According to Fire & Blood (the source material for
Rhaenyra and Daemon simply fake his death for all of their benefit (Rhaenyra and Daemon are able to marry, while Laenor gets to live out his life with Qarl, free from the confines of Targaryen royalty). That's why, for the most part, "House of the Dragon" stays true to the events in "Fire & Blood."
So how did Rhaenyra Targaryen die? Well, Aegon had his dragon Sunfyre burn Rhaenyra alive before he ate her. (Sunfyre was one of only two dragons left from many who fought in the war). He also made Rhaenyra's young son, also named Aegon, watch his mother die.
The series also gives a definitive version of events surrounding Rhaenyra's virginity as the fictional history of Fire & Blood gives multiple accounts to explain what happened between Daemon and Rhaenyra and why Viserys fell out with his brother once again.
This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon's season 1 finale and George R.R. Martin's book, Fire & Blood. A particularly shocking moment happens in House of the Dragon's season 1 finale when Daemon angrily chokes Rhaenyra, exposing a different side of his character.
Once she reached Dragonstone, Rhaenyra was betrayed by Ser Alfred Broome, whose men slew the remainder of her Queensguard. Her half-brother Aegon II then had her fed to his own dragon, Sunfyre, at Dragonstone.
"He loved his brother so deeply and trusted him, even through all the problems that they had, and Viserys never shared it with him. He kept [Daemon] in the dark, and it just it breaks Daemon. Instead of reacting with grief or sadness that you see out of him later, he reacts with rage and he takes it out on Rhaenyra."
The moment happens in season 3, episode 4, “And Now His Watch Is Ended,” when Joffrey Lannister is chilling with Margaery Tyrell and giddily explains, “Rhaenyra Targaryen was murdered by her brother, or rather, his dragon. It ate her while her son watched. What's left of her is buried in the crypts right down there.”
His way was one of resolution. Rhaenys is cut from the same cloth, and would be loathe to solve this problem simply by murdering everyone before any other bloodshed has occurred. She would become a kingslayer and a kinslayer. Superstition is strong in Westeros, as it was in our own Medieval era.
Back in her chambers, Rhaenyra's gaze lands on the handsome Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel). After some initial reluctance by Criston, who has much more on the line as a lowborn member of the Kingsguard, Rhaenyra playfully seduces her long-standing crush and they have sex.
LAENOR IS ALIVE, FOLKS! Daemon and Rhaenyra didn't plot Laenor's death with Ser Qarl, but rather they planned how to fake Laenor's death.
George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood revealed that Rhaenyra marries Daemon in secret shortly after Laenor's death. Their secret wedding in Dragonstone became very controversial, as it also reignited rumors that they were romantically involved before.
Joffrey Baratheon spoils Rhaenyra Targaryen's fate on Game of Thrones. As Joffrey tells us, eventually, Rhaenyra's half-brother Aegon Targaryen will feed her to his dragon Sunfyre. She dies as her son, Aegon III, watches.
Laena and Daemon marry soon after. Laena and Daemon were a power couple, and their marriage was celebrated by nearly all of Westeros and Essos — except for King Viserys and his court, who considered it another sign of Daemon's disrespect.
Turns out, Rhaenyra and Daemon are endgame, meaning they have a sexually tense relationship, eventually hook up, and get married—which is pretty significant from a power play perspective considering (1) they both want the throne and (2) their Targaryen union is almost sure to guarantee that happens—even though Alicent ...
Since Daemon's body was never recovered from the Gods Eye, singers say that he lived to spend the rest of his days in secret with Nettles. Daemon never achieved his ambition to sit on the Iron Throne, though his sons Aegon III and Viserys II eventually did.
Rhaenyra does not give birth till the next moon cycle, in Fire and Blood, but her anger at being taken her birthright by her half-brother, Aegon II Targaryen, drives her to labour. Rhaenyra screamed and cursed Prince Aegon, Queen Alicent, and her baby within her, for three days.
It's the famous cat's paw dagger, made of Valyrian steel and centuries old. Just like Alicent stabbing Rhaenyra with it was an indirect declaration of her intent to fight once Viserys passed away, it was indirectly responsible for the fight for the Iron Throne that began after King Robert passed away.
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 1, episode 7, "Driftmark."Rhaenyra Targaryen is stabbed by Alicent Hightower with the catspaw dagger in House of the Dragon season 1, episode 7, "Driftmark," but the moment preceding it connects her more deeply to Aegon the Conqueror's dream.
Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) finally had sex on House of the Dragon. After teasing their deep connection for weeks, making out in a brothel, and flirting their way through King's Landing, uncle and niece at long last did the dirty.
Rhaenyra Targaryen is killed by her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen when he cruelly feeds her to his dragon Sunfyre.
Princess Rhaenyra rules as Queen Rhaenyra for about half a year on the Iron Throne. As many of her children are killed, she flees King's Landing after a riot known as the Storming of the Dragonpit, and is eventually caught. Her half-brother, Alicent's son Aegon II, feeds her to his dragon, Sunfyre.
Not understanding this, Daemon grabs her by the neck and tells her that Viserys was a man who was a slave to his prophecies. We know this to be true since he believed himself to be a Dreamer and thought that his son would sit on the Iron Throne.
It was clear that Leana and Laenor had a close relationship, and she likely would not appreciate her uncle choosing this moment to make a statement while her brother grieves. Daemon laughs at this moment because Vaemond is choosing this moment to guilt Rhaenyra for having children with Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr).
Daemon, unaware of Viserys' prophecy, chokes Rhaenyra, saying that dragons, and thereby violence, are what gives House Targaryen its might.