Oh guys, I know. This is not the first time I have come across “my problem with” and, in general, with strong women who are paradoxical. I wish I wasn’t grumpy, but sometimes it’s hard.

Yes, I have problems with Rhaenys (Eve Best), and in particular, how she has been portrayed in House of the Dragon. On the eve of our farewell to her, I pause to discuss what I think is strange, incongruous, or directly wrong with her in the series. Let’s go!

In the books, a heroine who unconditionally supported Rhaenyra, on TV? With reservations

I was influenced by my imagination, inspired by Fire and Blood‘s ultra-badass depiction of a strong, loyal, and upright woman. I loved it when they announced actress Eve Best for the role, she’s perfect, but what I saw in House of the Dragon was kind of a constant cold shower.

Rhaenys II Targaryen, also known as “Rhaenys Velaryon” is legendary among the Targaryens for several reasons. The only daughter of Aemon Targaryen, she was described as an agile, intelligent, and leadership young woman, so much so that she enchanted her grandmother, Queen Alysanne (another legend in her own right).

As a woman of opinion, she chooses to marry Ser Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), one of the richest and most powerful men in Westeros and the Lord of the Tides. Together, they form a powerful alliance between two of the most influential houses in Westeros. He wouldn’t have been her father’s or grandparents’ choice, but Rhaenys knew what she wanted.

Rhaenys’ greatest disappointment came soon: although married and adult, although she was the eldest granddaughter of Jaehaerys I, when her father died she was passed over in the order of succession when her grandfather defined her uncle as the next King. When that uncle died before being crowned, Rhaenys and Corlys argued that their son, Laenor, even though he was still a baby, would now meet the expected criteria for being a man, therefore through him she would be the Queen mother and regent. However, Jaehaerys once again faltered.

Not to be the only one to disappoint her, he called a council and cast a vote: either Rhaenys or Viserys (Paddy Considine), her cousin, should be chosen. When the patriarchy was for man, the King “accepted it”, but in reality, he only validated what he was going to decide all along. In the pages of the book, Rhaenys, and Corlys are disappointed, which is well portrayed in House of the Dragon, especially because she became the joke of being “The Queen Who Never Was”, but Rhaenys kept her poise and calm. No one doubted that she would be more qualified in everything, but she was a woman and no one wanted Corlys ruling in her place.

Here the story changes 100% between TV and Book. When the machinations of Otto Hightower (Rhys Iphans) place Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy) in the position Rhaenys once was denied, the one who never became Queen reacted strangely resentfully with the girl. Apparently, Rhaenys didn’t like Rhaenyra and instead of guiding her like a mother the girl didn’t have, she told the truth, but apparently from a place of spite. Rhaenyra was first warned by Rhaenys what actually happened: men would fight to prevent her from being crowned.

TV Rhaenys’ arrogance needs to be discussed because of this. On more than one occasion, as an observer and knowledgeable about politics in Westeros, she saw what Otto was doing (well, she didn’t pull the punch via Alicent (Emily Carey/Olivia Cooke), but we will talk about that further down the article), and she could have changed the course of history but instead refrained almost like a shrug of “didn’t they elect me Queen? I’m not going to solve your problems.” Petty, no? I think so!

When Rhaenyra acted convinced of her role as successor, Rhaenys warned her of the instability of the plan: even though they had sworn oaths, men would destroy the throne before seeing a woman on it, she warned (I’m paraphrasing). Although it was a valid warning to the princess that there would be conflict, it was not conveyed positively.

And if we think that Otto was alone in the race for the open position of Queen consort, we cannot forget that both Corlys and Rhaenys offered and insisted that Viserys marry Laena, at the time only 12 years old. Yes, there is no dignity or limit to power ambitions, and Rhaenys herself, from the height of her superiority, wanted to sell her daughter to a man 35 years older, with the only affection being to “reassure” her that she wouldn’t have to do sex before menstruation. Disgusting, Rhaenys! Disgust!

And what did Corlys and Rhaenys want by marrying Laena to Viserys? Taking away Rhaenyra’s position as heir. That’s right, obviously, Laena would give the king the expected male child, so “the order of things” would return to its “normal” and Rhaenys would have her trajectory tortuously “resolved”.

Therefore, dear ones, in the first opportunity she had to have sisterhood and prevent someone else from going through what she went through, our “wise” Rhaenys wanted to get back at her and take away from Rhaenyra the crown that was promised to her.

Of course, she must have been relieved that the political “defeat” gave Laena at least the chance to meet to find a more suitable husband at least in age, although this led the girl directly to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), the wife killer, but Corlys was openly offended.

Luck helped them in some way: even with Laenor (John McMillan) being openly gay, when there was confusion about Rhaenyra’s virginity, the agreement to marry the cousins ​​was embraced with pride and happiness by the Velaryons. But, we didn’t see Rhaenys particularly happy. She really seemed to dislike Rhaenyra and the tragedy that was the wedding ceremony was one of the worst signs of that forced union.

The second part of the story doesn’t help TV. In the book, the Velaryons have black hair but are white, and in the series, they were made blonde but with black skin. A welcome inclusion, but it made problematic what was supposed to be a question like on the pages: the paternity of Rhaenyra’s children.

The princess’s lover in the series, Ser Harwin Strong (Ryan Corr) was white, so Alicent’s indignation at Laenor and Rhaenyra’s blatant presentation of their white children as Velaryon lost a lot of the atmosphere became simply a joke. Correctly now, we saw a distant and judgmental Rhaenys of Rhaenyra, even though aware that the problem of having a child was in Laenor not sleeping with his wife, not the other way around, she once again judged the woman in a sexist way, not the man.

