#Heirs rant

[persephryne]

Making Aegon a rapist was straight up bad and lazy writing.

Let me elaborate.

In the show, the first thing we learn about Aegon as an adult is that he is a rapist. We haven’t seen him yet but still we already know that he is an horrible despicable rapist, especially since Dyana is so young, which pretty much makes him a pedophile too. How could anyone root for a man like that ? And that’s where the problem begins.

Rhaenyra had already been established many times as the rightful heir to the throne in season 1. It has been made obvious that she would make a decent Queen too. In the meantime, it had already been shown that Aegon is not even a good person. He’s selfish, inconsiderate, a bully, and does not act like a prince at all. To put it plainly, he sucks big time and we as viewers already know it. Add what we saw in season 2, how reckless he gets, how he’s an alcoholic immature asshole, how he obviously knows nothing about strategics nor how to rule efficiently, or even how bad he is at high valyrian, and you can’t have anyone tell you in good faith that he would’ve been a better ruler than Rhaenyra.

However, had Aegon not been made a rapist, you would still feel for him even though he is not cut out to rule. Because he knows it too and tried to escape it and he was forced to attend his own coronation . Because this crown that he did not want does not fit him, even though he really tries to show that he is not as worthless as everyone seems to think and he just keeps failing. You would feel for him because the war ,that he has started when he was made an usurper by the people around him, has cost him his son’s life. Because the brother, who is partially responsible for his son’s death has now betrayed him and tried to kill him with dragonfire. Because the injuries he suffered make him look more and more like his father who never cared for him, never loved him and that he definitely hates. Which also probably why he tries so hard to make his mother proud of him and love him but he can’t and his main attempt has left him half-dead, half-burn. Not only that but his dragon, with whom he has the strongest bond known in Targaryen’s, history probably died during this futile attempt to prove himself. The only thing about his Targaryen’s heritage that he seems to care about has been destroyed all because he wanted to prove himself. Because he truly resents his Targaryen’s, his father’s heritage, it’s obvious, just as it is obvious that he didn’t want to marry his own sister but was forced to. It’s completely legitimate of him to want to distance himself as much as possible from everything that is Targaryen related. He is indeed more of an Hightower than a Targaryen, but can you really blame him for that ? Would you not try to fit somewhere else too, if you were in his place ? It’s all absolutely and undeniably tragic.

I wholeheartdely believe that, even if you would’ve root for Rheanyra to be Queen, you woud’ve probably still thought that Aegon, as bad as he is, did not deserves this much pain.

But because he is a rapist, well, he honestly does.

By not trusting the audience to see that Aegon is not a good person, nor a good a king, without having him comitting a literal crime, by making Aegon a rapist, the writers have annihilated any possibilities for an internal conflict regarding Aegon and Rhaenyra. The whole concept of « teams » just goes down the drain because of this lazy, manichaean, writing. And that, my friends, is bad writing at its peak.

[shinebrightruby]

I love how in TCP, both Jude and Cardan don't really change their personalities like main love interests do in other YA books. Like in other YA books, the love interest changes for the other love interest because they 'love them so much'. But in TCP, both Jude and Cardan relatively stay the same throughout the whole series (and in Oak's series as well). And yeh, I know y'all gonna say:"But they did changeee" --- no they didn't. They were just both so comfortable enough with each other that they both brought out parts of each other that make them Jude and Cardan (does that make sense lol). like Jude always keeps a well-guarded composure, but she becomes comfortable enough with Cardan that she shows her vulnerable side to him. (and its the same with Cardan but in a diff aspect ya know).

[viivdle]

saw something on my feed and i have to break my silence

KEEP MY GIRL'S NAME WREN OUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!!!!!!!!

"she knew how horrible the bridle was and used it on oak, she needs to be punished" mkay so you just chose to ignore the plot.

you make jokes about jude punishing cardan because she deserves to go psycho for what everyone did to her.. then someone who's not your fav does it and you start tweaking??

wren is the first truly morally gray tfota character in that sense. i love it.

her entire life was so complex from the start, of course she turned out the way she did. from the difference in her and her family in childhood to being snatched by the court of teeth. from the age she could form thoughts, she was traumatized. she was HOMELESS and preferred it to her "home" don't you guys get that? she is horrified and fragile and ALONE. then the ONLY person she trusted comes back into her life just to use her - of course she uses the fucking bridle. she deserves to have a fucking psychotic breakdown. it's the way she was raised.

when jude and cardan are toxic because of the trauma they can't shed, you're so sorry for them. when wren is toxic because of the trauma she endured, you call her the very thing she is afraid of being - a monster.

the favoritism is insane and you guys are blind if you don't see it.

