There is a scene in the third episode of House of the Dragon Season 2, where Rhaenyra takes great pains to sneak into Kings Landing and have a word with her once-best friend-now-rival Alicent. She does this for one last grasp at convincing Alicent to give up the Green’s claim to the throne and opt for peace instead.
She begins the notable argument with the following words: “We watched the tourney together…We knew, even then, that men trained up for battle are eager to fight, to seek blood and glory. But you are…I know you do not have that desire within you.”
It’s a poignant statement within the context of Westeros. The men Rhaenyra refers to would likely choose violence over peace and women, as she implies, might have the propensity to think first. Unfortunately, the writers of House of the Dragon have taken this statement a little too personally. As a result, most of the show’s female characters have suffered.
The Problem with House of the Dragon’s Women
While Rhaenyra is off trying to make peace, Rhaenys finds herself answering for the queen’s mysterious absence. She says that Rhaenyra has gone to “try and draw us all back from the abyss”. There is an air of wisdom and superiority to this moment. She and Rhaenyra, the show hints, are better people because they are doing everything possible to avoid a war.
The same thematic tone overlays the scene towards the end of House of the Dragon Season 1 where Alicent dissuades Otto from having Rhaenyra killed. Even after Lucerys’s death, Alicent once again tries to send Rhaenyra peace terms (this idea is, of course, shot down).
Even the uncanny new character in Harrenhall, Alys Rivers, spends her time mystically guiding Daemon away from violence. Whether she is responsible for his hallucinations or not, she helps him rally the men of the Riverlands without more brutality. She even pushes him to throw away thoughts of taking the crown for himself.
Look, the show says, how wise and virtuous these women are. How sensible of them to look for peace and push for minimal casualties of the smallfolk while the men clamour for death. How morally upright. Time and time again, the women of House of the Dragon are shown to be advocates of peace while men are positioned as mindless warriors lusting for blood. The message is simple. Men want war, women want peace.
Nuance and Complexity Can Go a Long Way
The problem goes further than the simple idea that women are inherently non-violent. It speaks to a larger issue of their characters not being given the nuance and complexity of real people.
In comparison, Game of Thrones got this right (well, until that last season but we won’t go there). Think of Arya’s obstinacy and Sansa’s early pettiness. Think of Brienne’s sense of honour and Margaery’s cunningness. Think of Cersei’s fierce protectiveness of her children in contrast with her penchant for cruelty. These shades of grey give the characters depth and make them interesting to watch.
But in House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra’s rage and despair over Luke’s death dissipates quickly. She demands Aegon’s head and then promptly forgets about it after the blood-and-cheese debacle. Through most of the second season, she’s stuck inside Dragonstone, wringing her hands and waiting for Daemon to raise an army.
Meanwhile, Alicent loses her position on the council and is sent to focus on ‘domestic duties’. But she doesn’t try to take back control. Where is the woman who charged at a young boy with a knife, desperate to get an eye for an eye? Where is the woman who put herself in between a dragon and her son?
The Answer? Let Women Be Problematic
The solution is as simple as it always was in the case of representation and entertainment media. Women are human beings — complicated people with flaws and merits and grey areas — and they need to be shown as such. House of the Dragon needs to put less emphasis on its women being the embodiment of all goodness and more on their complex personas.
One of the few such examples in the series is the scene of the Red Sowing. It proves that for all Rhaenyra’s talk about minimising damage, she’s indifferent to sacrificing a few smallfolk if it gives her more dragons. It shines a light on her character, offering more depth and nuance. We need more such scenes, not just for Rhaenyra and Alicent but for all the women in the show.
Let us see grief, rage, insecurity, and shame just as much as courage and valour. Let them be three-dimensional beings with layered personalities. Not only would this give them more agency and authenticity, but it would also make for much better entertainment! As the old adage goes, we must support both, women’s rights and women’s wrongs.
Do you agree? Have you seen the House of the Dragon Season 2? What is your favourite part? Let us know in the comments below.