House of the Dragon Just Kicked Off One of the Saddest Storylines in Game of Thrones

By Charlie Ridgely

The Game of Thrones franchise is no stranger to tragedy. Just mentioning the Red Wedding or saying "You know nothing, Jon Snow" is enough to bring tears to the eyes of fans. The series had plenty of sad moments and storylines. House of the Dragon, a Game of Thrones prequel, will also have quite a few tragic and devastating stories, especially given the nature of a single family at war with themselves. This Sunday's new episode, "The Green Council," kicked off what could be the saddest story in all of House of the Dragon, as the show allowed viewers time to get to know Erryk and Arryk Cargyll.

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for the latest episode of House of the Dragon! Continue reading at your own risk...

Twins Erryk and Arryk Cargyll are members of the Kingsguard, both having served King Viserys during his reign. They appeared in the background of last week's episode, but "The Green Council" saw them take on much bigger roles in the story, essentially kicking off their arc. The twin knights are tasked with finding Aegon II, who goes missing in King's Landing after the death of his father, and told to bring him directly to Otto Hightower. 

While Erryk and Arryk begin the episode on the same page, they go in completely opposite directions by the time it ends. Erryk sees corruption in the Red Keep and doesn't think it's right, but Arryk feels loyal to Otto and Alicent. This causes a split between them, with Erryk trying to do the right thing and help Rhaenys Targaryen escape King's Landing. This will put them on opposite sides of the eventual war.

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(Photo: HBO)

What Happens to Erryk and Arryk Cargyll?

In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, Erryk ends up defecting to join the Blacks, the group led by Rhaenyra Targaryen. That journey officially began when he freed Rhaenys without anyone knowing. He will ultimately make his way to Dragonstone to join the ranks of Rhaenyra's Queensguard, while Arryk stays back in King's Landing to serve Alicent and Aegon. 

The story of the twins becomes tragic as the Dance of the Dragons picks up. Arryk is eventually sent to Dragonstone to get information about Rhaenyra's plans by posing as his twin brother. The plan works until Arryk and Erryk actually cross paths. They end up in a sword fight, both mortally wounding the other, eventually dying in one another's arms. It's a terribly sad ending for two brothers who loved each other deeply.

The season finale of House of the Dragon will debut on HBO and HBO Max next Sunday night.

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