Many fans have noticed this "little problem" with the portrayal of the Targaryen Queen in the Game of Thrones spin-off
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| Image Credit: HBO |
Like Game of Thrones, the spin-off House of the Dragon focuses on intrigue and conflict between the noble families of Westeros. At the center of the narrative is the famous Dance of the Dragons, an internal feud within the Targaryen family that saw two opposing factions as protagonists: the Blacks, supporters of Rhaenyra Targaryen, and the Greens, loyal to Alicent Hightower. Although the series tries to give equal space to both groups, there are many fans who during the airing of the episodes complained about an alleged "favoritism" of the showrunners towards Rhaenyra and her faction. Although the Targaryen Queen is the protagonist of the story, George R.R. Martin is certainly not a heroine, and some readers feel that the show has perhaps softened her a little too much, only highlighting her positive aspects.
In the original novel from which House of the Dragon is based, Rhaenyra Targaryen is in fact a much more ruthless character, as well as morally complex. This is demonstrated, for example, in the episode in which she orders her husband Daemon to kill Vaemond Velaryon, only because his presence would have threatened the rise of her son Lucerys as ruler of Driftmark. Furthermore, in the novels, the princess and future queen show no mercy or compassion towards the Greens, much less towards her stepmother Alicent. In the series, however, much of her storyline wants to demonstrate her reluctance to go to war: in many sequences, Rhaenyra opposes her small council, made up entirely of men who would like to use violence against her enemies. Everything seems to be heading towards war, but it is made abundantly clear that the queen is firmly against it.
The issue is more complex if we consider the character of Daemon Targaryen, who in the show is portrayed as a sort of “cursed prince” and morally ambiguous. In the novel, despite having some resentment towards his brother Viserys, Daemon never really wants the throne, indeed he fully supports Rhaenyra’s cause, never doubting her alliance. In the series, however, a conflict between the two has been introduced, generated by Daemon’s insecurities and personal ambitions. There are, however, also sequences that seem to “absolve” him, just like with Rhaenyra: one above all, the fact that he hires Blood and Cheese to kill Aemond, and not Aegon’s little princes, who are involved in the murder only by chance.
So, does the House of the Dragon side with the Blacks? There could be some truth in this, considering that Rhaenyra plays the role of the main protagonist. But, for the sake of fairness, it is also true that Alicent herself is a very different character from the one in Martin's novel. Her friendship with Rhaenyra is in fact an original creation of the series: in the book, Alicent is portrayed as the typical calculating and power-hungry stepmother, who would do anything to see her son on the throne instead of her rival. In the series, however, she is a character with many nuances, not to mention the fact that she has been manipulated by her father Otto since she was a young girl to gain the good graces of King Viserys.
Source: GameRant
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