Watching any adaptation of George R. R. Martin's novels A Song of Ice and Fire is not for the faint of heart. Game of Thrones is infamous for featuring shocking and painful deaths right from its first season, often killing characters audiences believed would be protagonists throughout the entirety of the show. While House of the Dragon isn't quite as ruthless, it hasn't shied away from the bloodshed either.
Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), and Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) all met tragic ends, leaving a huge void in our hearts along the way. On the other side of the coin, there are specific deaths that haven't been as painful, like that of Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), which was actually very welcome. Unfortunately, this isn't the time for celebration, because House of the Dragon just killed one of its most iconic characters.
But before we begin, be warned: There will be major spoilers for House of the Dragon season 3, episode 8 ahead. If you haven't watched the finale and don't want any surprises ruined, it's best to turn back now.
If you are still here and haven't watched the episode, then I'm very sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it is my duty to inform you that Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) just met her unfortunate end.
Trigger warning: This article mentions suicide.
How did Helaena Targaryen's death happen in House of the Dragon?
The signs were all there. Throughout the third season of House of the Dragon, we've seen Helaena toy with the idea of hurting herself. Audiences witnessed worrying hints about her mental state, like when she purposefully pricked herself with a needle or her constant reluctance to eat. Unfortunately, this all stemmed from the fact that both she and her mother, Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke), were held captive by the new Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy).
Helaena has always been kind and peaceful, trying to stay as far away from all the political turmoil that chases her family. Her own brother, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), tried to make her ride her dragon into war—an order she very quickly refused. After all, Helaena wishes for no living being to be harmed. Unlike her two eldest brothers, she does not want to start a war for the throne. She is, genuinely, the only Targaryen at the time who isn't morally ambiguous (or an outright monster). Helaena is simply a kind soul who couldn't stand being incarcerated.
One of the pivotal aspects of Helaena Targaryen's character is that she has always been in touch with nature. That's why it was very important that her captor, Rhaenyra Targaryen, gave her and Alicent at least one hour to wander in the gardens of the Red Keep. Unfortunately, this "privilege" was quickly taken away from them after Alicent forced her daughter to attempt to escape King's Landing and the queen's grasp.
Completely isolated from the outside world, Helaena had yet another problem: she was pregnant with a boy. Everyone knew Helaena's child could grow to become a threat to the current crown. After all, he would be a direct descendant of King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine), making him an heir to the throne.
There's a quick but pivotal moment during the House of the Dragon season 3 finale when Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) tells Helaena that Rhaenyra will "never release" her and could even attempt to use her baby as leverage against the Greens. Absolutely nothing was going right for a person who just wanted to live a peaceful life. Even her captor was treating her worse and worse as the days went by. Unfortunately, this was all too much to take, so she made the harsh decision to open the window of her room and jump to the ground far below.
On a personal note, I knew this death was coming, and I was still not okay watching it unfold.
How Helaena dies in the books
While Helaena's death in the show plays out almost exactly the same as it does in the source material, the reason behind why she decides to take her life is very different.
In George R. R. Martin's novel Fire & Blood, Helaena does have a third child with her brother, Aegon Targaryen, and his name is Maelor Targaryen. When Rhaenyra claimed the throne for herself during the Fall of King's Landing, Larys Strong smuggled Maelor and his sister, Jaehaera Targaryen, out of the city through secret passages.
In the show, we see Rhaenyra put a bounty on Aemond's head. However, things are a little more extreme in the books, since the Queen also puts a bounty on Maelor and Jaehaera. Ultimately, a mob of people got hold of Maelor and couldn't quite figure out whether to bring him to Rhaenyra and claim the reward or take him to Ormund Hightower, who could also offer coin for him. Ultimately, the mob quite literally tore Maelor apart. Upon learning of her child's fate, Helaena decides to jump out of the window.
While the motive for Helaena's death was very different in the source material, it still hurt all the same to watch it play out in live-action. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how Aegon and Alicent react to this death and whether it will fuel the war even more.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988.
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