House of the Dragon: Who Dies in Episode 2?

By Charlie Ridgely

The Game of Thrones franchise finally returned to screens last weekend, with HBO's debut of prequel series House of the Dragon. Set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon follows the reign of King Viserys Targaryen, and what will eventually become the end of an era of peace in Westeros. While the series follows a different story and different characters than Game of Thrones, it carries the same style and tone, making many fans wonder when things are going to start getting dangerous.

In Game of Thrones, no character was ever too important to kill, much like in George R.R. Martin's books. Remember, the face of the entire series was killed before the end of the first season. House of the Dragon's premiere saw King Viserys' wife die as a product of a complicated childbirth. With the second episode arriving on Sunday night, fans are prepared to potentially lose yet another character.

"The Rogue Prince" airs on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday night, and promises to be another tense episode of drama for fans to enjoy. As far as who could die, however, there don't seem to be a whole lot of options, at least amongst the main characters.

Viserys and his brother Daemon are at the heart of the power struggle in House of the Dragon and it wouldn't make much sense to see either of them killed this early. The same can probably be said of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and Corlys Velaryon, who sits at the King's Table as a member of the council. Given the familial connection and the power of his name, however, Corlys should be considered the safer of the two. For now, at least.

Rhaenys and Alicent are both definitely safe at this point in the series. Two of House of the Dragon's known stars play older versions of the characters, so we know they will be around at least until a major time jump occurs. 

That leaves two major characters whose lives could be at stake this early in the series: Harrold Westerling and Criston Cole. As the commander of the Kingsguard, Harrold is in a bit of a vulnerable position if Daemon or another threat to the Iron Throne were to make some kind of move on Viserys. Criston Cole, who received the favor of Rhaenyra at the tournament, has already found himself in unfavorable standing with Daemon, who has displayed some aggressive, erratic behavior. If the two have any sort of encounter, Cole may not live to see another episode.

What are your predictions for House of the Dragon's second episode? Let us know in the comments!

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