00:00My family has just been destroyed, but instead of being by my side or Rhaenyra's,
00:07you chose to celebrate your own rise!
00:10Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks
00:13for the saddest and most tragic moments in the first two seasons of House of the Dragon.
00:30If there's one theme that permeates House of the Dragon, it's family infighting.
00:42It occurs between the Blacks and the Greens, and it even seeps down to their knights.
00:55Erik and Erik Cargill are brothers, the former a Kingsguard of Aegon and the latter a Queensguard of Rhaenyra.
01:01Their rivalry comes to a head when Kristen Cole orders Erik to invade Dragonstone and assassinate the Queen.
01:14This results in a brutal fight between the two brothers, and it ends in both of their deaths.
01:20It is a haunting reminder of the personal costs of war,
01:23and how the drama between one family can reverberate to another.
01:39The entire first season is steeped in tragedy, as we're forced to watch the slow degradation of King Viserys.
01:45The kind ruler contracts an undisclosed illness, which is implied to be some type of leprosy.
01:51His physical condition gets worse and worse throughout the season,
01:54and viewers are forced to watch every agonizing minute of it.
02:02By the end, he's left frail and weak, with half of his face concealed by a mask.
02:07It makes for some very disturbing and uncomfortable viewing,
02:10and it's almost a relief when he finally passes away. Almost.
02:24It's still incredibly tragic, especially coming on the heels of that awkward family dinner.
02:30The defining characteristic of Aemond Targaryen is his black eyepatch,
02:34which certainly gives him the allure of a menacing villain.
02:37However, it also adds a nice layer of depth to what could have been a one-dimensional baddie,
02:42as we actually feel a small degree of sympathy for what has occurred.
02:50A young Aemond is confronted by a small army of children, including Jace,
02:54and it's in said scuffle that Luke slashes Aemond's face with a knife,
02:58effectively taking out his eye.
03:05It's a tragic outcome of the simmering family tension,
03:08and it signals a horrific shift into physical violence.
03:25I may have lost an eye, but I gained a dragon.
03:33While serving as Lord Commander of the City Watch,
03:36Harwin Strong develops a physical relationship with Rhaenyra
03:39and fathers Jacerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey.
03:42Rumors of his paternity spread across King's Landing,
03:45and he eventually resigns, returning to Harrenhal with his father, Lyonel.
03:49Your intimacy with the Princess Rhaenyra is an offense that could mean exile and death.
03:55For you, for her, for the children!
03:59Meanwhile, Alicent wants Otto to become Hand of the King,
04:02the position currently held by Lyonel.
04:05I would then ask Liev to take my son from court
04:07and escort him back to the family seat at Harrenhal.
04:10He is my heir, and will be Lord of Harren's Castle one day.
04:14It is time he assumed his duties there.
04:16So, her good buddy Larys Strong decides to give her what she wants.
04:20Larys proceeds to commit a double act of patricide and fratricide,
04:24having both Harwin and Lyonel burned to death inside of Harrenhal.
04:28This ploy is highly reminiscent of the political machination seen in Game of Thrones,
04:33however tragic they may have been.
04:35The Queen makes a wish.
04:38What servant of the realm would not strive to fulfill it?
04:42Number six.
04:43Joffrey is killed by Kristen Cole.
04:45We didn't care so much when another Joffrey died.
04:48This time, it's a little different.
04:50You'll need a sworn protector.
04:56Joffrey Lonmuth has a loud mouth,
04:58and he gossips with Laenor Velaryon at the latter's wedding.
05:01He correctly deduces that Laenor's new wife Rhaenyra
05:04is secretly sleeping with Kristen Cole.
05:07Joffrey approaches Cole and covertly mentions this affair,
05:10and Cole interprets this as a form of blackmail.
05:13Ser Laenor is quite dear to me,
05:16as I know the princess is to you.
05:21We should swear to each other to guard them and their secrets,
05:26because if those are kept safe,
05:30then so are we all.
05:32So, he viciously beats Joffrey to death in front of the entire wedding,
05:37and it proves to be one of the show's most shocking sequences.
05:41Not only is it horrifically violent,
05:43but the pained cries of Laenor are almost too much to bear.
06:00You must send me your grace.
06:04Maelys is your largest dragon and no stranger to battle.
