The Dance of the Dragons is known for its epic battles and fearsome dragons, but the war was far more tragic. So many Targaryen deaths came from pride, revenge, and decisions that could have been avoided. If you have been watching ‘House Of The Dragon,’ you must havr noticed the pattern.
Lucerys And Rhaenys Died Because Of Bad Decision Making And Pride
Rhaenys Targaryen’s death at Rook’s Rest is an example of this. She had the chance to retreat when Vhagar and Sunfyre joined the fight. Instead, she turned Meleys around and fought. It was brave, indeed, but it cost her her life. Rhaenys refused to back down when she was outnumbered and got herself and her dragon killed.
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Lucerys Velaryon’s demise was also a result of an ancient feud within the family. For years, Aemond had been carrying the anger of losing his eye at Driftmark. So, sending Luke to Storm’s End meant he was squarely in the line of fire of someone who had every reason to resent him. Once Aemond pursued him through the storm on Vhagar, the situation became almost impossible to escape.
Revenge Turned the War Into Something Worse
The death of young Jaehaerys showed just how quickly the conflict could descend into something monstrous. After Lucerys was killed, Daemon sought revenge through Blood and Cheese. The assassins did not kill Luke’s killer, but rather a six-year-old child. It was a vengeance that was unchecked, and it made an already bad war even worse.
Viserys I was also responsible for helping cause disaster, but not for his own death. His deteriorating health exposed how badly he had failed to resolve the succession question. The tensions surrounding Rhaenyra’s children, their legitimacy, and the rival claims to the throne were allowed to grow until the realm was practically waiting to explode.
Then comes Rhaenyra. She fought for the throne and lost it all, and was captured and burned by Sunfyre before her son. At that time, the war had already taken its toll. Her death was for no other reason than revenge. The Targaryens destroyed themselves by pursuing a crown that was never going to fill the void they felt. Their biggest enemy was not an army of enemies, or even a dragon. It was their pride.
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