Similar to Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen, one the most important characters in House of the Dragon embraced death without any fervor.

Carrying on Game of Thrones’ tragic legacy, House of the Dragon portrayed a gruesome death for one of the most important characters in the series. Fans still vividly remember the treatment Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen got in the story during and after her death.

Pertaining to the same theme, her ancestor Rhaenys Targaryen met a pretty gruesome end in Season 2 of House of the Dragon. Fascinatingly, there are some hard-to-ignore similarities in their tragic demise, although the premises were completely different. And even more shocking was the fact that none of them got a funeral or remembrance scene by their most loved ones.

House of the Dragon Bids Lukewarm Farewell To One of the Most Important Characters

After first appearing in George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, which was the prequel to the A Song of Ice and Fire series, Rhaenys Targaryen, played by Eve Best, quickly became a fan-favorite character in House of the Dragon. The conflicts in her life were highlighted when she was passed over as the heir to the throne. Although it should have rightfully gone to her since she was the first child of Prince Aemon Targaryen, who was the heir of King Jaehaerys.

However, she stayed relevant in the court, even after losing the vote twice which is nothing but a testament to her character’s strength. From backing Rhaenyra Targaryen’s claim to the throne as the first woman ruler to becoming one of her most trusted allies, her existence in the story was a huge catalyst for the plot to progress. This made her end even more tragic according to fans, and the lack of reaction from her loved ones was no less than disappointing.

Especially since in episode 4 of the second season of House of the Dragon, she, with her dragon Meleys, died in a glorious battle mid-air for Rhaenyra’s cause when she went to defend Rook’s Rest which was on the verge of being attacked by Ser Criston Cole. Although she might have won against Aegon Targaryen and his dragon Sunfyre, with their inexperience, Aemond, and his dragon Vhagar’s arrival sealed her fate. The first all-out dragon warfare in the show came with its fair share of fire, blood, and the eventual death of Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was.

Rhaenys Targaryen’s Death Had Eerie Similarities With Daenerys Targaryen

Although they lived centuries apart, with different struggles and strife, the similarities between the deaths of Rhaenys and Daenerys Targaryen are unignorable. Both of them tried so hard to never lose sight of their dreams, only for everything to collapse so terribly. Daenerys’ ambitions for the throne stemmed from the stories she heard from the others, and an indomitable urge to become a savior, even to the detriment of morality and common sense.

For Rhaenys’, her dreams turned into strengthening Rhaeynyra’s claim to the throne after she was passed over for the same. However, their tragic deaths connect them in profound ways. In Rhaenys’s case, her demise came from a trap set by her own blood. For Daenerys, too, it was her beloved who committed the gravest betrayal against her, which ended in her death.

Both Emilia Clarke and Eve Best brought their characters to life in such a masterful way that fans couldn’t help but feel for them. Interestingly, none of them, even after being two of the most important characters in their respective shows, i.e., Game of Thrones and House of the Dragons got a due remembrance to honor them from their families.

Fans of the show seem to find it especially infuriating when even characters like Joffrey Baratheon, played by Jack Gleeson, got an elaborate funeral scene. Well, as things stand, that ship has now sailed, and fans can only hope that their other favorite characters do not get the same treatment. As the filming of the third season is about to begin in 2025 according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, people are waiting to see which turn the story takes next.

Both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are available for streaming on MAX.