House of the Dragon is back for season three and whoa did it not waste any time diving right into the action. Rhaenyra’s continuous quest to sit upon the Iron Throne and claim her place as her father’s rightful heir and Alicent’s cold, villainous decisions to attempt to clean up her royal messes are at the forefront of this season as battles rage on. As is customary with any story of war and revenge, there will be a lot of bloodshed and big deaths in House of the Dragon season three. So, who ends up losing their life in this conflict between Team Black and Team Green? Here is every major death that happens in House of the Dragon season three.
Note: We are only counting main and important named characters. Sorry to all the ancillary soldiers and random people who are caught in the line of fire between Rhaenyra’s rage and Alicent’s boneheadedness.
Jump To: HOTD Season 3, Episode 1 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 2 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 6 Deaths // HOTD Season 3, Episode 8 Deaths
House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 1 Major Deaths
Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and His Dragon Vermax
Believing in Alicent’s offer to let her come into King’s Landing and take power, Rhaenyra sends her naval forces, led by the Sea Snake Lord Corlys Velaryon, in that direction to control the city. Her wise son Jace strongly advises against this, saying that it is likely a trap. This decision leads to the Battle of the Gullet when the Triarchy shows up and Admiral Sharako Lohar is determined to take the Sea Snake down. Rhaenyra gets word of this and hastily decides that she will ride Syrax into battle; however, Jace comes up with a plan to protect his mother’s life.
He conspires with Sir Lorent to lock Rhaenyra in her room, and Jace instead rides off with Baela on their respective dragons, Vermax and Moondancer. Unbeknownst to them, Rhaena rides a very untamed Sheepstealer into battle, who begins to burn everything and tries to attack the other dragons. This leads to Vermax being harpooned for a second time. Vermax drowns and Jace manages to unhook himself, but is shot down with several arrows, ending the first episode of House of the Dragon season three with a very major and sad death. Now, Rhaenyra will have to deal with losing two sons in her journey towards the Iron Throne.
Admiral Sharako Lohar
Sure, she’s not necessarily the most “major” character in this show. But Admiral Sharako Lohar made quite the splash with her appearance at the end of season two, and fans were ready to see more from her. The Battle of Gullet features much bloodshed and fire, much of it fueled by Admiral Sharako Lohar’s hatred of Lord Corlys. She wishes to exact revenge on him, saying that he led the persecution and slaughter of her mates for 20 years. She doesn’t care what the King’s mission is, nor is she Team Green. She is driven by hatred, and after much tense battle and chase, finally gets her one-on-one fight against Lord Corlys.
Interestingly, Lohar’s drowning at the hands of Alyn of Hull was a creation of the show. In George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the Lyseni admiral survived the Battle of the Gullet. His ship was one of the 28 out of 90 not to burn or sink. Lohar’s survival, and the fact that 25 in total hailed from Lys, helped lead the three Free Cities of the Triarchy to go to war with one another two years later.
As the ship splits, it throws Corlys into the sea, a sight that makes his illegitimate son Alyn of Hull incredibly angry. Alyn tackles Sharako into the seas and attempts to drown her before finally stabbing her in the neck. It’s kinda sad because she was lit but she also dug her own grave by going rogue against the Sea Snake.
House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 Major Deaths
Ser Simon Strong
After delivering news to Daemon about Jace’s death, Ser Simon Strong returns to Harrenhal. Little did he know that he’d meet his demise at the hands of Aemond, who continues to operate in a state of chaos. Alicent convinces Aemond to leave King’s Landing and to go to Harrenhal to secretly get him and Vhagar away so that Rhaenyra can take the throne and she can finally escape with her daughter, he arrives there in a fiery fashion. Vhagar cooks most of the soldiers and Aemond goes inside to confront a shocked Ser Simon.
He asks for Daemon before telling Simon to draw his sword, which is just plain cruel. Simon is certainly not a fighter and he’s also an older man. Simon comes close and tries to tell him that the army has decamped, but Aemond stabs him and kills the others in the room. However, Aemond is stabbed in the back and collapses in front of an unsympathetic Alys. We already know she wants control of Harrenhal, so she has no inclination to help Aemond.
