#and that *olenna* was the one who might need redemption. or she might not. he wants you to be asking these questions!

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

I want there to be a possibility of redemption for us, because we all do terrible things. We should be able to be forgiven. Because if there is no possibility of redemption, what’s the answer then? [Martin pauses for a moment.] You’ve read the books? Yes. Who kills Joffrey? That killing happens early in this fourth season. The books, of course, are well past the poisoning of King Joffrey. In the books – and I make no promises, because I have two more books to write, and I may have more surprises to reveal – the conclusion that the careful reader draws is that Joffrey was killed by the Queen of Thorns, using poison from Sansa’s hairnet, so that if anyone did think it was poison, then Sansa would be blamed for it. Sansa had certainly good reason for it. The reason I bring this up is because that’s an interesting question of redemption. That’s more like killing Hitler. Does the Queen of Thorns need redemption? Did the Queen of Thorns kill Hitler, or did she murder a 13-year-old boy? Or both? She had good reasons to remove Joffrey. Is it a case where the end justifies the means? I don’t know. That’s what I want the reader or viewer to wrestle with, and to debate. —George R.R. Martin: The Rolling Stone Interview, April 2014

I mean, Joffrey, as monstrous as he is [...] is still a 13-year-old kid. And there's kind of a moment there where he knows that he's dying and he can't get a breath and he's kind of looking at Tyrion and at his mother and at the other people in the hall with just terror and appeal in his eyes—you know, "Help me mommy, I'm dying." And in that moment, I think even Tyrion sees a 13-year-old boy dying before him. So I didn't want it to be entirely, "Hey-ho, the witch is dead." I wanted the impact of the death to still strike home on to perhaps more complex feelings on the part of the audience, not necessarily just cheering. [...] I think Joffrey is a classic 13-year-old bully. Do you know many 13-year-old kids you'd like to give absolute power to? There's a cruelty in children, especially children of a certain age, that you see in junior high and middle school. We don't want 13-year-old bullies to be put to death. We probably do when we're their 13-year-old victims, but they grow up and most of them grow out of it, and sometimes people do regret their actions. But Joffrey will never get that chance, so we don't know what he would have become. Probably nothing good, but still… —EW.com: George R.R. Martin on why Joffrey died THAT way, April 2014

[angel-deux-writes]

Now that Honor Compels Me is finally done, I wanted to do a round-up of all the things I remember that made me say “I feel like I need to tell someone what almost happened here” or “I should probably explain this later lol”, along with my reasons for cutting the last few chapters/what would have happened in them. It’s prob going to be very long, which I apologize for, but I’ll bold the headings so that you can skip to the parts you’re interested in!

I’ll reblog it and add more as I think of them, but for now: 

Dark Dany: VERY originally, like way back in the OG plotline from 2017, Dany was an antagonist, and Margaery Tyrell was Robb’s queen. Dany would have died fighting Cersei in Kings Landing, with the same result (Cersei was ALWAYS going to go out by wildfire lmao). I changed it both because a) it seemed like too many Conveniently Alive people for one story and b) after the shitty ending Dany got, I decided I would try my hand at writing a Dany I could actually root for! For years I’ve been a big proponent/fan of the idea that Dany is eventually going to be an antagonist in the books, but the way it was handled in the show was so irredeemably stupid (gassing her up and gaslighting/scolding her fans later who didn’t see it coming, making her switch at the drop of a hat for the majority of the general audience just for the sake of a twist, etc). I ended up really loving the version of Dany I created. I tried not to soften her TOO much, which is why I had her wrestle with herself even up to the very end (like thinking “I won” after the explosion in Kings Landing and hating herself for it). I didn’t want all the flaws that make me not support canon Dany to disappear just because I started to like her! I do think that writing this story made me like Dany more overall. I still don’t support her canon actions, and I also probably won’t in the books, but I came to find her more compelling as I wrote her. I’m a lot less afraid to write her now than I have been in the past, though I’ll continue to add warnings to all my stories that feature Dark Dany, bc yall Dany stans have been through enough. 

