House of the Dragon: How does Jacaerys Velaryon die?
HBOJacaerys Velaryon plays a larger role in the Targaryen Civil War as Fire & Blood progresses, but that doesn’t mean he gets away with his life.
In House of the Dragon Season 2, no one is safe. Targaryen kings fall from the sky and burn, and even little children are killed thanks to the likes of Blood and Cheese.
And though Rhaenyra’s eldest son Jace might be proving himself to be a useful figure, there’s an upcoming battle on the way that changes things for Team Black for good.
Here’s everything you need to know about how Jace dies, with details on when and how it all goes down. (Warning: book spoilers ahead!)
Jace dies during the Battle of the Gullet
Jace dies during the battle after his dragon Vermax is hit and he falls into the water, only to be struck by Myrish crossbows himself.
This all takes place during the Battle of the Gullet in 130 AC. In the book House of the Dragon is based on, the battle ensues after Jace’s younger brothers (Aegon and Viserys) are attacked by Triarchy warships.
The brothers are initially sent away to be fostered by the Prince of Pentos during the Targaryen Civil War. However, their ship – Gay Abandon – runs into the Triarchy fleet, which is bad news since they’re allies of the Greens.
Gay Abandon is captured, and the rest of its sister ships are sunken or captured. But Aegon the Younger was quick to escape on the dragon Stormcloud, going back to Dragonstone to inform the others of the attack.
The Battle of the Gullet soon follows. Jace and four dragonseeds attacked the fleet using dragonflame. Initially, it seemed like they might be successful, but Vermax got too low to the ground and became wounded. (Depending on who you ask, it was either from a crossbow bolt or a grapnel.)
Vermax crashed into a fiery galley, but Jace managed to jump free. He held onto the side of a sinking ship amid the chaos but was soon struck by Myrish crossbows. He then sank into the water, dead.
By all accounts it’s a pretty un-Targaryen death. He doesn’t die by dragonfire, but rather dies in the water. In that respect, he’s closer to his Velaryon ancestors.
After his death, Team Black was struck by grief and grew despondent. Rhaenyra became even more intent on taking King’s Landing. And later, Cregan Stark led his army to the capital in honor of his pledge to the prince.
As Gyldayn wrote, “Broken after the loss of one son, Rhaenyra Targaryen seemed to find new strength after the loss of a second. Jace’s death hardened her, burning away her fears, leaving only her anger and hatred.”
For more character deaths, check out our guide to Criston Cole, Aemond, and Rhaenys. We’ve also got a guide to the House of the Dragon Season 2 release schedule.