• "House of the Dragon" is no stranger to death, murder, or even fratricide. 
• Some of the show's most tragic deaths are tied to children and childbirth.
• From King Viserys' death to Prince Lucerys, we've ranked the top 10 saddest deaths. 

Warning: Major spoilers through season two, episode four of "House of the Dragon."

If you're watching a show in the "Game of Thrones" universe, you should know you're signing up for some pretty devastating character deaths.

"House of the Dragon" is no different from its predecessor: it's full of striking, surprising, and extremely sad deaths, frequently carried out by members of the same family. Children are murdered on dragonback and in their cribs, husbands kill their wives to secure more advantageous marriages, and women tragically die in childbirth. Rhaenyra and Aegon II Targaryen's war over the Iron Throne isn't pretty.

We've ranked the 10 saddest deaths in "House of the Dragon" seasons one and two below,

10. Viserys died after a long bout of illness.

Hear us out: We loved Paddy Considine as Viserys, but his death was so written on the wall that it couldn't even bring much surprise or sadness. For one, it's necessary to kick off a war of succession. But more importantly, it was preceded by a long, leprosy-like illness.

Over the first season of "House of the Dragon," Viserys' health gradually declines as his children grow older and the issue of his succession grows more salient. By the end of his life, his illness has progressed to the extent that you're kind of hoping the guy will die. Too bad his final words brought about such a huge misunderstanding that it launched an entire Targaryen family civil war. Whoops!

Still, we mourn Viserys and the comparative peace of his era — but without his death, we really wouldn't have a "House of the Dragon."

9. Daemon murders his first wife, Lady Rhea Royce.

We barely got to know Lady Rhea in season one of "House of the Dragon," and most of what we knew of her came from Daemon's mouth. Given that he referred to her as the "Bronze Bitch" and refused to consummate their marriage, most of those words weren't very kind.

We meet her briefly in season one, episode five, shortly before Daemon, well… murders her. Rhea seems independent, capable, and unafraid to taunt Daemon. That is until she clearly realizes that he's come to kill her and attempt to marry Rhaenrya.

Though Rhea's death comes off more as a shock, given her little screentime, it's tragic to see her merely as a casualty of Daemon's ambition and cruelty.

8. Lyonel and Harwin Strong die at Harrenhal, in a plot orchestrated by Larys Strong.

Ser Harwin Strong and his father Lyonel, for some time the Hand of the King, weren't particularly beloved characters. But their tragic death at the hands of one of their own — Larys Strong — was still rather striking.

After the birth of Rhaenyra's third son, Joffrey, Harwin got into an altercation with Ser Criston Cole after Criston insinuated that Harwin was Jacaerys and Lucerys' father. In the wake of the event, Lyonel attempted to resign from his position as Hand, citing the dishonor that Harwin brought on their family. Viserys rejects his resignation but allows him to escort Harwin back to Harrenhal. Unfortunately, Larys' plot is waiting for them: both men die in a fire once they make it back to the castle.

Harwin, despite clearly being hot-blooded, seems like an alright guy — and it's pretty cruel to kill him right after Jacaerys realizes that Harwin is his father. And compared to other Hands (i.e. Otto Hightower), Lyonel seemed relatively unbiased when it came to the affairs of the crown.

7. Jahaerys Targaryen is murdered after a miscommunication.

Season two kicked things off by adapting an infamous murder from "Fire and Blood," as Daemon sends two mercenaries, Blood (Sam C Wilson) and Cheese (Mark Stobbart) to murder Aemond in revenge for the death of Lucerys.

When the duo fails to find the prince in the Red Keep, they instead go to plan b: "a son for a son." They find Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) and force her to point out which sleeping toddler is her son. Although she briefly tries to fool Blood and Cheese by pointing at her daughter, they call her bluff and descend upon Jaeharys with knives, cutting his head off in his crib.

Thankfully, the audience doesn't see the horror unfold because Helaena flees the room. But the extent of the brutality is displayed for all of King's Landing to see during Jaeharys' funeral procession.

