Is Vaemond Velaryon dead? Who kills Vaemond Velaryon? Why did Daemon kill Vaemond Velaryon?

Last updated:October 31, 2022

Is Vaemond Velaryon dead? Who kills Vaemond Velaryon? Why did Daemon kill Vaemond Velaryon?

The House of the Dragon Episode 8, titled “The Lord of the Tides”, ends on a horrific note with the reunion of the whole Targaryen family and Velaryon family.

At the beginning of the episode, Rhaenys Targaryen was questioning a Maester whether she will see her husband Corlys Velaryon, the Lord of the Tides, again and whether he will live.

To that, Maester replies, Corlys Velaryon led his sailors to an ambush, and in fighting, his neck was slashed by Corsair’s dagger. He fell overboard in the sea, the wound was severe much blood lost, and the main concern was the blood fever that followed. Ship Maesters stated it burns from within.

While Corlys is being shipped to Driftmark, Rhaenys Targaryen and Corlys’ brother Vaemond Velaryon discuss who should inherit the throne of Driftmark and be the new Lord of the Tides.

Rhaenys says, as per Corlys’ wish, the seat should go to Lucerys, but Vaemond says he is the Sea Snake’s blood and the thrones belong to him.

Is Vaemond Velaryon dead? Who kills Vaemond Velaryon? Why did Daemon kill Vaemond Velaryon?

Yes! Vaemond Velaryon is indeed dead.

In The House of the Dragon Episode 8, we saw Vaemond Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys Targaryen discuss who should inherit the role of Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark, and head of House Velaryon role after the death of Lord Corlys.

According to Vaemond Velaryon, it should come to him as he is Sea Snake’s own blood.

“I speak the truth, Rhaenys, and you know it, says Vaemond. Lord Corlys only bought calamity after calamity to House Velaryon and only cares about history books. What about the Velaryon blood? Is it to be supplanted by the pups of House Strong? Driftmark is mine by all rights.”

Plus, with the deteriorating health condition of King Viserys, the Crown was now being operated by Queen Alicent Hightower and the Hand of King Otto Hightower.

Vaemond had already proposed his plans to side with them in order to get support from them to inherit the title of Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark. He plans to return this favour by supporting Alicent’s cause to make Aegon II the King of Seven Kingdoms.

Vaemond, Rhaenys goes to King’s Landing to decide who will be inheriting the title of Lord of the Tides.

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen also get the letter that Vaemond is going to King’s Landing to get support from the Crown, which is being operated by Queen Alicent and Otto Hightower, due to King Viserys’ bad health.

Rhaenyra and Daemon think they have made some common cause with Otto Hightower, So both Rhaenyra and Daemon go to King’s Landing to resolve the matter, as it was her son’s birthright to claim the title of Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark after Corlys’ passing.

Why did Daemon kill Vaemond Velaryon? (Image Credit: HBO Max)

So when the hearing starts to decide who will inherit the title of Lord of the Tides: Vaemond says as the closest Kin and blood of Lord Corlys, he had spent his entire life on Driftmark to defend the throne, so once Lord Corlys passes, he is the one who deserves to sit on the throne, not anyone else.

Rhaenyra replies by saying she and Laenor Velaryon’s son Lucerys is the rightful heir of the Driftmark. If you had cared so much about Velaryon’s blood, he wouldn’t have supplanted the rightful heir.

“You only speak about your own ambition. Ser Vaemond”

Vaemond replies to Rhaenyra by saying she doesn’t understand anything about the Velaryon blood and humbly requests the Hand of King Otto Hightower to name him as the successor after Lord Corlys passes.

When Vaemond finished his speech and now was the time for Princess Rhaenyra to speak, King Viserys appeared in the court with his ill health, and he continued to hear the argument and removed Otto Hightower before passing any judgement.

King Viserys says there is a need to discuss settled succession and why a petition is being heard on this.

He further adds if anyone could give insights into Lord Corlys’s wishes, it should be his wife, Rhaenys Targaryen.

Rhaenys Targaryen now states that as per Lord Corlys’s wish, Lucerys Velaryon should be the rightful heir of the Driftmark. Rhaenyra had already indicated her desire to marry Jace and Luke to Corlys’s granddaughters, Baela and Rhaena; therefore, Rhaenys Lucerys’ claim as the Master of Driftmarka and the Lord of the Tides.

This statement angers Vaemond Velaryon, who first says Viserys has broken countless laws by naming a daughter as the Queen of Seven Kingdoms, then insults Rhaenyra by saying her sons Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey Velaryon are all bastards and Rhaenyra is a w#ore.

This angers King Viserys, who takes out his dagger and says: “I will have your tongue for this”.

Still, before King Viserys can do anything, his brother and husband of Rhaenyra, Prince Daemon, intervenes and kills Vaemond Velaryon with his sword, the dark sister, by decapitating his head in half.

“He can keep his tongue!!, says Daemon after killing Vaemond with his Velaryon sword, the dark sister.”

King Viserys gets ill after seeing all the bloodshed in his court and is immediately escorted back to his chambers.

So that is how Vaemond Velaryon dies. Prince Daemon Targaryen kills him with his Velaryon sword, the dark sister.

The reason behind Daemon killing Vaemond is simple, Vaemond insulted Daemon’s wife, Rhaenyra and his brother Viserys.

As we all know, Daemon is very much protected of his family, especially Rhaenyra and King Viserys, hence that is the reason why he slayed Vaemond in half for insulting them.

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