WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Fire & Blood and House of the Dragon season 1, episode 6!Laena Velaryon’s death by Vhagar’s fire was a tragic way to end 10-year time jump, revealing that Lady Laena Velaryon has been living in Pentos with her husband Daemon Targaryen and their two daughters Baela and Rhaena. Not only was the pregnant Laena living lavishly in Essos, but she had also claimed Vhagar during this time, who is now the biggest living dragon.
While Daemon had no intention to return to Westeros due to House of the Dragon’s growing political feuds, Laena was desperate to return to Driftmark with her family. As the blood of Old Valyria, Laena wanted her children to be living at home with their dragon power and birthrights, but a difficult labor would keep her from realizing this dream. In House of the Dragon episode 6’s ending, the complications during Laena’s childbirth turned lethal, indicating that neither the baby nor mother would survive. Laena quickly came to this realization on her own, so she ran outside the Pentoshi manse, laid before her dragon, and commanded House of the Dragon's Vhagar to burn her alive.
Proving how attached Vhagar and Laena had become in the time after House of the Dragon episode 5, the dragon at first refused to obey the “Dracarys” command. Not only does Laena’s death prove how incredibly powerful Vhagar is, but it is also another instance of Aemma Arryn’s assessment that the birthing bed is a brutal battlefield for women. Knowing this to be true, Laena Velaryon gave herself a “dragonrider’s death” by making Vhagar burn her alive. Laena would prefer that the cause of her death in House of the Dragon’s histories be dragon fire rather than complications of childbirth.
Why Laena's Death Had To Be Being Killed By Vhagar
Laena had already described what she wanted the manner of her death to be earlier in House of the Dragon episode 6. As part of her reasoning for returning to ability to ride a dragon. Laena felt that being killed in childbirth wouldn’t give her as great of a legacy as dying by the fire of Vhagar, so she took matters into her own hands.
In George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, Laena’s death scene went down differently. Rather than actually taking her own life by having Vhagar burn her alive, Laena did end up dying from childbirth. After giving birth to a malformed and sickly baby who quickly died, Laena’s grief and childbirth fever set in. Laena had been sick for three days before dying, and once she knew her time was coming, she tried to reach Vhagar to fly one last time. However, Laena collapsed and died on the steps, with Daemon carrying her body back to bed. Since the majority of House of the Dragon’s dragon-riding characters will receive epic deaths in the Dance of the Dragons' battles, through betrayals, or on dragonback, Laena Velaryon’s death needed to be changed to give her a similar end.
What Laena's Death Means For Daemon & HOTD
While Laena Velaryon’s death means she won’t be able to return to Driftmark on Vhagar, her wish will still come true for her daughters to grow up back home. Following Laena’s death, Daemon Targaryen will return to Westeros with their daughters, where he’ll refortify his close alliance with Corlys Velaryon. Laena dying also means that Daemon Targaryen can marry again, which coincides with the death of Rhaenyra’s lover Ser Harwin Strong. Fire & Blood reveals that Rhaenyra Targaryen’s husband Laenor Velaryon will also die soon after Laena’s death, meaning both Rhaenyra and Daemon are free to take new spouses. Controversially, Rhaenyra and Daemon will quickly marry after Laenor’s death in House of the Dragon season 1, with the black party having substantial dragon power through all of their children.
The death of Laena Velaryon unexpectedly also gives Alicent Hightower’s green party a major advantage in the Dance of the Dragons. The ancient Targaryen dragon Vhagar is now without a rider, which is convenient for Alicent and Viserys’ son Prince Aemond Targaryen, who has yet to claim his own dragon. The black party would have had the strength of several grown dragons and the massive Vhagar had Laena Velaryon survived, but are now left more vulnerable as House of the Dragon’s green party claims her considerable power.
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