A Song Of Ice And Fire

Sheepstealer seems more like a case of why you don't go to battle before you've completed basic training. Seems very much what you'd expect from a dragon you only just managed to mount with great difficulty.

Rhaenyra and Aegon both played the part of the "King" that can not fall.

For Aegon he wanted to fly into battle on Sunfyre but was told that he could not. He's too "precious". But he defies the wisdom of others, flys into battle and... (maybe we can blame Aemond) he is burned to near death.

It's hard to call Aegon successful.

For Rhaenyra she is constantly told the same. She wisely follows the guidance of others. But... she also extends her protection to her sons. Jace isn't wrong, following his mothers wisdom, to volunteer for the Battle of the Gullet. He's wrong to hold his mother back... Or is he? The wisdom of the council would have urged her to stay back.

Politically speaking Rhaenyra staying behind and Jace going out makes sense. Jace is important, but he isn't more important than Rhaenyra. As queen Rhaenyra should understand his decision. But as a mother? No fucking way.

Is the way it played out perfect? Not really. But is the decision brutal in the best way possible? Absolutely.

I don't remember the exact quote Jace used, but I think he said something like a queen's guard giving their life to protect her, which to me was definitely that guard knowingly sacrificing his life (in the future) to protect Rhaenyra.

I'll be curious to see if that queen's guard has a storyline going forward.