Jace Drowns in House of the Dragon Season 3 Premiere
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- Jace (Harry Collett) drowns in the Season 3 premiere of House of the Dragon after his dragon Vermax is struck by a ballista bolt during the Battle of the Gullet and he is hit by three arrows from a nearby ship.
- Collett described the water death scene as one of the hardest acting challenges of his life, specifically the difficulty of keeping his eyes open and not inhaling water so he wouldn't cough and break the illusion of being dead.
- Showrunner Ryan Condal had cut the Battle of the Gullet from Season 2 due to budget constraints, a decision that effectively gave Collett an extra season on the show before his character's death.
- Collett said he was told back in Season 1 that his character would only last two seasons, and he wasn't notified when the battle was skipped before learning it would open Season 3.
- With Jace dead, Rhaenyra has only sons Joffrey, Aegon III, and Viserys II remaining—none old enough to join the war—and her navy is left decimated after the battle.
- During the battle, Addam of Hull (Abubakar Salim) saves his father Corlys Velaryon and kills pirate Sharako Lohar, while Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) bonds with rogue dragon Sheepstealer but can't control it, turning it on fellow dragons.
Why it matters: Jace's death strips Rhaenyra of her most battle-ready son at a critical moment, leaving her with only underage heirs (Joffrey, Aegon III, Viserys II) and a decimated navy. With her naval forces gutted and no eligible dragonriders among her remaining sons, taking King's Landing becomes substantially harder as Season 3 progresses.
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