#Battle Alester

[gamemories]

[goodqueenaly]

How do you think Melisandre will react when she discovers that Stannis isn't actually Azor Ahai reborn? What about the Queen's Men?

Perhaps the better question to ask - although it might amount to about the same thing - is what Melisandre and the Queen’s men (not to mention Selyse herself, and Shireen) will do as TWOW opens - namely, in light of both the bombshell news (or purported news) from the pink letter that Stannis is (again, supposedly) dead, as well as the assassination of Jon. If, as Ramsay’s letter to Jon so bluntly asserted, Ramsay had slain Stannis after seven days of battle, then the hopes of both Melisandre and the Queen’s men might seem, perhaps to use an apt turn of phrase, snuffed out: Stannis obviously could not be the hero chosen by R’hllor to save the world if he was already dead, and at the hands of so mundane and temporal an enemy as Roose Bolton’s bastard son. That Stannis isn’t in fact dead, as I very much believe is the case, does not really matter; so far as anyone at the Wall knows, the would-be apocalyptic champion of the Lord of Light is currently lying dead in the snows around Winterfell.

Melisandre, in her sole chapter, had already faced the trouble of vague portentous guidance on Stannis as Azor Ahai. More to the point, Melisandre had also already received at least some indication via her fiery visions that the identity of Azor Ahai was indisputably linked to Jon Snow. Consequently, I think she may realize or believe she now understands, as TWOW opens, that she had been focusing on the wrong person as Azor Ahai. Stannis was clearly not “the Lord’s chosen, the warrior of fire”, as she put it to Davos, since the apocalypse was still nigh; clearly, what R’hllor was trying to tell her was that the person to look for was Jon. Now, the fact that Jon had also recently been killed may not seem as big a stumbling block to Melisandre as it might objectively, in terms of the identity of a universal savior; Melisandre may not have ever brought anyone back from the dead (so far as we know), but as Thoros and Moqorro demonstrate, the ability of R’hllor’s priests (and presumably priestesses) to defy even death in the name of their god is a substantial power indeed. I have a feeling Melisandre is going to move quickly to return Jon to the land of the living via her fire magic (with the unconscious bonus, perhaps, of having Jon’s “soul” still be preserved in his wolf in the interim).

As far as the queen’s men go, the death of Stannis may seem more like a political tragedy than a cosmic one. The true devotion of the queen’s men to R’hllor is a mixed bag: some truly converts to the new religion (like young Devan Seaworth), some devoted only for the cruelty the exercise of that religion allows (like Clayton Suggs), and some converts only in name (like the late Alester Florent). However, whether or not any given pro-Stannis aristocrat at the Wall feels a sense of cosmological devastation at the news of Stannis’ (supposed) death, all of them would know that their political prospects were now far from certain. In the patriarchal, misogynistic world of Westerosi politics generally, a preteen girl might have a very hard time asserting herself as queen in her own right; as a result, the queen’s men at the Wall might be pretty uncertain about what to do without the strong male warrior-king figure of Stannis behind whom they could rally.

And of course, that’s without the immediate problems at the Wall overtaking them all as well. Jon’s assassination was the acme of a chaotic day at the Wall: not only had Jon dropped his bombshell news regarding the letter from Ramsay, his planned march on Winterfell, and the planned mission to Hardhome, but Ser Patrek had taken the opportunity to challenge Wun Wun the giant to seize Val - which ended about as much as anyone might have expected. With Jon murdered out in the open, the Wall is going to be, to put it bluntly, a mess: anti-Jon conspirators with his blood quite literally still on their hands, pro-Jon brothers potentially retaliating against those conspirators, queen’s men rushing about to rescue and/or avenge Ser Patrek from Wun Wun, free folk realizing that their pseudo-leader at the Wall is now dead. Any questions of Stannis’ death, and the apparent failure of him to be Azor Ahai, may be subsumed in something like a miniature civil war breaking out at the Wall, and them being caught in it.

[greenbloods]

re ask game:

1, 3 , and 7 :)

the character everyone gets wrong

stannis oh my goddd. yes yes he sucks yes the redditbros are annoying about him boohoo but the sheer number of people willing to see other characters as complex fully realized people and then completely drop the ball when it comes to stannis is far too large. people act as if hes completely drunk the cult leader koolaid and fully buys into the 'im the destined savior of the world' in the same way that meli does. and im sorry but i just dont see it that way

stannis cant be understood without the context of his youth (i dont think anyone of these characters can, but stannis especially). he was a kid orphaned at too young an age who watched his parents drown, having his brother robert abandon him (in his eyes) and replace him with another solemn, stern figure who focuses a lot on honor (this replacement being one of the reasons why stannis resents ned still), who grew up in a siege where he was forced to eat his own boots for leather, whose brother whom he kept fed during the siege goes on to turn against him and side with the very people who had besieged him for a year while feasting outside their walls. he on some level wants to believe he's azor ahai, wants to believe he really is the destined hero meant to save the realm. and he has heroism in him! he answers the call of the nights watch when no one else will, he listens to jon's counsel on courting the northern hill tribes and about the others, listens to sam and his story of slaying the others with dragonglass and about the black gate. but he also does many unheroic things! hes a hypocrite a lot of the time, and often doesnt mind bending honor for his own gains (trying to legitimize jon and marry him to val to bind the north and the freefolk together comes to mind). the whole burning people alive thing comes to mind too.

but i think his character also poses an interesting question: what happens when you put a (mostly) reasonable person in a situation where you try to convince him that burning people alive is the only thing necessary to saving the world? because it's not like stannis is gleefully tossing people into the fire; magic is real, as hes increasingly convinced, and the burnings have material benefits for him in terms of producing fair winds for sailing (agamemnon parallel), killing the other kings through blood magic, etc. the people he burns (alester florent who 'betrays' him as hand, mance rayder [though really rattleshirt], the peasbury men who cannibalized their fellow soldiers, etc.) are all people condemned to die anyway, whom he gives to melisandre as a compromise to her. he often ignores melisandre's advice at first, only taking her counsel more and more only when he cant ignore the fact that her advice works. and through this he loses his way.

donal noye says that stannis is brittle iron, who'll break before he bends. a lot of other characters believe that too, and a lot of people in the fandom. but thats not true. stannis is constantly bending throughout these books; he has a character arc too, only one that is harder to see because we're more focused on davos and jon and people around him. and we see this most clearly in the passage above, when stannis is trying to convince himself that meli's argument is sound. what is the life of one bastard boy against a kingdom? everything.

i dont know if stannis was convinced by this; edric storm was smuggled from him after all before he had a chance to decide what to do with him. but i think that this, and the fact that davos helps convince him to go north, show the fact that stannis is a lot more pliable than people give him credit for, and that he's not just 'doomed idiot uncle who stupidly believes he's the Chosen One' like some people like to reduce his character to.

i do think he'll die in winds though, sometime after the battle for winterfell. im not sure whether he'll burn shireen or whether it'll be meli, but i could see it going either way. hes too Doomed to survive until spring im sorry

also a lot of the meereenese characters are a lot more complex than people give them credit for but thats a longer post. check out the meereenese blot essays

3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

too many to count but anytime people start talking about targaryen blood quantum a little too fervently i get skittish like a horse about to kick someone

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

mm i dont think theres anyone like that fortunately my mutuals mostly have correct opinions on all the major characters. i will say that the reverse happened where i am now a darkstar defender because too many of yall thought he was cringe. WHEN winds comes out and we get the gerold dayne pov chapter...then youll all see....

[archoneddzs15]

Sega Dreamcast - Puyo Puyo DA! Featuring Ellena System

Title: Puyo Puyo DA! Featuring Ellena System / ぷよぷよDA! -featuring ELLENA system- [フィーチャリング・エレナ・システム]

Developer/Publisher: Compile / Sega

Release date: 16 December 1999

Catalogue No.: T-6601M

Genre: 3D Dance Game

This is an odd game if ever there was one. Back in the late 90's Japan was having its Music game boom thanks to the likes of Konami's Beatmania series and Dance Dance Revolution as well as Sega's Samba De Amigo and many cheap rip-offs by Namco and Jaleco. So, Compile probably thought it was a good idea to jump onto the bandwagon but what could they use? They really only had two main franchises which were Puyo Puyo and Aleste. Now a music game starring some spaceships would have just been too odd, so Compile went with the Puyo Puyo idea. The result is a very mixed dancing game featuring 7 characters from the Puyo Puyo Series and Ellena who first appeared in a PC-9801 game back in 1994 which Puyo Puyo DA! is based on.

The game plays pretty much like how Dance Dance Revolution plays in that you have to push the direction on the pad according to the way the arrow is facing as it slides over the marker. However, this is probably the only likeness it does have to Konami's game. You see, the player only controls every other line while the computer does the other. This is so you are actually battling it out to see who the best dancer is. Managing to pull off a better dance than the computer will dump a load of puyos over his / her head just waiting to be dropped onto him/her. Unfortunately, the actual button presses to the music don't actually follow the music's beat that well which leaves you slightly confused at times. The music is a mixture of Puyo Puyo remixed themes, and a few vocal tracks taken from various Puyo Puyo games. The music isn't that bad really but with only 8 or so tunes you do become tired rather quickly.

Overall, it's a nice enough game but be warned that it is quite easy, or at least it is to me. I finished the game on all three level settings on my second go. True I used an easy character because the hard characters are just insane.

