This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 3
House of the Dragon is back, and season 2 is off to a rather bloody start. The last time we checked in with the Targaryens, Aegon had officially been crowned King, Rhaenyra was rallying up the troops from her new Dragonstone home, and in a nail-biting finale Lucerys was tragically mauled by Aemond's dragon.
Since the Game of Thrones prequel returned to our screens last month, things have gone from bad to worse for both the reigning ruler and his disgruntled half-sister. To avenge Lucerys' death, Daemon set about finding henchmen to kill Aemond - but when they couldn't find him in the Red Keep, they instead took the life of Aegon's heir, four year old Jaehaerys. Following a haunting funeral procession (that was reportedly inspired by the death of Princess Diana), one of the King's knights was sent to murder Rhaenyra - but, as fate would have it, she lived to tell the tale.
While many of the main characters are yet to get the traditional GoT chop in the form of a sudden or unexpected departure (still thinking about Tommen Baratheon's jarring death? Same), a new fan theory has gained traction online - and it's all to do with one popular person within the fictional realm.
Laenor Velaryon was Rhaenyra's first husband, and the pair shared three sons. Though married, it was more of an agreed union of convenience, and when Rhaenyra decided her claim to the throne would be stronger if she married her uncle Daemon, they plotted to have him killed. In George R. R. Martin's book Fire & Blood (on which the series is based), Laenor is murdered by his lover, Ser Qarl Correy, but in the series his death is faked which enables them to run away together.
However, in a scene during House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3, Rhaenyra makes a comment that has led many fans to believe that Laenor may have actually died off-screen - and for real this time. During a chat with Mysaria, she comments on how Laenor dragon Seasmoke is behaving as he flies frantically nearby.
When Mysaria asks why he is agitated, Rhaenyra says: "Seasmoke – my late Lord husband’s dragon. He’s grown restless of late. We can’t know why."
Mysaria replies: "Maybe he’s lonely."
Rhaenyra's shock has convinced some viewers it's a signal for Laenor's death, with one person writing on X (formerly Twitter): "The fact that she says Seasmoke has grown restless /recently/ meaning he hasn’t been like this since Laenor left, it is a new thing, a new development…. Indicates to me he has passed."
It appears that many people agree with the sentiment, with another fan writing: "So the implication that Seasmoke is lonely bc Laenor might be dead."
Could this be a subtle indication that Laenor has actually died? We'll have to wait and see.
House of the Dragon continues on HBO and Sky Atlantic, airing in the UK at 2am every Monday until 4th August.
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