'House of the Dragons' Season 2 Finale: 6 characters who may survive Dance of the Dragons
Contains spoilers and speculations for 'House of the Dragon' Season 2
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Dance of the Dragons in 'House of the Dragon' wreaks havoc in Westeros, leaving House Targaryen on the brink of extinction.
This catastrophic conflict driven by numerous characters, ultimately sees only a few instigators survive. Tragically, most of them die either during or shortly after the war ends.
The aftermath of the Dance of the Dragons was brutal, claiming the lives of many major participants. Even those who weren't responsible for the war but were drawn in by family ties or duty rarely escaped unharmed.
The conflict sees many houses choosing sides between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), who lead the Black and Green factions into battle.
It's challenging to find six significant survivors of this brutal conflict. Those who lived through it were deeply scarred, and some still met horrific ends due to circumstances beyond their control.
Yet, from these survivors emerged a glimmer of hope. They paved the way for a fragile peace, slowly rebuilding Westeros after one of its bloodiest wars.
Here are the 6 survivors of the Dance of the Dragons, forever changed by the experience.
1) Alicent Hightower
Alicent Hightower, a key player in starting the Dance of the Dragons, surprisingly survives the war. However, she's left with deep regret and loss. The war takes everything from her: her father, brother, children, and all but one grandchild.
In the end, Alicent wonders if her pursuit of power was worth the cost. Unlike the scheming stepmother in 'Fire & Blood,' the version of Alicent in 'House of the Dragon' is portrayed with greater complexity.
She becomes a victim of circumstance, ultimately barred from politics due to her role in the throne seizure plot. Though spared execution or arrest, Alicent is haunted by her past decisions.
Traumatized, Alicent isolates herself, grieving for her lost loved ones. She spends her days lamenting her choices and yearning to be reunited with her children.
Her pain endures until her death a year later, which comes as a plague sweeps through King's Landing.
2) Corlys Velaryon
Corlys Velaryon remarkably survives the Dance of the Dragons. By the war's end, he stands as Rhaenyra's strongest ally.
Corlys might have played a role in Aegon II's poisoning, though this remains unconfirmed. He is spared trial and execution by Aegon III's order.
Corlys later becomes a ruler, guiding the kingdom until Aegon III comes of age. With his extensive experience on the Small Council, Corlys proves to be the most effective regent.
However, as an old man who has lived a long and eventful life, Corlys dies naturally a year after joining the regency council.
Corlys achieves a rare feat in the 'House of the Dragon' and 'Game of Thrones' universe: dying of natural causes rather than violence. He lives a full life, a testament to his strength and resilience.
3) Baela Targaryen
Baela Targaryen, Daemon's fiercest daughter, proves her bravery by defeating Aegon II's dragon, Sunfyre, with her dragon, Moondancer. Though she loses Moondancer and is captured, Baela's spirit remains unbroken.
After Aegon II's death, Baela and her sister Rhaena persuade their half-brother, King Aegon III, to release their grandfather, Corlys Velaryon, from custody.
As the last Targaryens, Baela, and her siblings become prominent figures at court, helping to fill the void left by Aegon's trauma.
Baela becomes a court darling, renowned for her rebellious nature. Despite the regency council's disapproval, she defies convention by associating with unsuitable company and later Alyn Velaryon, becoming the Lady of Driftmark.
4) Rhaena Targaryen
Rhaena emerges as a beneficiary of the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragons. Despite losing family members, she finds support in her sister Baela, and her brother Aegon III.
More importantly, she provides a symbol of hope for the people of Westeros with a newly hatched dragon named Morning.
Rhaena and Morning become inseparable, charming the people of King's Landing. She later marries Corwyn Corbray of the Vale, whom she met during her time there.
Rhaena also plays a crucial role in protecting her brother Aegon III from the regents's schemes, particularly those of the Hand, Unwin Peake.
Years later, Rhaena becomes the world's only dragon rider, aside from the missing Nettles, when she rides Morning for the first time.
Since the show 'House of the Dragon' is merging Rhaena's and Nettles' stories, Rhaena will likely remain the sole dragon rider.
5) Alys Rivers
Alys Rivers's motivations remain shrouded in mystery. In 'House of the Dragon', she helps Daemon confront his demons, but historical records suggest she had an affair with Aemond Targaryen and guided him with her visions.
Alys sees Aemond and Daemon die in a major battle. She then goes to Harrenhal, asserting that she is pregnant with Aemond's child, who she believes should be the next king. However, it remains uncertain whether her claim is true.
She later seizes control of Harrenhal, ruling as a 'witch queen' with a bandit army. The governors of King Aegon III plan to eliminate her, but their efforts are thwarted by a plague. What happens to Alys next remains unknown.
6) Alyn Velaryon
Alyn Velaryon survived the war and became Corlys's heir. Rhaenyra had officially recognized him as a true Velaryon during the conflict, and the new leaders upheld this acknowledgment.
Alyn distinguished himself as a skilled sailor, following in his family's tradition, even though he never rode a dragon. But peace was short-lived for Alyn. Corlys died just a year after becoming regent, making Alyn the new ruler of Driftmark.
Alyn then married Baela Targaryen to protect her from a forced marriage. He gained renown as both a sailor and a warrior, earning the nickname 'Oakenfist.'
His greatest achievement was locating the missing Prince Viserys Targaryen and reuniting him with his brother, King Aegon III. This pivotal act helped secure the Targaryen family's rule over Westeros for nearly two centuries.
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 trailer
'House of the Dragon' Season 2 Finale is set to air on Sunday, August 4.