House of the Dragon season 3 has come and gone, leaving death and destruction in its wake as the Dance of the Dragons civil war plunged the realm to brutal new depths. Across eight episodes, battles raged, betrayals shocked the realm, and the balance of power shifted in dramatic ways that promise far-reaching repercussions. When the dust settled, the casualties were high.
As with the original Game of Thrones series, House of the Dragon is no stranger to killing off major characters. Considering the stakes of the Targaryen civil war, it's no surprise that season 3 killed more than ever before — and that some of those deaths will forever change the course of history in Westeros.
Let's look back on all the major deaths in House of the Dragon season 3, and rank them by their importance to the story.
Leo
Leo is the brother of Kat, Hugh Hammer's wife. After she goes to live with him in Tumbleton and he tries to defend her from the unwanted advances of a Hightower soldier, Leo is brought in secret to the sept of the city where Lord Ormund Hightower forces his ward, Daeron Targaryen, to kill him. This is meant to serve as a test for Daeron; even though Leo's cause was just, he laid hands on a soldier serving Daeron, which is tantamount to treason in Ormund's eyes since he wants to make the young Targaryen prince into a king. Yes, it's twisty, but so is the mind of Ormund Hightower.
Leo barely even warrants a mention on this list, because House of the Dragon pretty much forgot about him the second he died. If the show doesn't care enough to ever mention his death again, then why should we?
Janos
When it comes to important deaths, there's no doubt that Janos belongs near the bottom of the heap. This soldier-turned-brigand is in charge of the "garrison" at Rook's Rest following the Greens' capture of the castle in season 2. He's pretty terrible at the job, allowing the place to descend into anarchy as he plays warlord over the desperate refugees gathered there — including Aegon II Targaryen and Larys Strong.
Janos meets his end at Aegon's hand after discovering the king's crown, when Aegon swiftly murders him to keep his secret safe. His death mean that Rook's Rest loses what little stability it has, and it forces Aegon, Larys, and Tyland Lannister to flee for Maidenpool. But beyond that, it's safe to say Janos is not missed by history at large.
Lord Petyr Piper
You'd be forgiven for having no idea who Petyr Piper is in House of the Dragon, because I don't even think the show ever actually said his name aloud. But you'll definitely remember how he died: stabbed in the back by Ser Criston Cole at the start of episode 305, when the Kingmaker's warriors raided the River host's camp in their ongoing effort to slow their march.
Petyr Piper is the lord of House Piper, an important vassal of the Tullys. But considering that any remaining soldiers loyal to him would just continue to fall in under young Lord Oscar Tully's banner, Piper's death doesn't have too much of an impact on the season or war at large, beyond continuing to inconvenience the River host.
Ser Adrian Redfort
Ser Adrian Redfort was a new member of Rhaenyra Targaryen's Queensguard, appointed after her capture of King's Landing. His role is to protect the queen, and he does that staunchly throughout the season.
However, Rhaenyra's final command to him is to go with Alicent Hightower to Harrenhal, where they hope to assassinate her son Aemond. But Aemond Targaryen is a cagey sort, and he quickly and efficiently murders Redfort within seconds of meeting him; Aemond doesn't even bother taking the time to see through their subterfuge, because there are secrets he's guarding at Harrenhal and this unknown knight his mother brought is a threat simply by virtue of being a stranger.
The biggest impact of Adrian's death is that it means he and Alicent fail in their mission. If Aemond hadn't killed him, it's entirely possible that the one-eyed prince would have been successfully assassinated at Harrenhal.
Kat
Kat was the wife of Hugh the Hammer, the peasant blacksmith who became the rider of Rhaenyra Targaryen's largest dragon, Vermithor. After the queen captures King's Landing, Kat flees to the nearby market town of Tumbleton to live with her brother, Leo. There she is subjected to sexual assault at the hands of a Hightower guardsman, before she eventually reunites with her husband, only to push him away for abandoning her to such horrors. The two never see each other again, with Hugh finding her corpse in the aftermath of the Battle of Tumbleton.
The main way Kat's death affects the narrative of the story is in how it will change Hugh's course going forward. He remained loyal to Rhaenyra right up until she tried to keep him from the battle, knowing his defenseless wife was down in the thick of it. Hugh deserted, fought in the Battle of Tumbleton, and still couldn't save Kat. We won't see how that ultimately impacts his arc until season 4, but suffice to say, it's very unlikely he'll be going back to serving Rhaenyra Targaryen.
