‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Premiere Just Killed Three Major Characters and Nothing Will Ever Be the Same

‘House of the Dragon‘ returned to HBO on Sunday, June 21, with a premiere that did not ease viewers back into Westeros gently. The season opener dove headfirst into the long-anticipated Battle of the Gullet, a brutal naval confrontation between the Velaryon fleet and the Triarchy that fans of George R.R. Martin’s source material had been dreading for months. The episode is now streaming on Max, and it has already cemented itself as one of the most devastating premieres in the entire ‘Game of Thrones’ franchise.

Three named characters did not make it out alive, and two more were left in deeply uncertain fates by the episode’s closing moments. Rhaenyra’s relentless quest to claim her rightful seat on the Iron Throne just got significantly harder, and Alicent’s ambitions to clean up her royal messes are about to be tested in ways neither woman could have prepared for.

The Battle of the Gullet and Jacaerys Velaryon’s Death

Rhaenyra’s eldest son Jacaerys, known as Jace, died in the Battle of the Gullet, just as he does in Martin’s novel ‘Fire and Blood.’ The circumstances were both heroic and heartbreaking. Jace conspired with Ser Lorent to lock Rhaenyra in her chambers on Dragonstone, then rode off on his dragon Vermax alongside Baela on Moondancer to protect the Velaryon fleet from the Triarchy’s surprise attack.

Sharako Lohar ordered her crew to use a massive grapnel weapon that stabbed Vermax directly in the neck, bringing the dragon down toward the water. Baela managed to briefly free her betrothed by directing Moondancer to sever the cable, but when Rhaena arrived on the wild and uncontrollable Sheepstealer, chaos ensued, and Vermax was struck a second time.

Vermax drowned after the harpoon dragged him beneath the surface. Jace managed to free himself and surface on floating debris, but was then killed by three arrows fired by Triarchy crossbowmen. For a brief moment, he clung to a piece of wood from a wrecked ship, but before his allies could reach him, archers riddled his body with arrows.

In an exclusive interview with People, Emma D’Arcy, who plays Rhaenyra Targaryen, spoke about the weight of this loss, explaining that “Jace’s death is honestly a sort of unquantifiable loss. There was a shared kind of understanding, there was an intimacy there that I don’t think is replicated anywhere else.”

Rhaenyra Without an Heir

Jace’s death is not only a devastating loss for Rhaenyra as a mother but also as a queen fighting to rightfully claim the Iron Throne. With Jace dead, Rhaenyra has no heir capable of ruling, as her remaining sons are too young. The grief doubles when you consider what the show revealed earlier this season about their bond. Rhaenyra had confided in Jace about Aegon the Conqueror’s prophecy, the Song of Ice and Fire, a secret about the White Walkers that led Aegon to unite Westeros under Targaryen rule.

Jace was his mother’s fiercest protector and confidant, and his protective nature was ultimately what led to his death. He conspired to keep her locked away from the battle because her allies believe that Rhaenyra’s death would instantly end the war and send their heads to spikes. His love for her made him reckless, and it cost him everything.

These events will shatter whatever slim possibility of reconciliation between Alicent and Rhaenyra may have existed. Alicent had hoped for peace when she visited Rhaenyra at the end of the previous season, but the events of the Gullet will leave no space for diplomacy and turn the conflict into a full-blown war with no realistic path back.

Sharako Lohar and Jason Lannister Fall Too

Three characters in total died in the season premiere. Alongside Jace, the episode claimed the lives of Jason Lannister and Admiral Sharako Lohar, with Lohar’s death representing a notable departure from Martin’s original text.

Jason Lannister’s death came before the naval battle even began. Figures emerged from the treeline with his severed head, delivered by Roddy the Ruin, leader of the Winter Wolves who were dispatched by Cregan Stark.

His declaration that the Northmen had “come to die for the Dragon Queen” marked the belated but dramatic arrival of Stark-allied forces to the conflict.

Sharako Lohar met her end at the hands of Alyn of Hull following a vicious close-quarters fight. Her death is a departure from the source material, where she dies shortly after the Gullet as the Triarchy begins tearing itself apart, rather than during the battle itself. In ‘Fire and Blood,’ the character Sharako was originally written as male and known for naval prowess. The television adaptation reimagined the role as a woman with formidable military power and LGBT themes, making her arc and early exit all the more striking.

Uncertain Fates and What Comes Next

Not every cliffhanger in the premiere resolved neatly. Lord Corlys Velaryon’s fate remains uncertain after he falls into the sea during his duel with Lohar. The show does not confirm whether the Sea Snake survives the battle, though in ‘Fire and Blood,’ Corlys goes on to serve as Hand of the Queen and later as regent for King Aegon III.

Tyland Lannister, the king’s Master of Ships, was thrown overboard by Lohar while wearing heavy armor, which would almost certainly drag him beneath the waves. The show stops short of confirming his death, leaving room for a possible return in future episodes. In ‘Fire and Blood,’ Tyland never participates in the Battle of the Gullet and instead dies years later from Winter Fever, which means the show could still take his story in multiple directions.

‘House of the Dragon’ season 3, episode 2 is set to air on Sunday, June 28 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max. With Jace gone, Rhaenyra’s grip on her cause has never felt more fragile, and the season has barely even started. If the premiere is any indication, showrunner Ryan Condal is not in the business of sparing anyone this year, so share your thoughts below on whether you think Corlys made it out of that water alive.