Rhaenyra’s Arc In House Of The Dragon Season 3 Will Be Different Than Daenerys’

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Season 3 of House of the Dragon arrives this summer, and a new teaser trailer has just been released. It hints at a much angrier Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Emma D’Arcy). Seeing Rhaenyra develop from a young princess (Milly Alcock) into a powerful queen has been a highlight of the show.

Though sometimes deliberately paced, House of the Dragon has used that time to create a complex and interesting journey for the character Rhaenyra. She’s a remarkably developed character – dedicated to her responsibilities, but hesitant to inflict pain. Similar to Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, though, Rhaenyra might struggle with a desire for revenge as the story unfolds.

House Of The Dragon Season 3 Will See Rhaenyra Take Over King’s Landing

The new trailer for House of the Dragon season 3 reveals Rhaenyra seizing control of King’s Landing, a major event for the season. This brings to mind similarities with Daenerys Targaryen, another Targaryen queen who later conquered the city, centuries after Rhaenyra.

Both Targaryen queens took control of the city in different ways, but Rhaenyra’s appears to be much more peaceful. Despite this, the show’s promotion is highlighting similarities between them, calling Rhaenyra the “queen of dragons” and emphasizing fire and ash—symbols of Targaryen strength and, often, devastation.

Rhaenyra’s Season 3 Arc Mirrors Daenerys’ “Mad Queen” Turn

Rhaenyra’s storyline seems to be developing in a way that echoes Daenerys’ descent into madness, though on a smaller, less catastrophic scale. Like Daenerys in Game of Thrones, she’s facing immense pressure from past losses, but instead of completely destroying a city, her reaction appears to be more contained.

Rhaenyra’s story will likely unfold differently than some expect. The trailer shows King’s Landing still intact, suggesting Rhaenyra isn’t unstable and her rule won’t be short-lived. However, she’ll face incredibly tough decisions regarding Alicent and her family – choices she wouldn’t have had to make before taking control of the city.

Rhaenyra And Daenerys Are Not The Same Character

As a huge fan of George R.R. Martin’s world, I’ve noticed everyone always labels the Targaryens as ‘mad,’ but it’s rarely that simple. While Rhaenyra’s story feels a bit like Daenerys’, they’re actually quite distinct people. Because of that, I’m pretty confident that what happens with Rhaenyra in King’s Landing won’t completely derail her entire journey – she’s not going to suddenly become unrecognizable.

Daenerys was a hugely popular character in Game of Thrones, and House of the Dragon hopes Rhaenyra will become equally beloved. However, many fans were disappointed by Daenerys’ unexpected turn to evil at the end of Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon has a real opportunity to handle Rhaenyra’s character development better than the ‘Mad Queen’ storyline from Game of Thrones. She doesn’t need to resort to extreme violence, like destroying a city, to demonstrate a shift in her personality. Instead, a few impactful choices and dialogue revealing a colder, more ruthless side would be enough to show that she’s changed.

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2026-02-20 01:20