[lives4lovesworld]

This meta will highlight GRRM own bias and double standards when it comes to his (= the narrative's) judgement of Aerys II Targaryen, as well as the insincerity of the fandom's obsession and exaggeration of Aerys II's "madness" and cruelty.

GRRM singles Aerys out in his cruelty and has it directly linked to his unstable mental state, which is quite ironic(?) if one i) actually consideres how normalized violence, collective punishment and arbitrariness in ASoIaF world is. Yet few and far between are actually mad, and even fewer dubbed as such, and ii) puts his in direct comparison to other characters, which are never condemned as much as Aerys (if at all) by the narrative. And the fandom naturally doubles down on GRRM hypocrisy (given how anti!Targaryen it is) and insists to exaggerate Aerys's madness in every sense to one up against Daenerys Stormborn.

Aerys is condemn for his preferred method of execution. The fandom even goes so far to write numerous metas arguing death-through-fire somehow is crueler, worser and morally more appaling than any other method, especially when it's a Targaryen monarch to use it. This absurdity as already been refuted a couple of times in the context of defending show!Daenerys burning large parts of her enemies in the field, instead of the having her men exclusively killing them in battle. But as always it falls on deaf ears, since this hypocritical fandom holds Targaryen (and only Targaryens) to modern standards, to the point where they are condemn for executing their enemies. PERIOD.

And Aerys is the biggest victim of this absurdity. Both within the fandom (since nobody cares for him, no one defends him in pointing out the double standards) and narrative (since Daenerys has, unlike what the fandom conjuncts out of thin air, never burned anyone but Mirri Maz Duur and is a rescuer above all so GRRM obviously does and can not condemn her for deeds she didn't commit).

For example, he and Stannis Baratheon have both burnt their hands for "bad counsel during the war". Qarlton Chelsted was burned for his objection against Aerys's plan to torch King's Landing and Alester Florent for the letter that offered Stannis's full surrender (x) to House Lannister, after his lethal demise at the Blackwater (x). Stannis's hand was even his kin (through marriage) and in killing him, he committed one of the gravest crimes in their world. Yet Stannis is neither condemn as "mad" for the execution nor for the kinslaying nor the style of said execution.

The only thing GRRM seems to condemn Stannis for are his reasons behind all of his "sacrifices"; which is to misuse the power of death for his own personal gain. Be it to murder Renly to avoid defeat, take a rival out and gain his army, for favorable winds for his expedition, put a stop to the blizzard or gain dragons/be Azor Ahai. Although all of Stannis's misfortunes in his failing campaign for the Iron Throne (his demise at the Blackwater, his inability to gain anyone's genuine support, House Karstark's betrayal and the blizzard) could be interpreted as narrative punishment, Stannis's reputation (as a righteous, capable man) within the narrative never suffers.

The fandom as well has no qualms how Stannis let his uncle be burned alive in order. Especially, those that refuse to accept that Stannis is in fact NOT Azor Ahai, do not even condemn for that. It's excused as "means to an end" or "products of his time". Another prime example of the fandom's blatant hypocrisy and double standards one might add; While members of House Targaryen are condemn for the use of magic, especially blood sacrifices, and Daenerys is even accuse of burning people alive and kinslaying without this being the case, Stannis is allowed to utilize (blood and dark) magic, (consider) murder and burn people as he pleases, (consider) kinslaying (nephew, brother uncle-in-law and in the future his own daughter) and still be proclaimed the Right Man to Rule™ and altruistic TKwC.

Somehow in the fandom's nonsensical moral belief system Aerys depriving sadistic pleasure in watching men burn makes it apparently morally more appaling than Stannis's religious frantic, megalomaniac reasoning ("for the greater good") behind his executions (and given the fact that he is in fact NOT Azor Ahai/The Chosen One one could argue all these sacrifice are completely in vain.)

Aerys's cruelty is not unique for the ASoIaF world. And more importantly, I would dare to say that most of his "atrocities" such as i) the annihilation of House Darklyns and Hollard ii) the maiming of Ilyan Payne iii) his execution of Brandon Stark, Rickard Stark and their escort and his call for Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon's heads and iv) him prohibiting Elia Martell and her children to leave King's Landing, would not be seen as one of a madman, if Aerys's mental decline would have NOT been as apparent.

i) Lord Deny seized his King, killed his escort and subjected Aerys to torture for about half a year and threatened to have him killed in hopes to get the desired charter for Duskendale granted, that had been denied.

This was unprovoked high treason and broke all the laws such as the sacred guest right, the king's peace and all vows to obey and defend the king. How exactly should a king have dealt with such an uprising and insult to his person and political power? Which ruler would have suffered such grand affront, without exerting harsh punishment? Which ruler could have even allowed himself to be merciful, if it meant he will be seen as a weak king, signaling to the rest of the realm that one can take the king captive and hold hostage and get away with it?

To put in perspective; Robert Baratheon brutally smashed Balon Greyjoy's rebellion, burnt their homes, broke their castles, raped and murder the common folk and lastly gave Balon's last son as hostage to Eddard Stark to secure Balon's submission (x) after his elder brothers were slain. House Reyne and House Tarbeck were both in debt to House Lannister. Soley to restore House Lannister's prestige, Tywin demanded immediate repayment from them, (hostages if it was not possible). Both houses refused. Despite Tytos Lannister settling the matter, Tywin deliberately provoked both houses by ordering their respective lords to answer to Casterly Rock for their crimes. When refused, Tywin (without the leave of his lordly father!) raised an army and started his war of annihilation. The ruins of these houses' castles were left as reminders of the fate that awaits those who scorn the power of Casterly Rock, and "The Rains of Castamere" was written as a tribute to the event. Stannis Baratheon considered torching and raiding Claw Isle as punishment for its Lord bending the knee in captivity and House Stark extinguished House Greystark when it rose in rebellion together with House Bolton.

None of these extreme violent acts are deemed as "[their] terrible revenge" nor are these men seen as mad, cruel or unfit. And mind you, no one of these men experienced captivity and torture on their own person.

When one such reported that the captain of the Hand's personal guard, a knight named Ser Ilyn Payne, had been heard boasting it was Lord Tywin who truly ruled the Seven Kingdoms, His Grace sent the Kingsguard to arrest the man and had his tongue ripped out with red-hot pincers. - TWoIaF; The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II

ii) The maiming of Ilyan Payne is seen as way too extreme even for ASoIaF (only exclusively by the fandom) and as "Aerys being unable to hear the hard truth", despite a monarch (unfortunately) being well in his rights to teach his subject "respect", if he openly mocks his better, extreme violent punishment from a ruler being normalized as sign of strength and a warning to any potential rebels.

The crimes everything boils down to;

The full depth of King Aerys's madness was subsequently revealed in his depraved actions against Lord Stark, his heir, and their supporters after they demanded redress for Rhaegar's wrongs. Instead of granting them fair hearing, King Aerys had them brutally slain, then followed these murders by demanding that Lord Jon Arryn execute his former wards, Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark. - TWoIaF; The Fall of the Dragons: Robert’s Rebellion

iii) While the inverse-annals are clearly baised, GRRM has made it clear that Aerys is responsible for the rebellion (x), and that his call to execute them all was another product of his cruelty and paranoia. Which omits any nuance the situation had such nuances as;

Brandon and Rickard were on their way again back to Riverrun for the impending wedding between him and Catelyn Tully, when word reached Brandon of Lyanna's supposed abduction by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Brandon, along with his squire Ethan Glover, Kyle Royce, Elbert Arryn, and Jeffory Mallister, rode to King's Landing immediately. Upon entering the Red Keep, Brandon shouted for Rhaegar to "come out and die". Rhaegar was not present, however, and Brandon and his companions were arrested by King Aerys II Targaryen and charged with plotting Rhaegar's murder. - awoiaf.westeros.org; Aerys II Targaryen: Year of the False Spring 

A paramount lord and his heir barging into the royal court of a king (half of which would rather dethrone him and most did not see him as the ruler of the realm) and brazenly demand the crown prince's head BASED ON RUMORS alone in front of said court. For a supposed crime that stands in direct contrary to what is known of said heir (x, x, x).

While it's a well established fact that this fandom only intrest is to present House Stark as poor, oppressed, altruistic and wronged victims and House Targaryen as the evil warmongering lunatics, it is still mind blowing to see people glorify Brandon's stupidity as Protective Big Bro Thang™, talk how he should have escape the situation unscattered (because they believe the starks are the Main Characters™ and should have all the Syndromes (like plot armor) of one) and his execution being yet another uncalled atrocity of Aerys's madness, when Brandon literally has committed high treason through his rash actions. Even Catelyn call Brandon's action "rash" and his would-be father-in-law Hoster Tully called him a "gallant fool" for it.

A highborn father that would have politely ask them to lay out their complains (again) behind closed doors so he might calmly listen to these allegations and their wish to see his oldest one dead after the spectacle of their entrance, has yet to be named by obnoxious neutrals and "intellectuals" preaching such scenario as the solution to this fiasco.

