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The House of the Dragon season 2 finale, titled The Queen Who Never Was, seals things with a touching symbol: the figurehead of the ship, a likeness of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, created by her husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon. She's holding the crown of Old King Jaehaerys I Targaryen.
It symbolizes her unrealized potential to be a queen — an effective reminder of how she played her part in Targaryen history and the direct impact her exclusion from the Iron Throne has had.
House of the Dragon season 2 finale premiered on August 4, 2024 on Max. The finale was more about big emotional moments and the laying of groundwork for an ongoing Targaryen civil war rather than action and battle scenes. The episode ended with a callback to Rhaenyra's secret trip to King's Landing.
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This time, it's Alicent Hightower who does the clandestine journey to Dragonstone. She makes a very tempting offer: if Rhaenyra allows her to leave the Red Keep with Helaena and granddaughter Jaehaera, Alicent will promise that Rhaenyra could essentially walk into King's Landing, sit on the Iron Throne, and take it without further bloodshed.
The symbolism of Rhaenys' figurehead in House of the Dragon season 2 finale
The figurehead of Princess Rhaenys represents her being "The Queen Who Never Was." It's an intentional depiction of her lost opportunity for the throne and the regard in which she was held despite that.
Her holding Jaehaerys I's crown represents that missed opportunity to rule and the recognition accorded to her anyway. She had been a principal figure in the Targaryen bloodline, commanding regard despite never having been crowned.
Lord Corlys Velaryon's tribute to Rhaenys Targaryen in House of the Dragon season 2 finale
The figurehead made in her likeness by Lord Corlys Velaryon is, more than anything, a very personal act. More than anything else, it's a tribute to his wife, celebrating her strength, wisdom and potential that lay before her for ruling queenly.
It wasn't just symbolic of her lost crown but a statement of the effectual influence she had and the rightful place that she may have held within Westeros.
The House of the Dragon season 2 finale episode title: "The Queen Who Never Was"
The episode title, "The Queen Who Never Was," is a clear and direct allusion to Rhaenys Targaryen. Right here, the basic premise is introduced for the finale. It wraps up with her story of almost having been a queen and living in the house of Targaryen.
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen received the sobriquet "The Queen Who Never Was" because she lost her opportunity to sit on the Iron Throne. When the Great Council first convened to vote on the next head of the realm after King Jaehaerys's passing, she had been among the contenders.
However, Viserys emerged victorious in that competition for the throne. On her part, Rhaenys was a strong and honourable woman, proud of her bloodline from House Targaryen.
Together, the figurehead and events of the episode detail an extended fight for power and recognition within the Targaryen dynasty, showcasing the complex dynamics at play.
In the House of the Dragon season 2 finale, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen's figurehead, represents powerful symbolism toward unfulfilled potential and long-standing legacy.
She evokes a memory of what could have been but also allows respect for her place in the line of Targaryens and the major character status she held within the story of Westeros.
As it were, in this symbolic gesture of homage, respect from the series goes out to "The Queen Who Never Was," proving her story's hold on the broader Targaryen saga.
