House of the Dragon's Latest Death Will Set Off One of the Biggest Wars in Game of Thrones History

The entire world of Westeros has been turned upside down. As House of the Dragon barrels toward its Season 1 finale in a couple of weeks, the action is starting to pick up for HBO's record-breaking Game of Thrones prequel series. Sunday night's new episode, "The Lord of the Tides," may not have included any big battles, but the drama was turned all the way up thanks to a major death in its final minutes. Thanks to one character's passing, the realm is on the verge of one of the most pivotal wars in its history.

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

King Viserys Targaryen has been on his way out the door for quite a while now, and much of the drama of the series has surrounded his succession. He has named Rhaenyra as his heir, but Alicent has been trying to turn the tides towards her son, Aegon II, to become the eventual king. Now, with two episodes left in House of the Dragon's first season, we will see what becomes of Westeros without Viserys.

The final moments of "The Lord of the Tides" saw Viserys breathe his final breath, leaving the realm in the hands of his wife and children. Anyone who has read Fire & Blood, the book House of the Dragon is based on, knows that the death of Viserys sparks an enormous conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons,

What Is the Dance of the Dragons?

House of the Dragon is entering into the period of history known as the Dance of the Dragons, which is the civil war amongst the Targaryen family. The family, as well as the realm, are split into two sides going forward, one supporting Rhaenyra and one supporting Aegon II.

Rhaenyra is the king's choice to succeed her when he dies, but Alicent makes the decision to crown Aegon II after her husband passes. Rhaenyra obviously believes the Iron Throne belongs to her, and the conflict between the two begins. Alicent and Aegon's supporters, the greens, clash with Rhaenyra's faithful, the blacks. 

According to Fire & Blood, the Dance of the Dragons is a devastating affair that sees major losses on both sides, including many members of House Targaryen. Given that the war goes on for a few years, House of the Dragon will likely spend a significant amount of time on it over the next couple of seasons.

From here on out, House of the Dragon will exist in wartime, and there will likely be a lot more action than we've become accustomed over the last eight weeks.

Are you excited for what's to come on House of the Dragon? Let us know in the comments!