Realistically speaking, what should Aerys have done with a paramount lord, his heir and their escort breaking the king's peace and threatening House Targaryen's power by demanding the Crown Prince's head? Insulted this gravely that they about to rise in rebellion with mighty allies. When it comes to this situation Aerys had been caught between a rock and a hard place;

He could have a) dismissed the accusations, let them go home and have the realm think of him as weak. Home to their seats, where hot headed Brandon would have likely raised the north in rebellion anyway and whose brother's foster brother Robert Baratheon would have likely joined him for his wounded pride. Risk the riverlands to stand with them as well for their siege lord's daughter Catelyn would have wed Brandon Stark. Possibly the Vale too, for Jon Arryn's beloved forster son's brother has raised in rebellion and his bride is Lord Tully's other daughter and Brandon Stark's sister in law. Or b) use this incident to dispose his 'disloyal son', so his chosen heir Viserys would have less threats in his ascend on the throne later on, yet simountanastly signaling the realm that one can demand a Targaryen prince's head based on rumors alone. Establishing a most dangerous precedent for the future of House Targaryen.

What might have salvage the situation without an all-out-war or an unacceptable, most dangerous precedent for House Targaryen('s might) would have been to dismiss the accusations. Instead of summoning the fathers of the escort and executing them all along with Rickard and Brandon, he should have send them to the Wall (which would have made Eddard Lord of Winterfell) and send for Benjen Stark as cupbearer or squire at the court (so he might functions as hostage over the North).

And even this might have not have worked for i) it would have been still a too mild punishment for conspiring to murder the Iron Throne' heir and ii) for they could have just refuse to take the black once at the Wall, return to Winterfell with the help of the Night Watch and call to war anyway (though House Tully and Arryn might have been more reluctant to join them in such a scenario)

Do these nuances make Rickard, Brandon and Co's execution less gruesome and the call for Eddard and Robert's death morally justified? No, but they show that they could have been committed by a sane sovereign too. But instead of being seen as actions of a madman they would have been seen as too-harsh (failed) precautions. (IMO Tywin and Stannis would act the same way in such a situation with the big difference that they would be cold and caculative, whereas Aerys had become aroused)

Princess Elia would have gone as well, but he forbade it. Somehow he had gotten it in his head that Prince Lewyn must have betrayed Rhaegar on the Trident, but he thought he could keep Dorne loyal so long as he kept Elia and Aegon by his side. - TWpIaF; The Fall of the Dragons; The End

iv) Same with iii) if one was to look at the political situation (especially before the rebellion) and analyze Aerys's actions without dismissing them all as one kf a deranged lunatic, this particular action was actually quite savvy.

Prior to the rebellion, the royal court had been devided into two parties; the king's and the prince's;

Chief amongst the Mad King's supporters were three lords of his small council: Qarlton Chelsted, master of coin, Lucerys Velaryon, master of ships, and Symond Staunton, master of laws. The eunuch Varys, master of whisperers, and Wisdom Rossart, grand master of the Guild of Alchemists, also enjoyed the king's trust. Prince Rhaegar's support came from the younger men at court, including Lord Jon Connington, Ser Myles Mooton of Maidenpool, and Ser Richard Lonmouth. The Dornishmen who had come to court with the Princess Elia were in the prince's confidence as well, particularly Prince Lewyn Martell, Elia's uncle and a Sworn Brother of the Kingsguard. But the most formidable of all Rhaegar's friends and allies in King's Landing was surely Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. - TWoIaF; The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring

Essentially the Second Dance of Dragons was brewing;

To Grand Maester Pycelle and Lord Owen Merryweather, the King's Hand, fell the unenviable task of keeping peace between these factions, even as their rivalry grew ever more venomous. In a letter to the Citadel, Pycelle wrote that the divisions within the Red Keep reminded him uncomfortably of the situation before the Dance of the Dragons a century before, when the enmity between Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra had split the realm in two, to grievous cost. A similarly bloody conflict might await the Seven Kingdoms once again, he warned, unless some accord could be reached that would satisfy both Prince Rhaegar's supporters and the king's. - TWoIaF; The Fall of the Dragons: The Year of the False Spring  

So contrary to the fandom's insistence of Aerys's reason behind his prohibition for Elia and the children to leave the capital being unreasonable paranoia or malice (or even godamn racism??), Aerys was smart. By ensuring that they were located in the capital, he gave the dornish forces a reason to defend it (essentially ensuring his survival) then had Elia and the children been safely in Sunspear or Dragonstone, they would have had no reason to continue to fight (and be slowly overrun) for the defense of King's Landing if the only one remaining there was the king that had disinherited Rhaegar's entire lineage and proclaimed Viserys his heir after Rhaegar death at the Trident (ergo putting an end to Dorne's hope to size the Iron Throne through a Martell-Queen Consort and later a half Martell-king).

Also contrary to the fandom's insistence on how Aerys's cruelty and paranoia breaks even Westeros's norm in taking hostages in war, even from his supposed allies and families (through marriages) is not unusual; the kings of the Winter are known to have taken child hostages to secure their subjects' submission, Quentyn had been given to Lord Yronwood as "blood debt" by Doran Martell. Theon had been taken hostage by Eddard Stark to ensure his father's submission. The Redwyne twins have been taken hostages by the Lannister court to ensure their father's loyalty (to lend them his fleet in their war). Where is the condemnation for them? Also contrary to the fandom's insistence highborn hostages, especially those who are considered family members are also not treated badly. They experience most of the privileges their birth and status grants them. Cases such Sansa in King's Landing and Jaime in Riverrun are the expection, not the rule.

But what is to expect from a fandom that lays the blame for Elia Martell and her children's gruesome murders on Aerys Targaryen (her father-in-law and their grandfather) and Rhaegar Targaryen (her by-then dead husband and their father) instead on the heads of the rebels like the liege lord of the men to commit the murders (Tywin Lannister) or the self-styled king (Robert Baratheon) who sanctioned these murders later (going so far as to making mentioned liege lord his father-in-law)?

Aerys II Targaryen has always been exclusively presented by the fandom as this horrendous sadistic monster without a heart. Every act of his a epitome of stupidity and cruelty with Aerys's madness as an inevitable by-product from coming from an incestuous union, despite this not supported being the text.

Aerys Targaryen was not born that way. His mental state in his later years was a product of the immense trauma he experienced throughout his entire life; from witnessing the death of his entire family when he was 15 years old, to being powerless as he and Rhaella were forced to suffer still births, miscarriages and dead babes in the cribs to his imprisonment and torture in Duskendale (x). The justified constant fear of being dethroned by his own son (x) and the feeling of never being deemed worthy or competent enough by others to the point where he not even seen as The King (x) likely only added to his instability and cruelty.

His paranoia, especially concerned Tywin Lannister and Rhaegar Targaryen, was also anything but irrational; Aerys was not in the wrong to mistrust Rhaegar as he later planned to dethrone him, which could only result in Aerys’s death should Rhaegar wish to ascend the throne as comfortable as possible. Nor for being wary of Tywin Lannister, who gambled with his life at Duskendale in hopes to get Rhaegar on the throne with his daughter as his queen. (x)

Aerys was not a fool to prevent Tywin from becoming Rhaegar’s father-in-law. Before the rebellion, they were the biggest threats to Aerys’s reign. Not only did he prevent an alliance between his two greastest threats, in giving Rhaegar Elia Martell to wife. The princess to the least densly populated kingdom (which is quite hated by the more "civilized" southern kingdoms such as the Dornish Marches, Reach and Stormlands for their blood feuds (x,x)) and with a small army, he also prevented Rhaegar from gaining exponentially more support had he married a noble daughter from a house with more wealth, resources and men (like Cersei Lannister)

And mind you (!) had Steffon Baratheon succeeded in finding a "maid of noble birth from an old Valyrian bloodline" in the Free Cities, Aerys would have given Rhaegar's a woman to wife that has absolutely no ties to any kingdom (which would have given him no political advantage beside whatever wealth her family would have had across the sea) and who would bee seen as 'foreign stranger', similar to Larra Rogar, Viserys II's wife.

Such a choice at the time was politically quite savvy: His supposed heir secured the succession without shifting the power balance too much by preventing Rhaegar from amassing even more support through an more politically advantageous match. That this choice later on backfired in the face of an external political threat (e.g. the rebellion) was unforeseeable and unfortunate.

Jaime's rise to a kingsguard was as well a less then perfect solution by Aerys for his (justified) fears; in appointing Jaime as kingsguard he had gained the most valuable hostage against any possible rebellion from Tywin Lannister, but he also had to endure Tywin's son day and night as shadow. Aerys seemed to have played by the motto "keep your friends close, but your foes closer" with Jaime as he had previously done with Tywin, whom he had refused to dismiss as Hand or accept his resignation (x, x) and suffered greatly from it (at first mentally, later with his life). (x)

As said, the reason why I wrote this meta was to showcase the imsincerity of the fandom's obsession and exaggeration of Aerys II's "madness" and cruelty, as well as to point the nuances that are often overlooked simply because Aerys was mad.

Afterall, how comes that Aerys's cruelty and madness is more empathized than anyone else's by the fandom? Where does the intrest and obsession for it as well as the need to deliberately twist Aerys's relatively peaceful reign (x, x) into one of terror unseen before come from?

Simple because Aerys's cruelty and madness must be given such great narrative and political importance, and his reign must be one of the darkest times yet, so when dany antis proceed to write their "metas" of how of Daenerys will be rejected by Westeros, never know home or love, become the-hidden-mad!queen-all-along™ and step into her father's foot steps by torching King's Landing and committing mass murder, have a "basis". The first one is even more ridiculous considering that Rhagear was beloved during his days, and is still, despite actually living under Aerys's roof till his 16th birthday, unlike Dany.

