“House of the Dragon” has always been about the injustices of Westeros and its patriarchal system. From the very beginning, it’s always been clear that Eve Best’s Rhaenys is the most capable leader on the show. Together with her husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon, they are the power couple Westeros didn’t deserve but desperately needed. As Jenna Busch once wrote for /FIlm, “They’re cutthroat, practical in their choices, and more willing to do what must be done for the realm.” They are the ones who know how brutal their world is, and how to maneuver it.

Indeed, while Rhaenyra has been going through an existential crisis since the end of season 1, Rhaenys has slowly assumed more of a leadership position amongst Team Black. She has risked it all to prove that a woman can and should rule the Seven Kingdoms without just leaning into every one of Rhaenyra’s whims. She even had a chance to end the war before it started, but was too merciful to do it. 

Out of all the characters with a dragon that we’ve seen on the show, except perhaps Daemon, Rhaenys also seems like the most competent fighter. When engaged in combat against Aegon II and his dragon Sunfyre, she outmaneuvers the young king and heavily wounds his dragon. But right before she can win the war for Team Black in one fell swoop, along comes the monstrosity that is Vhagar, burning Aemond’s own brother alive before breaking Meleys’ neck and leaving her and Rhaenys to plummet to the death. It’s one of the most brutal moments of combat we’ve seen across either “House of the Dragon” or “Game of Thrones” — not just because of the human deaths, but mostly because of the dragons.