House of the Dragon made a name for itself by being a worthy successor to Game of Thrones. It accomplished this by more than embodying the political intrigue and scale of the world of Westeros. Perhaps it even does a better job of showcasing this world than its parent show did. Part of the show’s attraction is that it does not shy away from the more raw emotional moments. The times in which the main characters are brought to their personal lows and deal with the fallout of loss.

There are numerous sad moments throughout the series. Some are born of the loss of characters, others are the result of relationships falling apart, or the meta-knowledge that so much bloodshed and suffering could have been avoided if just one thing had gone differently. For better or worse though, House of the Dragon is set up to be a show where there is no happy ending. With so many more upsetting moments to come, here are the ten saddest episodes from the series so far.

10Aegon’s Recovery Was Just Depressing

Season 2, Episode 5: “Regent”

Those who read the source material for House of the Dragon knew that King Aegon II would be horrifically burned following the Battle of Rook’s Rest. While he would survive, and even outlive most of the participants of the Dance of the Dragons, what happened in the immediate aftermath of his maiming was not gone over in great detail. Aegon’s personal struggles truly manifested after he was hurt. It brought to light just how unsafe he was around his own family, people who claimed to be supporting his hold of the Iron Throne, but in reality, they were merely using him for their own gain.

Aemond quickly seized power as Prince Regent, Ser Criston Cole changed loyalties to Aemond not long after, and even Alicent was unable to properly handle her son’s injury. Sure, she apologized to her son, but at the end of the day Alicent has no idea how to be a proper mother to her children. Her negligence of their feelings, similar to how her father treats her own wants and needs, was a major factor in Aegon’s decision to fly into battle, thus resulting in his injury. Even now, she is still unable to provide the basic level of comfort for her grievously wounded son. To make it even sadder; Aegon called out to his “Mummy” while he was only partially conscious, showing that despite being aware of how poorly she handles the role, he does still love his mother.

9The Deaths of Sir Harwin and Lord Lyonel

Season 1, Episode 6: “The Princess and the Queen”

The timeskip for House of the Dragon did an excellent job of making us care about Ser Harwin Strong and his father, Lord Lyonel, in the span of an hour. Lord Lyonel proved that he was perhaps the best Hand of the King Viserys had ever had. He gave honest and unbiased counsel and even fought to protect his son and Rhaenyra from the consequences of their own actions. This, in his own way, shows his own love for his biological grandchildren. He couldn’t outwardly show his affection, but he could shield them from their enemies.

Harwin was even more charming, proving to be a devoted father to his boys, and based on his interactions with Rhaenyra, seems to have been a deeply cherished lover. Rhaenyra wouldn’t just let anyone get her pregnant, something about Harwin clearly drew her back to him time and again, enough so that she involved him in their boys’ upbringing as much as she could. Harwin was clearly a good paternal figure for his sons, instructive, firm when necessary, and protective of them. So see both him and his father burn alive by the episode’s end, robbing Rhaenyra and her sons of a much-loved member of their family and Viserys of his valued advisor, was a major blow.

8The Duel Between the Cargyll Ended in Tragedy

Season 2, Episode 2: “Rhaenyra the Cruel”

The Cargyll twins were two knights of the Kingsguard who ended up on opposite sides of the Dance. Ser Arryk sided with Aegon while Erryk viewed the young king as a scoundrel who didn’t deserve the crown, so he went to join Rhaenyra. However, Aegon, in his fury over the loss of his son sent Arryk to Dragonstone to use his identical appearance to his twin to infiltrate the castle and assassinate Rhaenyra. The amazing part is the plan would have worked had it not been for the perceptive eyes of Mysaria.

Erryk intercepted his brother and the two engaged in a vicious duel. They condemned each other as traitors, but ultimately confessed that they still loved one another. In the end, Erryk managed to kill his brother, but the grief and guilt of the deed was too much for him. In a moment of absolute heartbreak, Erryk apologized to his queen for not being able to support her until the end, and took his own life. This tragedy is made all the more painful when one realizes that Erryk would likely have done anything Rhaenyra asked of him so long as it didn’t involve his brother’s death. This senseless assassination plot ultimately cost Westeros two great knights.

7The Deaths of Queen Aemma and Her Baby Destroyed the Targaryens

Season 1, Episode 1: “The Heirs of the Dragon”

This was the incident that incited the entire succession crisis of the Targaryens. King Viserys had long hoped for a son to secure his legacy, and prevent the less than trustworthy Prince Daemon from being his rightful heir. This resulted in Viserys and his wife Aemma attempting numerous times to conceive, with each previous pregnancy resulting in the loss of a child save for Rhaenyra. Aemma warned Viserys that this was the last time she would get pregnant, but her words were an omen.

Aemma could not successfully deliver the baby, and Viserys gave his consent for the maesters to attempt a c-section to try and save the child if not the mother. What followed was one of the most brutal scenes in the entire franchise as Aemma begged her husband not to do this and then began screaming in agony when he did not listen. The baby was saved, but he only outlived his mother by a day. In a single act, Viserys lost his wife and son, while Rhaenyra lost her mother and brother. Their tragic deaths paved the way for Otto Hightower to begin his scheme to put his own blood upon the throne.

6The Aftermath of Blood and Cheese Further Traumatized the Greens

Season 2, Episode 2: “Rhaenyra the Cruel”

Fans just knew the reactions of the Greens following the murder of Jaehaerys Targaryen was going to be hard to watch. Between Aegon’s grief-stricken fury over the murder of his son, Alicent’s horror and regret over what Helaena had to endure, and then Helaena’s own numbness to it all as she processed, it was a montage of various emotional reactions to an altogether disturbing moment. Making matters worse was how politicized the whole thing became.

