Explosive House of the Dragon Scene Leaves Fandom Divided
Ending of House of the Dragon Episode 9 was divisive, generating quite a bit of rage from the fandom.
Not because the writers outdid themselves in terms of bloodshed and gore, or because they managed to offend the audience which was fine with child brides and incest, or because it featured something exceptionally gross.
No, the problem was an aggravated case of plot-induced stupidity which afflicted a major character.
Let's recap what happened. By that point in the series, the conflict between the Greens, who support the claim of Prince Aegon, late King Viserys' oldest male child to the throne, and the Blacks, who support Princess Rhaenyra, Vyserys oldest child and designated heir, had burst into the open, with the main cast firmly split into relatives and supporters of one side or another, choosing sides depending on their personal feelings, sympathies and ambitions.
Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best), who was one part in a very similar heir choice dilemma before the previous King's death, and was denied the throne in favor of Vyseris, naturally sympathizes with the Blacks. So she is put under house arrest, until she declares her support for Aegon. She manages to escape, and get to her dragon, Meleys, just in time to disrupt Aegon's coronation ceremony, which is held in the Dragonpit.
If by "disrupting" you mean "having your dragon tear through the crowded area, explicitly swatting a bunch of commoners on screen, and logically causing casualties in hundreds". But okay. Now Rhaenys has the entire leadership of the Green party trapped, far away from their own dragons and armies. So what does she do? Nothing. She just flies away on Meleys, instead of taking opportunity to end the conflict in one dragon breath.
Eve Best herself explained her character's motivation to EW this way:
"It's the moment when she shows herself to be the greatest possible ruler. It was the most outrageous and explosive action of the season. In a way, it's also the most merciful and most graceful act. It's because she's so intelligent and in the end chooses to do the right thing, which is not to destroy."
Well… never mind that this act will inevitably result in a protracted civil war and a heap of bodies the size of Everest – hardly even a spoiler by this point for those who pay attention to the sort of series they're watching – were all those freshly squashed people of King's Landing included in Rhaenys' moral calculations?
The decision to spare all your enemies would have been mocked anyway, but probably forgiven. The conflict is not yet mercilessly vicious, and Rhaenys herself was not treated too cruelly by the Greens. But sparing your enemies after killing a bunch of innocent bystanders to make your escape… Well, for many fans that just does not fit the image of the "best possible ruler".