More Death: At various points Dany, Theon, Bran, and Arya were going to die. 

Dany was already pointed out. 

I had Theon die in the Long Night in the plot outline just out of laziness/in keeping with canon, until I remembered that Redemption = Death is stupid and I wasn’t gonna do it. 

Bran was going to die after warging into Drogon and being caught in the explosion of the Red Keep. That actually stayed in until a few weeks ago! I told a bunch of people that Bran was going to die! It was the plan all along! And then I realized that “somebody has to die” was a shitty way of looking at it, and I changed it. I think a lot of this process of changing things was me trying to write what I thought people wanted vs what story I actually wanted to tell. Sure it’s a little fairy tale ending this way, but it’s my story, and who cares? Happy endings are nice. Fuck off. 

Arya...I probably wouldn’t have ever actually gone through with it, because I am a coward, but there was an idea of a VERY heavy-handed “revenge is bad” message with Arya where Arya was much more savage and instead of turning back into Arya, she was turning farther and farther away from her. She couldn’t reconcile with the Lannisters, she rejected her bonds with her family. In the end she would be unable to let go of her list, would refuse to grow and change and realize that she had other things to live for, and she would have set off one of Qyburn’s traps in the Red Keep, igniting the whole thing, killing Drogon and Rhaegal (and Bran) and leading to the deaths of thousands. AGAIN I was like “that’s too dark” and scrapped the idea, but it was definitely toyed with. I love Arya as a character, so this plotline for her would have definitely been more a reaction to fans of her who seem to want her to hold on to that vengeful seed inside of her. 

Prophecies: Listen, I do not give a fuck about any prophecies. I really don’t. Every fantasy universe has some kind of involved backstory that some fans love to get mired in, but I am not one of those fans. Still, I tried to deliver on two of them lmao. 

Azor Ahai ended up being Jaime, with Ice/Oathkeeper and Maiden’s Heart being Lightbringer. Originally, I had Brienne killing the Night King, without any thought to the prophecy at all, but that was another case of “people will like it if Brienne kills the Night King” and I realized that I would like it better if it was Jaime. I’m not sure how it checks out literally, but I figured it worked with a) tempering in water = splitting Ice. b) heart of a lion = Jaime’s change of heart after the Highgarden Battle. c) Nissa Nissa = Brienne’s “maiden’s heart” breaking during the Highgarden Battle. It was Brienne who did the stabbing, but it was Jaime who made it happen, so I figured that made sense. I made sure to mention Brienne’s tears and all the smoke when Jaime was wounded, so he could be “reborn amidst salt and smoke” or whatever, and I had Bran mention a rebirth for him in the next chapter. Which was maybe a little on the nose, but IDK GUYS I FEEL LIKE IT CHECKS OUT! 

I know the show never dove into the Valonqar prophecy at all, and I think we all know that I absolutely HATE the idea of Jaime being the Valonqar, so I would rather not think about it AT ALL. But Bran AND Rhaegal were both kind of responsible for Cersei’s death in the end, so take your pick of which Little Brother actually did the deed! 

Deleted Chapters: I promise you, you are not missing anything with these deleted chapters. They were always messy, and no matter how many times I edited them, they felt too forced and “now let me explain the ending”. 

Sansa: Sansa’s chapter followed Jaime’s and was primarily about her going to Robb and Dany and the three of them talking about the future of Westeros. The Dany/Robb conversation about it was originally absent--the last Robb chapter was added to fill in the gaps when I deleted this and the other chapters--so this would have been the first time it was discussed. It then would have had a time jump and a wedding scene, which I could never make work! It was such a jarring time jump in the middle of a chapter, and I didn’t think the wedding was particularly exciting to write about lmao. 