Regardless of the conflict between the greens and the blacks, an innocent child was slaughtered because of the squabble over the throne, and it's clear to everyone that the conflict has been taken beyond the point of no return.

6. Arryk and Erryk Cargyll killed each other after ending up on different sides of the war.

Though Arryk Cargyll and Erryk Cargyll had more control over their deaths, since they chose to fight till the end, that doesn't make their deaths any less sad.

In season one, the twins work together as Kingsguard protecting the royal family. But when the Greens usurp the throne, they are split for the first time. Arryk sides with Aegon II while Erryk leaves and joins Rhaenyra's Queensguard.

When Criston Cole sends Arryk to slay Rhaenyra in episode two, the brothers' impending showdown begins. The scene is a messy, vicious fight, and it is hard to tell which twin wins.

After slaying his brother, Erryk stabs themselves with their sword after realizing what he has done.

It is heartbreaking that these twins are forced to pick duty over their own kin. Their deaths highlight how painful and destructive this civil war will be for the non-royal members of Westeros.

5. Joffrey Lonmouth was brutally beaten to death by Criston Cole.

Joffrey Lonmouth's death was the first time that we really saw Ser Criston Cole's true colors, and man, were they ugly.

When Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon were wed, they both had an understanding that would allow them to pursue their other lovers: Criston and Joffrey. At their wedding, Joffrey confronts Criston.

"You don't know me, Ser Criston, but we are both deeply invested in this union," Joffrey says. He tells Criston that Laenor is "dear" to him, and that he understands Criston and Rhaenyra's relationship. It's a strategic move meant to unite them all in the shared secret of Laenor and Rhaenyra's marriage.

But that's not what happens. Instead, in the middle of the revelry, Criston brutally slays Joffrey, striking Laenor in the process. While we didn't know him particularly well, Joffrey didn't do anything wrong — certainly nothing to merit Criston beating his face into a bloody, lifeless pulp.

The suddenness, brutality, and abject loss on Laenor's part of Joffrey's death merit its place on this list.

4. Laena Velaryon ordered Vhagar to kill her by fire.

The first season features a second agonizing pregnancy-related death, as Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell) takes her own life in episode six.

After marrying Daemon and moving to Pentos, Laena struggles with a complicated birth, and her husband is offered the same choice that Viserys had: save his wife, or save the baby. However, Laena takes control of the situation and decides her own fate.

She goes to her dragon, Vhagar, and commands him to burn her alive with the "dracarys" command. It's upsetting because Laena is forced into that situation, albeit at least it's her own decision. But seeing how reluctant Vhagar is to kill his rider just makes the whole scene even more upsetting.

3. Rhaenys sacrifices herself and her dragon, Meleys, at Rook's Rest.

As soon as Rhaenys headed off to Rook's Rest, there was already a sense that she wouldn't make it.

In season two, episode three, she conversed with her husband about their legacy. Criston Cole and Aemond Targaryen clearly had a secret plan up their sleeves. There were too many warning signs.

But that doesn't make her death at the hands of Aemond and Vhagar any less tragic. Across the two seasons, Rhaenys has been brave, virtuous, loyal, and a bit of a badass, making her a favorite among fans.

Even when she realizes that she cannot defeat Vhagar at the battle of Rook's Rest in season two, episode four, she doesn't run away. Instead, she straps herself tighter in her seat and fights valiantly till the end.

One of the true noble warriors in "House of the Dragon" is now gone, and to quote Otto Hightower, We (the audience and Westeros) "are poorer for it."

2. Queen Aemma dies during childbirth after Viserys orders his son to be cut out of her.

"House of the Dragon" made a bloody debut in the premiere episode of the first season with the heartbreaking death of King Viserys' (Paddy Considine) wife, Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke).

When Aemma goes into labor, the baby gets stuck, and Viserys is forced to decide whether to save his wife or the baby. The King chooses his unborn child hoping to get a male heir to the Targaryen throne.

