‘House of the Dragon’ Recap: Ranking Every Death by How Gruesome It Was

Get ready for more blood and drama in House of the Dragon Season 2! But before diving into the new season, let’s take a quick look back at the gory deaths that kept us on the edge of our seats in Season 1.

Lord Lyman Beesbury

Cause of death: Murdered with marble of office

Ser Criston Cole gets his hands dirty in this death, smashing Lord Lyman Beesbury’s head with a marble of office. Ouch!

Lady Rhea Royce

Cause of death: Murdered with a rock

Lady Rhea Royce’s fate takes a dark turn when she crosses paths with Daemon Targaryen. Not a pleasant way to go!

Harwin Strong

Cause of death: Murdered by house fire

Harwin Strong meets a fiery end, courtesy of his own brother’s betrayal. Family drama at its finest!

King Viserys

Cause of death: A painfully slow infection of wounds

Let’s talk about King Viserys (Paddy Considine) from House of the Dragon. He doesn’t just have one death scene, but two! His demise is quite unique, as he’s essentially killed by the Iron Throne itself. It all starts with a simple infected cut in episode 1, which escalates into a gruesome situation with parts of his body decaying. The fifth Targaryen king even has to wear a mask to hide the damage caused by the infection. It’s not the typical abrupt and bloody death we’re used to from the show, but losing body parts to rot is definitely not a pleasant way to go.

Ser Joffrey Lonmouth

Cause of death: Beaten to death

Talking about weddings in House of the Dragon, they can be as terrible as those in Game of Thrones. In episode 5, poor Ser Joffrey Lonmouth (Solly McLeod) meets a tragic end after taunting Ser Criston Cole about his relationship with bride Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock). The result? A brutal beating that leads to his demise, leaving viewers with a chilling close-up of his bloodied, disfigured face.

Queen Aemma Arryn

Cause of death: Childbirth

The first major death in the series sets a dark tone for what’s to come. Queen Aemma Arryn (Sian Brooke) faces complications during labor in episode 1, leading to a heartbreaking dilemma. The maesters offer to save her son through a risky procedure, but at the cost of her own life. King Viserys is forced to make a gut-wrenching choice, resulting in a truly tragic sequence where both mother and child are lost.