Tyrion: Tyrion’s chapter would have been Dany being crowned and announcing to everyone that she and her people are going to be dismantling the monarchy and setting up a new government. I think I had her give a period of a few years in which she and Robb would rule, but they were going to be transitioning governments in that time. Kind of the same idea as in What a King Should Look Like. Bronn also showed up, DID in fact get a minor holdfast, and was mocked by both Lannisters for bowing out before he could have earned himself a better one. Olenna found some bastard daughter to legitimize and continue her house.

Brienne: Brienne’s arc was a lot more drawn out in the original draft, and I ended up editing it a few times and making it shorter. VERY originally, this chapter would have been her wedding with Jaime, at which she has the “wow he actually loves me, huh?” realization. Which I thought was funny as I plotted it out, but in execution it wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be, so I moved the realization to an earlier chapter. The original was also going to be Jaime giving up his name entirely, and Brienne cloaking him, but as we have discussed before, I am in fact a coward, so I just deleted the whole chapter lmao. In all seriousness, at this point the endings just felt like Return of the King, and Into the West was actually the chosen song for this chapter, because I knew even as I was writing it that I was doing Too Much lmao. 

Robb: Robb’s last chapter was essentially just a total wrap up chapter. Just Robb and Dany being sappy, Robb being happy he was still alive, and the two of them planning the future. They were at Riverrun for this part, i’m pretty sure, or it might have been Dragonstone? I had trouble even filling this chapter with enough words for it to be a full chapter, because it was basically just an epilogue. As the story progressed, this chapter felt more and more like I was just performing to the “Robb’s Alive” crowd, which I didn’t particularly want to do, because Robb being alive was always a feature, not the focus, of this story. 

That’s all the stuff I can think of for now! If anyone has any particular questions you can message me or inbox me about them and I’d be happy to talk about it! 

[uncommon-etc]

5 Ways in which bad writing was the real villain of GOT 8x05

I know tempers are running high right now but after lying awake for hours being angry about the way this season is going I’ve decided to try and rationalize just what it was about this episode that left such a bitter taste in everyone’s mouths. Did I think there were obvious elements of misogyny and racism at play? Definitely. But pointing that out without concrete proof isn’t going to win any arguments and none of it would have happened if it weren’t for a total disregard for the basic principles of good storytelling so let’s dig in: 

1. Hitchcock’s Law of Suspense? What’s that? 

In creating his high-intensity thrillers (on very limited budgets and with minimal special effects compared to today’s media) Alfred Hitchcock often referenced a scene in which a bomb goes off under a table while two characters are talking. He said it was better to get 15 minutes of suspense rather than 15 seconds of surprise so rather than simply let the bomb explode for shock value why not show the bomb being planted, allow the characters to carry on with their conversation as the audience is literally yelling at them that a bomb is about to go off then you could have someone defuse it at the last minute. 

8x05 threw this out of the window in multiple ways but if you want an example of a time when Game of thrones used it to amazing effect look no further than season 6 and the blowing up of the great sept of Baelor. The music was textbook suspense building, the reactions of the characters to Cersei not being present at her trial are a genius way of building tension, the futility of lancel’s attempt to stop the wildfire exploding and then the actual climax of the scene make it one of the most memorable uses of suspense in modern television. Did we get that in this episode? Nope, we got lots of people being burned alive needlessly, several huge anti-climaxes and an over-use if CGI. 

On a lesser not Jaime’s decision to return to King’s Landing was a major wasted opportunity in the suspense stakes, had he made his motives less clear and allowed the audience to wonder whether he was returning to King’s Landing to kill Cersei or save her his final scenes would have been much more compelling. 