Nothing more, and one knows so because the same people won't predicted the same for their tool-character "Aegon VI" who is the Mad King's supposed grandson and son to Prince Rhaegar, whom most of them condemn just as harshly for whatever headcanon (pRophECy oBbsEsSed, vIsenYa) that has been treated as canon for too long. Not to mention that there is an abundance of characters whose fathers were horrible, yet there aren't daily posts on a character's utter mental decline based upon their father's flaws. (bioessentialism)

In conclusion and defense of Aerys II Targaryen; i) he is as much of a victim of tragedy and cruelty than he was an enabler, ii) his paranoia was not unreasonable iii) his cruelty is not at all unique for the medivial ASoIaF world nor in comparison to other characters. In fact neither his paranoia nor his cruelty makes him stand out in his madness, but rather his manic-depressive behavior iv) how his mental state does not render all of his decisions as one of a mad man.

I would also like to say that a forced abdication of Aerys decided by a Great Council with Rhaegar ascending the throne would have neither be the perfect solution as it is often presented. Had his abdication gone relatively smoothly (which would NOT have necessarily be the case (x)) it would shaken the laws and rules of Westeros to its core.

As the first Great Council had done it, it would have given the lords of the realm again the idea and power to decide who is to rule them. Which would have not be the positive, progressive, humanitarian step towards democracy as most mistake it but path a way of war and instability ambitious, vile lords would have misused for their own gain yet again.

If the first Great Council had established an iron precedent on the matter of succession, than such a second one (in which the lords could abdicate their rightful king because they are not content with him) would have path the way for any man to inherit his male relative's position if he manges to convince enough of his subjects to abdicate their current sovereign and put him as his heir (as son, brother, nephew, grandson etc...) through bribery and whatnot.

An era of chaos unseen would follow. Just imagine what the lords of the realm would have done with a king like Aegon V that would robb them some of their absolute power through his reforms. It would hollow out the crown of any power to protect and serve the small folk (be it through humanitarian reforms, against its lords or plan costly, necessary infrastructure)

The wars such as the Wot5K are a direct result of the illegitimacy of Robert's rebellion and how it had shaken Westeros's laws. Instead of the once rather cemented hereditary monarchy, Robert opened the door for Westeros to be wreaked by every sovereign that believes he can muster enough manpower to establish himself a self-styled King. (x)

IMO instead of gathering a Second Great Council, Rhaegar honestly should have just found a discreet way to have his father's poisoned. Although this would have been OCC for noble, valiant Rhaegar and quite harsh to expect from a son to do to his father (no matter their estranged relationship) it would the most practical decision.

[snooboop]

a little info dump

i have many oc's as of now and one of my personal favorites to give out info on is Alester

now you see this man is a total mystery, if you were to ask him about his past he would just say "i don't want to talk about it" or something along the lines of that

while he might seem like a crow avian, his past complicates him and what he truly is , my simple answer for that is magic

no really, magic

the reason why this man is the way he is, is cause of a simple mistake of a magic trick

why not say spell? his parents were the fault for this, they were traveler magicians that used real, pure magic, in order to to their shows and get money

now you see cause of this incident Alester had his anatomy changed making him bird/avian. his parents blamed him for being the reason why they couldn't make money and travel, they *had* to keep him hidden

one day, they woke up to find their house surrounded by the police, his parents weren't so lucky but he was, he managed to escape and live on his own for a while

now you see while he was escaping he took some of the magic books with him and in his time alone, he taught himself, to defend and use magic with a staff

after a while of using said magic, he noticed something, it was corrupting him little by little, so he *swore* not use magic ever again, and if he did, he had a precaution, he put a glyph on his back in between his wings

the weak spot

if he used too much his wings would be immobilized, therefore making him unable to fly, escape even

while he dose have the skill to fight without magic, his staff broke in the last battle he had

now you see the current AU that he's a part of (app au) he not that talkative, and hes unable to battle cause he hasn't been able to replace the staff

[zeus-japonicus]

Okay if all the trice characters went bowling together who would win? Who would be the worst?

fsdhjfsdkh HAHA hilarious question

I think it'll probably be a battle between Noor and Alestes. Noor has patience and physical prowess, Alestes has hand-eye co-ordination and competitive spirit. I feel like Noor would "accidentally" get a spare in the final round instead of a strike just so that Alestes could have the win (everyone gets a round on Alestes when she wins).

I think Siva is probably surprisingly not-bad, just because he loves constistancy and once he's in a streak, he gets regular 7/8s. Baker has power but he's not got much grace, so can't really get the regular strikes like Noor and Alestes can.

Inez and Anh are defeated by the power of their own egos. They're like 10 year olds, comnig up with "better" ways to bowl because thye're like "IF I DO IT THIS WAY IT'LL ADD TORQUE" and get gutter after gutter. And they think that POSING is the most important part because they want everyone to be looking at them. Except everyone's watching the ball just. smash into the next lane. because inez & anh have chucked the ball without looking

[doamarierose-honoka]

Towards the end of last year, Sega announced that it would be delving into its enviable archives to revive some of its older arcade,16 and 32-bit titles. Fans could scarcely believe it; Shinobi, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, Crazy Taxi and Jet Set Radio will all see new releases over the next few years or so.

During the rather short montage, a brief glimpse of each game was shown, with some of the titles looking familiar in appearance to previous entries (Crazy Taxi), while others looked to be embarking on a complete departure from what fans are used to stylistically, with Streets of Rage and Golden Axe seemingly going the 3D route.

While there are more questions than answers at this early stage, it was still refreshing to see the genuine excitement and intrigue from Sega fans who, in recent years, have largely been fed scraps when it comes to new iterations of their favourite legacy IPs.

As a childhood Sega fan myself, and while I did find the reveals pleasing, after the initial teaser that dropped earlier that week, I was hoping for some news on two of Sega's older and much-loved classics from the mid-'80s - Out Run and the main subject of this piece, Fantasy Zone.

So, what exactly is the situation with Sega's unique and somewhat niche shmup? Well, after a lengthy hiatus, Opa-Opa's last mainline outing was in what is regarded by fans as the series' best title, Fantasy Zone II DX (also known as Fantasy Zone II: The Tears of Opa-Opa), which was included in the Sega Ages 2500 Series Vol. 33: Fantasy Zone Complete Collection.

The game's storied development process has been well documented. The original Fantasy Zone II never came to arcades, but was instead exclusive to the Master System home console – and was, therefore, something of a step backwards in purely technical terms (it also made it to arcades, but running on Sega's System E board, which is based on the Master System).

In 2008, Sega worked with M2 to remaster the game, creating an updated version for the System 16 arcade standard, which the original Fantasy Zone ran on. M2's founder and CEO, Naoki Horii, helped fund the project from his own personal budget, claiming that the money he invested was "about the cost of a new car".

Boosted by a RAM upgrade, the System 16B board was given extra horsepower that allowed the development team to introduce complex backdrops, more frames of animation for the game's protagonist and a variety of bosses, each ever so creatively designed, with multiple independent moving parts. M2 dubbed the new board System 16C, due to the aforementioned memory increase to 256 KB. Sega even produced working arcade boards in limited numbers.

In 2014, the game was ported to the 3DS as part of Sega's 3D Classics series under the title 3D Fantasy Zone II W, where it was refined further, offering a 16:9 screen, autostereoscopic 3D, customisable gameplay tweaks to make the game more accessible, unlockable features and the wonderfully addictive score chaser mode, Link Loop Land. The first Fantasy Zone would get the 3D treatment in 2015.

In 2020, the 1987 original was ported to the Switch as part of M2's Sega Ages range, along with a 'Upa-Upa Mode' which removes the game's weapons and upgrade shop. In 2022, M2 was at it again, creating a Sega Mega Drive / Genesis port of the original game for the Sega Mega Drive Mini 2, which includes a Super Easy mode.

So, what can fans hope for in the future? Well, as you've perhaps gleaned from the above history lesson, it seems that our faith lies with our supremely talented friends over at M2. Not only is the team clearly a big supporter of the series, it has, during the past few years, overseen arcade-perfect home ports of shmup classics such as Battle Garegga, Fire Shark, Ketsui and the recently released Dodonpachi Dai-Oou-Jou.

As well as porting duties, the team have also been working on new games in the Aleste series, which began with the sublime GG Aleste 3 release, the arcade-only (so far) SenXin Aleste and the in-progress, but much anticipated Aleste Branch. M2 certainly has a penchant for reviving forgotten shmup franchises.

Having Fantasy Zone super player Kazuki Kubota as part of the M2 staff is another positive sign; "K-two" was involved with the Fantasy Zone II remake and also co-directed the aforementioned Mega Drive Mini port of the original Fantasy Zone.

Although these are all indications that something Fantasy Zone-related might be in M2's collective subconscious, we do need to keep in mind that the team is relatively small, and there are other 'in flight' projects; as mentioned earlier, Aleste Branch is still in development, and there are plans to port SenXin Aleste to home consoles, too.

While I'm very excited about both of the Aleste titles and pretty much anything the studio does, there is a selfish part of me that secretly hopes for a file on M2's OneDrive titled "Fantasy Zone III" full of ideas and plans for the next game in one of my favourite video game franchises.

[rememberences]

who: @yxuna​ where: the halls of the eyrie, the vale of arryn

Witch Isle had been an independent sovereignty as had the majority of the ancient and noble houses of the Vale, remaining separate to the Andal conquered kingdom even after the Battle of the Seven Stars had been fought and, his own ancestor had been defeated. Even when the Royces had bent the knee to the Falcon King, even when so many of those followers retreated into the Mountains of the Moon to become the clans that now plagued their lands, the Upcliffs remained beyond the stretch of the Andals until it was brought into the fold by the marriage of Lady Arwen Upcliff to King Alester II.

