Why Did Rhaenyra Refuse Help?
Early in the finale of House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra experiences a traumatic childbirth, shortly after finding out about her father’s death. Following the tragic news and the fact that her throne has been usurped, Rhaenyra prematurely goes into labor. While it has been shown or implied that Rhaenyra gave birth to her other children easily, she’s immediately able to tell that something is wrong with the birth of Visenya who would have been her only daughter. Refusing help from the midwives, Rhaenyra proceeds to deliver a stillborn daughter by herself by her own hand. But why did she refuse help? With this birth scene, Season 1 of House of the Dragon comes full circle. Episode 1 was marked by Aemma, Rhaenyra’s mother dying violently as a result of forced birth. Rhaenyra was traumatized by her mother’s passing and Aemma’s absence made Rhaenyra’s adolescence as a newly-appointed heir to the Iron Throne an even more confusing time for her. In this light, Rhaenyra’s action during that time can be viewed both as grief from what has been recently taken from her, and refusal to submit to a fate similar to her mother’s. Moreover, this early seen can also be seen as a gruesome foreshadowing of Rhanyra’s fierce independence throughout the House of the Dragon Season 1 finale as she finally comes to her own as a queen and refuses to depend on those around her or let them shape her future from now on. While Visenya’s stillbirth cannot be officially attributed to the Greens and the coronation of Aegon, it is almost certain that the shock of the betrayal had a role in Rhaenyra’s premature labor. The traumatic event strengthens Rhaenyra’s desire for retribution, which, however, will only be solidified through another loss, later in the episode.
Did Rhaenyra Consider Otto Hightower’s Terms?
Soon after her coronation in Dragonstone, Rhaenyra insists on caution and diplomacy even as her husband and male advisors prepare for war. Rhaenyra does want revenge, but she tries to avoid the suffering of innocents as much as possible, so she waits to ensure the support of her allies before making a rashed move. For book fans, the fact that Rhaenyra doesn’t immediately go for vengeance might seem perplexing, as her book counterpart didn’t show such moderation. While changes to the book material don’t always work in a show’s favor, Rhaenyra’s reluctance to be violent fleshes her out on this occasion as a capable ruler who manages to command respect even from characters like Rhaenys, who initially doubted her. This is not to say that Rhaenyra would really give up the throne she fought so hard for. While the page Alicent sent her seemed to move her, Colrys’ recovery and declaration of support make it apparent that Rhaenyra did hope to strike once she was certain that she had a high chance of winning - hopefully without bloodshed.
The Political Implications of Luke’s Death
The hope that Rhaenyra would become queen of the Seven Kingdoms without major bloodshed is shattered when her half-brother Aemond kills her second son, Lucerys. As the source material puts it: “And with his death, the war of ravens and envoys and marriage pacts came to an end, and the war of fire and blood began in earnest.” It is unclear if Aemond truly intended for Lucerys to die and his anguish (in the series only) might suggest that he didn’t intend for things to go that far, or at least that he regrets the political implications of his impulsive action. But one thing is certain; in killing his nephew Lucerys, Aemond officially started a war that until that time was fought through diplomacy. This is not to say that things might have not turned violent either way. But until that point, Rhaeynra had been reluctant to shed blood. Lucerys’ death, right after the stillbirth of her daughter seems to be what makes Rhaenyra leave any attempt at diplomacy and instead seek revenge against the Greens. House of the Dragon Season 2 has been confirmed, and we expect to see an actual war that will devastate the House Targaryen. Read More: The House of the Dragon: Did Daenerys Know About the Song of Ice and Fire?
