Queens and Dragons of Mass Destruction: the Representation of Gender in House of the Dragon

WARNING: SPOLERS AHEAD!

Fantasy and popular culture often contain distinctive narratives about war and the use of violence. For the latest season of HBO’s House of the Dragon, it does not take a subtle analysis to notice it: the whole season consisted of eight episodes of prolonged dialogues debating the dilemmas of war. It could all be summarised in one single central question: can women fight a war with dragons of mass destruction?

Although viewers perhaps expected more battles and bloodshed, questions around gender, power, and the ethics of violence are instead explored through a slower storyline, filled with many council meetings and bored leaders. At least, this depiction of war, is in a way more accurate than usual. War is indeed often not made less of heroic battles and satisfying victories, and more of protracted waits, fear of the uncertainty that lies ahead, violence committed simply because someone feels like it, and crowds who pay the horrific consequences of it all.

So, what was the point of all these dialogues about war? Let’s have a look, particularly through the themes of gender, dragons of mass destruction, and the people.

The Representation of Gender in the Game of Throne Universe

The Game of Thrones universe has no lack of prominent female characters who push their way through a patriarchal misogynist society, facing horrendous violence which is shown as being part of their character growth. In an earlier post on Game of Thrones, I pointed out that in that earlier show, women were represented in two main ways. On the one hand, women of great beauty who used their appeal and sexuality to consolidate their power through the men around them, and, on the other hand, women explicitly depicted as more ‘masculine’, and who influenced politics through their warrior skills. 

The House of the Dragon spinoff is also centred around two main female characters, Rhaenyra and Alicent. The relationship between gender and politics is an important part of the plot, as Rhaenyra is not accepted as the ruler of the Seven Kingdom because she is a woman, which leads to a civil war. Nonetheless, there is a change in the depiction of women and gender themes. This time, female characters are neither warriors, nor ladies whose beauty and seduction abilities are central in their characterization and storyline. Though Rhaenyra and Alicent do look young and beautiful we are not frequently told that they are. 

Their sexuality is still part of the storyline, politics, and in different ways, their struggles with their patriarchy. Men use control over Alicent’s body for their own purposes, particularly gaining political influence. She has a complex relationships with these men. She seems to rely on them, but at the same time she struggles and is unable to liberate herself. Her way of accepting the suffering in the name of ‘duty’ is one of the reasons that strain her relationship with her childhood friend Rhaenyra. In fact, Rhaenyra, in contrast, fulfils her pleasure with the lovers she chooses, even though it goes against the rules. Her infidelity is brought up constantly through the accusation that her children are bastards, and unlike Alicent, she never expresses remorse. Rhaenyra, who is portrayed by nonbinary actor Emma D’Arcy, is also shown as open towards different sexualities and unconventional relationships. The relationship between the two female characters is at the core of the storyline in both seasons.

Motherhood is also a key theme. Season 1 of House of the Dragons made a clear point that women’s role of producing hair and childbirth could be no less brutal than battles. There are multiple scenes of childbirth, which end up with horrendous death and the mother and/or the baby.

Women and War Politics in House of the Dragon – Season 2

In season 2, both Rhaenrya and Alicent are undermined and increasingly isolated within their own factions as their closest supporters question their ability as women to conduct a war. They are told that they should rather hide, and let the men take charge. Not even their lovers believe in their leadership during this time of war, and justify their lack of support as a way to ‘protect’ them. Daemon, Rhaenyra’s husband, is tempted to claim the throne for himself. He says that men would not follow a woman. A strong man was needed. Alicent, in parallel, is silenced and removed from the council of the Greens. Her children repeatedly accuse her of being the cause of their problems in the war because of her weakness. 

In response, there are no queens who turn warriors or surprise everyone with fancy war strategies that turn the tables and defeat the enemy here. The queens are unsure of what to do, and express frustration for their own lack of action. Rhaenyra acknowledges that she does not know much about war, because unlike the men, she was not trained in warfare since childhood, and moreover, she grew up in a time of peace under her father. 

In the end, both Alicent and Rhaenyra do express their agency by taking unconventional and unsupported decisions that could change the course of the war. Rhaenyra goes for more weapons – the dragons, by recruiting new dragonriders. Alicent offers her childhood friend a deal for peace. 

