Episode 7 of House of the Dragon was indeed one of the best for several reasons. Aemond’s audacity to approach Laena’s dragon after her death and ride it was a scene worth remembering. Other instances like the scuffle among the kids, Aemond losing his eye, nuisance created in the court after the incident, Rhaenyra and Daemon finally becoming one, and many incidents made the episode amazing.
However, what got everyone’s eye was the incident with Laenor and Qarl, which also includes Rhaenyra and Daemon. At first, it felt like Laenor had met his fate, but then we see him with Qarl, sailing off to some other land. But, what actually happened in the books is completely opposite of what we saw in the series.
What Happened In The TV Show?
We have seen Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon altering the story several times, thus changing the fate of the characters. This is what they did to Laenor and Qarl. Now that Laena is out of the picture and Laenor is attracted to men, the time couldn’t be better for Rhaenyra and Daemon to become one. It’s evident from the start that they both love each other, but the Princess doesn’t want him by her side only for love. Daemon would be a strong ally when the time comes to claim the Iron Throne against Alicent and her children.
For Rhaenyra and Daemon to become one, they need to kick Laenor out of the picture. So, they plan to kill him, or at least that’s what it looked like at first. We see Rhaenyra and Laenor having a conversation where she admires him for who he is and calls him an honorable man with a good heart. It felt like a genuine compliment with no smell of deception, and that’s precisely why her conversation with Daemon was so heartbreaking.
We then see Daemon luring Ser Qarl into killing Laenor and shooting off to places across the Narrow sea. Qarl then goes to Lord Corlys’ hall, where we see both of them arguing and then taking out their blades. A man alongside Laenor runs to call the guards, and by the time Lord Corlys, Rhaenys, and a few guards arrive, we see a body horribly burned in a fireplace.
But, it was all a setup, and the two warriors didn’t actually fight. The man who got burned was the one who Daemon killed on the stairs, and Qarl and Laenor are now free to live their lives as they seem fit.
What Happened In The Books?
The story in the books is not as pleasant as in the TV series. In 120 AC, while attending a fair at Spicetown, Qarl and Laenor entered into an argument, which became so intense that they took out blades against each other, resulting in Laenor’s death. Septon Eustace assumed that the fight was the result o jealousy, as Qarl believed Laenor was in love with someone else.
After Corlys arrived at the incident, he immediately ordered the hunt for Qarl and offered the reward of ten thousand golden dragons for someone who could take him to Qarl or bring him to Corlys. His funeral was then done in High Tide. But, according to Mushroom, the incident was pre-planned, and Daemon was the one to persuade Qarl to kill him. But, there is no solid proof to back up this obligation.
Laenor Might Return, But Not Anytime Soon
For the time being, it should be better to consider Laenor and Qarl to be gone for a long time. But, we have seen the characters return in Game of Thrones whenever the show requires. So, we can assume their proper return to Driftmark when Rhaenyra’s right to the Iron Throne will be questioned, and she will require House Velaryon to stand with her against the Greens. However, we won’t see that happening anytime soon in the TV show.