Even in Fire and Blood, the book that narrates the saga of the Targaryens, there is little mention of interaction between the half-sisters Rhaenyra and Helaena, but in the House of the Dragon series, it is non-existent. The two circulate in the same environment but are always far apart without ever saying two words or even a glance.

Part of this distance is because, in the series, the showrunners decided that Alicent Hightower would be Rhaenyra’s friend-enemy, but this does not reduce the fact that, indirectly, she and Helaena are united by the same pain of losing children in a traumatic and violent without necessarily having anything to do with it.

As we are seeing, the civil war resulted in many losses and tragedies for both Targaryen factions, highlighting the brutal and devastating nature of the conflicts for power. The driving force of all conflict is machismo because it is men who, even technically behind the scenes, provoke conflicts and events that cause deaths and fights. (Yes, Mr. Otto Hightower, I’m pointing the finger at you!)

While Fire & Blood‘s main focus is on historical events and less on the emotional nuances of individual characters, the House of the Dragon series has a chance to explore that void.

Due to both age and political ambitions, Rhaenyra and Helaena never had the chance to be just two sisters. The youngest daughter of Viserys I, by his second wife, Alicent, was born when the firstborn was already the official heir and was not only beginning to deal with adult life but felt (justifiably) insecure with the Nobles of Westeros who swore allegiance, but behind the scenes, they waited and pressured the King to change the succession order and put it back “to normal”, that is, pass the crown to Aegon II instead of Rhaenyra.

And Helaena as the sister of Aegon II, Rhaenyra’s main official rival for the Iron Throne, is also sidelined. The book doesn’t provide many specific details about Helaena’s personal feelings toward Rhaenyra, or vice versa. However, in addition to losing their children, their deaths are equally linked, as are the fates of their heirs and grandchildren.

An opportunity for family unity lost in politics

When we met Rhaenyra, she was the only child from Viserys and Aemma’s marriage who had survived, all of her siblings died in or after childbirth, and the last pregnancy cost the Queen her life. It is not said, but we obviously realize from the intensity of the friendship she develops with Alicent, that Rhaenyra would greatly appreciate having had a blood sister to be able to share her joys and sorrows, even more so after she realized that the only person with whom she had this relationship was cheated, marrying a widowed and vulnerable Viserys.

As is common in the first years of children who accompany their father to start life anew, it was natural for there to be jealousy and insecurities, but, over time, there could also be complicity beyond the blood connection between the two princesses. However, with the insecurity planted by Otto in Alicent and her resentment and envy towards her stepdaughter/former friend, there was never a chance for the half-sisters.

To make matters worse, the sensitive and clairvoyant Helaena – always ignored by her mother and brothers – was indirectly “led” into marriage with her disgusting and cruel older brother, Aegon II, precisely because Rhaenyra suggested (and Viserys loved) that she marry the nephew, Jacaerys Velaryon. Alicent did not see the offer as an attempt at Peace, just as Viserys was against Otto’s idea of ​​marrying Rhaenyra to Aegon when the boy was still 2 years old and his sister, 16. Alicent, mirroring her own negativity, ignored the genuine Rhaenyra’s goodwill. For her, the real intention was to “regularize” the situation of Jace, clearly a bastard and son of Ser Harwin Strong. Perhaps it was the bonus for Rhaenyra, but, effectively as her firstborn and assumed heir to the Iron Throne, Jacaerys marriage to a half-hightower would also ensure what Otto wanted so much. It would just take longer.

Therefore, thanks to her grandfather’s excessive ambition and her mother’s emotional decision, Helaena finds herself forced to be the wife of a sexual predator who ignores her on her best days and mistreats her for others. And, with him, she was the mother of twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera (in the book there were three children).

Jacaerys and Lucaerys, although nephews, were close in age to their uncles Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond, so the relationship between them existed, even if full of conflicts. So much so that one of the sweetest moments of season 1 was the scene in which Jace takes his aunt to dance (annoying Aegon).