“Lady Upcliff.” The Royce of Runestone addressed the entrance of the Lady whom he had seen in passing over the years, as though she danced in the shadows; of a shadow that grew only larger and larger. The King Consort’s audience chambers were a floor below the ones of the Queen, with a hearth already roaring and the curtains drawn against the chill. “Please be seated.” The guards remained positioned outside of the doors she had walked through, those of Arryn and Royce alike.

It was a history he knew was taught upon Witch Isle as much as the people of Runestone sing folk songs suggesting that the rightful king Robar Royce did not perish during that final battle, but was sent over the Narrow Sea to safety; how pride remained something that both bound and separated the Houses of the Vale, time and time again. The corridors of the Eyrie remained the very same as they always had, beautiful marble of white with stained glass windows that offered glimpses of the clouds and mountains beyond; and yet, so much had changed. 

“Your brother is due to receive a royal summons within the fortnight.” The Upcliffs were a family that benefited from the change in the head that wore the crown. 

There was no longer a Falcon King to sit upon the Mountain Throne, but a Falcon Queen; and with the wedding between himself and that very Queen he had silently taken as his wife within the wild landscape of the Bronze valleys finally binding Houses Royce and Arryn, there now was a Royce King in history. With that, came great changes; changes in regards to the line of succession most obviously and how it needed to be filled urgently, but also changes for those who were linked to new King and Queen of the Vale. 

“In the mean time, be seated.” The chair was empty, though he remained stood by the hearth, slipping his sword from around his hip atop a wooden surface, his hair slightly wet from training with the Knights of the Vale within one of the Eyrie’s courtyards. 

Lady Yuna Upcliff, for example, had found herself rising from the Lady of a Princess who refused to involve herself in the open politics of the realm, to the Lady and trusted confident of the Ruling Queen. There would be many who would wish to seek out her position, and undermine her by any chance necessarily; including the sinsister reputation for witchcraft and heresy the Upcliffs seemed to wear as armour. He knew what he needed to speak to her about, and was never one for dancing around a subject. “Your change in position - how are you coming to terms with it?” 

[postgamecontent]

Blazing Lazers (TG-16 Mini)

Probably one of the better-known TurboGrafx-16 games in the West, Blazing Lazers is a vertically-scrolling shooter from Compile and Hudson. Compile knows how to make a good shooter, that's for sure. Most of its work in the genre hovers around the Aleste archetype, and Blazing Lazers is one of those variations. There are a handful of different weapons, an assortment of other power-ups like shields and drones, and collectible goobers that beef up your main attack. You can also manually control your ship's speed and use your limited stock of bombs as needed.

Blazing Lazers has a lot going for it. The graphics, sound effects, and music are terrific. The weapons have a fair bit of variety between them and they're all fun to use. The stages vary nicely, and there's a solid assortment of enemies and nasty bosses to battle. But if you ask me why Blazing Lazers seems to have resonated with the average person more than most shooters tend to, I think it comes down to the difficulty. The shoot 'em up genre can be rather merciless, but Blazing Lazers is mostly fair. Not easy, but fair.

The weapons are strong, picking yourself back up after a death isn't too tough, and extra lives come at a decent enough pace. The amount of enemy bullets is fairly reasonable compared to many other games, and you even get four continues. I'm not saying everyone's going to be able to make it to the end of the game or that you'll finish it in one try, but I think this is a more doable shooter than the likes of Gradius or R-Type.

Blazing Lazers is on the TurboGrafx-16 Mini because... well, it almost has to be, doesn't it? Another iconic title for the platform, and one without any legal issues in its North American form. The Japanese version has a movie license attached to it that it's barely connected to, so it's not included here. I suppose we're lucky NEC decided to shake that off in localization back in the day so that we can continue to enjoy this great game today.

[windriverdelta]

What worth a blood sacrifice (to Euron Greyjoy) in ASOIAF?

A matter of dispute both in-story (among Cersei Lannister's councillors in Cersei VII AFFC) and among readers (e.g contributions by @racefortheironthrone, @warsofasoiaf and @madeinmyr) is the size of Euron Greyjoy's fleet. Specifically, whether it is actually plausible that he could invade the Reach with a thousand ships, given the population size of the Iron Islands.

I'd like to follow up on @warsofasoiaf's comment that it'd be true only if "they started counting every tiny fishing boat as a ship". True, you wouldn't want to head into battle on a fishing boat or send fishermen into a fight, but if the "battle" is actually a giant blood sacrifice? What's not good for one thing may be good for another.

So, what worth is a blood sacrifice? Melisandre says that there is magic in king's blood, but that's less meaningful than it sounds - what determines who is a "king" for the purpose of magic? Bloodline? Acclamation? Election? Empirically, she got good use out of burning Alester Florent despite him having only a remote link to kings and Moqorro got magic out of sacrificed slaves with no connection to kings at all. Different magic type, but the First Men offered prisoners of war to weirwood trees (Bran III ADWD), again with no links to kings. More indicative probably are Melisandre's words in Davos V and VI ASOS (emphasis mine):

"The Lord of Light cherishes the innocent. There is no sacrifice more precious. From his king's blood and his untainted fire, a dragon shall be born." "If a man with a thousand cows gives one to god, that is nothing. But a man who offers the only cow he owns..."

Now, Alester Florent is again an exception as he's a self-serving traitor, and not in any way innocent*. However, Edric Storm definitely is innocent, as are the slaves that Moqorro** burns. And maester Kerwin and the boy sex slaves that Victarion drowns, too, if we assume that the same principles of blood magic apply. I think that the most parsimonious reading is that any sacrifice is acceptable, but these of people dear to you, innocents and relatives of kings are much more valuable.

This notion of sacrificing innocents or people important to you yielding more magical mojo also works narratively, being a morality challenge for magic users as exemplified by the Davos-Melisandre-Stannis debate on sacrificing Edric Storm: How much and who are you willing to lose for the sake of a spell, and what does it say about you? If all you need is a Septon Utt or a Gregor Clegane or Ramsay Snow, then the point doesn't land as well.

Now, Euron Greyjoy is never going to have any moral qualms about anything, including sacrificing other people, and the only thing he cares about is his own power and advancement. Still, it's likely that sacrificing his supporters*** or simple fishermen of the Iron Islands would yield a bigger magical payoff than sacrificing the professional Iron Fleet (which he sent to Slaver's Bay), potential political rivals (the lords he installed on the Shield Islands), disinterested people or opportunists (people who stayed behind in the Iron Islands, in the North, at the Arbor or the Shields, such as "It's the Arbor we want" Red Ralf - we know that Euron faced resistance and had to change his plans while he was on the Shields). So in a way, if the "thousand ships" include fishermen and/or fishing vessels****, that might actually benefit Euron's plans. Sure, not having all people of the Iron Islands in the Whispering Sound isn't great, and the Redwyne and Oldtown navies aren't very valuable as sacrifices if they are part of it at all*****, but blood sacrifice quality-wise Euron has brought the goodies along.

(Enquiring minds would like to know why Euron needs to go all the way to Oldtown if a blood sacrifice is his goal. I think it's because he needs a favourable background, like the availability of priests, the various magical associations of Oldtown, possibly the arrival of one of Daenerys' dragons ensorceled by Dragonbinder, for the sac to have the maximum effect)

*Sorry, Onion Knight, but this time you are simply wrong when arguing otherwise, and turtle-paced and agentrouka are right, putting the morality of execution by cremation aside for a moment. **While Stannis probably isn't consciously articulating any principles of blood magic when he says "If I must sacrifice one child to the flames to save a million from the dark . . . Sacrifice . . . is never easy, Davos. Or it is no true sacrifice." I think Moqorro has made the same calculus, that burning a few innocent slaves for the sake of the many that Daenerys can rescue if he can bring her to Volantis is an acceptable trade-off. Note that both he and Melisandre subscribe to the same religion and magic style, and have a good vs evil worldview. ***According to the Aeron TWOW chapter and AWOIAF, the people sailing into the blood sacrifice/battle of the Whispering Sound are Left-Hand Lucas Codd and Pinchface Jon Myre (supported Euron at the Kingsmoot, traded insults with Asha there), the Red Oarsman (supported Euron at the Kingsmoot, laughing at Aeron and Asha), Stonehand (supported Euron at the Kingsmoot), Rogin Salt-Beard (unknown), Torwold Browntooth (supported Euron at the Kingsmoot), House Wynch (among Euron's first supporters) and House Goodbrother (switched from Victarion to Euron at the Kingsmoot)

****Aeron sees fishing vessels in TWOW, but it's not clear if they came from the Iron Islands or were captured later. Victarion frequently refers to capturing fishing vessels, and Samwell V AFFC mentions attacks on fishermen villages and wrecked fishing vessels around the Whispering Sound. *****Their absence in Aeron's vision of "He saw the longships of the Ironborn adrift and burning on a boiling blood­-red sea. He saw his brother on the Iron Throne again, but Euron was no longer human" makes one wonder.

