Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission at no expense to you. Affiliate links are marked with the asterisks (*)
I think we’re now all used to major changes happening in House of the Dragon. The first two seasons brought some major shifts, and of course, the third season premiere was going to shift the way deaths happened.
We already knew that Moondancer was going to be part of the Battle of the Gullet in the House of the Dragon* Season 3 Premiere. That was clear frorm promotional material. What we didn’t know was that another dragon would be involved — and we certainly didn’t know this would be how the death would play out.
Jacaerys Was Never Going to Survive the Battle of the Gullet
In the book, Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin*, Jacaerys died at the Battle of the Gullet. The events of the death were different, though.
Jace went to the battle on his own. Baela didn’t join him on Moondancer, and Rhaena definitely wasn’t there on Sheepstealer.
Instead, Jace’s death was linked to his brothers, Aegon and Viserys. They were on a ship headed to Pentos, where they were supposed to be safe during all the fighting, but instead, they ended up in harm’s way.
Yet, a death is a death. At least unlike with the change to Laenor’s storyline, Jace does still die. It still has a major effect on the Dance of the Dragons for Rhaenyra, and you have to wonder if this fight for the Iron Throne has been worth it.
House of the Dragon Changes Everything for the Family
However, the way this death has played out changes everything for various members of the family.
Let’s just start with the meaning behind Jace’s death. In the book, he died to protect his brothers. It was a sacrifice that many others would have made. It was a sacrifice that Rhaenyra may have looked at as more of an honor than the way he died in the show.
With the change to the show, his life was taken due to mistakes of others. Yes, there was an element of him making a mistake by flying too low after Vermax was already hit and had to be saved by Moondancer — effectively foreshadowing the way Vermax would die — but it was a mistake that was avoidable by one person staying out of it.
Rhaena knew she was inexperienced. She had only just claimed Sheepstealer, one who was already wild and hadn’t been used to this type of fighting. She had no business getting into the battle.
For now, people likely don’t know it was Rhaena. Only Jace seemed to notice that it was her, as Baela was flying away from her sister. So, right now, everyone is sure to think that somehow the Greens have landed a wild dragon.
What happens once everyone finds out that it was Rhaena? Daemon isn’t going to want his daughter dead, and he’s sure to do everything he can to protect her. Sure, Baela was clearly his favorite as a dragonrider, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t love Rhaena in his own way. This threatens to create more issues between Daemon and Rhaenyra, and they really don’t need them now that they are on the same side!
What about Baela as she realizes that it was her sister who almost killed her? Sure, she’ll know that Rhaena didn’t mean it, but there is sure to be anger there. Not only did Rhaena do something stupid by flying into a battle completely unprepared, but it led to the death of Baela’s betrothed and their cousin! Rhaena knows what this loss is like, but at least that was at the hands of Aemond. This hits completely differently.
It’s not the same loss, and it’s going to have a huge knock-on effect that I’m not sure House of the Dragon will be able to show properly.
House of the Dragon* airs on Sundays on HBO and HBO Max.
