‘House of the Dragon’ Episode 7 Ending Explained: Did Daemon and Rhaenyra Kill Laenor?

House of the Dragon Episode 7 “Driftmark” saw the funeral of Laena Velaryon (Nanna Blondell), the taking of Vhagar, and a Targaryen royal wedding. However, what you might be most baffled by is that final shot of that guy who looks suspiciously like Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan) getting on a boat with Ser Qarl Correy (Arty Froushan), who we just witnessed murdering Laenor at Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) behest. What the heck happened? Did Daemon and Rhaenyra kill Laenor? Everyone — from a devastated Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint) and Rhaenys (Eve Best) to the Valyrian priest marrying Daemon and Rhaenyra — certainly thinks so, but what does that final shot of House of the Dragon Episode 7 on HBO really mean?

House of the Dragon Episode 7 delivers many of the most iconically chaotic moments from George R. R. Martin’s fictional Targaryen history tome Fire & Blood. When the whole Targaryen/Velaryon assembles on Driftmark to mourn Laena Velaryon, old wounds are re-opened and new enmities are born. Rhaenrya uses her reunion with Uncle Daemon to finally make it clear that she wants to be with him romantically — not her gay husband Laenor.

Little Aemond Targaryen (Leo Ashton) takes full advantage of Laena’s death to claim her dragon, the gargantuan Vhagar. Aemond’s actions precipitate a violent fight between the prince and his younger cousins, who believe Laena’s dragon-less daughter Rhaena (Eva Ossei-Gernin) had first dibs on Vhagar. The altercation escalates and little Lucerys (Harvey Sadler) cuts Aemond’s eye out to defend his older brother from possible death. Seeing her child so injured pushes Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) over the edge in front of everyone, as she tries to take an eye from Lucerys in retribution in front of a horrified court.

But the most shocking moment in the episode came towards the end. Rhaenyra tells Daemon that she wants to marry him, that she can’t face Alicent and the Greens alone. Daemon bluntly says Laenor would have to be dead for them to be married. It then seems that Daemon and Rhaenyra recruit Laenor’s low-born lover Ser Qarl Correy to do the nefarious deed.

But did Ser Qarl kill Laenor for Daemon and Rhaenyra? Is Laenor actually dead? Who is Qarl Correy? And are Daemon and Rhaenyra married in House of the Dragon? Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of House of the Dragon Episode 7…

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON EPISODE 7 ENDING EXPLAINED: IS LAENOR ALIVE OR DEAD? DID DAEMON AND RHAENYRA KILL LAENOR?

The final shot of House of the Dragon Episode 7 confirms that Laenor Velaryon is NOT dead. 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. Laenor pulled a Gone Girl, guys!

If you rewind the last few scenes, you’ll notice that Daemon actually seizes a random guard in the Hall of Nine on Driftmark right before Laenor’s death. Why? Well, in the following scene, we see Ser Qarl Correy threaten Laenor and the two start fighting with steel. A servant freaks out and runs for guards. And then we cut to Corlys and Rhaenys entering the hall to see Driftmark soldiers pulling a half-burned body out of the fire. It is impossible to say who the corpse is, but everyone believes it is Laenor.

But the burned body is not Laenor Velaryon. It is the random guard Daemon captured, killed in Laenor’s place. The final scene of the episode reveals that Laenor has shaved his head and is escaping with Ser Qarl on a boat. We can infer from Daemon’s initial pitch to Ser Qarl that it takes them across the Narrow Sea, to Pentos. Where they can live as sellswords and lovers, with no problems.

And if you’re still confused, Rhaenyra and Daemon’s conversation never talks about actually killing Laenor. Rhaenyra specifically says she will not be a tyrant who rules through fear. Daemon cautions her that if she is going to be a successful queen, her subjects must fear her. Rhaenyra says, “I do love Laenor,” and Daemon replies, “Then grant him this kindness. Set him free.” We then see Qarl and Laenor’s mummers farce of a sword fight.

We cut then to Corlys and Rhaenys discovering the burned corpse as Rhaenyra sadly says their plan will cost them their only remaining child. “And the realm will whisper that I was somehow responsible,” Rhaenyra says. “Let them whisper,” Daemon replies. “We will know the truth of it and our enemies won’t.” Rhaenyra has a little smile when she says, “They will fear what else we might be capable of.”

By faking Laenor’s death, Rhaenyra and Daemon are not only free to marry, but they also cultivate a rumor about their own ruthlessness as a couple. And what does Laenor get in the bargain? The happy ending Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) once tried to sell Rhaenyra on. Laenor will no longer be hampered by his duty, but free to pursue happiness alongside his lover as a sellsword. He does have to leave behind his dragon, but them’s the breaks.

WHO IS SER QARL CORREY? LAENOR’S LOVER AND PRESUMED KILLER IN HOUSE OF THE DRAGON?

We first met Ser Qarl Correy in last week’s episode. He is Laenor’s new “drinking buddy,” i.e. lover. Laenor repeatedly expresses how he wants to fight a war in the Stepstones with Ser Qarl, which horrifies Rhaenyra since she’s being threatened on all sides. When last week’s episode ends, Rhaenyra says Laenor can bring Ser Qarl to Dragonstone as they’ll need all the swords they can get.

Ser Qarl Correy is also Laenor’s paramour in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. However in that book, he does kill Laenor. They get into a fight in Spicetown that turns ugly and Ser Laenor is publicly killed. Ser Qarl gets away on a boat that was waiting for him. The rumors at the time are that Ser Qarl either became jealous of Ser Laenor’s teenaged lover or that Daemon paid for the assassination to clear a path to Rhaenyra.

House of the Dragon, on the other hand, gives Ser Qarl and Ser Laenor an actual happy ending!

DOES DAEMON MARRY RHAENYRA IN HOUSE OF THE DRAGON EPISODE 7?

Yes, he most certainly does! Rhaenyra and Daemon don’t just get married, but they get married in the old Valyrian style. They, like Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters, “bind their blood.” The wedding ceremony is completely unlike any other Westerosi wedding we’ve seen. Bride and groom are wearing matching ceremonial outfits. They each cut their bottom lips with dragonglass and then anoint their blood on each other’s brows. They cut their hands and clasp them together, share a glass of wine, and then kiss in front of an altar with a fire burning. Fire and blood, baby!

It is interesting to note that their only witnesses — aside from a priest chatting in High Valyrian, are a maester and four of their five kids. And the kids look hilariously “meh” about it. After all, they’ve lost their respective parents and now their new mom and dad are making out in a blood magic ritual. Gross!