A Recent Episode of ‘House of the Dragon’ Shows How Much Westeros Has Trouble With Sexism But It Does So in a Disingenuous Way

‘House of the Dragon’ recently released its 5th episode. It was a rather slow one following the onslaught we’ve seen in episode 4, during which Rhaenys lost her life and the greens practically lost their king.

Despite being a slower episode, we’ve seen a different kind of battle, the battle of sexes, and how much it can cost you if you are trying to get anything done in Westeros – as a woman.

First, we can see that Rhaenyra is not really taken all that seriously by her own council. She constantly bickers with them, and Ser Alfred straightforwardly says that due to her being the gentler sex, she knows nothing about warfare and strategies. This might sound like a sexist thing to say, especially to your queen. Rhaenyra gave him a good answer however taking into account that both of them had seen only peace during their lifetime hence Ser Alfred hadn’t seen more battles and wars than she did.

However, in confidence, Rhaenyra admits that despite her father King Viserys naming her his rightful heir, he made her learn all the lords and ladies, he made her serve as his cupbearer and attend his council meetings, but she was taught nothing about how to actually lead the war. She was taught like all high ladies how to curtsy and sew and sing, but she doesn’t know the essential parts of swords, or at least doesn’t know the difference.

Is this beacuse Rhaenyra was a girl or beacuse Viserys himself never had much interest in the war and had no idea where to begin with teaching her? Is it perhaps due to Rhaenyra never showing interest in that overall? After all, Rhaenyra enjoyed much more freedom than your average woman during that period and she never actively sought such council or training. She squandered her teen years by “sticking it to the big man.” Expecting someone else to fight for her “right to the throne.” – it’s privilege not sexism.

Viserys was plenty of things but a warmongering king he was not, Daemon, however….did most of Viserys’ dirty business on the battlefield whether we would like to admit it or not.

Then, we learn that King Aegon II is in a difficult medical situation and Maesters have no idea whether he will recover at all. He is currently in a coma and a regent must be named. Despite having the most experience actually ruling than any of them around the council table, she is overlooked. Even her lover, Cole overlooks her and Ser Larys uneasily admits that he would prefer Aegon on the throne.

Why? Beacuse in times of war, you need a warrior on the throne. Alicent served only during a time of peace they say, and yet everyone overlooks the fact that Helaena is technically the second child born to Alicent and Viserys.

Is it reasonable to put Helaena on the throne? No, she would make a terrible acting queen and everyone is likely correct in not taking her seriously, but the fact that Alicent doesn’t even mention her shows that Alicent is okay progressing the system that puts her down. She played her father’s game her whole life, and she would likely continue playing it even if she had the whole power in the world. – it’s privilege not sexism.

Then, there’s that awful thing that Daemon told lord Blackwood to do, to win the Brackens on their side by any means necessary… this apparently includes pillaging, raping and burning, and then there’s that sentence uttered by Allys “during times of war “in the name of power, it’s the weak and the women who must endure.”

There’s something fundamentally wrong with that statement, as if getting gutted, pillaged, and burned is somehow worse than going through exactly the same thing on the battlefield.

In the name of power, EVERYONE underprivileged needs to endure. Obviously, the massive theme of this episode was sexism, but in my personal opinion, it was done in a rather shallow and obvious way. The viewers are pretty much already aware that women did not have it easy in the past, and yet in some ways, they had it easier than men.

No matter how much both Alicent and Rhaenyra are placed in front of us as the victims of “gender war” in Westeros, let’s not forget that there are scores of both women and men currently dying due to their war. The war that stems from the decisions that they made, from misunderstandings that happened to them, they have already seen and wielded more power than the majority of the characters both in the book and in the show, and I’m waiting for the show to start criticizing them for that, for their privilege and often times for their stupidity, otherwise it just seems disingenuous. Hopefully, the show will adapt their “book fates” to a full extent, and trust me at the end of the day everyone gets their just desserts, men and women alike.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!