It has been more than six years since Game of Thrones fans saw a certain Daenerys Targaryen burn King’s Landing down to a crisp.
And while the fallout, both with respect to the fans and the character, was immense, it will be fair to say that Daenerys’s fall from grace was telegraphed, even if never justified on-screen.
After all, she did lose two of her dragon children in brutal fashion and was betrayed by multiple allies during the latter seasons of the show.
However, fans did not get to see exactly how it ate away at her psyche, and her decision to attack King’s Landing even after the city was already hers came across as a stark move away from the persona fans initially fell in love with.
I mean, Daenerys punished oppressors, freed slaves, and rightfully decided to join Jon Snow in his fight against the White Walkers.
And while there were reasons for her descent into madness, a range of uncharacteristic decisions lead to a completely avoidable murder.
When she had already won, there was no need to punish innocent people, and Emilia Clarke’s character undoubtedly needed a more measured approach to survive Game of Thrones.
That, in itself, is a staple characteristic of another major female queen that is now a part of the Game of Thrones universe.
Yes, we are talking about Rhaenyra Targaryen, who I want to argue would have done well to be a bit more like Daenerys.
What Would Rhaenyra Do?
At first glance itself, there is a lot to unpack here.
I mean, Daenerys undoubtedly isolated herself from the people who mattered the most.
She executed Varys, burnt the Tarlys and anybody else refusing to bend the knee, ignored advice from her most-trusted confidante in Tyrion Lannister, and well, burnt down King’s Landing.
Compare that to Rhaenyra, her sixth great-grandmother, who has arguably been given enough reason to go full-blown war on her enemies in just two seasons of House of the Dragon.
Book readers will be well aware that Rhaenyra will only lose more loved ones, and while even that is telegraphed, it will prove to be completely avoidable, if only in retrospect.
Rhaenyra, despite being the rightful heir, withdraws to Dragonstone rather than immediately marching on King’s Landing.
Her withdrawal gives the likes of Alicent Hightower and (more prominently) Otto Hightower the upper hand, who swiftly make use of the opportunity to make Aegon II the king.
She gets cross with Daemon Targaryen, who wants her to seize the initiative and win back the throne, and even sends him to Harrenhal.
She ends up losing her son, Lucerys, on the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale, which can now be expected to force her to finally embrace war when Season 3 arrives.
And while her reasons may be “human,” there is little doubt that she would have saved many lives (her own, eventually even) had she shown more decisiveness.
In that sense, it is easy to conclude that whatever Rhaenyra would have done had she been in Daenerys’ shoes (or sandals, whatever they wear), her actions would have been starkly different.
I mean, we are comparing a character who decided to burn down King’s Landing on a whim to one who did not even fight for the throne despite being the rightful heir.
On one hand, Daenerys ignored advice from allies, and on the other, Rhaenyra did not even have enough seniors to look up to.
So, well, Rhaenyra would have shown the calculated smartness that Daenerys needed to survive the Game of Thrones.
She possesses empathy and kindness, and was actually brought up by a wise father who helped shape her into a fitting potential queen.
This one is, therefore, a wrap, and we can easily conclude that had Rhaenyra been in Dany’s shoes, she would not just have ended the show as the ruler of the seven kingdoms.
She would have had Jon Snow by her side (probably!).
What Would Daenarys Do?
While Daenerys was killed by her lover, Rhaenyra’s lover eventually bent the knee in front of her.
Dany may have had the heart of an avenger.
However, she also had a kind of ruthlessness that only worsened as the show progressed.
I mean, this woman spent the majority of her life wandering the Free Cities, and yet never let her claim to the throne die completely.
Would she have snatched the throne from Alicent, Otto, and Aegon had they tried to take it by hook or by crook?
She would have, undoubtedly.
Dany would have ensured the throne was hers, and any subsequent claim from Alicent’s side would have come with the Greens firmly being on the periphery.
Rhaenyra was fearful of Daemon’s ambitions.
However, Dany would have been turned on by them.
Rhaenyra let two dragons (Arrax and Meleys) die because of her refusal to engage in a full-blown war.
Had Dany been in her shoes, the two factions would have been in a brutal war, and considering she sat on the throne, it would have been a much more straightforward war, also considering the numbers on either side (dragons and humans alike).
In that sense, while Rhaenyra was undoubtedly tailor-made for the issues Danaerys found herself struggling with in Game of Thrones, the opposite also appears true.
Dany needed Rhaenyra’s calm, and Rhaenyra needed Dany’s ruthlessness.
This simple flip would not only have shortened the story, but it would also have led to a much more straightforward conclusion.
Ohh, maybe that is why.
What do you think?
Does this simple character swap actually solve the two series?
Would Rhaenyra have actually excelled in Game of Thrones in Dany’s shoes, and vice versa?
Let us know in the comments below!
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