Which side of the civil war was in the right regarding their claims to the Iron Throne?

The entire conflict of House of the Dragon can be condensed to this one phrase: “Which child of Viserys Targaryen can rightfully sit on the Iron Throne?”

Just like any other dynastical crysis, Dance of the Dragons doesn’t have a clear answer, but still, we can think over the context and the potential consequences of each possibility.

Were the Greens or the Blacks in the right? And what would’ve been better for the realm as a whole? Let’s see just how tightly this knot has been tied.

Team Black Had Solid and Direct Claims

First things first, the Blacks are fighting to directly enforce the will of the previous King. Viserys ruled that his daughter Rhaenyra must become the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms after him, and he did so even after his children from his second wife Alicent Hightower were born, meaning it was his final and most exact decision.

Apart from that, Rhaenyra is his eldest child. The one thing she has going against her is her gender, just like with the Queen Who Never Was. Another thing… Later.

Team Green Thought About the Future

In the opposite corner of the arena, we have the Greens. Once again, they have a strong claim on the Iron Throne: Aegon is the eldest son to Viserys, and in the eyes of the lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms, he would be a better choice solely based on his combination of gender and legitimacy.

There’s another major issue here, though: succession. Should Rhaenyra Targaryen become the Queen, her many bastards would enter the competition for the throne, which would inevitably lead to another internal succession conflict after her death.

One Has Better Claims, Another Better Perspective

To answer the initial question, Rhaenyra Targaryen has the stronger claim on the Iron Throne. The eldest child of Viserys and explicitly chosen by him, she has all the legitimacy to inherit her father’s title. Her being a woman should not be considered an issue at least by us: there’s no progress in Westeros, but there has to be some.

On the other hand, Aegon Targaryen is the safest bet at this point in the story. His gender doesn’t make conservative aristocrats’ blood boil, and he doesn’t have bastards for children. While not suited for ruling, he at least wouldn’t produce another major succession crisis with his death, which is essential for long-term stability.

Ultimately, though, both these claimants will cause a massive and unbelievably destructive civil war, so at this point, any one of them would’ve been better than both of them. One side has the stronger claim; the other, the clearer perspective. But together, they are a disaster in the making that will take countless lives.