[viviandarkbloombartylusversion]

Hot take? Walburga Black never ever wanted a daughter...

[heir-of-the-chair]

I just need everyone to know that I fucking hate Hamlet prince of Denmark. This stupid fictional man makes me so goddamned angry I need to squeeze him like one of those rubber toys where the eyes pop out and shake him so violently like a child discovering snow globes for the first time. I fucking hate Hamlet prince of Denmark oh my god.

[teatitty]

One thing Naruto fandom does that pisses me off is when they act like being a Chuunin makes you automatically weaker than a Jounin when its a proven fact that Jounin ranks aren't that common at all. Most shinobi are chuunin rank. You become a Jounin either by taking an exam [as Temari recommends to Shikamaru] or the village just collectively decides that you're The Fucking Shit and elects you for it so no exam needed [Kakashi is the best example]

Sakura and Shikamaru are both chuunin with jounin level capabilities. The ongoing gag of Shippuden is that Naruto is still a genin despite basically being a god. Your rank does not equal skill or power level, the only difference is whether you take on S-Rank missions by yourself or not. That's literally it. The only time a "superior officer" matters is in the fucking field when you have a team captain leading the mission [and it's entirely possible for a chuunin to be the captain instead of a jounin depending on experience and who is better suited for that role per mission]

Iruka arguing with Kakashi at the chuunin exams wouldn't be shocking in universe because he's yelling at a jounin it'd be shocking because it's Kakashi who is super famous and feared the world over. I doubt most people are really ballsy enough to get in his face about something just because of his reputation, and that has nothing to do with his rank and everything to do with who he is [I could make a whole separate post about that argument and how neither of them are wrong or right here for different reasons but I won't]

In short: chuunin are the ones who run the village, not jounin, and a ninjas rank is not indicative of their power or skill. Stop that shit

[achaotichuman]

Tamlin and his brothers

This is an analysis of Tamlin's relationship with his lost brothers. For Day 1- Prompt: Heir of Spring

Tamlin's brothers are two unnamed characters that we see very little of, but here is what we know from mentions of them.

Both of them are older than Tamlin.

They are cruel and belittling towards him, in a similar manner the Vanserra brothers are cruel towards Lucien.

Both of them wanted for the throne, enough that Tamlin knew if he took on the High lord's power, they would kill him.

They went along with their father to kill Rhysand's sister and mother. In revenge, Rhysand melted both their brains in their skulls.

That is about all we know of them, and they are never otherwise mentioned.

It is very interesting when we talk about these two characters, for simplicity I will refer to them as the names I gave them in my fiction A Court of Song and Desolation, Baile (the eldest) and Aletris (the middle).

When the reader thinks of Baile and Aletris it is a never in a good light. In the first book it is because it is implied they were cruel towards Tamlin, and in the following book it is because they helped in murdering Rhysand's family.

What I think is an important detail in this respect is that Baile and Aletris never have any specific abusive/cruel act tied to them. Everything they do is an extension of their father, whom I will refer to as Elvin (also from my fiction).

Elvin is the one who was said to be worse than Beron himself, whom we know actively tortures his eldest child. Elvin is the one who is specifically said to have abused Tamlin, taken him and introduced him to Amarantha, and was the one who orchestrated the killing of Rhysand's family.

Baile and Aletris are only said to have been complicit in the abuse and murders. They weren't the ones who started it.

We also know that Tamlin was favored by his mother, and in Lucien's case, we know that favoritism from his mother caused Lucien's brothers to resent him. The same can be said for Tamlin.

As the youngest and their mother's favorite. There was some subconscious resentment towards Tamlin already, which would have fueled their dislike for him.

So, now to what you're probably thinking. Chaotic, why are you listing all this about two unnamed characters who are spoken of like twice in the books?

Because I believe that Tamlin's relationship with his brothers runs deeper than what we are led to believe it is.

