She may be the official heir and rightfully so, but her mental state would ruin it for her.
In the internal Targaryen war for succession in House of the Dragon, pretty much nothing is fair.
Rhaenyra’s right to be the next queen was secured by the will of her father, King Viserys, but Aegon is a more viable royal candidate for those who respect the long-standing tradition of crowning male heirs over the actual order of kings.
The confrontation between the Blacks and the Greens on the show has quickly blossomed into real online debates between supporters of both teams.
Fans lock horns over who is on the right side and whether Rhaenyra or Aegon should rule the realm in the end.
But even without getting into the never-ending Black vs. Green debate, many fans believe that despite Rhaenyra’s talent and status as an heir, she would not make a good queen, especially now that the Targaryens have been divided by the Dance of the Dragons.
“When she ascends [the] throne, she loses 3 [out of] 5 sons (she thinks Viserys II is dead). She is filled with grief, paranoia, and wartime circumstances. She has no money, and her mental state is declining (understandably),” Redditor restingbumbleface noted.
Rhaenyra could have been a good ruler if Westeros had never fallen into the war of succession, but when times are not so peaceful, her mental state may not allow her to make sound decisions.
While Aegon II is also damaged and traumatized, at least he hasn’t had to deal with as much loss and grief as Rhaenyra.
Other fans note that Rhaenyra’s inner circle doesn’t help her be a good queen, either.
“I’d think she would do a good job being Queen if she had a competent council and not a court infested with people that want to kill her. She’s not perfect but which Targaryen king [has been?],” Redditor Host-Key said.
How well the reign goes for Rhaenyra will be revealed in House of the Dragon season 2, which is set to begin filming this March. The premiere date has not yet been set by HBO.