Ser Lorent Marbrand
Ser Lorent Marbrand was the Lord Commander of Rhaenyra's Queensguard on Dragonstone, and while he mostly executed that duty faithfully, he made one grave error: following Jacaerys Velaryon's command to lock his mother in her room, preventing her from joining the Battle of the Gullet. As a result, Jace and his betrothed, Baela, go to the Gullet instead...and it leads to Jace's death.
After Jace's body is returned, Lorent submits himself to Rhaenyra's judgement. By the end of the episode, she decides to let him choose the manner of his death, and he's killed off-screen. While it is the Queensguard's duty to lay down their life for the queen, it's still fascinating to think about how different the dangers facing Rhaenyra in King's Landing might have been if she was not betrayed by her own closest Queensguard knight, and he were able to continue serving her there.
Beyond that, Lorent's involvement in the events of the Gullet raise all sorts of questions. Would Jace have lived if he hadn't intervened? Would Rhaenyra have died if he'd allowed her to join the fight? These quandaries alone warrant Lorent a slightly higher place on the list than a Queensguard or Kinsguard might usually be afforded.
Sharako Lohar
Sharako Lohar is the commander of the Triarchy fleet that attacks the Sea Snake's armada during the Battle of the Gullet, and what a spectacular mess she makes of this first battle of the season. While initially agreeing to help the Greens lift the blockade around King's Landing, once Lohar's fleet actually arrives in Westeros, she quickly shifts her focus to killing the Sea Snake himself in order to settle a decades-old grudge.
Lohar is a vicious pirate and a fun, chaotic element of the season premiere. She only appears in two episodes total of House of the Dragon, but the damage her attack on Corlys Velaryon's blockade does to both sides is immense. It all but shatters House Velaryon's military might, as well as the might of the Triarchy alliance between the Free Cities of Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr.
She's ultimately killed by Alyn of Hull after she seemingly defeats his father. It's impossible to know how Lohar's survival might have changed the tide of the battle, but suffice to say, taking her off the board all but assures the Triarchy's defeat.
Ser Simon Strong (and his sons)
Ser Simon Strong is the elderly castellan of Harrenhal, and while he's never made an outsized impact on House of the Dragon, his quiet kindness has left its own kind of mark on viewers and the story at large. Simon first appeared in the show after Daemon Targaryen seized the castle during season 2, where he offered up no resistance and happily aided the rogue prince in his attempts to rally the Riverlands to Rhaenyra's cause. He became one of the few characters that Daemon actually seemed to genuinely like...which made it all the more tragic when he was slain this season by Aemond Targaryen during the prince's own attack on Harrenhal.
Ser Simon Strong may not be mourned by the realm, but it's clear his loss hit Daemon surprisingly hard. Without his calming presence at Harrenhal, it paved the way for the witch Alys Rivers to take over the keep and seduce Aemond without interference. And of course, the death of all of Ser Simon's sons basically insures the erasure of House Strong, with Larys Strong becoming the only remaining member of this once noble family.
Lord Jasper Wylde, the "Ironrod"
Jasper Wylde was the Master of Laws for the Greens, and a member of the Small Council for King Viserys, King Aegon II, and Prince Regent Aemond. As such, he had a large impact on the ruling of the realm for many years. But come season 3, his influence waned as the Green's hour in King's Landing passed.
In the end, Wylde died piteously mere hours after sexually assaulting Alicent Hightower, when he's brought up from the dungeons and beheaded in the Iron Throne room by Daemon Targaryen. He would not be missed at all...if not for the fact that he was one of the few people who knew where the Greens hid the crown's treasury. That alone makes Jasper's death far more important than it would be otherwise; if not for his swift demise, Queen Rhaenyra might have been able to regain some of her coin and alleviate so many of the problems that befell her rule this season.
Lord Roderick Dustin
Lord Roderick Dustin, a.k.a. "Roddy the Ruin," entered the scene this season absolutely determined to die a glorious death. As the leader of the Winter Wolves, this is essentially his whole purpose. These old greybeards travel south to join the war effort as a way for House Stark to honor its oath to Rhaenyra while insuring their younger soldiers remain at home for the hard winter ahead, but don't let that fool you. The Winter Wolves are seasoned warriors, made all the more dangerous by their commitment to dying on the field of battle.
