House of the Dragon episode 10 depicts a grim death, and the use of dragons in war proves the Dance of the Dragons will be even more horrific.

Warning: spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode 10!

HBO’s House of the Dragon has been no stranger to gruesome deaths, but season 1’s finale reveals just how horrific the impending Dance of the Dragons conflict will be. In House of the Dragon season, episode 10, Westeros sits on the brink of war after Aegon II usurped the throne from Princess Rhaenyra. In planning for the impending conflict, Rhaenyra’s husband, Daemon, pushes her to ensure victory by deploying their dragons. Rhaenyra is wary, but the final moments of the House of the Dragon season 1 finale see Rhaenyra discover Lucerys was killed by Aemond and his dragon Vhagar. The look Rhaenyra gives to camera shows she’s now willing to do anything to get revenge, win the war, and reclaim her throne.

The use of dragons as weapons is what will make the Dance of the Dragons so horrific. When Rhaenyra is facing pressure to utilize the beasts during House of the Dragon‘s war room scene, she references their bloody history by delivering one of her most memorable lines yet, “When dragons flew to war, everything burned. I do not wish to rule over a kingdom of ash and bone.” Dragons in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, big and dangerous as they are, represent weapons of mass destruction that raise the stakes and casualties of battle. Now that dragons are riding to war once again, the setup for Dance of the Dragons is promising a devastating war ahead.

House Of The Dragon’s Deaths & Destruction Will Get So Much Worse

The murder of Lucerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra’s son, is the first of many acts in a very violent war. House of the Dragon viewers have already got their first taste of what dragon battles look like, but much worse is to come in season 2. Vhagar is the largest of all dragons in House of the Dragon, and her size is made clear during the battle against Lucerys and the much smaller Arrax. A dragon’s ability to bring mass destruction was also showcased in Game of Thrones season 8 when Daenerys demolished Kings Landing on her dragon, Drogon, turning the city to ash, slaughtering the majority of the innocent population, and earning the title “the Mad Queen.”

Those are isolated feats, however. Later in the Dance of the Dragons, all dragons owned by Westeros’ warring factions will partake in numerous bloody battles, leading to countless casualties, both human and dragon. The fire-breathing action shown thus far is just a sample of the creatures’ fearsome potential, and the death of Lucerys Velaryon makes clear that the House of the Dragon writers don’t plan on shying away from the horrors of war. As a prequel to the groundbreaking Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon audiences can look forward to a crimson-stained depiction of the war known as the Dance of the Dragons.

How Long The Dance Of The Dragons Lasts (& Who Wins)

In George R.R. Martin’s novels, the Dance of the Dragons rages from 129 AC to 131 AC. All of Aegon II’s rule is marred by war against Rhaenyra Targaryen, his half-sister, over the Iron Throne. Aegon sustains serious injuries throughout the conflict, leaving him badly burned and deformed. In 130 AC, Rhaenyra takes King’s Landing but is deemed a traitor and forced out shortly after. Aegon then feeds her to his dragon, Sunfyre. Despite Rhaenyra’s death, the Dance of the Dragons still doesn’t end, as the black armies continue their march on King’s Landing to dethrone Aegon.

With the green armies depleted and the war all but lost, Aegon still refuses to surrender. Ultimately, Aegon II is found dead in the royal sept, likely poisoned by his own men to put an end to the war. Rhaenyra’s son, Aegon III, is crowned shortly after. Who wins the Dance of the Dragons is somewhat subjective, therefore. Aegon II outlasts Rhaenyra, but Rhaenyra’s descendant sits upon the Iron Throne once the war is finally done. Not necessarily beholden to its source material, House of the Dragon may pick a more definitive victor.

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