Otto Hightower
Otto finally came back after being locked away in King’s Landing for a long time. But his return was short because he lost his head to Rhaenyra. After Rhaenyra and Daemon slay their way to the Iron Throne, he goes with a band of soldiers and finds Grand Maester Orwyle, who quickly bends the knee and offers up a prisoner to literally save his own neck. That person is Jasper Wylde, the same man who tried to sexually assault Alicent. But, another man says there is a gift left for him by Lord Larys Strong, yet another prisoner to kill.
That person is none other than Otto Hightower, whom we haven’t seen in a very long time. We knew that he was replaced as the King’s Hand when Aegon took the throne. After Ser Criston Cole took his place, he left to gather allies in the Reach but disappeared. Last season, we saw him in a dark jail but it wasn’t clear where he was. Well, it seems he was in King’s Landing the entire time, and Alicent didn’t have a clue.
Otto and Wylde are brought to Rhaenyra. Daemon tells her that she must take their heads to assert her authority, but she hesitates. To be fair, she’s not a soldier like he is and, at one point, she did care for her former best friend’s father. But she finally did what needed to be done and chopped both of their heads off. Predictably, Alicent is captured and she’s brought into the room to see her father’s lifeless body on the floor. Welp!
House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 6 Major Deaths
Ser Criston Cole
We’ve seen quite a few deaths transpire in the last couple of episodes with City Watch, hired assassins, and more dying. But it wasn’t until episode six when we got another shocking death in House of the Dragon when Ser Criston Cole died. His army is ambushed by Tully soldiers and they fight back valiantly. Roderick and Oscar arrive, and Criston challenges him to a duel. However, Alysanne Blackwell shoots him with three arrows. It’s a death that we don’t love for many reasons.
House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 8 Major Deaths
Somehow, the finale of House of the Dragon is in the world and season three is a wrap. We know that the series will have a fourth and final season, and that we had to go into it with more demises. The Battle of Tumbleton brought plenty of deaths, but that wasn’t the only place that it happened.
The High Septon
Determined to have the High Septon’s blessing as the true Queen, Rhaenyra pays his holy abode a visit with Alyn and a full escort in tow. But that does not sway the High Septon from sticking to his decision to not do as she wants, especially in light of the news about Aegon being alive.
She calls the High Septon a traitor and orders Alyn to kill him, and he hesitates because harming the High Septon is basically damning your soul to Hell. Rhaenyra is able to influence Alyn, saying his Old Valyria blood answers to higher gods. Alyn kills the High Septon and the others kill the holy men around him.
Ormund Hightower
Ormund Hightower met his fiery death at the battle in Tumbleton in the season three finale. After convincing Ulf the White to turn on Rhaenyra’s forces, Ormund and Ser Roderick get into a one-on-one battle. He manages to lob Roderick’s arm off, but gets a sword up his butt in return.
Ulf burns many of Daemon’s forces, then redirects his dragon’s attention to Orumund, showing that he has no loyalty to anyone but himself. It remains to be seen if Daeron is alive or dead, but we know that Gwayne is looking for him.
Helaena Targaryen
This is certainly one of the saddest deaths in House of the Dragon overall. When Rhaenyra sends Mysaria away, she crosses paths with Helaena and gives her a dark warning. Mysaria tells Helaena not to trust the queen and that Aegon lives and her unborn child will be a political pawn, just like Helaena feared. Her dreams of having freedom with her children and getting away from all of this chaos (none of which is her fault) were completely crushed.
She finished her needlework, which displays her death as well as Rhaenyra’s potentially fiery ending, and jumped from her window. Of course, Alicent isn’t back yet and will have to deal with the ramifications of leaving her daughter alone to attempt to kill her son. You deserved better, Helaena.
Roderick Dustin
Ser Roderick went into the battle at Tumbleton fully willing to die for his Queen, and that’s exactly what happened. After forcing his way into the city and allowing forces to flood in, Roderick found Ormun and they got into a swordfight atop a wall. Roderick lost his arm but didn’t lose his wit nor spunk.
Roderick takes his sword and sticks it right up Ormund’s butt, a fitting consequence for a jerk. The duo die when Ulf flies over and cooks them with his dragon.
House of the Dragon Season 3 Was WAY Bloodier Than Season 2
Was this season bloodier than season two? Absolutely yes. And so, we’re scared about what the final season will bring. House of the Dragon season three is now streaming in full on HBO.
Originally published June 21, 2026.
This post has affiliate links, which means we may earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, we just have to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!