(Too note, I do not believe SJM will actually plan anything out in regards to Tamlin's past relationships, these are my personal theories)

Tamlin ran for the War Camps the second he could to escape his abusive situation. As the youngest and the third spare son, he has more freedom than that of his elder brothers. As they are more likely to inherit the throne. Especially Baile, as the eldest.

Like we know with Eris, he is willing to put on a mask of pure cruelty, even to Lucien whom we know he has a weak spot for.

I think it is similar with Baile, and Aletris.

We don't know what happened in the Spring Court manor when Tamlin wasn't present, we barely know what happens when he is there.

We don't know if Elvin tortured Baile and Aletris. We do know he mistreated his wife and abused all his sons. Possibly Baile the worst, as the eldest of Spring.

Which leads me to wonder if their relationship was always so cruel. Could it possibly have been tender but soured with time? Did Baile and Aletris actually want to go with Elvin to kill Rhysand's family, or were they forced too? Was their cruelty for their own sadistic pleasure or out of built up trauma and eventually blowing up?

Imagine, times when Tamlin was a small child and Baile letting him try to put on his armor and barely being able to pick up the breastplate. Baile putting his helmet on Tamlin's head and Tamlin falling over from the weight of it, laughing.

Times where Aletris taught Tamlin to climb trees effortlessly. Knowing where to put his foot and how to pull himself up. Showing him how to get up to the secret treehouses he and Baile built when they were younger.

Times where Elvin was on a rage, and Baile, Aletris, Tamlin and their mother hid in a closet, trying to wait for the storm to calm. Baile and Aletris exchanging stupid jokes and made-up funny stories to make their little brother laugh and cheer up their mother.

Times where Aletris and Baile taught Tamlin sword fighting, how to hone his fighting abilities and how to tame the feral beast he had. How to use his wild side to his advantage.

Times where Baile ruffled Tamlin's hair and called him "Feral kid.

Times where Aletris picked up and threw Tamlin over his shoulder whenever he came back from the war camps to prove he could still pick him up like when he was a baby.

Times when they would all sit on the rooftop and watch the stars, dreaming of a time when none of them had the responsibilities they had, and simply lived as peasants tending to their own personal lives.

Times when tenderness abounded, and they still had softness between them.

Before it was choked out by times when Baile would snap and rage like their father, and Tamlin would hide.

By times, when Aletris would throw things and they would shatter and cut his youngest brother.

By times when they would make fun of him relentlessly until he was sobbing. Insulting everything about him until he broke.

By times when their father beat him and they did nothing but watch with cruel laughing eyes.

By times that were bitter and cold and hateful, that overshadowed the good times they once had.

I think Tamlin and his brothers have a deep, complicated relationship. I think it would be reflected in his grieving, from going from hating them so ruthlessly and glad that they are dead.

To seeing their names engraved into the trunks of trees and breaking down into sobs about their death.

To seeing the scars still their from their abuse.

To seeing the armor that Baile left him.

To remembering the hateful words that he still carries.

To remembering the stories Baile and Aletris made up in that closet.

Their story is messy, frustrating, miserable. It's also tender, comforting and warm.

It will never get closure, because they died before Tamlin could even try to reconcile with them. The chapter will never close and Tamlin will always be left with the grief of losing his siblings.

The blood of the covenant may run thicker than the water of the womb. But nothing will ever feel the aching emptiness of Tamlin's lost sibling love.

@tamlinweek

[shouldprobablybereading]

I haven’t started reading again yet but there has been like 15 mentions of renarin reminding someone of or acting like dalinar I lowkey hope it’s implying he’s gonna take up the position after dalinar gets killed of from the horrible luck of being 30+ and a protagonist

[beetrotxo]

hey i need to be insane about devon for a second. spoilers for dark heir below the cut.

Dark Rise as a series has a lot of themes surrounding the inescapability of the past- one really obvious example of this is Kettering, who literally dies because he's so stuck in the past he can't accept that the life he knew was gone/wanted to revive his lover so badly. but this theme resonates with LITERALLY every character in the series. Will is forced to become the Dark King. James is forced to lose his freedom like Anachrion no matter how much he struggles. Visander comes back to chase old grudges. It's all history repeating itself again, and nobody can stop it.