As we see in the season finale, the resolution of Rhaenyra’s legitimacy as a leader in a time of war, however, does not come from her actions and agency, but from prophecy. The emotional scene of Daemon and his army bending the knee to her showing their loyalty, as he understands that she is not just a queen, but the Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. Daemon recognises the necessity of Rhaenyra’s leadership because what is at stake is the protection of the realms from ‘higher evil’.

Dragons as sexy weapons of mass destruction

The season finale of Game of Thrones has shown how dragons can be deployed as weapons of mass destruction. The finale where the beloved character Daenerys Targaryen burns the city to the ground has noy been taken well by the public – there was even a petition signed by more than a million people to change the ending… if only people cared as much about real wars! Anyways, other than that, dragon fights were the ‘wow’ factor of the show. Dragons are exciting, similarly to weapons, because they are powerful. They can make a small person, especially someone who has been bullied, enslaved, and put down, prevail over any enemy. But dragons are not any weapon that can be used by anyone, They are even sexier, because their are, at the same time, cute big loving pets, who have a special magical bond to their riders – and do whatever they say! Fans would likely mourn a dragon’s death more than a that of a human character… right? 

So, of course we are given a new show with more dragons, teasing a destructive war. But this season is mainly about strategy, and the concept of ‘deterrence’ is introduced. We hear Rhaenyra talk about her motive to recruit more dragonriders as deterennce in order to stop the war. The scene where Aemond flying on his large dragon Vaghar, sees Rhaenyra’s dragon arsenal, and turns back is a powerful one that emphasises this point.

Gender, class and war: why the smallfolk has no agency 

In this season, both dialogues and visual storytelling are constant reminders of how war will cause huge losses of lives among the masses. This is also a favourite topic for episode in trailers. We are repeatedly told that the ‘little people’ will suffer when princes get angry and fight. Also, we are told about struggles from the people they starve and face the costs of war. 

In Game of Thrones as well as in House of the Dragons, the majority of characters are noble. Many are kings, queens, princes, princesses, lords, and ladies. And although we talk more about gender and race representation nowadays, and House of the Dragons as introduces more characters of colour we rarely pay much attention to the representation of class. Does this new concern for the ‘small folk’ change things?

Not really. True, there are new small folk characters, which gives a bit of insight about what they are going through. As it often happens, the small fold arc is not so much about the small folk themselves, but rather the moral character of the leaders and the factions. The empathy towards  ‘the people’ proves who the good guys are, and therefore their legitimacy as leaders. 

In addition, the emphasis on the pointlessness of war not only tells us who the good guys in the show are, but also shows us why their violence is morally good and justified. The concerns around trying hard to make peace are unlikely to lead us to leaders who choose peace. On the contrary, it is more likely to justify the mass violence that we will see later on, and still love the heroes. The audience wants bloody dragon war, and lovable leaders, right? 

It is the women in the show who are most mindful of the costs of war and attempting to avoid unnecessary violence. For much of the show, we see how the prominent women are both struggling to find a path to peace. Although Alicent is labelled as sentimental and weak by her sons, for Rhaenyra it is more about the sense of duty which should prevail over the anger and grief for the death of her son. This depiction as a cautious leader, who acknowledges her own uncertainty and doubts, provides more evidence to the Protector of the Realm narrative. 

The ‘masses’ are also considered a factor that could help a faction prevail in the war, and as such both sides attempt to manipulate them and win their support. Rhaenyra is more successful, thanks to her new closeness with Mysaria. Mysaria is a symbol of this connection to the masses – culminating with the kiss scene. The revolutionary appointment of the small folk dragon riders are the other key element of this alliance with the people, which makes Rhaenyra the Protector of the Realm. She argues that the war cannot be just fought over her claim to the throne, there has to be a higher cause… otherwise she may seem just selfish.

For the Greens, the theme of the masses is again explored through the women, Alicent and Haelena, who find themselves in the midst of the crowds. However, these are overwhelming and scary encounters for them. 

Aemond, who is depicted as the villain,  is shown as taking actions that alienate the Greens from the masses. At the beginning of the season, we saw him naked and vulnerable with a sex worker. She told him that when princes argue, small folk die. Later, when he is caught with her in a humiliating scene with his brother and guards, he walks away and treats her as disposable. His walking away from her was not only a meaningful scene about the relationship between the two brothers, but also shows that he chooses to walk away and break ties with that more vulnerable part of himself, and from that point on he shows no sympathy for his people.

In the end, the season finale tells us that Aemond is… irrelevant. We are told not through big battles and moves, but through a confrontation with his sister Haelena, again because of prophecy.  

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