As such, Roddy's death was always expected to happen. And what a glorious death it was, taking out Ormund Hightower before the pair were engulfed in dragonflame at the Battle of Tumbleton. Despite the fact that Roddy was overjoyed with his fate, his loss eliminates one of Rhaenyra and Daemon's strongest battlefield allies, essentially knocking the North out of the war for the time being.
Beyond that, the dude was just a blast to watch as he mixed it up, clearly having the best time at the Battle of Tumbleton. Even more than the loss to Team Black, losing Roddy is a loss to viewers who wanted to have just as much fun as this old warrior watching the show. He reminded us why the Starks and the North are the best part of Game of Thrones, and we already miss him.
Lord Jason Lannister
You may be surprised to see Jason Lannister so high on this list, considering that he died off-screen in the opening minutes of the season premiere. While actor Jefferson Hall had a large role in season 3 as Jason's twin brother, Tyland, Jason himself is pretty much an afterthought once he's slain by Roderick Dustin and the Winter Wolves.
Despite that, the loss of Lord Jason Lannister actually has a fairly large effect on the war. His death signals both the end of House Lannister's military role in the armed conflict, effectively removing one of the most prominent houses in the realm from the Dance of the Dragons, as well as the death knell for the Greens' campaign in the Riverlands. After Jason and his army are defeated at the Battle of the Red Fork and the Battle by the Lakeshore, any more resistance the River host encounters is more annoyance than true threat.
Ser Luthor Largent
Ser Luthor Largent was the commander of the City Watch in King's Landing who betrayed the Greens and helped Rhaenyra Targaryen seize the Iron Throne. While he undoubtedly ranks below the various lords of Westeros on a societal level,, his death signals a bleak shift for Rhaenyra's reign that makes it a crucial turning point for the season.
Luthor and the entire command structure of the Gold Cloaks are assassinated in the season's fifth episode at the behest of Ormund Hightower. After that, more Gold Cloaks desert out of fear for their lives — especially since Rhaenyra hasn't even bothered to pay them for their dangerous work since she took over the capital. Unrest boils over in the city, with the smallfolk fearing for their own lives as a result. If not for the death of Luthor, it's entirely possible that Rhaenyra might have been able to keep things under better control.
The High Septon
The High Septon is the leader of the Faith of the Seven, and we've barely just begun to reconcile with his death in the season finale. But one thing is certain: you don't kill a religious leader and escape without it causing an uproar. Rhaenyra Targaryen's choice to pressure Alyn of Hull into murdering the High Septon in front of his closest advisors was ill-advised in the extreme. Yes, he refused to anoint her queen and was preparing to preach about the rebirth of her greatest adversary, Aegon II, but this impulsive action has opened a giant can of worms that Rhaenyra is assuredly unprepared to deal with.
The death of the High Septon is likely to have a very large impact on the show's fourth and final season, where the smallfolk's opinion of Rhaenyra will be a driving force for the story. Now that she's donned armor and started executing septons who don't agree with her, it leaves her more vulnerable than she likely imagines to whispers of her cruelty, which will grow to shouts that shake the cobblestones of the city by the time the smallfolk are done expressing their discontent. Be prepared for this death to play a large part in what's to come.
Otto Hightower
Does Otto Hightower truly need an introduction? He was the original schemer on House of the Dragon, manipulating his daughter Alicent into seducing King Viserys and bearing him more heirs, before setting in motion the Green Council coup in an attempt to place one of them on the Iron Throne ahead of Rhaenyra. Without him, it's entirely possible the Dance of the Dragons might have been avoided entirely.
Otto's role in this story cannot be understated, even if he'd fallen out of the public eye early in season 2. We found out during Rhaenyra's takeover of King's Landing that he had been captured by Larys Strong and held in the Black Cells, as a gift for the Black Queen should she ever return to the city. His execution not only represents an end to the long road that led to the war, but also a critical turning point for Rhaenyra herself, who beheads Otto personally. She ascends to the Iron Throne directly through Otto Hightower's lifeblood, and it immediately sets the tone for her reign.
