Dragon star calls season 3 finale death an honour

Phia Saban, who plays Helaena Targaryen on House of the Dragon, says she was honoured to die in the season 3 finale, having sensed her character’s fate as the series diverges from the books. She received the official call from showrunner Ryan Condal and described the moment as exhilarating, as the show moves toward its final season. The finale depicts Helaena’s death after being imprisoned by Rhaenyra, a brutal moment that continues the show’s departures from George R.R. Martin’s source material and fuels ongoing debates about adaptation, underscored by Martin’s distancing from the project and Condal’s defense of their creative choices.