The Dance of the Dragons is ready to begin in House of the Dragon, and the Green propagandists are already hard at work. After the death of Lucerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) are ready to rain fire and blood on King's Landing. With the first strike of the war firmly on the shoulders of the Greens, they will need to prepare for the coming assault by more dragons than they can hope to muster.Instagram user Martes Plaza Mayor (via Twitter user House the Dragons) posted new footage captured from the House of the Dragon season 2 set, revealing that the Greens are already playing with the public's opinion. The footage seemingly shows a funeral procession, complete with a coffin led before Alicent Hightower and her daughter Helaena Targaryen. A crier stands at the head of the procession, beating a drum and proclaiming that all look upon the work of "Rhaenyra the Cruel." It's a dark moment, but the internet appears firmly on Rhaenyra's side. Check out the posts below, including the set video and online reaction:

What Rhaenyra The Cruel Really Means

While previous House of the Dragon set footage has shown a dragon's head being paraded through the streets of King's Landing, this coffin is considerably smaller. The set video is likely implying a funeral for King Viserys' who died from his ailment in House of the Dragon season 1. However, given the events from the finale, the Greens are likely propagating the people in King's Landing to get public support in their coming war against the Blacks.

While the Greens have reasons to proclaim Rhaenyra as cruel, titles are not unusual in the Game of Thrones universe. In particular, there is a clear emphasis on the title "The Cruel" and not the first time directed towards a Targaryen royal. Long before Rhaenyra's birth, the Targaryen king Maegor the Cruel wreaked havoc on Westeros. Maegor destroyed a church filled with parishioners — much like Cersei did in Game of Thrones — and executed any of his wives who were unable to bear a son. Maegor also slaughtered thousands of his own citizens with little justification or care while waging several wars and butchering every builder who worked on his Keep.

To compare Rhaenyra's reign to Maegor's is a bit premature since the Queen has yet to take any action in the Targaryen Civil War. After Rhaenyra lost her beloved son at the end of season 1, there's no telling how far she'll go to wreak violence against the Greens. Daemon Targaryen will likely push her into open war, and Rhaenyra will need to decide if she wants to be called "Rhaenyra the Cruel" for the rest of her life. As the war of succession rages on in House of the Dragon, she may be sinking lower than she had ever thought to go.

Source: Various (see above)