Ser Criston Cole
Of all the characters who died in House of the Dragon season 3, Ser Criston Cole appeared in the show the most. He was introduced in the series premiere all the way back in 2022, became Rhaenyra's sworn sword in the Kingsguard, then her bitter enemy when she spurned his love, then the Hand of the King for Aegon II and a fearsome battlefield commander. Criston Cole was an antihero that fans loved to hate, and in season 3 he finally met his end during the Butcher's Ball.
Criston's death is a huge loss for Team Green, both because it freed up the River host to march on Tumbleton, and because it deprived them of one of their most loyal and skilled warriors. Criston was one of the most formidable fighters in Westeros at the time of his death, but he was deprived the chance for a glorious ending worthy of song, struck down by Black Aly's arrows while he had barely raised his sword. His death is a purposeful anticlimax, but it still changes the playing field for the war significantly — as well as for viewers, who finally said goodbye to this character many had spent so long loathing.
Prince Jacaerys Velaryon and Vermax
Jacaerys Velaryon was Rhaenyra Targaryen's eldest son, the heir to the Iron Throne and rider of the dragon Vermax. Despite his mother's wishes, Jace and his dragon fought valiantly at the Battle of the Gullet, until the dragon was struck by a scorpion bolt from a Triarchy ship and dragged down into the water. As Vermax drowned, Jace struggled onto a piece of wreckage to stay afloat...only to be shot dead with arrows. It was the first shocker death of the season, and all this time later, it still easily stands as one of the most important.
Outside the fact that the death of a prince is always a big deal, Jace's death at the Battle of the Gullet launched many of the events of the season and had a profound effect on Rhaenyra, which in turn steered her toward ever darker and more paranoid actions as she sought to establish her rule over the Seven Kingdoms. It's said in the book that the death of Jace hardened Rhaenyra, and that holds true in the show as well. Without the death of Jace, we might have had an entirely different story in House of the Dragon season 3.
Lord Ormund Hightower
Ormund Hightower, Lord of Oldtown, is the cousin of Alicent and Gwayne and a brand new character introduced this season. He continues a grand tradition of great single-season Game of Thrones figures who come in, make a huge splash, and then get a fantastic (or fantastically brutal) exit. That was the case with Ormund, who was killed on the ramparts at the Battle of Tumbleton, fighting Roddy the Ruin before being engulfed in dragonflame by Ulf the White's mount, Silverwing.
If you've watched House of the Dragon season 3, you don't need me to tell you what a huge presence Ormund had in the show. He was a schemer with a massive personality, prone to outbursts and long, well-spoken diatribes, affliced by a crippling sensitivity to bad smells — of which there are many in Westeros — and a formidable foe for Rhaenyra. Ormund is the primary antagonist of the season, undermining the Black Queen at every turn. His loss removes a major player from the board, as well as a character fans fell immediately in love with thanks to an incredibly nuanced and entertaining performance from actor James Norton.
Queen Helaena Targaryen
We arrive at last at the most important death of House of the Dragon season 3: Helaena Targaryen, the queen for the Greens, wife and sister to Aegon II. Helaena is a gentle woman with a gift for prophetic dreams. This late into the story, the Dance of the Dragons has twisted nearly everyone into moral knots that might have made their former selves cringe. Not so for Helaena, one of the few truly sympathetic characters on the show, who only wanted to live a peaceful life with her children and was denied it at every turn.
Helaena's leap from a window of the Red Keep closes out the season, driving home the inhumanity of Rhaenyra's reign after she force-fed her poor half-sister, locked her in a room as a prisoner, badgered her to be the crown's personal oracle, and planned to keep her unborn son as a political hostage from birth. If characters like Ormund or Criston Cole deserved everything they got and more, Helaena deserved none of it. She is a true tragedy in the Dance of the Dragons, and I'm already sad we won't see her again in season 4.
As for her death's impact on the story, we won't feel is full impact until season 4, but if you've read Fire & Blood you know it will be large. Unlike Rhaenyra, whose popularity with the smallfolk is waning, Helaena was universally beloved. For her to die under such mysterious circumstances will not reflect well on Rhaenyra — and that's before you even factor in this death's impact on Alicent Hightower or Aegon.
While many characters left their mark before their exit from the series, few stand on the level of Helaena. She was Targaryen royalty and a dragon dreamer. who was cruelly driven to take her life as a last recourse from an inescapable situation. We shall never see her like again.
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