“Rhaenyra may have come off as bratty”: House of the Dragon fans speak out as to why Rhaenyra Targaryen is a tough character to root for

House of the Dragon has often been at the receiving end of severe criticism in terms of the characters portrayed onscreen. This is not something new for HOD as its parent show Game of Thrones had also faced a similar dissection when it came to its character portrayals.

In this case, fans believe that "Rhaenyra may have come off as bratty." This in turn is stopping the masses from really rooting for her character. The conversation first started on a Reddit thread titled 'Does anyone else find it difficult to like Rhaenyra?' and since then has gained traction in alternative sources of media such as X, previously known as Twitter.

A Redditor's comment on Rhaenyra's character(Image via Reddit)

Some people believe that her decision to shirk the rules that usually apply to Targaryens is what makes her bratty. Her proposition to marry someone of her choice and of her will is something that did not go too well with the masses. This is because, until Rhaenyra, everyone else had to play by the rules, which led some people to think that she was being unnecessarily revolutionary.

Disclaimer: This article contains heavy spoilers. Please read at your discretion.

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Why do some House of the Dragon viewers think that Rhaenyra Targaryen is a tough character to root for?

A section of House of the Dragon fans think that Rhaenyra is a tough character to root for. This is increasingly because of the stance she maintains which is very different from the others in the Targaryen family. To begin with, Rhaenyra did not want to get married to the person of her father's choice but instead got married to someone she wanted to when she wanted to, Laenor in this case.

She also maintained relations with his uncle, Daemon Targaryen, much against the wishes of her father, King Viserys I Targaryen, and even got married to him later in the show.

The identity of Rhaenyra's kids with Laenor has often been a topic of discussion in the show. It has been insinuated several times that Rhaenyra's kids were born out of her relations with Ser Harwin Strong and not out of her marriage with Laenor. This aspect has also greatly divided fans.

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Rhaenyra might have her shortcomings but she also played by the rules when required

Despite Rhaenyra breaking some rules in House of the Dragon she also sometimes did things that were required of her. For instance, she got married to Laenor just to keep her father's wishes, despite not having the intention of marriage at all.

Additionally, she also gave birth to kids after her marriage despite completely being against producing children following her mother's death during childbirth. She fulfilled her duty of producing heirs to the throne irrespective of how she felt about it. This makes her dutiful towards her position and respectful towards her father's wishes.

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Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon is a much more complex character than it seems

Rhaenyra's character in House of the Dragon has left viewers divided. While some perceive her as bratty, some believe that Rhaenyra is extremely wise and calculative. The truth is, her character is much more complex than it seems.

Throughout her entire journey on the show, Rhaenyra partly performs what is expected of her and partly acts on how she wants to navigate through those expectations and do things on her own terms.

This later aspect of her personality is starkly seen in her marriage with Daemon. Despite Daemon being a formidable character who often tends to be manipulative, Rhaenyra holds her ground and does what she thinks is best for the Crown.

There are several other instances where Rhaenyra used her strength of character to navigate difficult situations. For instance, during her marriage with Laenor, which has been discussed previously.

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House of the Dragon is currently in its second season and is streaming on Max.