2. Show, don’t tell.  

Part of the reason everyone seemed so out-of-character this episode was because the writers seem to have forgotten the basic principle that instead of going round telling everyone that a character has certain qualities/motivations you should demonstrate said qualities to the viewer to win them around to to that character’s perspective here are a few examples:

When Tyrion is initially named hand of the king the writers want you to think he’s the cleverest character so rather than have other characters be like “he’s the cleverest character” they have him outsmart the likes of varys, littlefinger and maester pycelle to find out which one of them was informing on him to Cersei, it was a brilliantly well-executed scene and set him up as one of the smartest characters on the show. A+ 

When Tyrion is named hand of the queen he makes a lot of stupid decisions, we’re told that a lot of this stems from underestimating his own family yet previous seasons establish he and Cersei as having one of the most intriguing complex sibling relationships on the show by allowing the events of the plot to foster constant mistrust between them. We’re constantly told Tyrion is still one of the cleverest characters but without a hidden agenda none of his current actions make any sense in relation to those qualities. D- 

3. Proper Characterization is a marathon, not  a sprint. 

The last thing viewers/readers who have spent years with a character, understanding their motivations, qualities and back-story should feel is that the writer’s weren’t sure what to do with that character half way through the episode but that’s exactly how many viewers felt upon watching Jon and Danaerys’ arcs unfold in 8x05. Neither were given any build-up or foreshadowing to the decisions they made and it  Simultaneously ruined the 7-season character arcs of two fan-favorites. 

Jon’s been stripped of many of his more interesting qualities as a leader this season and in attempts to make him look like a loyal, brave hero all the writers have done is make him look weak. If they were setting him up to have to kill Danaerys and save the realm next episode they did an extremely poor job of it, mainly because the one scene they shared together this episode was such a confused mess. 

If the writers’ wanted Jon to be a cold and calculating political leader he occasionally appears in the books they could have made him work a lot harder at convincing Danaerys that he loves her and would do anything for her, probably going a lot further than one kind of awkward kiss.  

And if they wanted to show him genuinely being in love with her and retaining some semblance of humanity his response should have been more like “Yes I love you but we’re related and it’s weird and I’m still coming to terms with the fact my entire identity for 7 seasons has been a lie so could you maybe give me some space to process that.”

Somehow the destruction of Danaerys entire arc managed to be even worse as they’ve spent all this time building her up as a protector of the innocent and a fair ruler. They abandoned the kind of nuanced and considered writing that found her struggling to rule in Mereen (which happened to be one of her most interesting story-lines) in favor of pure shock-tactics. 

There were many better ways in which the destruction of king’s landing could have played out with very similar consequences. The bell-ringing could have been a ploy to put her armies at ease before more Lannister soldiers appeared from out of nowhere and start slaughtering them so she has no choice but to attack, the wildfire could have been a major plot-device rather than an afterthought and the burning of the red-keep could have triggered much larger explosions all over the city. So it wasn’t only out-of-character, it was badly timed and made no actual sense in relation to the plot.  

4. Don’t invalidate your own work

As a writer the last thing you should to is completely go back on your own plot developments but when a lot of viewers are asking “So why didn’t Danaerys just take Olenna’s advice and burn King’s Landing in season 7, then she’d still have three dragons and most of her army” then you’ve messed up big-time. 

Killing off fan-favorites, sending characters down dark paths, regressing on certain aspects of character-development and reminding people of the horrors of being a civilian caught up in a conflict are all valid means of storytelling and can be used very effectively given the proper time and foreshadowing to see it through but when writing one scene badly makes almost everything else you’ve written seem futile and pointless not only are you failing as a writer your failing those who have invested considerable time and energy into those characters and their story-lines/redemption arcs/perspectives.   

Which brings us onto my final point

5. Look at your story in a wider context 

Like it or not, no narrative exists in isolation and no matter how fantastical a setting it will always be the characters, their emotions and the way they relate to each other that viewers and readers are captivated by. Many of a character’s actions may become horribly dated as times (and attitudes) change, one need only watch any film about a young working class man made between 1960 and 1987 to see that treating female characters like crap used to be the norm even for well-liked protagonists but with this in mind writers still need to be conscious of the way their story will be received.

