massive dragon Vhagar. Her death in Season 1, Episode 6 is one of the most visually striking in the series. After a difficult labor, she learns she cannot survive childbirth and, following Valyrian tradition, commands Vhagar to burn her alive.
Nanna Blondell's performance is raw and unforgettable—her desperate cries of “Dracarys” are haunting. It's a shame we didn't spend more time with Laena, because her death scene alone proves she was a force of nature. It also leaves Vhagar riderless, setting up Aemond's claim to the dragon.
5. Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen
Young Prince Jaehaerys (Jude Rock) is the son and heir of King Aegon II and Queen Helaena. He's a quiet, innocent child who has no idea he's living through a war. That innocence is shattered when Daemon sends assassins Blood and Cheese to kill him in retaliation for Lucerys's death.
The show handles this infamous event from the book with more restraint than the source material, implying rather than showing the violence. Jaehaerys's death enrages Aegon, deprives him of an heir, and wins sympathy for the Greens—until Aegon's brutal retaliation against the ratcatchers undoes that goodwill. It's a dark, uncomfortable scene that lands differently than the book's outright horror, but it's still a pivotal moment in the war.
4. Prince Jacaerys Velaryon
Jace (Harry Collett) dies in the Season 3 premiere during the Battle of the Gullet. He's Rhaenyra's eldest son, a level-headed young man who spent Season 2 trying to temper his mother's fiery impulses. When he finally gets his chance to fight, it ends in disaster. His dragon Vermax is struck twice, and then Rhaena's newly claimed dragon Sheepstealer—acting on feral instinct—attacks Vermax, sending both dragon and rider into the sea. Jace is left exposed and is killed by enemy arrows.
The battle sequence is spectacular, and Jace's death is genuinely tragic. But we're still waiting to see how it affects Rhaenyra and the war. For now, it lands in the middle of the pack—impressive but not yet fully felt.
For more on how Sheepstealer's role makes Jace's death even more heartbreaking, check out our deep dive.
3. King Viserys I Targaryen
Viserys (Paddy Considine) dies in Season 1, Episode 8 after years of illness and decay. His death is quiet, almost peaceful, but it's the spark that ignites the war. He spends his final moments mistaking Alicent for Rhaenyra and murmuring about the prophecy of Aegon the Conqueror, which Alicent interprets as a deathbed endorsement of her son Aegon II as heir.
Paddy Considine's performance throughout the series is extraordinary, and his death is a masterclass in tragic irony. The man who spent his reign trying to keep peace inadvertently starts the bloodiest conflict in Westerosi history. It's a slow, painful, and deeply affecting end.
2. Prince Lucerys Velaryon
Luke (Elliot Grihault) dies at the end of Season 1, Episode 10, when his dragon Arrax is attacked by Aemond's Vhagar during a storm over Storm's End. It's a shocking, brutal moment—Luke is just a boy, sent as a messenger, and his death is essentially murder. The scene is beautifully shot, with the storm mirroring the chaos and the dragon's jaws closing in slow motion.
Luke's death is the first real casualty of the war and the event that pushes Rhaenyra over the edge. It's also the moment Daemon decides to retaliate with Blood and Cheese. The emotional weight is immense, and it's executed with devastating precision.
1. King Aegon II Targaryen (Honorable Mention)
We haven't seen Aegon II die yet in the show, but his eventual fate is one of the most tragic in the story. For now, the top spot goes to Luke's death—it's the one that changes everything and the one that still stings the most.
For more on how the Season 3 premiere sets the stage for even more Targaryen bloodshed, read our full recap.