[aegor-bamfsteel]

”Rhaenyra’s very existence seeks to jeopardize that power structure(the patriarchal society of Westeros)” which is why I’m sure she advocated for Rhaena and Baela to inherit Driftmark as the daughters of Corlys’ daughter rather than betrothing them to her sons who aren’t even Velaryon, to cover her own ass? Is it dangerous to patriarchal society to reduce girls with a blood claim to mere consorts? Because that’s happened before the Dance (Joffrey Lydden to Gerold Lannister’s daughter, Alester Arryn to Arwen Upcliff) and by canon era is a despised tactic the Boltons and Lannisters use (wedding Tyrion to Sansa and having Jeyne Poole pose as Arya and wed to Ramsay Bolton in order to claim Winterfell, wedding Lancel to Ami Frey to claim Darry). There’s even being complicit in the death of the male claimants (Laenor and Vaemond; see the Red Wedding and the burning of Darry) as a parallel. We also have this quote to remind us what exactly Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Corlys think about female inheritance:

Lords Rosby and Stokeworth, blacks who had gone green to avoid the dungeons, attempted to turn black again, but the queen declared that faithless friends were worse than foes and ordered their "lying tongues" be removed before their executions. Their deaths left her with a nettlesome problem of succession, however. As it happened, each of the "faithless friends" left a daughter; Rosby's was a maid of twelve, Stokeworth's a girl of six. Prince Daemon proposed that the former be wed to Hard Hugh the blacksmith's son (who had taken to calling himself Hugh Hammer), the latter to Ulf the Sot (now simply Ulf White), keeping their lands black whilst suitably rewarding the seeds for their valor in battle.

But the Queen's Hand argued against this, for both girls had younger brothers. Rhaenyra's own claim to the Iron Throne was a special case, the Sea Snake insisted; her father had named her as his heir. Lords Rosby and Stokeworth had done no such thing. Disinheriting their sons in favor of their daughters would overturn centuries of law and precedent, and call into question the rights of scores of other lords throughout Westeros whose own claims might be seen as inferior to those of elder sisters.

It was fear of losing the support of such lords, Munkun asserts in True Telling, that led the queen to decide in favor of Lord Corlys rather than Prince Daemon. The lands, castles, and coin of Houses Rosby and Stokeworth were awarded to the sons of the two executed lords, whilst Hugh Hammer and Ulf White were knighted and granted small holdings on the isle of Driftmark. —Fire and Blood, The Dying of the Dragons: Rhaenyra Triumphant

Daemon isn’t arguing for the girls to inherit for ✨ feminist ✨ reasons; he’s arguing to do the same thing Rhaenyra did to his own daughters: marry them to loyal supporters (Hugh and Ulf), so they can rule those lands in the girls’ name. What these young girls feel about being married to much older men who had reputations for drunkenness and violence is irrelevant. And of course Corlys is arguing Rhaenyra is the exception because her father chose her, and personally would rather ask her to legitimize the sons he sired on a barely legal teenager than allow his legitimate granddaughter to inherit. Rhaenyra agreed with Corlys, though Munkun was getting most of his knowledge from Orwyle who had a pro-Rhaenyra bias, so we cannot be completely sure why she decided to side with him. Either way, the book goes out of its way to indicate that Rhaenyra on the throne helps no female claimant except herself.

I believe Rhys Ifans’ statement “Both sides are genocidal war criminals… I think we should all enjoy seeing how they die[,]” would be wrong because the entire time the story HOTD is fundamentally about how one group, the greens, IE Alicent, Otto, and Aegon Hightower, seek to maintain the status quo of an oppressive power structure versus Rhaenyra, the blacks, whose very existence seeks to jeopardize that power structure (the patriarchal society of Westeros).

It is made explicitly clear that the chief architect of team green in the usurpation of Rhaenyra’s throne that the only reason that they cannot have Rhaenyra on the throne is explicitly because she is a woman. It’s a theme that is present throughout the entirety of HOTD’s season one as this conflict builds up.

For instance, the conversation between Alicent and Rhaenys at the end of season one where Alicent justifies why she is participating in the usurpation of Rhaenyra’s throne to Rhaenys by saying that it is not a woman’s place to rule the Seven kingdoms and instead it is a woman’s place to gently guide the hand of the men who do rule.

The story of HOTD, the civil war for the succession of the Iron Throne following the death of Viserys, the Dance of the Dragons, is fundamentally a conflict that is built on the foundation of misogyny and the writers are making that explicitly clear.

The weird false equivalency when ppl imply that both sides are equally genocidally crazy, that treads to reduce the nature of this conflict down to just simple good old fashioned greed which it really isn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Rhaenyra is perfect and of course I understand that over the course of the war, she’s going to do some pretty terrible things but it’s been made pretty clear that Rhaenyra’s done everything in her power to avoid this turning out into a war in the fist place.

I just don’t think by any stretch of the imagination regardless of what Rhaenyra does throughout this war, that you’re supposed to enjoy watching her die. I don’t think that’s how her character is written and I don’t think that’s what the narrative goal of her end is supposed to be. Her character is a character by all accounts some victim of the patriarchal society that she lives in. Even if she does go down the “mad queen route,” it will only be to explore how the patriarchal society has completely twisted her. How this war that was started because she dared to be queen of the seven kingdoms completely ruined her and ruined her family.

I would very much appreciate your thoughts on this and would like to learn more if this take of mine is confusing and blinded.

I think this take might be correct if you're solely going off of the show and its interpretation of Team Black as modern feminists attempting revolutionary societal change led by divinely ordained and pure Rhaenyra vs Team Green as conservative misogynists led by incompetent and unorganized abuser Aegon...

Fire and Blood is not this, though. Sexism and misogyny is one element of power and power imbalance in Westeros but it's not the only one, nor is it the only factor into why Rhaenyra's claim was disputed, despite what the showrunners are trying to portray on screen.

The reality is two ideologically different sides with fairly equal claims to the throne are trying to seize power, leading to a war that ruins the land and the family that started it. Team Green has Aegon, firstborn son of the last king, following Andal tradition going back thousands of years and most recently reinforced in the Council of 101 AC that made his own father king. Team Black has Rhaenyra, eldest daughter named by the previous king but not supported by precedent). Rhaenyra unfortunately also had some political scandals that went against her in having bastards, having Velaryons killed and mutilated, marrying Daemon despite fear of him in power being the reason she was named heir in the first place. Any of these are valid reasons why some people might be against her coming into power. It's more than "she's a woman and I don't like women."

Rhaenyra did not press her claim to raise up the women of the realm, nor did she do it out of a desire to save the world. She wanted it because she wanted power that was promised to her. But the show can't let women simply want things for themselves. Rhaenyra has to be an advocate for peace and want the throne for some higher purpose instead of just wanting power for power's sake.

The Greens were motivated by power to push for Aegon's claim, and surely misogyny in the society helped to get Aegon on the throne, but they also put Aegon on the throne out of fear for the lives of all of Viserys' sons, who would have to be taken out of the picture to secure Rhaenyra's atypical claim lest war and rebellion potentially break out against her at any point in her reign, and Team Black had already shown willingness to resort to violence to help themselves (Rhea's death, Laenor's death, Vaemond's death, Velaryons' tongues getting cut out, Aemond's eye cut out without any punishment and instead Aemond threatened with torture over speaking the truth about Rhaenyra). It's not just "we hate the idea of a woman ruling, we hate women, and we're terrible, incompetent people."

Fire and Blood is a tale of two sides fighting for even more power than they already have who are willing to do horrible terrible war crimes against each other and innocents in order to obtain their end goal of the Iron Throne, and realistically you are interested in seeing all of them die and face the consequences of their actions. The story has weight, the characters are real and human and messy and tragic, the war is unjustified in its means and methods and purpose. It's the failure of Viserys' legacy and a reflection of the flaws of monarchy and specifically the ideals Targaryen supremacy. No side is right and the other wrong. Nobody's a hero.

This is where the show has failed in its adaptation. It has abandoned its themes, along with several characters, characterizations, and plot points, in order to create their own narrative that fits a story that they think will sell best to the casual modern viewer: essentially, redemption for Daenerys fans after the catastrophe of Game of Thrones' ending. By making up prophecy and dream stuff to give to Rhaenyra and also giving her some of that Dany "change the world" mentality that was absent in the source material, the writers can cut apart the character of Rhaenyra and make her into a new Daenerys, and this time they can give the fans want they wanted for Daenerys. Except Rhaenyra is not Daenerys at all, and their only similarity is dragon riding queen seeking to inherit their father's throne. Changing the narrative so Rhaenyra becomes the new Daenerys and a true hero of the story ruins the underlying themes of Fire and Blood and specifically the Dance.

Rhys Ifans likely read Fire and Blood and actually knows what he's talking about. The point of the Dance isn't "heroic woman attempting to overthrow the patriarchy is burned and destroyed by the patriarchy and agents of the patriarchy." The takeaway isn't just "misogyny and sexism are bad and hurt women" like the show hammers in so heavily every single episode. It's "the pursuit of power by the already powerful comes at the cost of innocents, war is never justified no matter what (and certainly not justified by manifest destiny, someone's dream of saving the world, or even 'misogynists stole my throne') and the violence of war destroys indiscriminately." There should be catharsis when gray characters who have done good but also horrific bad in the pursuit of power finally face the consequences and die early deaths. Like, for example, the end of Succession: none of the Roy siblings get what they want, and we understand why, and even though parts of their character are sympathetic and tragic to us, we can objectively view them as flawed and selfish people whose decisions led to this ultimate, inevitable conclusion where they don't get what they want, and it's deserved. This is what House of the Dragon should have been. Tragic, flawed characters on both sides acting selfishly but realistically to seize power from each other and ultimately failing. But the writers opted for an oversimplified morality tale of good vs evil to push their version of feminism into the story where it doesn't belong, at the detriment to the characters and the story to the point it goes against the themes and messages of the source material.

