The House of the Dragon episode 10 season finale is finally here and it seems to feature a very notable death to round out the first season. If it’s real, the House of the Dragon Lucerys Velaryon death along with his dragon Arrax will likely kick off the Targaryen civil war in season 2. Did Elliot Grihault as Luke die, and if so, is it the same as in the books?
Did Lucerys Velaryon die in House of the Dragon episode 10?
Lucerys Velaryon, a.k.a. Luke (Elliot Grihault), and his dragon Arrax did indeed both die in the House of the Dragon season finale. There is no possible way they could have survived the attack by Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) or, more specifically, his enraged dragon Vhagar — who struck out at the much smaller dragon and ripped it apart, along with its rider Luke.
Is Luke’s death in the Fire and Blood book?
The death of Lucerys in House of the Dragon episode 10 is mostly taken directly from George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood book, on which the series is based. Lucerys and his brother Jacaerys (Harry Collett) volunteer as dragon-back envoys to deliver messages to the presumed allies of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy). Luke was chosen for the shorter, safer journey to Storm’s End to see Lord Borros Baratheon (Roger Evans), but Aemond was already there.
After mounting their dragons and scrapping in the skies, the pair seemingly lose control of their dragons — seemingly the only real difference between the book and show, as it makes Luke’s death more accidental on Aemond’s part. Arrax attacks Vhagar with fire, and Vhagar bites the smaller dragon in two, along with Luke Velaryon. In the book, this attack will properly ignite the war between the Targaryen houses called the Dance of the Dragons, which House of the Dragon season 2 on HBO Max will begin with when the show returns.