The maesters cut Aemma's belly open to save the child, killing her in the process. It's tragic because Aemma's agency is taken away from her, and she's completely disregarded for the possibility of a male heir.

The devastating scene is only made worse when the baby, Baelon, dies just one day after being born.

1. Lucerys is the first major casualty of the Dance of the Dragons.

Lucerys and his dragon Arrax's deaths are truly the biggest tragedies of "House of the Dragon."

Though the Greens and the Blacks were preparing for an eventual war, there is a possibility that they could have found another way to settle the throne debate after a cooling-off period. But there is no reconciliation once Lucerys, a child and an heir, is slain.

Not only did Lucerys' death essentially kick-start a terrible civil war, but it was entirely accidental.

The death scene itself is almost like a horror movie, with Aemond and Vhagar stalking and taunting Lucerys and Arrax in the dark, rainy skies. Aemond sees this as an opportunity to toy with and harm Lucerys as revenge for his eye, but Vhagar goes too far.

There is a short moment where Lucerys thinks he has escaped, and then Vhagar leaps out of nowhere and rips the dragon and its rider apart.

Lucerys may have lost his life, but Aemond now has to live with the weight that an accident caused the death of a relative and a civil war.

• Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked if he would replace Biden if the president withdrew from the race.
• Sanders believes Biden can defeat Trump but acknowledges Biden's age as a challenge.
• Public concern over Biden's health grew after his poor debate performance and confused interviews.

Sen. Bernie Sanders sidestepped a question asking if he would replace President Joe Biden in the 2024 election if the president withdrew his candidacy.

Public concern over the president's health has grown recently after his disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump on June 27. An interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, during which Biden dismissed his performance as a "bad episode" and said he remained determined to stay in the race, failed to do much to quell those anxieties.

On CBS News' "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday, Robert Costa asked Sanders if he would be willing to accept the Democratic Party's nomination if Biden "ever decided to withdraw from the race."

"Right now I am running for reelection to the great state of Vermont as their senator," Sanders said. "That's where my focus is right now."

However, Sanders said that Biden "can clearly defeat Donald Trump, the most dangerous president in the history of this country."

Biden, 81, is the oldest US President to ever hold office. Sanders, 82, acknowledged Biden's age as difficult for the president moving forward.

"Biden is old. He's not as articulate as he once was," Sanders told CBS. "I wish he could jump up the steps on Air Force One. He can't."

On Friday, Dem. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia reportedly organized a group of colleagues in the legislature to ask Biden to drop out of the race. The meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday.

When asked if he received an invite to the discussion, Sanders indicated that he did not and had no plans to attend. Sanders also described Waner as "one of the more conservative members" of the Democratic caucus.

"Look, I understand. Biden had a terrible debate performance. I think he's done better since, he's got to do better again."

Despite Sanders' one-year age gap over Biden, questions about a potential candidacy for the Vermont senator are not completely out of left field.

Sanders, a Democratic socialist, ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2016 and 2020.

In 2022, the senator's 2020 campaign manager wrote in a memo that Sanders would consider another run if Biden did not seek reelection.

• The latest episode of "House of the Dragon" featured a pivotal moment for Rhaenys. 
• BI spoke with actor Eve Best about Rhaenys' decision to fly her dragon Meleys into battle. 
• She compared unleashing dragons in Westeros to nuclear warfare in the modern world. 

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season two, episode four of "House of the Dragon."

Princess Rhaenys Targaryen knew that she was embarking on a suicide mission.

At least, according to Eve Best, the actor who's played Rhaenys for a season and a half on "House of the Dragon." Best's Rhaenys is pragmatic and a bit chivalric — and given that she could have burned King Aegon II to a crisp in season one and chose not to, it feels almost like penance that she's the one who must introduce dragons to the battlefield in season two.

In episode four, Ser Criston Cole marches on Rook's Rest, a modest castle close to Dragonstone. It's a blatant provocation, but it works: Rhaenyra knows that she needs to send a dragon to counter Cole. Though both Rhaenyra and her son Jacaerys volunteer to go, it's Rhaenys who claims the responsibility.