What should have been a moment of shared grief for the family instead became another weapon for the Greens to use against Rhaenyra. They turned Jaehaerys’ death, even his own body, into a rallying cry to drum up more support for their cause and make Rhaenyra look bad in contrast. To add insult to injury they all knew that Rhaenyra was not the kind of person to orchestrate such a plot, but condemned her all the same. Yet, no one really paid attention to the loss and fear the Greens were feeling in that moment, and it would likely go unaddressed for the rest of their lives.

5The Funeral of Lucerys Velaryon Was a Somber Moment for Both Sides

Season 2, Episode 1: “A Son for a Son”

As bad as Lucerys’ death was, watching his family react to the news was almost as bad. Rhaenyra was so overwhelmed by the loss of her son that she basically abandoned her forces to search for proof of his death. In the end, she found the proof, leading to her having an emotional breakdown as she clutched the last shreds of her son’s cloak to her chest as if it were the boy himself. His older brother’s reaction was no less heartbreaking. After securing the allies his mother needed, he tried to give his report as a prince but ended up breaking down as a son in his mother’s arms.

The family would perform a symbolic funeral for Lucerys. While his body was never recovered, they burned his belongings in the tradition of the Targaryens. It was their way of saying goodbye, and oddly coincided with Alicent praying for Lucerys in the sept she attends. It was perhaps one of the last moments of shared unity between the Targaryens. It’s just a shame that the loss could not act as a bridge between them instead of further division.

4The Death of Laena Proved Dragons Care for Their Riders

Season 1, Episode 6: “The Princess and the Queen”

Few moments in House of the Dragon illustrate the bond between a dragon and their rider more than the death of Laena Velaryon. After realizing her baby could not be delivered safely, Laena decided for herself that she did not want to die screaming in agony with her child dying inside her. So, despite the intense pain, she managed to stumble out onto the palace grounds to her dragon, Vhagar. There, she instructed the dragon to kill her, issuing the command several times through her suffering.

Now, Vhagar is the oldest, and largest living dragon at this point in the show’s history. She is a fiercesome creature that terrifies many, and rightly so. Yet, as her rider commanded her to bathe her in dragon flame, the ancient dragon hesitated. It was as if she didn’t want to follow through with the command, knowing it would mean losing Laena. With each passing “dracarys” though. Vhagar finally understood that her companion was in a great deal of pain and mustered the fire needed to end her suffering. Laena’s death impacted her entire family, yet was ultimately the catalyst for Rhaenyra and Daemon’s future marriage.

3The Battle of Rook’s Rest Destroyed One of the Best Targaryens

Season 2, Episode 4: “The Red Dragon and the Gold”

For as many as there were looking forward to seeing a true fight between dragons, there were just as many book fans who dreaded having to watch what it would mean. The Battle of Rook’s Rest is famous for being the site of the first true taste of what the Dance of the dragon would entail. It is also the moment where Princess Rhaenys Targaryen lost her life in combat with Vhagar. Some scholars say that Rhaenys’ dragon, Meleys, would have had a real chance at taking down Vhagar, but that’s not what happened.

What went through Rhaenys’ head when she decided to fly back and confront the ancient dragon is hard to say. Perhaps she wanted to spare her family having to fight the creature, or maybe she thought she had a real chance, what matters is the outcome. Rhaenys and Meleys were both killed in the conflict, falling the earth and dying upon impact. This left her surviving family bereaved, and the Blacks without one of their most powerful allies. Her death would necessitate the introduction of the dragonseeds, which in turn would lead to even more suffering down the line.

2The Death of King Viserys Ended Decades of Peace

Season 1, Episode 8: “The Lord of the Tides”

The moment that truly started the war was the death of King Viserys. Without his stabilizing influence, the Dance of the Dragons would begin. His death hit a lot harder than anticipated though because, in his final hours, Viserys made one last attempt to reconcile the two sides of his family. The amazing thing is, it might have worked. Despite the rough patches that still needed to be smoothed over between the younger generations, it seemed that the first steps towards rebuilding old friendships were underway.

Then, in his last moments, Viserys told Alicent about the Song of Ice and Fire, his delirium getting the better of him and making Alicent mistakenly believe that he wanted Aegon to be king instead of giving the Iron Throne to Rhaenyra. All that effort, pouring his heart out to them, enduring so much pain without his medication in order to function properly, and in the end it was undone by one mistake he can’t even be held accountable for. Viserys was a man loved by many. His honor and kindness kept Westeros at peace for decades, but his death lit the fuse on the powderkeg he’d refused to acknowledge for so many years.

1The Death of Lucerys Triggered the Dance of the Dragons

Season 1, Episode 10: “The Black Queen”

There was a chance, just a chance, that the full horror of the Dance of the Dragons might have been avoided with a little more time and communication. The loss of Lucerys Velaryon destroyed that chance entirely. His mother had sent him to Storm’s End to try and gain Baratheon support. Not only was he rejected by Borros Baratheon, but he was antagonized by Aemond Targaryen, who had not forgiven Lucerys for removing his eye when they were children. Lucerys refused to fight, having promised his mother he would not put himself in harm’s way. Aemond had different ideas.

Mounting their dragons, the two riders played a dangerous game of cat and mouse midst the stormy skies. Eventually, their dragons grew tired of being provoked and finally attacked, disobeying their riders’ orders. This led to Vhagar killing Lucerys and his dragon despite Aemond trying to avoid it. What remained of Lucerys fell to the earth, signaling the start of the Dance. To finish up the season, in a haunting final scene, Rhaenyra received the news of her son’s death and went from grief to fury in the span of a few seconds, cementing that this was now a war of fire and blood.