House of the Dragon Can’t Stop Noticing How Much It Sucks to Be a Woman

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As a woman who has spent most of her life navigating a male-dominated world, I found this week’s episode of “House of the Dragon” both infuriating and disappointingly predictable. The way Rhaenyra and Alicent’s stories mirrored each other, despite their vastly different circumstances, felt like a tired retread of the same old misogynistic tropes we’ve seen in media time and again.

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Episode 5 of House of the Dragon Season 2.

It’s not an ideal situation to be a woman in Westeros, given the prevalence of rape, incest, and forced marriages, as depicted in “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon.” The latter series drove this point home forcefully during its first season, with nearly every other episode featuring graphic portrayals of painful, deadly, or distressing childbirths. In Season 2, the Targaryen royal family plunged into civil war rather than recognizing Rhaenyra, the late King Viserys I’s named heir and his daughter, as their ruler.

During the first half of the war’s development in this alternative medieval universe portrayed in the series, Dragon provided a momentary relief from the recurring theme of the hardships women face. The female characters weren’t pushed to the sidelines or had their gender rendered irrelevant; instead, the show paused in its relentless exploration of this theme. However, the theme resurfaced with great intensity in Sunday’s fifth episode, “Regent.” I don’t enjoy criticizing a program that tries to promote feminist awareness, but the heavy-handed way it conveys this message has resulted in less than satisfying television.

In the beginning of the episode, Sea Snake and Rhaenyra, who has become a fierce warrior after losing her husband and dragon, as well as her loyal companion, mourn the brave demise of Rhaenys, also known as the Queen Who Never Was, during the battle at Rook’s Rest. The large decapitated head of Meleys, Rhaenys’ dragon, is carried through King’s Landing to satisfy the starving crowd, who would rather consume her flesh than celebrate her defeat. The Greens are presenting these casualties as a triumph, but it appears that both Rhaenys and Meleys have sacrificed their lives for little gain in a battle that barely moved either side closer to victory.

In Rhaenyra’s present council, composed entirely of men, her concerns about Ser Alfred’s readiness to yield authority during wartime surface. He diplomatically points out that women have historically played minimal roles in war strategies and execution. However, Rhaenyra retorts with a sarcastic tone, “We’ve had peace during our reign. You’ve witnessed no more battles than I have.” Yet, her advisors’ disobedience and reluctance to send her into battle when the need for dragon riders is urgent remains unaddressed. Surprisingly, Rhaenyra, as queen, seems powerless against their sexist attitudes. These prejudices seem to fuel her own doubts as well.

In simpler terms, Rhaenyra grumbles to Mysaria, expressing her frustration that although they want her to be their queen, she’s still kept under their control. She laments that her father didn’t teach her how to wield a sword or prepare her for battles, instead focusing on teaching her the names of lords and castles. This is similar to America Ferrera’s famous monologue in “Ugly Betty,” but with the added complexity of being a queen, wife, mother, and dragon rider in this fantasy world, where the challenges are unlike those faced by modern working moms. Rhaenyra emphasizes that her journey is unique.

Simultaneously at King’s Landing, Alicent, once a cherished friend and confidante, has transformed into a formidable adversary. Aegon, scorched from his Valyrian armor after his return from Rook’s Rest, is alive but struggling to recover. In an attempt to maintain order during his prolonged absence, Alicent proposes designating a regent. She anticipates the gratitude of those who supported her during her late husband’s illness, only to find that their allegiances have shifted. “You performed commendably during tranquil times,” they praise, but insist on Aemond as the preferred candidate. A council member further clarifies their bias: “The dowager queen is a woman.” (How often have they encountered female dowagers?) Even her lover Ser Criston Cole endorses Alicent’s son.

At Harrenhal, Daemon continues to harbor discontent as the secondary figure in Rhaenyra’s life. His growing dissatisfaction has led him to position himself as the true leader among the Blacks, much to the detriment of his wife’s rule. His delusional belief is further fueled by bizarre fantasies about sleeping with his deceased mother, who in his visions declares him her favorite son. The unsettling notion of uncle-niece incest adds to the creepiness. Daemon expresses to Alys Rivers that once he captures King’s Landing, Rhaenyra is welcome to join him and share the throne as co-rulers. Such a generous offer indeed.

As a woman who has spent my entire life watching the power dynamics of Westeros unfold on the screen, I can’t help but feel a pang of frustration as I watch Alicent and Rhaenyra’s stories play out in “House of the Dragon.” These two powerful women have taken vastly different paths in their pursuit of the Iron Throne, but they seem to be bumping up against the same insurmountable barriers. It’s a stark reminder of the patriarchy that continues to grip this fictional world.

The attitude is acceptable. However, it’s frustrating that showrunner Ryan Condal, similar to David Benioff and D.B. Weiss before him in the second television adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s “Song of Ice and Fire” series, seems unable to move beyond acknowledging that women face hardships in patriarchal societies. Repeating this observation doesn’t deepen its meaning; instead, it leaves viewers feeling talked down to. It appears these male writers are regurgitating the most rudimentary ideas from “The Second Sex” as if they’ve just discovered these truths themselves, despite their widespread cultural impact. (“Regent,” which was helmed by women—Ti Mikkel and Clare Kilner—respectively, has faced criticism for its predictable premise. The addition of more female creatives to “Dragon’s” team, following this feedback, is a positive development.) Female viewers may question the novelty of being presented with this fundamental aspect of our existence yet again.

The essential elements seem to be lacking: texture, understanding, complexity, and diversity. Misogyny is unfortunately commonplace, yet captivating female characters, such as Rhaenyra and Alicet, exhibit unique reactions and individuality. These women are engaging and enlightening due to their distinct responses to adversity. Television’s most iconic females, like Peggy Olson from “Mad Men,” Jessica Jones, and Arabella in “I May Destroy You,” aren’t defined by the hardships they endure but by their decisions. Even “Game of Thrones” featured gender-nonconforming women, including Arya and Brienne, to counterbalance the Sansas, Cerseis, and Daeneryses.

In the “Regent” episode of “House of the Dragon,” Rhaenyra makes an intriguing decision towards the end, which is to employ her historical expertise to discover additional dragon riders. This action brings a glimmer of optimism that she will demonstrate more than just anxiety over sexism for the rest of the season. Moreover, Baela, another compelling character in Rhaenyra’s inner circle, has potentially achieved an essential feat by drawing her mourning grandfather, the Sea Snake, back into the strategic discussions following her grandmother’s demise.

As a movie critic, I’m disappointed when a show like “House of the Dragon” places too much focus on similar characters, such as Daemon and Aemond, who are essentially identical warriors with age differences, but have interchangeable storylines. By setting these men against each other in this episode, the show seems to be neglecting its more complex and intriguing characters. I can’t help but wonder if both of them will make it through the season. However, I’m growing weary of the constant replacement of strong female characters with new ones. When will the show invest time in developing these women beyond their supporting roles?

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2024-07-17 13:00