"You must send me, Your Grace," Rhaenys says, leaving little room for argument. And in the moment, even for those who didn't already know Rhaenys' fate, her departure feels profoundly final. Rhaenys will not — and does not — return from this mission.

Best spoke with Business Insider about Rhaenys' decision, the implications of unleashing dragon warfare in Westeros, and the practicalities of filming emotional sequences while on mechanical dragonback.

Rhaenys was the only choice to fly to Rook's Rest

In season one, Rhaenys escapes King's Landing with her dragon Meleys, bursting into King Aegon's coronation on dragonback. In that moment, she decides not to kill him, telling Daemon that the war was not hers to start.

Best says showrunner Ryan Condal told her that in the world of "House of the Dragon," dragons are akin to nuclear weapons.

"She deliberately, at the end of episode nine, chose not to start a nuclear war, very rightly," Best told BI. "And she spent the whole of season two doing everything she possibly can to steer everybody away from nuclear war. She's the one person, the one voice of sanity, and reason, and wisdom, and experience, because she and Corlys are the only grown-ups left in the room."

By episode four, Rhaenyra has exhausted all other options to evade war, including traveling to King's Landing herself to plead with Alicent. By the time Criston advances on Rook's Rest, she's no longer reluctant to send out her dragons.

Best told BI that on a practical level, Rhaenys was the right choice — and the moment allowed her to fulfill one of her desires for the character.

"She's the equivalent of Rhaenyra's Lancelot," Best said. "She's their best knight. And it's the honorable, warrior choice. I said to Ryan at the end of season one, 'I really want in season two for her to go full samurai,' because in season one she'd been absolutely ambiguous. She'd kept her cards so close to her chest, she'd played the political game."

Best told BI that the small council scene in which Rhaenys volunteers to fly to battle wasn't always so clear-cut. In the original draft of the scene, Rhaenys tells Rhaenyra, "Send me." But the production revisited the sequence during reshoots, leading to a small but impactful dialogue tweak courtesy of producer Sarah Hess: "You must send me."

"Then it becomes an instruction, and it's then the final piece of guidance to Rhaenyra," Best told BI. "What she's doing is showing her how to be a good leader and how to rule, and this is what you do. You don't go in yourself because that's too risky for the bigger picture. You send in your best fighter."

Still, Rhaenys knows that she's crossing the point of no return, Best said. Though she's confident in volunteering herself and Meleys, she doesn't expect to come back.

"It has to be a sacrifice, because I feel that for Rhaenys, she's done everything to not have this war," Best told BI. "Whoever crosses that line can't continue. There's no living after that. It has to be a sacrificial mission."

Rhaenys still exercises restraint during her final battle

Rhaenys' actual death comes during a three-way dragon fight between Meleys, Vhagar, and Sunfyre. The emotional impact of that battle hinges on Best's performance. Director Alan Taylor, who also directed the series premiere, doesn't hesitate to cut in close to her face as it becomes increasingly streaked with ash. Best effectively communicates Rhaenys' resolve — and her resignation to death — over the course of several stark close-up shots.

What makes it more remarkable are the conditions under which Best acted out Rhaenys' last moments. It took Best two weeks to film the sequence, working alone while on a mechanized mount. Rhaenys' final moments were filmed amid the chaos of wind blowing in Best's face and shouted directions as she mimicked difficult maneuvers on dragonback while "clinging on for dear life."

"You are having to do the whole story in your head," Best said. "Not just the battle, and seeing everybody and responding to the physical nature of the battle, but also obviously the emotional part of what's going on inside, which is challenging in the context where there's just nothing to relate to."

During the battle, Best says that Rhaenys is still reluctant: despite the fact that they're trying to kill her, Aegon and Aemond are still part of her family. During that sequence, Rhaenys is very specific in her commands to Meleys: she only orders the dragon to attack Sunfyre and Vhagar, even as her nephews commend dracarys — fire — with little discipline.

