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Throughout House of the Dragon, House Velaryon can be seen desperately trying to rise to power. This is presumably because Rhaenys Targaryen was overlooked for the Iron Throne. However, in Fire & Blood, it is actually her son, Laenor Velaryon, who is passed over as an heir.
His father, Corlys Velaryon, bribes several people on the Great Council to ensure his succession. Although Laenor does not succeed, the lore establishes the significance of his character. Portrayed by John Macmillan, Theo Nate and Matthew Carver in House of the Dragon, Laenor’s fate in the show still seems to be ambiguous.
House of the Dragon: What is Driftmark?
The largest island in Blackwater Bay serves as the treasure and home of House Velaryon, the Lords of the Tides.
Who Is Laenor Velaryon?
In House of the Dragon, Laenor’s character emerges from the background during the War for the Stepstones. Seasmoke and Caraxes (Laenor and Daemon Targaryen’s dragons, respectively) have failed to be of any advantage, as the Crabfeeder retreats into the caves each time they attack. It is Laenor who proposes sending Daemon as bait to lure out the Triarchy forces. This plan proves to be effective: Daemon draws them out long enough for him to ride atop Seasmoke and give the familiar command of “dracarys”.
To unite two of the most powerful houses in Westeros, King Viserys I Targaryen arranges a marriage between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor. In the books, Rhaenyra objects at first, since Laenor’s sexuality is an open secret:
Laenor Velaryon was now nineteen years of age yet had never shown any interest in women. Instead he surrounded himself with handsome squires of his own age and was said to prefer their company. But Grand Maester Mellos dismissed this concern out of hand. “What of it?” he is supposed to have said. “I am not fond of fish, but when fish is served, I eat it.” Thus was the match decided.
In the show, Corlys insists that his son will “outgrow it”, and agrees to Viserys’ terms. Meanwhile, the bride and groom also come to an understanding: they will perform their royal duties but are also free to pursue their own interests. However, Criston Cole (Rhaenyra’s spurned lover) kills Joffrey Lonmouth (Laenor’s lover) in a rage during the pre-wedding festivities. Rhaenyra and Laenor are married in a private ceremony later that night. According to the lore, Joffrey is injured during the wedding tourney, and Laenor spends the entire time by his bedside until his death six days later.
After the 10-year jump, Rhaenyra is shown to have three sons, one of whom Laenor names after his former lover. However, Harwin Strong is their actual father, as Laenor failed to produce an heir (though not for lack of trying). The couple mostly spends time apart, with Laenor away at Driftmark and only joining Rhaenyra at court for important events. After her relationship with Alicent Hightower worsens, Rhaenyra returns to Dragonstone, and Laenor visits her “frequently”. Although he mostly occupies himself with self-interested pursuits (including a knight named Qarl Correy), he also tries to be a good father. As Rhaenyra says to him:
You are an honorable man with a good heart. It’s a rare thing.
What Happens to Laenor Velaryon?
According to the books, Laenor is slain by Qarl in broad daylight at a fair at Spicetown in 120 AC. When Corlys arrives to recover his body, he is informed by the merchants that the two had been quarreling before the fight. Qarl fled after stabbing Laenor, wounding anyone who came in his way. Corlys offers a reward of ten thousand golden dragons to anyone who finds him.
Septon Eustace believes that Qarl was confronting Laenor about his new, younger lover, and killed him in a fit of jealousy. Mushroom, the court jester, alleges that Daemon had bribed Qarl to kill the prince consort so he could take his place. He apparently arranged a ship for his escape, but ended up slitting his throat and dumping his body in the sea. Despite no evidence to support this theory, it could be true as Rhaenyra and Daemon marry just shortly after Laenor’s murder. Secondly, Qarl was known for his proclivity for extravagance, so it is possible that he agreed to kill for a hefty reward. In either case, Laenor does not survive in the lore, as far as anyone knows.
House of the Dragon takes a different approach in season 1, episode 7, “Driftmark”. Rhaenyra wishes to absolve her marriage so she can wed Daemon and strengthen her claim to the Iron Throne. Daemon is seen paying Qarl for “a quick death […] one with witnesses”. He then proceeds to kill a servant, but it is not immediately clear why. Later, in the Hall of Nine, Qarl engages Laenor in a fight because he has “always looked down” on him. A witness runs for help, but by the time Corlys and Rhaenys arrive, a charred corpse (wearing Laenor’s clothes) is pulled from the fire.
It is revealed that, in a rare show of humanity, Daemon and Rhaenyra spare Laenor’s life and “set him free”. The dead servant from earlier is chucked into the fire to stage Laenor’s death, while he cuts off his signature white locks and escapes across the Narrow Sea with Qarl.
It can be assumed that the change from the source material could be a tactic to avoid the ‘bury your gays’ trope, especially since the show killed off another queer character just a few episodes ago. On the other hand, it could also be a way to show Rhaenyra in a more sympathetic light, as she finally releases Laenor from the shackles of their marriage. As he says to her earlier:
We made an arrangement, all those years ago, to do our duty, and yet explore happiness. But there are times, I think, when these things cannot mutually exist.
Is Laenor Velaryon Returning in Season 2 of House of the Dragon?
In season two’s trailer of House of the Dragon, there is a glimpse of Rhaenyra and her dragon, Syrax, facing an unknown person with what appears to be Seasmoke. In the books, Seasmoke goes into seclusion in Dragonstone after Laenor’s death for about a decade. Considering that he is still alive in the show, the question arises whether Seasmoke is aware of this fact (since dragons always seem to know what fate befalls their master). It is also unknown whether abandonment can break the bond between a dragon and its rider. If it does not, then it is possible that it is Laenor in the trailer.
This would not be too surprising, since on-screen logic often dictates that if a character is secretly alive, they are bound to return one day. Under the guise of a rare happy ending for a character, the showrunners may have kept Laenor alive to tie up some loose ends later on.
However, a more likely explanation is that the scene actually depicts Addam of Hull, Laenor’s apparent bastard. According to the lore, the blacks need more dragonriders for their unclaimed dragons. A woman named Marilda comes forward, stating that her sons, Addam and Alyn, are Laenor’s children (given the latter’s sexuality, however, it is more likely that Corlys is the father). Addam eventually becomes Seasmoke’s new rider. Since Laenor has no significant role to play in the Dance of the Dragons anyway, his return would make little sense.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is HBO's prequel series to Game of Thrones. Set hundreds of years earlier, the show follows the inner machinations and rivalries of the Targaryen royal family. The show was created by Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, and stars Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Rhys Ifans, and Olivia Cooke.
New Characters In House Of The Dragon Season 2
When the second season of House of the Dragon makes its debut in the Summer, viewers will have many new characters to meet.