If Game of Thrones was ever supposed to be about disrupting an oppressive feudal order, giving voice to those who were robbed of it and dismantling the power structures that allowed might and ruthlessness to triumph over intelligence and common decency then it failed miserably. 

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t read a lot into these things but it seemed pretty obvious that the message was one of utter futility; never try to escape a toxic relationship, you’ll just end up going back and it’ll be the death of you, never try to be better than your insane family, you’ll just end up turning into them and if you’re born a slave don’t try to be anything else because you’ll probably still die in chains. And that’s before you even dig into how much the show is wrecking Sansa’s character arc by implying that she should be grateful for all the horrible things which happened to her rather having her consciously decide to do things differently to those who tormented her. 

So those were the biggies. There were countless other examples of sloppy writing (Qyburns scorpions being able to take down a dragon from behind and island on a boat but not being able to hit one and point blank range, yara being robbed of the chance to kill her uncle, Varys not even knowing Jon but being determined that even though all Targaryans have the potential to be nuts he’d be the better ruler) but I digress, if I’ve missed anything major message me or leave me a comment, I’m sorry that this has been such a long post but I’ve invested too much of my life into both the show and the books to allow this mess to pass for acceptable writing.   

[alicesloane13]

My Try Not to Die List GoT s8 (updated 8.04)

(& other character lists) 

I guess I’ll put a “read more” in since I’m gonna cross them off as they go? 

Everything is alphabetical and not ranked.

The Big Ones

Arya Stark - I’ve been rooting for you since day 1 and while I don’t want you to win, your ass better be there to control the chaos of who is left

Brienne of Tarth - I never expected to love you as much as I do. Stay alive! Also, you deserve better than Jamie. He may seem like a weirdo, but give more Tormund a chance

Bronn - my buddy, my friend, my guy. Your ass better stay alive at least until you get your castle!

Cersei Lannister - I know you won’t last, but I want you to. Hopefully, wherever you end up there are elephants. (Also, if anyone is going to kill you it sure as hell better be Arya)

Davos Seaworth -  you are too pure for this world, I don’t care what people have told you 

Gilly - I just want you to be happy and feel loved and paid attention to.

The Hound - If Arya lives you have to! It’s a rule now. Brotp? 

Lyanna Mormon - I will need an entire box of tissues and therapy if anything happens to you. I don’t care how fucking noble it is!  Tiny Warrior - you went out like the badass fucking warrior you were. (Also, I am SO FUCKING GLAD I didn’t have to watch you die twice). You are by far my most favorite noble death

Meera Reed - I don’t know if we’ll ever see you again, but fuck Bran and your loyalty and kind spirit is appreciated by all.

Samwell Tarly - If you don’t start paying attention to Gilly when she talks I’m moving you to a different list. But like, don’t die. You can still be nice to your wife and listen to her regardless of what plot-important things are happening.

Sansa Stark - You’ve grown on me. Your mother would be proud. 

Tormund Giantsbane - You go get Brienne of Tarth and treat her like she deserves. Also, are you and Luke Skywalker somehow related bc this milk thing... (still alive? dead? I dont know? anyone?)

Tyrion Lannister - What would the world be like without your random philosophizing be? 

I suppose you should stay / I like you, but you’re not my faves / You still have plot potential that I might care about

Bran Stark - I’m just curious where your little prophetic, emotionless ass is going to lead us.

Eddison Tollett - You’re #cleanBronn! Bronn after a shower and a shave and a bit more dignity! What will we do without you? 

Ellaria Sand - Obviously you’ll die eventually, but you done dirty and now you get to pay. I won’t mind seeing that revenge play out a bit more.

Gendry - Arya might be sad? You’re not awful.

Grey Worm - You’re nice and brave and honorable. Also, I don’t want Missandei to be sad.

