I also noticed an inverse parallel between Arya and Rhaenyra. When people mistake Arya for a boy (unless she is on the run and hiding) she always corrects them and says she is a girl. Whereas when Rhaenyra is mistaken for a boy she looks thrilled and gender euphoric about it.
Hi @selkiewife I'm sorry for the late reply. :)
I noticed this as well. Rhaenyra has a ton of parallels with both book Arya and show!Arya and I'm here for it because honestly I believe it makes sense to the differences in the show (having Aemma dying when Rhaenyra is 14 rather than a little girl barely older than a toddler, and Rhaenyra only being made heir at 14 rather than 6). So Rhaenyra's struggles with identity, the fear she has of becoming her mother, and her relationship with gender makes a world of sense.
But of course Rhaenyra is also very different from Arya, especially book Arya, as well, and a couple of those differences is that Rhaenyra obviously wasn't taught to appreciate the smallfolk like Arya was by listening to Ned's lesson's. And of course while Arya thinks the "woman is important too!" and tries to protect women and children, we haven't seen much of this from Rhaenyra. We've gotten the line about Rhaenyra wanting to make a "new order" in response to her becoming queen but we haven't been shown she actually cares about women gaining more equality and protections. We do see her chafing at the bonds of the patriarchy and the status quo, so there is a chance we may see her become more like this though. Another difference is what you pointed out. Arya doesn't want to be a boy, she wants women to have the rights and choices and freedoms of men, but she is perfectly fine being a girl, she so far identifies as a girl. Rhaenyra, I think anyway, just thinks it would be easier if she were a boy, thus she wishes she was a boy. I have yet to determine if Rhaenyra may identify more as a boy, but if she does more power to her, and I would completely accept this interpretation. :)
I've seen several people make this "parallel" between Arya and Rhaenyra, but hardly anyone I've seen has come to the realization that this is actually an anti-parallel. But what should I have expected? Most of the fandom seems to think Arya is a "woman hating man wannabe". *rolls eyes*
