- Arc Fatigue: Elaena’s marriage selection has some complaining of this; being the sole focus of thirteen chapters. While initially exciting due to Elaena traveling around the Seven Kingdoms, when the arc turns to how the multiple suitors interact with various members of the Greens and Blacks, some feel the story starts to drag. Word of God states the focus on the many suitors is necessary to help the story down the line.
- Author's Saving Throw: Some of those critical of how long the marriage selection has gone have said that the length was worth it after the arc's penultimate chapter saw Elaena's suitors banding together and humbling Prince Daemon.
- Ensemble Dark Horse:
- Hamish Arryn gained instant popularity as a suitor for both his open mindedness, clear communication, and honest respect toward any potential relationship with Elaena.
- Laenor is liked for his reactions as the rest of the cast misreads Elaena, as well as the reputation he has as "The Dark Storm of Driftmark" as a result of Elaena's swift and brutal intervention in the Stepstones, and his genuine paternal love for Rhaenyra’s bastards.
- Forrest Frey quickly shot up to be the most popular suitor vying for Elaena out of the entire group. Readers found his willingness to buck the societal pressure from the Freys being Nouveau Riche, as well as his sincere fascination and enthusiasm for dragons, instantly endearing. Also helped is the fact Forrest is canonically portrayed as the opposite of Waldur Frey, and many readers support the pairing just to imagine Waldur butterflied out of existence.
- Alan Beesbury jumped up to equal Hamish among Elaena's suitors thanks to his awkward yet earnest nature, his enthusiasm for bees and because the fans generally like his grandfather Lyman.
- Kevan Lefford was already popular after showing himself to be the one Westerman receptive to letting the Dragon Bank into the kingdom and potentially being a counter to Jason Lannister. He slowly gained among his competitors as the chapters went on before he soared after banding together with Baldric and Medrick to plan and execute Daemon Targaryen's defeat.
- The Woobie: Lyra Strong is loyal and dutiful noblewoman chosen to marry Harwin solely to serve as The Beard for the knight, with him and Rhaenyra relying on her family's lower status to ensure that she can't complain when the crown princess keeps her sworn shield by her side. Through no fault of her own, she has drawn Rhaenyra's ire solely because she is the Lady Strong and she has become something of a Yes-Man in an attempt to get on her liege's good side, to no avail.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Ymmv/AYoungWomansInevitableDanceOfTheDragons
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