Hot Pie - You keep doing you, and try not to die

Jamie - *rolls eyes* I guess you still have a lot to do and contribute... for now.

Jon Snow - There are people I’d like to die before/if you do. I also won’t be sad if you survive. Just... stop listening to everyone and start forming your own opinions again. I miss that Jon.

Missandei - You’ve somehow put up with Dany this long and kept your sanity.

Podrick Payne - You have a good heart and I don’t dislike you on my screen.

Theon Greyjoy - Your redemption arc seems promising. 100% redeemed

Yara Greyjoy - You’re a badass bisexual and it would be sad to go.

Don’t Let the Door...

Daenerys Targaryen

Euron Greyjoy

Jorah Mormont

Melisandre - I knew you were gonna show up and do something badass, but I still put you on this list, but omg GAH! 100% A+ (still pissed you got a baby fried, but way to FINALLY find your game)

The Mountain

Qyburn

Neither Here Nor There...

Robin Arryn  - my dude, I forgot you were even still alive. Unless you and Tormund are going to have a horribly scarring conversation about milk then I won’t miss you.

Beric Dondarrion - oops I thought you died with your #workwife

Jawen H’ghar - the internet can’t seem to decide if you’re even alive, but it would be interesting to see you show up maybe? unless you actually killed Arya when we weren’t looking and are just using her face bc that would not be cool my friend 

Varys - sorry bud, you’ve kinda been doing nothing for a while now? If anyone can hit the sidelines and survive though it’s you so... good luck?

I Wish You Were Still With Us

Brother Ray - I forgot about you until I was researching this. You still had a lot to teach

Catelyn Stark - you grew on me

Hodor - too pure for this world

Jojen Reed - you have always reminded me of my neighbor who killed himself and if your story wasn’t sad enough that makes me sad

Lady Olenna Tyrell - I hope I go out as gracefully and dignified (with that spark of mischief up your sleeve at the very end) as you did! 

Margaery Tyrell - nobody got under Cersei’s skin quite like you did. If things were different you two might have been.... something

Master Aemon - I didn’t like you in The 10th Kingdom, but I liked you here. 

Mycah - you deserved better

Myrcella Baratheon - baby girl <3 

Ned Stark - duh

Renly Baratheon - I’m not even sure how I feel about this, but enough to put you on the list.

Rickon Stark - baby boy <3 

Ros - you broke my heart

Selyse Baratheon - I mean... what did you think was gonna happen... but you’ll always have a place in my heart bc of The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill and Came Down a Mountain

Shae - I didn’t always LOVE you, but you made Tyrion happy and were pretty strong in your own right

Shrine Baratheon - baby girl <3 

Syrio Forel

Talisa Stark - you have your grandfather’s eyes, but are so much prettier

Tommen Baratheon - baby boy <3

Ygritte 

I Wish You Were Still With Us... So That You Could Die Again

Alliser Thorne

Joffrey Baratheon

Petyr Baelish

Ramsay Bolton

Stannis Baratheon

Tywin Lannister

Viserys Targaryen

Walder Frey

[littletyrell]

winter is coming.

For as long as she lived, Margaery was certain she would never rid her mind of the image of the Red Keep from the vantage of the small window in her carriage.

The massive entity had loomed threateningly as they’d made their way out of the city’s limits, and had continued to intimidate even as it began to fade into the distance. It was only when it had been swallowed up by the darkness of the night that Margaery had allowed herself to release a long sigh, purging herself of several weeks’ worth of stress and despair. Her Grandmother reached over to squeeze her knee comfortingly, but Margaery struggled to even offer her a thankful smile.