Of course, seeing your son publicly cuckolded doesn’t please anyone, but it wasn’t like there was an alternative there. Ser Corlys, on the other hand, adopted the right attitude, being affectionate with the children and treating them like grandchildren without prejudice. Rhaenys was cold and distant with the boys.

Rhaenyra tried everything to have the support of women, whether it was Alicent or Rhaenys, but she was always isolated because none of these women could overcome their envy. Alicent of the freedom and affection that her stepdaughter and former best friend received from Viserys and Rhaenys because Rhaenyra had the support of the King like she never had from her grandfather. We criticized Alicent, but Rhaenys was not far behind!

An example of once again using the chance to nudge Rhaenyra is when the princess suggested marrying her children to Laena and Daemon’s children, as a mutual advantage, just as Alicent did when refusing to marry Helaena to Jacaerys, Rhaenys “thanked” the Rhaenyra’s initiative, commenting that it was “generous or desperate”, clearly implying that it was the latter.

With all her influence and freedom of conversation with her husband, Rhaenys let Corlys rule the house and family, letting him have the reputation of being ambitious when she was exempt from interfering in the course of history. Once again shrugging his shoulders.

In the main twist, the choice not to interfere sealing your own fate

The series showed better than in the book that Ser Corlys was absent from home for years, opening up what we know to be having sons outside of marriage with Rhaenys, but she will never know the truth. She will die first.

During these periods of long absence, the greatest opportunity to help Rhaenyra and define History passed exclusively through Rhaenys’ hands, unlike the book. In Fire and Blood, Rhaenys was in Driftmark when the Greens staged the coup d’état and immediately announced her support for Rhaenyra. On the Serie? He delayed. Enough so that Alicent was convinced she would have her on the Greens’ side!

The problem this time wasn’t just envy. The series made another radical change that complicates the scenario. In the book, Laenor is murdered by her lover after a fight in the bar. Even though it was a convenient fight to leave Rhaenyra free to marry the recently widowed Daemon, the crime had witnesses and caused their deaths. So the Velaryons, even though they were uncomfortable with the marriage of their aunt and nephew, accepted it because a few months had passed since Laena’s death.

In the series, Rhaenyra makes a grand gesture of love for Laenor, agreeing with Daemon to help him be presumed dead but fleeing with her lover away from Westeros. And this was on the night of his sister’s funeral!!! So yes, I agreed with Rhaenys, it was impossible – without knowing the truth – to like or accept Rhaenyra. Without forgetting that there was still the insult of the “grandchildren” getting into trouble with their uncles and blinding Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), without Laenor ever appearing to even see what was happening. Laenor was a terrible son and a terrible father, but it is normal for mothers to protect their offspring. Rhaenys wanted to give the Velaryon inheritance to the granddaughters she knew were legitimate and leave Rhaenyra alone to deal with her problems.

For this reason, when Lucerys’ legitimacy is placed as an obstacle to inheriting Driftmark, Rhaenys finally tries to do something for her granddaughters and try to escape the drama among Viserys’ children. He did not make it. She took the children’s wedding ring and when she found herself a prisoner of the Greens we didn’t know: who would she support after all?

A and Rhaenys’ choice is great, but not enough. She refuses to support the Greens, keeping Corlys’s oath to honor Rhaenyra as Queen, but still taunts Alicent, asking why she is fighting for her son instead of wanting the throne for herself. The question could have been asked to herself: why then didn’t she do away with greens and blacks and make the Crown the blue flag of the Velaryons?

Still “trapped”, and certainly destined for execution, Rhaenys manages to escape and luckily is dragged by the crowd until she manages to free her dragon, Meleys. And then she has the unique opportunity to prevent Aegon’s (Tom Glynn-Carvey) coronation and end the War before it starts. But she decides that “it wasn’t a war for her to start.” The worst of the character’s mistakes.

For that plain wrong decision, I pull a Cersei Lannister quote: “When you play the Game of Thrones you either win or die.” And Rhaenys is going to die epically.

And here’s some of the biggest drama I have with Rhaenys from House of the Dragon. Rhaenys, who is always on the fence, only says the obvious, only pokes at Rhaenyra, and doesn’t take the leadership she naturally has. “The gods don’t like a war between relatives”, blah blah…

Instead of advising Rhaenyra and saying what she wants to say, Rhaenys is always exempting herself and climbing the wall, always insinuating that the rightful Queen is wrong. Guys, she even seemed to defend the Greens by saying that the problem started when Aemond was blinded when the physical attack began with him attacking his granddaughter and STEALING his daughter’s dragon in the dead of night. Lucerys was defending her cousin and her request! What’s more: Rhaenys KNOWS that it was Daemon who had Jaehaerys killed, why place the weight of blame on Rhaenyra’s already heavy shoulders? What a fake queen!

For now, the consequences of every time Rhaenys failed to act will come after her. She will be alone in the Battle of Rooks Nest fighting two dragons and the Green army. It will be a trap, planted by exactly the same people she spared because she thought it wasn’t her turn to do something.

Rhaenys’ death has always been one of the most anticipated moments in House of the Dragon and the expectation for the scene is huge. Her dragon, Meleys, known as the “Red Queen,” is one of the most powerful and feared dragons of the time, and Rhaenys’s skill as a rider is revered. It will be even more so after her death.

I wanted to say that I will miss Rhaenys, but that’s not true. Her influence was not as expected, she was maliciously neutral at the wrong times and, to make matters worse, her death will create a serious problem between Rhaenyra and Ser Corlys because he will follow suit by blaming Rhaenyra even when she is right. That’s if they follow the book, right?

In the book, Rhaenyra forbids Jaecaerys from flying with Rhaenys into battle because she is suspicious of the trap, but Rhaenys, brave and worried about her allies, decides to go alone. It’s not on Rhaenyra’s orders, folks. Sadly, I love Eve Best, but Rhaenys is late.

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