House of the Dragon: Vaemond Velaryon’s gruesome death – it almost got worse!

Note: You don’t call the future queen’s children bastards. Vaemond Velaryon learned this lesson in a particularly cruel way in episode 8 of “House of the Dragon” when Daemon simply cut off Corlys’ brother’s head in the middle of the throne room.

Previously, Vaemond proposed himself as the new ruler of Driftmark after his brother Corlys was seriously wounded in a battle on the Stepping Stones. Corlys himself chose his grandson Lucerys Velaryon, although secretly everyone knows that it is not Corlys’ son Laenor, but Harwin Kraft who is Lucerys’ real father.

Nevertheless, Lucerys is officially a Velaryon, although Vaemond does not recognize this. When King Viserys rejects Vaemond’s request, he becomes abusive and loses his life without further ado. A cruel death – but it could have been even worse.

First beheaded, then eaten

In “Fire and Blood”, the book by George RR Martin, Vaemond is also beheaded by Daemon, but on Rhaenyra’s orders. Vaemond’s body was then taken to the dragon Syrax, who ate the corpse.

Although fans of the series are always clamoring for more scenes with dragons, this change is understandable. On the one hand, a scene with Syrax would have increased the budget, even though this event was not necessary, and it would not have fit with the Rhaenyra we know from “House of the Dragon”.

So far, the series’ Rhaenyra has given us no reason not to like her. Although she now has some enemies, she hasn’t actually done anything wrong. The murder of Laenor is also not her responsibility, as he is only considered dead in the series, but actually disappeared with Qarl.

It is therefore much more fitting for Daemon that he murders Vaemond of his own accord, after all his wife/niece and great-nephews/step-sons were insulted. Daemon’s actions don’t seem to have any consequences either; it was obviously clear to everyone that Vaemond had gone too far.

There are two episodes left, then “House of the Dragon” season 1 will be over in the shortened TV broadcast on ProSieben. With the death of King Viserys, the Dance of the Dragons is just around the corner and this sets the direction for Season 2, which should (almost) be without any major jumps in time.