The young Queen had been assured in the days that preceded her escape that her wrongful imprisonment would be coming to an abrupt halt, and that she was meant to be ready when the time came. Scrolls of paper had been tossed haphazardly into her cell at random times of day and night which swore that there was no evidence to hold her, and that even the High Sparrow would be forced to relent and free her without the labor of a trial by faith. These words were uplifting, but did little to prevent the overwhelming sadness that would appear when Margaery was ultimately left to suffer alone in her small cell -- or to even hear the not-so-distant cries of her similarly-imprisoned cousins, who were beaten by the Septa in an effort to bring forth the so-called “confession of sin” and the “redemption” which would follow. The Septa would come for her as well, but she dared not hit so hard as she was able -- there was some manner of law to be had there for a Queen, and perhaps Tommen had screamed and cried on her behalf from within the safety of the castle’s walls.

The day she was visited by Cersei Lannister had been the worst of her days stuck in that cell. The other Queen had come for no reason other than to gloat, and when that had become clear to Margaery, she was no longer able to hold the hatred she had choked on since first arriving at the capital. Margaery promised that all the pain that Cersei had caused the realm at large would be paid back to her. She lodged curses at the vile woman, and swore up and down that she would receive punishment from the Gods.

And so the Gods answered.

A scroll had been tossed into Margaery’s cell at an early hour, with an uplifting inscription: Cersei imprisoned. A few hours later, another scroll appeared, this one even more promising than the last: Tonight.

All it had taken was a changing of the guard, and suddenly Margaery was being rushed out of her cell -- and Megga and Elinor were not far behind. They were dressed in heavy, concealing cloaks, and shuffled under the protection of darkness into two separate carriages. When Margaery was settled into her own carriage, she had found none other than her Grandmother waiting inside. The embrace that the two women shared had been tender and real, and Margaery had found herself crying in a way she hadn’t since she was a little girl.

Even despite her desire to flee the capital and be done with it for good, the Tyrell in her struggled against the fear, questioning with a sniffle: “ -- will we -- should we -- should we retake the throne?” 

“Are you out of your bloody mind, girl?” Olenna had tutted, though the bite lacked in her tone. She brushed a wrinkled hand comfortingly over Margaery’s brow, and the young queen’s eyes closed as she relaxed into the contact. “Cersei’s Sparrow has turned this city upside-down -- if we stay, we’ll be eaten alive with all the rest of them.” Scoffing, Olenna made a move as if to look back in the direction of the capital. “Good riddance to the lot of them. Let them burn together -- and burn they will, if we’re to believe this truth of the Targaryen girl and her three demons. She would’ve had no mercy for anyone else calling themselves Queen, dear -- if it wasn’t for this, I would’ve found another way to get you out of that viper’s nest.” 

Margaery tried to keep her elation at bay. It felt so strange, to have abandoned the fantasy of being the queen. It felt as though she’d ended that life in the cell Cersei had made for her, and had come out a different person. The only trouble was she didn’t know what it was this Margaery wanted. 

“If not here,” Margaery ventured, “ -- then where? Home?”

“A war in the south,” Olenna agreed with a nod, “what dear Renly had wanted all along, realized all too late.” Olenna scoffed, continuing: “war will come, should Cersei free herself of that prison she’s made for herself. The bitch is slippery, and she very well might manage it. Should she, I suspect she’ll turn to take her revenge on Highgarden and every other land she thinks has wronged her.” 

“She feels wronged by the realm,” Margaery added, a frown pulling on her lips. “She seeks war with each House that does not bend to her.” Olenna hummed her agreement, and Margaery leaned back against the carriage seat as she contemplated the path that was laid out before them. They had two choice: to tuck tale and defend themselves, or to defend the realm at large. The latter was what she’d wanted as Queen -- to make the realm better via the removal of the Lannisters. The option still presented itself. 

“What if we went North instead?” Margaery thought aloud. “What if we joined Stannis, and made him King? He may not have the love of the people, but he is intelligent and capable -- even Renly would have admitted such a thing.” Sensing her Grandmother’s rejection, Margaery pressed: “it is his right to inherit the throne, Grandmother. And our error to deprive him of it. All of this -- all of this could have been solved so long ago, had we just allowed it to pass as it should have been. The realm will be safer for it. And House Tyrell will be hailed as the saviors of the realm for delivering Stannis unto the throne.” 

