A Collider feature argues that HBO's House of the Dragon is succeeding at a storyline that Game of Thrones badly fumbled: a beloved Targaryen queen's descent into madness. Where Daenerys' abrupt turn to "Mad Queen" in Game of Thrones' final season drew heavy fan criticism for feeling rushed and unearned, the prequel is depicting Rhaenyra Targaryen's unravelling as a slow, gradual process, suggesting the same idea can work well when given enough time.

The piece focuses on Season 3, Episode 3, "Rhaenyra Triumphant", in which Rhaenyra hallucinates, fixates on proof of her legitimacy, and drives away her allies in a self-destructive spiral. Much of this stems from grief, having lost her two oldest sons, Lucerys and Jacaerys, in quick succession, with no time to heal; she even hallucinates Jace. These signs of instability lead the audience to question whether she is truly fit to hold the Iron Throne, mirroring Daenerys' arc but building towards it far more patiently.