House of the Dragon Fan Criticism: Rhaenyra Gets Away With Faking Larys's Death Too Easily

One aspect of House of the Dragon that mildly disappointed me is the aftermath of Larys Strong's supposed death. Rhaenyra does the kind thing and lets Larys live instead of killing him, but the fallout from that choice never quite lands the way it should.

For fans following the political maneuvering of House of the Dragon closely, this matters because Rhaenyra's credibility as a ruler hinges on how she handles betrayal and deception among her own allies. If she can stage a death and face no real reckoning for it, the stakes of her leadership start to feel hollow.

Rhaenyra Spares Larys Instead of Executing Him

She lets him live rather than following through on killing him, a decision framed in the show as an act of compassion.

Rhaenyra Admits Part of the Deception Was to Make People Fear Her

The twist is that Rhaenyra herself admits to Daemon that letting the deception play out was not purely about mercy. Part of it, she confesses, was to make everyone fear her and what she is capable of.

Rhaenys and Corlys Question Her Complicity but Still Support Her

Rhaenys and Corlys bring up Rhaenyra's complicity in Larys's supposed death multiple times throughout the season. Despite raising the issue repeatedly, they ultimately end up supporting her anyway, without the matter ever truly threatening her standing with them.

My Verdict: This Stretches Realism

My central criticism is that Rhaenyra escapes consequences for a scheme built on fear and deception. "Realistically I don't think Rhaenyra would get away with that." A ruler openly admitting to weaponizing fear through a faked death should have faced sharper pushback from her own council rather than continued loyalty.

Do you think Rhaenyra should have faced real consequences from Rhaenys and Corlys for her role in Larys's staged death?