All rivalry intensifies with the death of Viserys I. With the coup by the Greens (only Alicent tried to tell the story that the King changed his mind at the last minute, but didn’t really convince anyone), the dispute over the succession to the throne became real. Helaena, being loyal to her immediate family, the Hightowers, supports her brother’s husband’s claim, while Rhaenyra fights to maintain her position as the rightful heir. Still, as far as we know, there is no “hate” between them. Maybe after Blood and Cheese, this will change.

After the improper coronation of Aegon II, Rhaenyra could recognize the agility of the Greens and accept their “defeat”, as Alicent hoped, for the good of Westeros. Not that Otto would let her (or her children) live, but as the rightful heir, she refused.

Faced with the impasse, the step to resolving the conflict peacefully was to have the largest number of supporters in the seven kingdoms, which immediately generated the race for allies. Unfortunately, Fate wanted it (even more than Otto) for the violence to escalate.

Aemond attacks Lucaerys and, unable to control Vaghar, kills his nephew. We do not witness in House of the Dragon the passage found in the book, in which Aemond announces that he deliberately killed his nephew, and Alicent, like Otto, despairs anticipating the response to match the Blacks. If it had been up to Daemon, she would have come, but Rhaenyra, paralyzed with grief, stopped her.

But of course, the Peace was not to last. Upon finding Lucaerys’ remains, Rhaenyra turns her hatred towards her middle half-brother and bluntly demands that she “wants Aemond Targaryen” to answer for his crime. Daemon, restless, shouted that he was taking care of everything by rushing to King’s Landing.

Daemon hires Blood and Cheese to “kill the prince” and, in case they don’t find Aemond, the alternative remains up in the air. We saw that she ended up taking Helaena from her son Jaehaerys in the most violent way imaginable.

What we know is that Helaena never recovers from the trauma and that if there had been her son Maelor it would have been even worse. Rhaenyra, who would never have an innocent child killed, will have a reputation as Cruel and will never regain her credibility. Thus, according to common knowledge, one sister had the other’s son killed out of pure revenge. And, in truth, both had nothing to do with what happened to the other’s son.

What could be more Game of Thrones than that?

And as you clearly anticipate the doubt of what will happen to Rhaenyra and Helaena’s children, it’s worth remembering.

Lucerys is killed by Aemond Targaryen, Helaena’s brother, during an aerial clash between dragons. Because of this “accident”, little Jaehaerys is murdered by order of Daemon Targaryen, “in the name of Rhaenyra”.

It’s such an important passage that I still don’t see House of the Dragon cutting. Even more so, this is why the people in King’s Landing turn against Rhaenyra and, while fleeing, Joffrey Velaryon dies trying to save his mother and she is captured by Aegon II, who kills her and gives her to be executed by the dragon, Sunfyre.

Then Jacaerys will die in battle, fighting bravely for his mother’s cause and protecting his younger brothers, Aegon III and Viserys II. In the series, we don’t meet Maelor, who would be Helaena’s youngest and who is captured during the war and ends up being killed in a brutal act. One from which her mother would never recover and would kill herself, although rumors remain that Rhaenyra had killed her.

Even without Helaena or Rhaenyra, there are “remaining” three children: Jaehaera, Aegon III, and Viserys II, who survive the war. Aegon III eventually becomes king, but he never recovers from the trauma of witnessing his mother’s execution, nor does Jaehaera, who marries his cousin. With a life marked by sadness, she also eventually commits suicide.

Viserys II, who is captured in the battle in which Jacaerys is killed, is held prisoner by Rhaenyra’s enemies for years, but after he is freed he becomes Hand of the King to his brother, Aegon III.

And in the future, from the lineage of Aegon III and Jaehaera’s children comes Rhaeghar, Viserys III, and Daenerys Targaryen. And yes, Jon Snow. In other words, tragically and sadly, the fate of the entire saga is marked by the pain of two sisters who never lived together or wished each other harm. But the Game of Thrones destroyed their lives.

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