[ao3feed-tywin]

Griefs and Glories

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/UK9O1PC

by KingoftheUzbeks

King Robert is dead. But Jon Arryn lives.

And now all of Westeros is ablaze. The realm torn between the Lion, the Crowned Stag, and the Burning Stag. The throne must be taken with steel.

The old generation resigns themselves to another round of war. While the youth race towards the glories of battle. Titans will fall. But new heroes will rise.

And through it all, the game goes on.

Words: 2043, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen

Characters: Ned Stark, Stannis Baratheon, Jon Arryn, Robb Stark, Jon Snow, Davos Seaworth, Tyrells (ASoIaF), Cersei Lannister, Tywin Lannister, Edmure Tully, Tyrion Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Alester Florent, Selyse Baratheon, Shireen Baratheon, Melisandre (A Song of Ice and Fire), Petyr Baelish

Relationships: Catelyn Tully Stark/Ned Stark

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dead Robert Baratheon, Jon Arryn Lives, War of the Five Kings, BAMF Robb Stark, BAMF Jon Snow, Politics, Political Alliances, War, Epic Battles, Dialogue Heavy, POV Alternating, Alternate Universe - Canon, Three Kings Not Five, Canon Divergence - War of The Five Kings, well maybe four, Balon may still get ideas

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/UK9O1PC

[istumpysk]

Operation Stumpy Re-Read

ASOS: Samwell IV (Chapter 75)

He sucks harder than mine." Gilly stroked the babe's head as she held him to her nipple.

"He's hungry," said the blonde woman Val, the one the black brothers called the wildling princess. "He's lived on goats' milk up to now, and potions from that blind maester."

The boy did not have a name yet, no more than Gilly's did. That was the wildling way. Not even Mance Rayder's son would get a name till his third year, it would seem, though Sam had heard the brothers calling him "the little prince" and "born-in-battle."

He watched the child nurse at Gilly's breast, and then he watched Jon watch. Jon is smiling. A sad smile, still, but definitely a smile of sorts. Sam was glad to see it. It is the first time I've seen him smile since I got back.

[...]

"It's strange," he said to Sam. "Craster had no love for Mance, nor Mance for Craster, but now Craster's daughter is feeding Mance's son."

Look, a king's child has a milk brother.

Born-in-battle. :) Farewell Queen Dalla, you showed great potential. Certainly more than others have over the span of two books.

+.+.+

There was a king in the King's Tower for the first time in living memory, and banners flew from the Lance, Hardin's Tower, the Grey Keep, the Shieldhall, and other buildings that had stood empty and abandoned for long years.

Actually, no. That's not the truth, Ellen.

+.+.+

"They're all bright as flowers." Gilly pointed. "I like those yellow ones, with the fire. Look, and some of the fighters have the same thing on their blouses."

"A fiery heart. I don't know whose sigil that is."

Stannis Baratheon, king of branding.

+.+.+

"The red one?" said Sam uncertainly.

"Melisandre of Asshai," said Grenn. "The king's sorceress. They say she burned a man alive at Dragonstone so Stannis would have favorable winds for his voyage north.

Stannis is drowning in glory, and everyone in the Night's Watch is incredibly grateful, so now would be a good time to slip in a minor detail reminding everyone he's a gigantic piece of shit.

Farewell Alester Florent. You kind of sucked, but we feel for ya, buddy.

+.+.+

Jon had done more than well himself, to hear Grenn tell it. Yet even capturing the Horn of Winter and a wildling prince had not been enough for Ser Alliser Thorne and his friends, who still named him turncloak. 

The Wall is saved! The peripheral threat of horn is defeated!

+.+.+

Sam reddened. "Gilly's good. She's good and kind." He was glad that his long nightmare was done, glad to be back with his brothers at Castle Black . . . but some nights, alone in his cell, he thought of how warm Gilly had been when they'd curled up beneath the furs with the babe between them. "She . . . she made me braver, Jon. Not brave, but . . . braver."

This is why I love that @elegantwoes is in the middle of AGOT. It reminds me of things I've long forgotten.

Bravery! Bran, Samwell, and bravery. Are there any two characters who better represent bravery than craven Sam and broken Bran?

Can a man still be brave when he's afraid? That is the only time a man can be brave!

"No dragon," Irri said. "Brave men kill them, for dragon terrible evil beasts. It is known."

"It is known," agreed Jhiqui. - Daenerys III, AGOT

Look what I forgot. And you know who has the following chapter? Bran. It's Bran IV, AGOT.

"Dragons die." She stood on her toes to kiss him lightly on an unshaven cheek. "But so do dragonslayers." - Daenerys II, ACOK

Just like Bran has the following chapter after that.

Much against her inclination, she had locked the dragons belowdecks. It was too dangerous to let them fly freely over the city; the world was all too full of men who would gladly kill them for no better reason than to name themselves dragonslayer. - Daenerys II, ASOS

Just like Bran has the following chapter after that.

The thing is, I can't envision Bran killing a dragon by himself. Warging into Drogon and slamming him into a mountain isn't terribly satisfying. We need more hands. We need more brain. We need a Slayer!

He has to kill an Other and a dragon. He just has to. He's George!

+.+.+

"I know. Gilly said she'd be a wife to me, but . . . I told her about the words, and what they meant. I don't know if that made her sad or glad, but I told her." He swallowed nervously and said, "Jon, could there be honor in a lie, if it were told for a . . . a good purpose?"

"It would depend on the lie and the purpose, I suppose."

I'm glad you're open-minded about these things.

+.+.+

Jon looked at Sam. "I wouldn't advise it. You're not made to lie, Sam. You blush and squeak and stammer."

I'm counting on that in the future.

+.+.+

"I do," said Sam, "but I could lie in a letter. I'm better with a quill in hand. I had a . . . a thought. When things are more settled here, I thought maybe the best thing for Gilly . . . I thought I might send her to Horn Hill. To my mother and sisters and my . . . my f-f-father. If Gilly were to say the babe was m-mine . . ." He was blushing again. "My mother would want him, I know. She would find some place for Gilly, some kind of service, it wouldn't be as hard as serving Craster. And Lord R-Randyll, he . . . he would never say so, but he might be pleased to believe I got a bastard on some wildling girl. At least it would prove I was man enough to lie with a woman and father a child. He told me once that I was sure to die a maiden, that no woman would ever . . . you know . . . Jon, if I did this, wrote this lie . . . would that be a good thing? The life the boy would have . . ."

Isn't that sweet? Samwell's going to pretend to be a father to protect a little boy.

+.+.+

"Growing up a bastard in his grandfather's castle?" Jon shrugged. "That depends in great part on your father, and what sort of boy this is. If he takes after you . . ."

"He won't. Craster's his real father. You saw him, he was hard as an old tree stump, and Gilly is stronger than she looks."

Samwell is sure the little boy will end up like his biological father, despite the fact that Samwell is nothing like his biological father. Lol

Silly Jon, would it be so bad if the boy takes after his adoptive father?

+.+.+

"If the boy shows any skill with sword or lance, he should have a place with your father's household guard at the least," Jon said. "It's not unknown for bastards to be trained as squires and raised to knighthood. 

Sure, now you seem to realize that.

I'm so happy everyone let you join the Night's Watch.

+.+.+

Jon shrugged. "What else is there for me to do? Marsh has removed me from duty, for fear that I'm still a turncloak."

"It's only a few who believe that," Sam assured him. "Ser Alliser and his friends. Most of the brothers know better. King Stannis knows as well, I'll wager. You brought him the Horn of Winter and captured Mance Rayder's son."

"All I did was protect Val and the babe against looters when the wildlings fled, and keep them there until the rangers found us. I never captured anyone. 

Blink and he goes and gets married again. This time to a folding table.

Cheers to upgrades.

+.+.+

King Stannis keeps his men well in hand, that's plain. He lets them plunder some, but I've only heard of three wildling women being raped, and the men who did it have all been gelded.

That's what I like to hear! Cut off all the things! Proper justice!

She was pleased. Meereen had been sacked savagely, as new-fallen cities always were, but Dany was determined that should end now that the city was hers. She had decreed that murderers were to be hanged, that looters were to lose a hand, and rapists their manhood. - Daenerys VI, ASOS

+.+.+

The warg, I've heard them call me. How can I be a warg without a wolf, I ask you?" His mouth twisted. "I don't even dream of Ghost anymore. All my dreams are of the crypts, of the stone kings on their thrones. Sometimes I hear Robb's voice, and my father's, as if they were at a feast. But there's a wall between us, and I know that no place has been set for me."

The living have no place at the feasts of the dead. 

My life would be a lot easier if Samwell was always here to perfectly interpret a dream.

Speaking of walls between people, Ghost is coming Jon!

+.+.+

Three times he had sworn to keep the secret; once to Bran himself, once to that strange boy Jojen Reed, and last of all to Coldhands. "The world believes the boy is dead," his rescuer had said as they parted. "Let his bones lie undisturbed. We want no seekers coming after us. Swear it, Samwell of the Night's Watch. Swear it for the life you owe me."

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

+.+.+

"Lord Janos will never be chosen Lord Commander." It was the best comfort he had to offer Jon, the only comfort. "That won't happen."