"It seemed to me that every time anybody was on a dragon and was saying dracarys, the human or person riding had reached a level of really high emotion, and it was very chaotic, and very vengeful, and very angry — not a lot of control," Best said.

"It was very important to me that she was different from all of those others, that she was an utter pro to the last, with precision," she continued. "That grace characterizes her."

• Aegon suffers a pretty bad fall in the latest episode of "House of the Dragon."
• It's unclear if Aegon is alive at the end of season 2, episode 4, but the book gives some clues.
• Here's where Aegon stands in the show, and what happens to him in "Fire in Blood" — spoilers ahead, obviously.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for season two, episode four of "House of the Dragon," and the book "Fire and Blood."

"House of the Dragon" finally stopped pulling its punches in episode four, and it's time for all-out war.

That's right: dragons are finally on the table in the war between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother, Aegon II, over the Iron Throne. The show reached the Battle of Rook's Rest, an event from source material "Fire and Blood" that exacts a heavy toll. Instead of predictably heading to seize Harrenhal from Prince Daemon, Ser Criston Cole leads his forces instead to Rook's Rest. It's seemingly a ploy to lure one of Rhaenyra's dragons out, and it works: Rhaenyra sends Princess Rhaenys and her dragon Meleys, the "Red Queen."

Unfortunately for Criston Cole and Aemond, his partner in crime, Aegon chooses that moment to take charge, flying into the battle on his dragon Sunfyre. The episode leaves Aegon's fate ambiguous — but we can look to "Fire and Blood" for clues. If you care about book spoilers (and, in turn, potential show spoilers), turn back.

Aegon chooses the wrong moment to play the hero

All in all, Criston and Aemond had a pretty good plan: attack Rook's Rest, a castle close in proximity to Dragonstone, lure one of Rhaenyra's dragons out, and destroy them with Vhagar, Aemond's gigantic mount.

But Aegon is far more spurned, and far more foolish, than either of them planned. And when he arrives on the battlefield with Sunfyre, it's immediately clear that Rhaenys and Meleys have him outmatched. Meleys grievously wounds Sunfyre before Vhagar even enters the battlefield.

But Aemond isn't there to save his brother. In fact, this might even be an opportunity to take him out along with one of Rhaenyra's most powerful allies. While Meleys has Sunfyre pinned in the air, Aemond orders Vhagar to set fire to them all, and Sunfyre and Aegon plummet into the forest.

After the battle's dismal conclusion, Ser Criston seeks Aegon out. Aemond has beat him to the crash site, and what they find isn't pretty: Aegon lies limp on the ground, surrounded by a smoking, groaning Sunfyre.

But in episode three, Aegon dons a set of Valyrian steel armor that he says belonged to Aegon the Conqueror. It's this armor that he appears to wear to the battle.

We know from "Fire and Blood" that "common fire" cannot melt Valyrian steel. In the book, Vhagar lights Aegon the Conqueror's funeral pyre, which incinerates his body but leaves his Valyrian steel blade, Blackfyre, unharmed. In turn, we'll have to see how it holds up to a full-on dragon blast.

Aegon and Sunfyre survive in the book… but they're pretty beat up

In "Fire and Blood," Meleys, Vhagar, and Sunfyre all clash during the battle of Rook's Rest. The dragon fight ends when Vhagar fallls onto Meleys and Sunfyre from above, killing Meleys and Rhaenys. Sunfyre and Aegon, however, survive.

They're not in great shape, though. One of Sunfyre's wings is half-ripped off his body, grounding him near the castle. According to the book, he remains there, consuming the corpses from the battle, and later livestock brought by Ser Criston.

Aegon sustains a broken hip as well as broken ribs. His burns were also severe, and his armor melted into the skin of his left arm.

Martin writes in "Fire and Blood" that Aegon's "burns brought him such pain that some say he prayed for death." His injuries force him into a yearlong bedrest, being attended to by the maesters and sleeping through the pain. Obviously, that means that he's unfit to rule, and Aemond assumes his duties as Prince Regent.