06:10I will meet Cole.
06:12The Red Dragon and the Gold was the big action episode of Season 2,
06:16depicting the battle at Rook's Rest.
06:18Rhaenys agrees to fight on behalf of Rhaenyra,
06:20using her dragon Maelys to defend the seat of House Staunton.
06:27This is the first major skirmish of The Dance of the Dragons,
06:30and it does not disappoint.
06:32Unfortunately, there is major collateral damage in the form of Rhaenys and Maelys,
06:37who are attacked by Aemond atop Vhagar.
06:46The massive dragon crushes the neck of Maelys,
06:49and she falls into Rook's Rest with a contented Rhaenys accepting her fate.
06:53It's a huge blow to both the Blacks and the fans,
06:56who perhaps wish that Rhaenys stuck around just a little bit longer.
07:02Aemond kills Lucerys.
07:20One of the most iconic, oh crap, faces in TV history belongs to Ewan Mitchell,
07:25who perfectly conveys Aemond's conflicted feelings after killing Lucerys.
07:29Luc and Arrax fly over to Storm's End, hoping to parley with Boros Baratheon.
07:34Unfortunately, Aemond beats him to it.
07:36After a failed meeting, Aemond demands that Luc cut out one of his eyes in retaliation for his own.
07:42A literal eye for an eye.
07:44No. I want you to put out your eye.
07:51It's payment for mine.
07:55One will serve.
07:56Luc flees, leading to that fateful chase that ends in disaster.
08:09It's the perfect way to end the season.
08:11The visual of Arrax's battered corpse signaling the start of the dance.
08:18Riders have an intense and personal bond with their dragons,
08:22which makes it even more upsetting when they're involved in their deaths.
08:25I was without one until I was 15 years old.
08:29And now I ride Vhagar, the largest in the world.
08:34This is what happens with Laena Velaryon,
08:36who suffers terrible complications in her pregnancy.
08:42Knowing that she is likely to die,
08:45Laena goes out on her own terms and decides to have Vhagar incinerate her.
08:59She approaches the dragon and orders it to kill her,
09:02which she does with great reluctance.
09:05We mourn not only Laena and her unborn child,
09:08but the soul of poor Vhagar,
09:10who is clearly hesitant to follow her rider's order.
09:16House of the Dragon follows in its predecessor's footsteps,
09:19displaying some of the most vile and grotesque acts of violence
09:22ever seen on television.
09:24I want Aemond Targaryen.
09:27One of the worst comes in the premiere of season two,
09:30when Daemon orders the assassination of Aemond.
09:33This is my friend.
09:35Tonight he's going to be your friend.
09:38You're to find and slay the Prince Aemond Targaryen.
09:41Unable to find him,
09:42Blood and Cheese turn their attention to young Jaehaerys,
09:45who is soundly sleeping in his cot.
09:47We don't see the murder itself,
09:49but the sound design and the look of complete terror on Helene's face
09:52are more than enough to fill in the gaps.
09:54No.
09:57She's telling the truth.
09:59Even by Game of Thrones standards,
10:01this is shocking stuff,
10:03and we are unlikely to forget it anytime soon.
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10:25House of the Dragon received some criticism regarding the death of Emma.
10:28They're going to bring the baby out now.
10:31For some,
10:32the visuals of the Caesarion,
10:34compounded with the general trauma of the scene,
10:36was simply too much to bear.
10:38It's a devastating sequence and is deeply tragic,
10:41especially owing to the terrified reaction of Emma,
10:44whose agency in the matter is completely stripped away.
10:47It's alright.
10:48Sirus, please.
10:49It's alright.
10:50No, I'm scared.
10:51Don't be scared.
10:52What's happening?
10:53Don't be scared.
10:54Unfortunately, her son Baelon also dies not long after.
10:57Their resulting funeral is incredibly difficult to watch
11:00and packed with emotion.
11:02The acting is spectacular,
11:04the visuals are heartbreaking,
11:06and the music swells with sorrowful notes.
11:08It's quite a bold way to open a show,
11:11but this franchise is nothing if not bold.
11:31Which scene upset you?
11:33Let us know in the comments below.
11:35They killed the boy.
11:37Did you enjoy this video?
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12:00Thanks for watching.
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