House of the Dragon Makes Rhaenyra & Alicent Seem Toothless

Introduction

All right, so what's up, everyone? Hopefully, I can explain myself well when I discuss this topic. Sometimes, I feel like the show is going out of its way to try and prove that women equal good and men equal bad. It's starting to make the women character leads seem cornier than they have to be. It's okay if these women characters make violent, cruel, messed-up decisions on their own volition because that's human. I think taking that away from them is actually doing the exact opposite of what the showrunners say they’re trying to do with these female characters. It feels like they’re getting dumbed down. Let's discuss.

Patreon and Book Updates

Before we dive into the topic, let me just mention that my Patreon page is live. You’ll get exclusive videos, behind-the-scenes content, and more. I have also done a dramatic reading of an excerpt from my upcoming book, "Zxia: The Vengeance of Cold Wind," a sequel to "Zxia: Wrath of the God King." These updates are pretty exciting, and reaching 10K subs is really amazing—I can’t thank you enough!

The Issue at Hand

To start the topic off, I knew I’d be rolling my eyes when one of the writers compared Rainey to Hillary Clinton with a “Gaslight, Gatekeep, Girlboss” attitude. This made me think: The women leads sometimes seem toothless. I don't know if this issue began when they changed the ages of Alicent and Rhaenyra, but one key example is when the showrunners made Alicent believe that Viserys truly wanted Aegon to take the throne. They did this to make Alicent's actions seem like an honest mistake, but it just made her appear foolish. This type of writing is about making characters likable and staying on the audience’s good side, even at the cost of sticking to their true characterization.

A Flawed Execution

For instance, in the books, Rhaenyra explicitly commands Vhaemon’s execution and even feeds Vhaemon’s body to Syrax. The show, however, avoids depicting this vengefulness in such a raw manner. Instead, it highlights how these women are compelled to act only because of the men around them. This approach to writing undermines their characters' autonomy and humanity, reducing them to mere victims of a patriarchal society rather than agents of their own stories.

During the council scenes, the show emphasizes the sexism Rhaenyra faces but fails to show her truly combating it. It makes her seem passive, waiting for others to take charge or doubting herself, which doesn’t align with her established personality. This softening doesn't do justice to their characters.

The Human Element

A human response to trauma and conflict includes righteous rage, something we only see sporadically from these characters. Instead of making Rhaenyra and Alicent flounder, the show should depict them making powerful, even brutal, decisions of their own accord. This way, their actions would reflect their true motivations and personalities, making them more genuine and complex characters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, portraying these women as toothless and overly sympathetic simplifies their complex personalities. Real human responses include a range of emotions and decisions, even if they are violent or cruel. The show’s approach to making every character likable and evading their dark sides is corny and undercuts the power these women could wield. What are your thoughts on this topic? Am I reaching, or do you see what I'm saying?

Keyword

• House of the Dragon
• Rhaenyra
• Alicent
• Character Development
• Patriarchy
• Human Element
• Amazon Book

FAQ

Q: Why does the show make Rhaenyra and Alicent seem less powerful? A: The show often tries to make every character likable and sympathetic, even if it means altering their true nature to stay on the audience's good side.

Q: How does the original book depict Rhaenyra's actions differently? A: In the book, Rhaenyra explicitly commands Vhaemon's execution and feeds his body to Syrax, showcasing her vengefulness.

Q: What is the human element that the show is missing? A: Real human responses include a range of emotions, including rage and cruelty, which the show seems to dilute to make female characters appear overly sympathetic.

Q: What kind of content can one expect on your Patreon page? A: Exclusive videos, behind-the-scenes content, voting on content topics, and a dramatic reading of an excerpt from my upcoming book.

Q: What is your upcoming book about? A: "Zxia: The Vengeance of Cold Wind" is a sequel to "Zxia: Wrath of the God King," and it will be published later this year with an accompanying audiobook.