Is Princess Rhaenyra Fit To Become The Ruler Of The Seven Kingdoms Of Westeros
Now I understand that fans, myself included, love Princess Rhaenyra and Milly Alcock portraying her in House of the Dragon. While she started off as a character who seemed perfect for the Iron Throne, a lot has changed since then. In fact, I believe she’s not as suitable for the Iron Throne as she was in the early episodes and here’s why.
Princess Rhaenyra was smart and brave
In the very first episode, Rhaenyra showed us how brave and valiant she was. She never wanted to sit in a castle and have children. Instead, she wanted to become a warrior and be on the battlefield while riding Syrax. The fact that her father neglected and neglected her made Rhaenyra even more determined and strong. His connection to Syrax at the age of 14 was commendable. In the next episode, she also showed her intelligence and wit. Rhaenyra had nothing to do with her father. King Viserys was a gentle and mild-mannered ruler who resorted to inaction when it came to the Stepstones. Despite Lord Corlys and his constant warnings, the king allowed the situation to escalate. In the meantime, Rhaenyra wanted to show the power of House Targaryen by sending dragonriders to the Stone Steps. It showed how fierce and powerful a Rhaenyra ruler would one day be.
Even deciding to appoint Ser Criston Cole as the new Knight of the Kingsguard was a great strategic decision. She entered the selection process knowing exactly what she wanted and wasted no time in diplomacy. When Daemon stole a dragon egg from Red Keep, the king sent Otto Hightower with the rest of the Kingsguard to confront him at Dragonstone. However, Rhaenyra used her wits and figured she could retrieve the dragon egg and get Daemon to retreat without forcing any sort of conflict. She gave Daemon the ultimatum to kill her as she was the next heir or give in.
Rhaenyra started out as a strong, smart, and brave girl who was the most fitting heir to the Iron Throne. Princess Rhaenyra would have truly returned House of the Dragon to its destined glory and ruled over the Seven Kingdoms like never before.
How she became reckless and irresponsible
Over the next few episodes, Rhaenyra becomes increasingly reckless and further jeopardizes her position as heiress. Running away with Daemon Targaryen in King’s Landing was already a questionable decision before she put herself in a more precarious position by kissing Daemon on Silk Street without his disguise. While I see the blatant double standards and patriarchy, Rhaenyra had to be more responsible if she was ever to sit on the Iron Throne and make the changes she so badly wanted to see. That night drastically changed events as she was pushed to marry Ser Laenor Velaryon and also lost her dear friend Alicent.
After Daemon left her that night, she also sought physical intimacy with her sworn protector, Ser Criston Cole. It was quite a selfish and reckless act considering he had taken a vow of chastity. It also led to the rift between Ser Criston and Rhaenyra that we see today. While she refused his offer to run away with him, she was willing to run away with Daemon to Dragonstone. Another fatal mistake was when she thought public opinion didn’t matter.
Should Rhaenyra still be the heiress?
There’s actually a reason why Rhaenyra seems to be sabotaging her chances as an heiress. Rhaenyra never really wanted to be the heiress or understood the responsibilities that came with the position. After all, she was just a child. She just wanted to win her father’s affection. Rhaenyra was unprepared for the sacrifices and duties that came with being the heiress. However, by marrying Laenor Velaryon, it seems she is finally on the right track.
When it comes to whether or not she should be the heiress, yes, she should. Compared to any other pick including Daemon and Aegon, she is a thousand times more suited to such a position. Now that she is moving through her rebellious teenage phase and becoming more mature, we are sure to see Rhaenyra become the true heir to House of the Dragon. I’m sure she’ll silence the enemies!
