House of the Dragon © HBO | Ollie Upton
*WARNING: Spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon*
Death lurks around every corner in Game of Thrones and while we’ve seen every manner of gory murder, the spin-off House of the Dragon has also highlighted the dangers of childbirth in the medieval-esque time period.
This has been evident from the first episode which showed the gruesome death of Aemma, King Viserys’s first wife, and now episode 6 has mirrored that scene with Laena Velaryon.
However, Laena didn’t allow herself to die on the birthing bed, instead choosing to have her dragon kill her – but why exactly did Laena choose to kill herself in House of the Dragon?
Following the 10-year time jump between episodes 5 and 6, we find that Daemon Targaryen is now married to Laena Velaryon.
They are currently living as guests of Prince Reggio of Pentos and Daemon is unwilling to leave and get involved in the troublesome politics of Westeros.
The pair already have two daughters, Baela and Rhaena, while a third child is on the way.
However, complications arise during the birth as the infant is in breach and the attending maesters aren’t able to deliver the baby naturally.
The scene mirrors that of Aemma’s death in episode 1 as a maester asks Daemon if he should attempt to remove the baby by way of the blade, which would kill Laena in the process.
Unlike Aemma’s death, Laena decides not to die on the birthing bed and walks outside to her dragon Vhagar and orders the enormous creature to kill her.
Laena asks Vhagar to kill her because she wants to die on her own terms.
Earlier in the episode, Laena mentions that she wants to die a dragon rider’s death.
But as complications arise during the birth, she will almost certainly die on the birthing bed but that is until Laena decides to take matters into her own hands.
While it may not quite be dying in battle, having Vhagar incinerate her is the closest thing available to a dragon rider’s death and so she chooses that over having the maesters cut her open in a futile effort to save the baby.
Following the death of Laena, Daemon will go on to marry his niece, Rhaenyra Targaryen, after her husband, Laenor Velaryon, also dies.
In the same year as both Laena and Laenor’s deaths, Rhaenyra and Daemon tie the knot and begin living together on Dragonstone, causing much controversy in the process.
Their marriage goes on to produce two more sons, Aegon the Younger and Viserys, as well as a stillborn daughter named Visenya.
Following the death of King Viserys, Daemon joins the Targaryen Civil War on the side of his wife and takes part in numerous battles throughout the conflict.
House of the Dragon is airing weekly on HBO in the US and on Sky in the UK after premiering on August 21 and 22 respectively.
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