He's prophetic!

+.+.+

Seven remained as of last night. Ser Denys Mallister had collected two hundred and thirteen tokens, Cotter Pyke one hundred and eighty-seven, Lord Slynt seventy-four, Othell Yarwyck sixty, Bowen Marsh forty-nine, Three-Finger Hobb five, and Dolorous Edd Tollett one. Pyp and his stupid japes. Sam shuffled through the earlier counts. Ser Denys, Cotter Pyke, and Bowen Marsh had all been falling since the third day, Othell Yarwyck since the sixth. Only Lord Janos Slynt was climbing, day after day after day.

Lol, Janos is better at marketing than Stannis.

If one more person calls him lord I'm going to lose my mind.

+.+.+

He could hear the birds quorking in the rookery, so he put the papers away and climbed the steps to feed them. Three more ravens had come in, he saw with pleasure. "Snow," they cried at him. "Snow, snow, snow." He had taught them that. Even with the newcomers, the ravenry seemed dismally empty. 

BRAN?!

+.+.+

One reached Stannis, though. One found Dragonstone, and a king who still cared. A thousand leagues south, Sam knew, his father had joined House Tarly to the cause of the boy on the Iron Throne, but neither King Joffrey nor little King Tommen had bestirred himself when the Watch cried out for help. What good is a king who will not defend his realm? he thought angrily, remembering the night on the Fist of the First Men and the terrible trek to Craster's Keep through darkness, fear, and falling snow. The queen's men made him uneasy, it was true, but at least they had come.

Except he doesn't give a shit about wildlings or the Others, Sam. It's the red woman and her dumb holy war.

What good is a king who will not defend his realm?

Save the realm, Bran!

+.+.+

Most of the brothers were unlettered, so by tradition the choosing was done by dropping tokens into a big potbellied iron kettle that Three-Finger Hobb and Owen the Oaf had dragged over from the kitchens. The barrels of tokens were off in a corner behind a heavy drape, so the voters could make their choice unseen. You were allowed to have a friend cast your token if you had duty, so some men took two tokens, three, or four, and Ser Denys and Cotter Pyke voted for the garrisons they had left behind.

What a flawed system. Did Republicans come up with this?

+.+.+

Tonight it was Sam's turn to give his results first. "Two hundred and three for Ser Denys Mallister," he said. "One hundred and sixty-nine for Cotter Pyke. One hundred and thirty-seven for Lord Janos Slynt, seventy-two for Othell Yarwyck, five for Three-Finger Hobb, and two for Dolorous Edd."

[...]

"Ser Denys is down ten votes since yesterday," Sam pointed out. "And Cotter Pyke is down almost twenty. That's not good."

"Not good for their hopes of becoming Lord Commander, certainly," said Maester Aemon. "Yet it may be good for the Night's Watch, in the end. That is not for us to say. Ten days is not unduly long. There was once a choosing that lasted near two years, some seven hundred votes. The brothers will come to a decision in their own time."

Newsflash Aemon, you can be impartial without being an idiot.

+.+.+

"Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys Mallister have been losing ground, but between them they still have almost two-thirds," he told Pyp and Grenn. "Either one would be fine as Lord Commander. Someone needs to convince one of them to withdraw and support the other."

"Someone?" said Grenn, doubtfully. "What someone?"

"Grenn is so dumb he thinks someone might be him," said Pyp. "Maybe when someone is done with Pyke and Mallister, he should convince King Stannis to marry Queen Cersei too."

+.+.+

"Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys don't like each other much," Grenn argued stubbornly. "They fight about everything."

I wonder if there will be another Cotter Pyke and Ser Denys at the Great Council.

+.+.+

"We?" said Pyp. "How did someone change to we? I'm the mummer's monkey, remember? And Grenn is, well, Grenn." He smiled at Sam, and wiggled his ears. "You, now . . . you're a lord's son, and the maester's steward . . ."

"And Sam the Slayer," said Grenn. "You slew an Other."

"It was the dragonglass that killed it," Sam told him for the hundredth time.

"A lord's son, the maester's steward, and Sam the Slayer," Pyp mused. "You could talk to them, might be . . ."

"I could," said Sam, sounding as gloomy as Dolorous Edd, "if I wasn't too craven to face them."

Aha! Tricks! Because Sam the Slayer, who slew an Other, isn't too craven! He's brave!

Final thoughts:

Watch Samwell champion Bran at the Great Council.

-> return to menu <-

[asongofsilks]

ASOIAF FANCASTING --> EVERY NAMED FEMALE CHARACTER ABOVE THE AGE OF FIVE, PART VII

Argella Durrandon (b. approx. 20 BC): Daughter of the last Storm King, Argilac the Arrogant. After he was killed in battle by Orys Baratheon, she declared herself the new Storm Queen, but was betrayed by her own garrison and delivered bound and gagged to the enemy. She then surrendered her kingdom to Aegon the Conqueror and married Orys, founding House Baratheon. Fancast: Amy Bailey.

Arianne Martell (b. 276 AC): The oldest child and heir of Prince Doran Martell. At the age of fourteen, she uncovers what she thinks is her father's plan to disinherit her in favour of her younger brother Quentyn. This leads her to attempt to crown Myrcella Baratheon as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms when her older brother Joffrey dies, so that she will replace her father in the ensuing conflict with the Iron Throne. However, this plan fails and Doran finally shares his plans for a Targaryen restoration with her in the aftermath. Arianne is currently on her way to meet the supposed Aegon, son of Rhaegar Targaryen who miraculously survived the sack of King's Landing. Fancast: Morena Baccarin.

Arra Norrey (c. 110-128 AC): Childhood companion and first wife of Lord Cregan Stark of Winterfell. She died giving birth to his first son, Rickon. Fancast: Natalie Portman.

Arrana Stark (b. approx 180 AC): Eldest daughter of Serena Stark and her husband Edric Stark, who was also her uncle. Serena was the younger daughter of Rickon Stark, who was the heir to Winterfell before his death, but none of Rickon's descendants inherited Winterfell. Arrana's older twin brothers, Cregard and Torrhen, probably died young. Arrana was married to Osric Umber, Lord of the Last Hearth, and bore his children. Fancast: Anna Walton.

Arsa Stark (b. approx. 190 AC): Daughter of Lord Brandon Stark, youngest son of Cregan Stark, and his wife Alys Karstark. She had two full older brothers as well as a bastard brother. Fancast: Caren Pistorius.

Arwen Upcliff (era of Andal conquest): Her marriage to Alester II Arryn, King of Mountain and Vale, brought the Witch Isle into his kingdom. Fancast: Camilla Rutherford.

Arwyn Frey (b. 285 AC): Daughter of Lord Walder Frey by Annara Farring. She is one of the Frey maidens presented to King Robb. Fancast: Jordon Stevens.

Arwyn Oakheart (b. approx. 240 AC): Lady of Old Oak and Head of House Oakheart. She is the mother of Arys Oakheart, member of the Kingsguard. She initially supports Renly Baratheon's claim to the Iron Throne after the death of King Robert, but when he dies, she goes along with House Tyrell's support of King Joffrey. Fancast: Cate Blanchett.

Arya Flint (b. approx. 210 AC): Wife of Rodrik Stark, known as the Wandering Wolf, and mother to two daughters. Her younger daughter Lyarra married Lord Rickard Stark, her cousin, and bore the children Brandon, Eddard, Lyanna and Benjen. Eddard named his second daughter after her. Fancast: Hailee Steinfeld.

Arya Stark (b. 289 AC): Second daughter and third child of Lord Eddard Stark and his wife, Catelyn Tully. When Eddard is executed in King's Landing, she goes missing. She attempts to reach her remaining family, but is first captured by Gregor Clegane's men and then her mother and brother Robb are slaughtered by the Freys at the Red Wedding. She then takes a ship to Braavos and becomes an acolyte of the Faceless Men, training to become an assassin. Meanwhile the Lannister-Bolton alliance claim to have found her, and send the false Arya Stark to the North to marry Ramsay Bolton (originally Snow) in order to secure House Bolton's hold over the North. Fancast: Maisie Williams.

Previous

[agentrouka-blog]

Does Sam knew his grandfather Alester had been dead by Mel? I don't think in show it happens. Could it be foreshadowing to Dany burning alive Sam's father like show?

I don't think he knows, no.

He hears this tale shortly after arriving back at Castle Black with Gilly:

"Melisandre of Asshai," said Grenn. "The king's sorceress. They say she burned a man alive at Dragonstone so Stannis would have favorable winds for his voyage north. She rode beside him in the battle too, and gave him his magic sword. Lightbringer, they call it. Wait till you see it. It glows like it had a piece of sun inside it."  (ASOS, Samwell IV)

No name is mentioned and it's buried underneath extra information.

Axell Florent, Sam's great-uncle, doesn't arrive until much later with queen Selyse.

Axell Florent's brother had been burned by Melisandre, Maester Aemon had informed him, yet Ser Axell had done little and less to stop it. What sort of man can stand by idly and watch his own brother being burned alive? (ASOS, Jon IX)

Jon has learned the details by then but doesn't seem to be aware of the family connection to Sam.

Though it's odd that Sam wouldn't at least consider it when Stannis is at the castle. He's kin to his queen!

Considering GRRM brought Randyll into much greater prominence in AFFC and the ADWD Epilogue, I suspect the show didn't deceive us in giving him a role to play in the approaching conflict.