Except Devon CHANGES. he's the only remnant of the Old World in the book who actually shows a capacity for changing. Everything else is doomed to repeat itself EXCEPT DEVON. He's technically the only one who actually lived through the Old World, and I think its so interesting how much emphasis is put on the fact that because he had time to just...be alone? He made a complete 180 change from who he was. AND AGAIN: HES THE ONLY REMNANT OF THE OLD WORLD WHO DOES!

Indeviel was a literal unicorn incapable of lying. He fought alongside the Light and willingly allowed humans to use him as a tool for war. He vowed vengeance against the Lions who killed his kind and promised to be the noble steed of the Queen's Champion. But Devon? Devon is a courtier for the 'Dark King' who is VERY close with a Lion and seems entirely disillusioned with the idea of allowing humans to use him like they did in the Old World. He changes completely from how he was in the Old World. Devon recognizes the pattern of things repeating from the past, but he's the only one who changes (except maybe barring Violet? But I think her situation is a little different. Although Devon does say in Dark Rise 'you're like me' and I think this is why. They're the only ones who change in this conflict thats doomed to repeat itself over and over).

Devon literally forgetting oaths he swore over a thousand years ago and discarding the ideals of the Light in favor of doing what he thinks is right is not only a complete change from what he was before but also clashes PERFECTLY with Visander who not only still sees Devon as Indeviel even though Devon has changed so much, but also how Visander literally only lives and dies for his thousand year old grudge against the Dark King, while Devon literally forgot his grudge against Lions and became close with one.

What does this mean? IDK. I think this means im ill about my favorite unicorn boy and think about him too much. Entirely possible im reading too much into this or something.

[of-the-way-and-wildflowers]

I know we’re all excited about the Jurdan moments in Prisoner’s Throne but I gotta circle us back to Wren and Oaks story for a sec. Has anyone else noticed the Snow White undertones of the story? It very, very loosely based where it is more subtle nods but it’s there. Wren as a child being corpse pale, the hunt for her heart and the deception of an animals heart!?! Those are the one I remember in Stolen Heir. In Prisoners Throne, Oaks kiss brings her back to life!?! I love when Holly Black does this. Like with Cruel Prince it was Alice in Wonderland. Did y’all notice any others cause their story already has me in a puddle in the floor then there are these nods and aaaaahhhhh

[leeisautistic]

HELLO MOOT 🫴 How do you feel about Cyprian (im normal about him)

I have very strong feelings about this lol. I try to remind myself that he is only a kid. People on here always mention how he was brainwashed his whole life so of course he would believe that betraying Will was the right thing to do.

But even knowing this. In a very real sense he annoys me sooo much. I think his lack of critical thinking skills is very deliberate on Pacat's part as like I said, he is just a brainwashed kid. But god. Some random person shows up and you decide to immediately believe them and forget everything you know about your friend? I think what annoys me the most though is the fact he drank from the cup. Like YOU KNOW doing this will give you a shadow and the dark king is able to control shadows AND YOU STILL DRINK FROM THE CUP? come on now

Do I understand why he is the way he is: yes. Do I like him: absolutely not. But it's okay because not all characters are written to be likeable

[wouldtheyfuck]

[coquetteriddle]

cursed child is awful for many reasons but what annoys me the most about it is not only the idea that voldemort had a daughter, but because he would never want or plan to have an heir because that just wasn't the plan. voldemort meant to be immortal! he meant for him to be the only heir to slytherin and we know this because of the diary!! he had to pass the knowledge down to someone through possession, because he never planned to pass it down through blood. there's no reason for him to want to continue his legacy or bloodline because he IS the legacy. through his immortality, he IS continuing the legacy with no need or concern for the partnership of another person and the possibility of a threat to his power.

[starrynightsxo]

I keep seeing snippets of the prisoner's throne (which I am yet to read) and one of the snippets is cardan saying liar "fondly" and I just want holly black to put me out of my misery and let me bloody perish.

[mothpaww]

i just finished Dark Rise and I'm like

ASDFGHJKL INSANE

I WAS READY TO HATE JAMES BUT HE'S JUST???????

Also this

I know my ass will be destroyed once James realize WHO Will really is and I'm not ready

[new-austin]

Cannot believe Viago replaced me with an angrier more spiteful version of me