House of the Dragon has yet to introduce an infant Targaryen – but if they ever appear, you should be prepared for one of Fire and Blood’s most upsetting deaths.
Game of Thrones had a penchant for killing off characters in gruesome, heartbreaking fashion; Ned Stark lost his head, Catelyn and Robb were brutally killed by the Boltons, andOberyn Martell’s head was squashed like a pumpkin.
AfterHouse of the Dragon Season 1ended with Lucerys’ untimely murder, Season 2 opened with a notorious event from George R.R. Martin’s book:Blood and Cheese, and the assassination of young Jaehaerys.
If you thought things could only get better, as Ramsay Bolton once warned, you haven’t been paying attention.
Let’s talk about Maelor Targaryen. In the book, he’s the third child of Aegon and Helaena – however, we’ve only seen Jaehaerys and Jaehaera so far.
“Maelor does not yet exist on this timeline because 30 years is compressed into 20 years,” Ryan Condal prviouslytoldEW, with Martin even describing him as “Maelor the Missing.”
Be warned: when he does arrive (likely in response to Aegon no longer having an heir), his future won’t be bright.
In Fire & Blood, Larys Strong smuggles Maelor out of King’s Landing as Rhaenyra takes the city. Rickard Thorne (who also hasn’t appeared in the show) looks after him, but their cover is eventually blown in Bitterbridge, a Blacks-held territory.
Thorne tries to escape with Maelor, but he’s shot and killed by crossbowmen. The young Targaryen’s fate has never been confirmed, but there are three possibilities: he was crushed to death, an angry mob tore him apart, or a butcher chopped him up.
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If you want to jump ahead of the TV show, you can read more abouthow Aemond Targaryen diesandVhagar’s death. We’ve also broken down the wildestHouse of the Dragon fan fiction, and you can make sure you’re up to date with theSeason 2 release schedule.
Cameron Frew is Deputy TV & Movies Editor on Dexerto’s UK team. He’s an action movie aficionado, ’80s obsessive, and Oscars enthusiast. He loves Invincible, but he’s also a fan of The Boys, the MCU, The Chosen, and much more. He has previously written for LadBible, UniLad, and Flickering Myth. You can contact him at: cameron.frew@dexerto.com.
