Honestly from the limited knowledge I have, Mongolians seemed to be the one of the chillest of invaders. They gave you a clear choice, let us rule you or die. And once they ruled you they allowed many freedoms that crusaders and colonizers didn’t. Their tactics were brutal and I think that’s why people see them as so evil.
If it was her decision that her full face should be on display, the backlash should be evidence enough that someone else gets paid to make those decisions, not her.
The original looks boring. She has absolutely no emotions on her face. There’s no mystique, no ‘wickedness’. Even the composition looks like something a high schooler in Photoshop class would make.
The edit isn’t perfect either. But at least it pays homage to the original in more than just image. It adds that mystique back, and makes her look more menacing.
What it truly boils down to is ego. Although the edit is better, and so many people agree on it, it doesn’t show her full face. And she can’t let that go.