Aegon and Sunfyre do eventually die, though

Later in the war, a small force loyal to Rhaenyra takes back Rook's Rest and attempts to kill Sunfyre. They do not succeed, but shortly after, Sunfyre is nowhere to be found.

When Rhaenyra takes King's Landing, Aegon is gone, as are his remaining children, Jaehara and Maelor. According to one historical record referenced in "Fire and Blood," Larys Strong smuggled them out of the city, setting Aegon aboard a fishing boat bound for Dragonstone.

Aegon hides there until Sunfyre makes his way to the island after disappearing for half a year, his wing healed enough to barely allow him to fly. The two begin to fly together again, and eventually, a force loyal to Aegon takes over the island. Aegon and Sunfyre are forced to fight Baela, Daemon and Laena's daughter, and her dragon Moondancer. The clash leaves Moondancer dead, Sunfyre unable to fly again, Aegon with two broken legs after jumping out of the saddle, and Baela taken prisoner.

But it also leaves Aegon in possession of Dragonstone. When Rhaenyra arrives, he promptly feeds her to his dragon, Sunfyre. Shortly after, Sunfyre dies.

Aegon returns to King's Landing after his mother Alicent strikes an accord with Lord Corlys Velaryon, lifting the Velaryon blockade that prevented his return. There, he sits not on the Iron Throne but on a seat at its steps, as a result of his broken legs.

The King then seeks revenge on those who acted against him during the war, forcing lords in the surrounding crownlands to submit to him. But while Aegon's council frets over how to quell the coming rebellion from across Westeros, Aegon is preoccupied with matters of succession: he wishes to marry Lady Cassandra Baratheon and produce new heirs. (In the book, Aegon's sister-wife Helaena dies by suicide after the death of their son Maelor.) Similarly, he wants to prevent the betrothal of his daughter Jaehaera to Rhaenyra's son, Aegon the younger, so as to finish off Rhaenyra's bloodline.

Eventually, with armies encroaching on King's Landing, Aegon is poisoned while being carried in his litter to the Sept via a cup of laced wine.

"House of the Dragon" season two airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and is streaming on Max.

• Paramount Global's board approved a merger with Skydance on Sunday, multiple outlets reported.
• This marks the end of a tumultuous deal process and a new era for the troubled media giant.
• Paramount earlier this year announced layoffs, signaling troubling times in the media landscape.

Paramount Global, the troubled media giant that owns CBS and Nickelodeon, has agreed to merge with David Ellison's Skydance Media production company, according to multiple reports.

Two people familiar with the deal told The New York Times that Paramount's board agreed to the merger on Sunday.

Spokespeople for Paramount and Skydance did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.

The merger marks the end of a shaky dealmaking process and a new chapter for Paramount, which has faced headwinds amid a shifting media landscape.

Paramount has struggled in recent years to adapt to a generation of viewers going digital, as BI's Peter Kafka previously noted. Even amid the digital shift, Paramount continued to make all of its profit in 2023 solely from traditional TV networks, according to Bloomberg.

In February, the company announced a layoff of 800 employees worldwide despite seeing record-number viewerships during Super Bowl LVIII across its networks and streaming platform, Paramount+.

The layoffs occurred shortly after Paramount became an acquisition target late last year. The company had discussed potential mergers with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, producer Byron Allen, and private equity firm Apollo, among others.

But Shari Redstone, the media heiress who owns a controlling stake in Paramount Global through her holding company National Amusements, particularly preferred a deal with Skydance because the merger would keep Paramount intact, CNBC reported.

Talks with the production studio — which helped make blockbuster hits like "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol" and is owned by the son of Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison — have been ongoing since at least the beginning of the year, according to The Times.

While Redstone was drawn to a merger with Skydance, negotiations took several turns in the following months, with a deal nearly killed in June by Redstone's lawyers, the Times reported.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the deal was revived on Tuesday when the Redstone family made a preliminary agreement to sell National Amusements to Skydance.