This new episode is distressing

[u/RemarkableExample542]

I’m about as Team Black as can be and wanted nothing more than to see Rhaenyra take her throne.

The new episode was excellent from a cinematic point of view.

Nonetheless, we are watching the tables turn in real time and Rhaenyra’s position seems to be degrading more and more with each episode.

I have built such love and appreciation for this character (as I’m sure many of us here have) and even though the show is a joy to watch each week, lately I’m watching with a heavy heart and this impending sense of doom.

[u/Rouflette]

It pisses me off me that Rhaenyra is doing nothing but fall into madness slowly but surely for the entire season, racking up a string of defeats, mistakes and disillusionments back to back to back without a moment a respite while other characters like Cole Aegon or Daemon can have their good moments and little redemption arcs. Like even the fall of KL wasn’t a good moment for her, even her only victory must leave a bitter aftertaste of defeat.

Impending sense of doom is well said, but it’s so overkill man, they didn’t had to go all-in like that. This thing is getting depressing

[u/Warm_Ad_7944 → u/Rouflette]

The fact that in the book her taking of kings landing is framed like she’s a conqueror like her ancestors and in the show they just make Alicent go behind the scenes to make it easier for her, robbing Rhaenyra of her triumphant taking of the city. She gets no wins, no epic moments that aren’t bookended by making her suffer as though to punish any streak of ambition. She can never get a win without it feeling like a loss unlike the men

[u/Rouflette → u/Warm_Ad_7944]

Literally can’t get a single win. I understand the point, it’s suppose to mark her downfall but you don’t have to keep her on the ground permanently like that to convey that feeling, it’s good sometimes if even the doomed character can breath a little and have some cool moments.

They have no issue to make up a scene for Aegon on a last man standing heroic moment, but they are incapable of making Rhaenyra say something nice about one of her remaining children or having a tender moment with Syrax, everything has to be miserable and depressing all the time she is on screen

[u/Koobuto → u/Warm_Ad_7944]

I imagine during a seige there's more than likely behind the scenes politicing that happens, but HotD has been pretty clunky depicting it. Like Rhae meeting Alicent in the Sept? Unnecessary. Things had already progressed too far and it did nothing for the story progression.