House of the Dragon has never been shy about turning a battle for the Iron Throne into a funeral procession, and Season 3’s finale wastes no time keeping that tradition alive. As Rhaenyra Targaryen fights to hold onto a crown that grows heavier by the episode, the Greens are closing in, and Westeros is once again preparing to pay for its divided loyalties in blood. By the time the dust settles, even the men standing closest to the throne are no longer safe.

But who ultimately finds themselves on the wrong side of the blade when the finale comes for its first victim? Here’s the death that sends another shockwave through Rhaenyra’s fragile reign.

The High Septon is the first major death of the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale, falling after he repeatedly refuses to recognize Rhaenyra Targaryen as the rightful Queen. After taking King’s Landing in Season 3, Episode 2, Rhaenyra asked him to recognize her claim, but he refused, arguing that he had already anointed Aegon II and that the former king’s reported death had never been confirmed. Even Rhaenyra’s claim that the gods had sent a dragon as an omen failed to move him.

When rumors of Aegon II’s survival spread across Westeros during the finale, Rhaenyra once again demanded the High Septon’s support. He refused again, and this time, the Queen answered with blood: she ordered Alyn Velaryon to kill him, and Alyn drove his sword into the High Septon, ending his story in brutal fashion. Even as he died, the High Septon delivered one final warning, telling Rhaenyra that the deepest of the Seven Hells awaited her.

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And if the finale’s first major death is any indication, the real punishment for surviving the Dance of the Dragons may be waiting on the other side of the battlefield.

There is good news and very bad news for fans hoping to return to Westeros quickly. Season 4 is officially on the horizon, but the final chapter is not expected until 2028, meaning viewers could face another two-year gap after Season 3. Showrunner Ryan Condal has explained that the scale of the series, particularly its enormous VFX demands, makes production a marathon, with special effects and post-production alone capable of taking around eight months.

Production is expected to begin in spring 2027, likely running for roughly five to six months and wrapping around September or October if the schedule holds. That would leave the massive post-production process to push the series toward a potential summer 2028 premiere, continuing the show’s established summer pattern: Season 1 arrived in August 2022, Season 2 in June 2024 and Season 3 in June 2026. At least Westeros will not disappear entirely in the meantime, with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 already filmed and expected to arrive in early 2027, giving fans another trip into the world of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire while the Dance of the Dragons races toward its final battle.

With the Dance of the Dragons still far from over and House of the Dragon Season 4 not expected until 2028, Rhaenyra’s reign remains anything but secure, while the question of who ultimately claims the Iron Throne becomes even more dangerous to answer.

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Who do you think will survive the final battle for the Iron Throne? Let us know in the comments.