The House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere delivered its biggest emotional gut punch yet by killing Prince Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon, Rhaenyra Targaryen’s firstborn son, during the Battle of the Gullet.
From political betrayals to shocking dragon battles, the prequel spin-off series has never hidden the fact that it exists in the shadow of Game of Thrones. However, this shocking moment, from the recent episode, reminded audiences why Westeros became television’s most unpredictable world.
While new fans might have stopped in their tracks when Jace was struck with a flight of crossbow arrows, just as he emerged on the surface of the water during the Battle of the Gullet, the death feels strikingly reminiscent of Robb Stark’s heartbreaking end at the Red Wedding, for seasoned Game of Thrones fans.
More on this in our story.
House of the Dragon Season 3 makes Jace the next doomed heir after Robb Stark
The seeds of Jace’s death in the House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere were sown when Rhaena charged into the war on her untamed dragon Sheepstealer. Since the beast was unfamiliar with its rider, it began coughing up flames on any target in sight, including Rhaenyra’s own forces. The game-changing moment arrived with Rhaena’s near-death encounter with Jace, which crashed the latter’s dragon into the water. After Jace’s dragon Vermax started sinking into the water, he detached himself from the beast but was attacked by a string of crossbows from a Triarchy ship, leading to his death.
While the circumstances surrounding Jace and Robb Stark’s deaths are vastly different, the emotional function they serve is almost identical. Both firstborns were young leaders who carried the hopes of their families until the burden of their inherited responsibilities claimed their lives. Game of Thrones fans will certainly remember how Robb’s murder at the Red Wedding abruptly ended the Northern rebellion and devastated viewers who believed that he was destined to become the franchise’s hero.
As Rhaenyra Targaryen’s eldest son and heir, Jace occupied a similar position and was believed to be a key player in House of the Dragon Season 3, until the premiere abruptly claimed his life, robbing his mother of one of her most loyal supporters and allies.
Like Robb Stark, who spent much of the War of the Five Kings winning battles, Jace had matured into one of Team Black’s most capable leaders in House of the Dragon Season 3, securing alliances and leading his mother’s forces to victory, until Rhaena tragically contributed to his shocking death.
In addition to being young heirs who were brutally sacrificed in war, both Robb and Jace’s deaths are primarily emotional, which serves as a driving force for their respective families, sending them to a darker future.
House of the Dragon Season 3 is subtly mirroring the patterns set by Game of Thrones
Robb’s death shattered the Stark cause in Game of Thrones and Jace’s death will have lasting consequences for his family, especially Rhaenyra, in the upcoming episodes of House of the Dragon Season 3. The circumstances surrounding the two deaths are vastly different but structural parallels are hard to miss, suggesting that the prequel spin-off mirrors the patterns and tragedies set by the OG series.
Game of Thrones Season 3 shocked viewers by killing Robb Stark, the character positioned as the story’s central hero. The prequel series reached a similar point in its third season by killing one of its most sympathetic protagonists, one who would have likely played a major role in the upcoming political conflict.
House of the Dragon has carved out its own space but it’s hard to ignore this subtle mirroring. Jace’s death reminds OG fans that honorable young men who inherit impossible burdens become evidence that in Westeros, war rarely rewards virtue.
House of the Dragon Season 3 airs new episodes on HBO Max every Sunday.
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Edited by Aashna