More often than not, spin-offs fail to live up to the legacy of the O.G. shows but there are always exceptions and House of the Dragon is one of them. Serving as the prequel series to the globally popular Game of Thrones, the spin-off is based on George R.R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood. Just like the book, the series follows the story of the decline of House Targaryen and is set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen.
House of the Dragon is nothing but a treat to the fans of Game of Thrones who have been wanting to get their hands on a similar fantasy drama after the latter’s ending. One of the best parts of the spin-off is that there is a powerful and badass female character in the lead that reminds fans about yet another incredible woman from GoT – Daenerys. Unfortunately, the two fictional women have been pitted against each other in a very unfair debate.
Game of Thrones’ Daenerys vs. House of the Dragon’s Rhaenyra: An Unfortunate and Unnecessary Debate
Thanks to House of the Dragon, fans get to see more stories about the world of Westeros but on the less fortunate side, many fans have resorted to putting two of the most incredible women of the franchise against each other – Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys and Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra.
While Rhaenyra has lately been getting tons of support from the fans, it is seemingly coming at the cost of Daenerys. One could say that the beloved spin-off has fallen victim to something called the ‘recency bias.’
Now, a recency bias is the tendency to prioritize recent experiences over those from the past and something like this is currently happening in the Game of Thrones universe.
When an X user made a post stating that Rhaenyra is now superior to Daenerys as “enough time has passed,” another stated,
This is such a dumb thing to compare. They’re both great. Daenerys is only looked at as less now cuz of how poorly she was written in the end
— Joey Greco (@JoeyGreco23) June 17, 2024
The fan couldn’t be more right. There is simply no point in comparing the two women as both of them are the highlights of their own shows.
Both Characters are Incredible and One of a Kind
On one hand, is Rhaenyra Targaryen, the sixth great-grandmother of Daenerys. Darcy’s character is a strong and compelling figure and allows the audience to have a fresh take on the power struggles of House Targaryen. Since the spin-off is only in its second season, there is a lot more to see from the character, though we do not doubt that it would be anything less than a treat to watch D’Arcy expand Rhaenyra’s arc.
On the other hand, there is Daenerys Targaryen, one of the most important and powerful characters in television history. Throughout GoT, the Mother of Dragons endured immense suffering which she eventually overcame thanks to her resilience. Whether it was a forced marriage, surviving her brother’s abuse, or her rise as Khaleesi, Daenerys’ journey was truly epic in both scope and emotional depth.
Unfortunately, Clarke’s character fell victim to a drastic change in the final season of GoT. Daenerys, who was once the people’s savior, transformed into the Mad Queen leaving the fans shocked and confused. Her attack on King’s Landing destroyed the character development that had been building over the previous and the abrupt shift left a bitter taste in fans’ mouths.
This may be one of the reasons why fans are choosing Rhaenyra over Daenerys but it just seems so unfair given the fact that the latter has endured a lot more than the former. If it wasn’t for the show ruining her character in the end, Daenerys’ legacy would have gone down in history!
Regardless, rather than pitting the two strong females against each other, fans should celebrate the differences between them and acknowledge their contribution to the larger Game of Thrones lore.
Stream both House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones on Max.
