Warning: Incorporates SPOILERS for Home of the Dragon season 1, episode 10, “The Black Queen,” and George R.R. Martin’s guide, Hearth & Blood. Rhaenyra Targaryen has two main parallels with Sport of Thrones‘ Daenerys Targaryen within the Home of the Dragon season 1 finale, “The Black Queen,” which arrange her character change and spell dangerous information for Westeros. Rhaenyra and Daenerys have some clearly similarities, each believing themselves the rightful inheritor to the Iron Throne, pushed by a way of each birthright and future. Daenerys’ arc, in fact, ended up in extraordinarily controversial trend, along with her making a villainous flip and destroying King’s Touchdown in Sport of Thrones season 8. Home of the Dragon will wish to keep away from an identical backlash, however continues to be very a lot leaning into the parallels, particularly in two particular finale moments.
The primary comes when she is immune to diving into civil conflict due to how damaging it might be for Westeros, stating that she doesn’t “want to rule over a kingdom of ash and bone.” It echoes a key line from Dany in Sport of Thrones season 7, episode 2, “Stormborn,” the place she advised her small council she “didn’t come right here to be Queen of the Ashes.” The parallels go additional in Home of the Dragon season 1, episode 10’s ending, as a remaining shot of a teary and livid Rhaenyra teases her revenge. Once more it evokes Daenerys, particularly her personal anger after Missandei’s dying in Sport of Thrones season 8, episode 4, “The Final of the Starks.”
How The Remaining Shot Of Rhaenyra Units Up Her Change (Like It Did Daenerys)
The ultimate shot of Rhaenyra in Home of the Dragon‘s season 1 finale units up a darker model of the character, who will likely be pushed extra by revenge and able to cross strains she beforehand wouldn’t. Whereas earlier than she and Alicent nonetheless held some reminiscence of their friendship and a respect for each other as loving moms, such emotions at the moment are gone. Rhaenyra was reluctant for conflict, however now there may be no turning again, and the Dance of the Dragons will start – with Rhaenyra not so involved about not ruling over a kingdom of ash. Very similar to Daenerys after Missandei’s dying in Sport of Thrones season 8, that is the precise level of no return.
It is not simply that the pictures are so comparable in that means, however that they arrive in comparable methods. Daenerys’ downfall in Sport of Thrones season 8 was motivated primarily by loss and isolation, dropping these closest to her in fast succession: Jorah Mormont through the Lengthy Night time, Rhaegal at sea to a scorpion bolt from Euron Greyjoy, after which Missandei to the Mountain on the orders of Cersei Lannister. Rhaenyra additionally suffers three losses in Home of the Dragon‘s season 1 finale: listening to of King Viserys’ dying; the stillbirth of her daughter; after which information of Aemond Targaryen killing her son, Lucerys Velaryon.
Like Missandei, it is the latter that fully pushes them over the road, but it surely’s really a construct up of ache that will likely be returned after which some. Rhaenyra has been Home of the Dragon’s essential protagonist to date, and largely fully sympathetic and somebody the present has requested audiences to root for excess of Alicent Hightower or anybody else on the greens. That will not all of the sudden be eliminated and the change will not be as sudden as Daenerys’ “Mad Queen” shift, but it surely ought to nonetheless result in a darker Rhaenyra, one much more open to violence, bloodshed, and fiery dragon fury as she pushes her facet to conflict.
Does Rhaenyra Grow to be Queen Of The Ashes (Like Daenerys Did)?
Whereas Daenerys stated she didn’t come to Westeros to be Queen of the Ashes, that’s precisely what occurred. Daenerys attacked King’s Touchdown in Sport of Thrones season 8, burning town and killing an untold variety of individuals. She went on to take the Iron Throne in a room lined in ash, making it a really literal illustration. In some respects, Rhaenyra will do higher in preserving her personal promise. Not like Daenerys, she doesn’t get on the again of her dragon, Syrax, and burn King’s Touchdown to the bottom to be able to take the Iron Throne, so there might not be such an apparent and direct similarity in Home of the Dragon‘s future.
On the identical time, Rhaenyra’s actions are much more damaging for Daenerys. That is to not say her determination to go to conflict is not justified (it is unavoidable at this level), but it surely is not going to solely tear the realm in two, however result in numerous casualties and all method of destruction, with wars fought on land, at sea, and within the air with dragons. Even when Rhaenyra takes King’s Touchdown, she doesn’t get immediately concerned like Daenerys did (she is current within the guide on Syrax, however not an energetic participant), it’ll nonetheless be a blood affair that leads to an excellent lack of life, and finally her reign as Queen will lead the smallfolk to turning towards her.
Rhaenyra could not develop into the “Mad Queen” or “Queen of the Ashes,” in the very same means, however given simply what number of lives will likely be misplaced, how many individuals will undergo, and the way a lot destruction will likely be brought on due to the Dance of the Dragons – and the actions of not solely Rhaenyra, however all these concerned on either side – then that’s small mercy for the individuals of Westeros. Neither Rhaenyra nor King Aegon II Targaryen are fondly remembered in Westeros historical past, and although there’ll doubtless be some reframing of that in Home of the Dragon‘s future, Rhaenyra’s Daenerys parallels spotlight it is going to be a really difficult path ahead for her.
All 10 episodes of Home of the Dragon season 1 at the moment are streaming on HBO Max.
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