“It is not a bad thought,” Olenna commented after a long moment, seeming to relent. “But even despite the forces we have with us now, we need the permission of that oaf to move them --”

“What permission do you need?” Margaery countered, her golden gaze suddenly steely. “He will do as you say and question nothing of it. The decision rests with you, Grandmother. The fate of the realm sits in your hands. Yours, and no one else’s.”

While Elinor and Megga returned to the safety of Highgarden, Margaery and Olenna took to the North. Her two abused cousins carried with them a letter sealed by Olenna, ordering Mace to provide a division of their soldiers to journey North and accompany their party. It was some weeks before they had their affirmation -- and some time more before they received word that their soldiers marched. Olenna had commented to Margaery that the troops they promised Stannis would be a month or more delayed when they themselves arrived North, but Margaery was not swayed. She thought only of the best sort of revenge against Cersei -- a Westeros made better in the wake of her dethroning. Perhaps she would not even be executed, despite how badly she knew others -- as well as herself -- would wish to see her blood. Perhaps it would be a worse punishment to have her suffer with her misery. 

Across the months of their journey North, Margaery thought often of who she would be in this new world. She’d tried and failed three times over to be a Queen. To the realm at large she remained a maiden, still able to marry -- though she suspected many might see her as some sort of a beautiful curse, unable to bed someone without causing their demise. Despite this, she could not imagine herself marrying some Reachmen lord that her father would choose for her, and being no one at all. Nor could she imagine herself attached to a Storm lord chosen by Stannis to affirm the alliance he knew nothing of, though she knew it was very likely a possibility of her fate. She thought endlessly and determined nothing.

The worst of their journey came when they moved through the Stormlands, and caught word of Loras’ fate. The details were sparse and grim: he had fought Cersei’s false war and had been defeated. He was said to be laid out in agony at Dragonstone, wounded from blade and burns and slowly inching towards death. The news had set Margaery into tears for days, and she had begged for nearly a week to divert their course and reclaim his body from Dragonstone. Her Grandmother’s repeated insistence that they could not go to a land teaming with Lannister soldiers was sound, but Margaery could not rid herself of the nightmare of sweet Loras dying with not a soul around him who truly loved him. She prayed for his soul in the night, and begged for his soul to stay by her side as they journeyed onward. 

They had made it through the Vale with relative ease, despite their caution. Upon reaching the territory, they had learned of the pitiable fate of Lysa Tully -- and the fate of her child, now made the ward of Petyr Baelish. They dared not journey to the Eyrie to meet with the mockingbird, though they suspected that he was well aware of the forces which moved through the region. These suspicions were confirmed when a flurry of news greeted them in a letter signed by Baelish, leaving them as chilled as the snow that coated the ground. 

Stannis was dead. His army was dead.  Lord Bolton was dead.  The bastard Bolton called himself Lord of Winterfell. The bastard Lord had married a girl said to be Sansa Stark. Sansa Stark had escaped the bastard, and was thought to be plotting the siege of her home.

Winterfell would need to be retaken swiftly, and the letter suggested that the Eyrie’s forces would be deployed only if called upon by Sansa. Without them, however, it was likely any attempt to fight the Bolton army -- bolstered by traitorous houses of the North -- would fail. The night after they’d received the letter, Margaery dreamed of red hair, and of a beautiful girl who seemed to carry with her all the sadness of the world. When she awoke, she demanded that they come to her aid. 

“We do not know if Sansa Stark is alive,” Olenna had protested, exasperated at that point by their fruitless journey. “Look at the snow falling around us -- it is all the more likely she died out in that cold, hiding away from that little monster. That little slip of a thing could not survive this.” 

“This is her home,” Margaery had protested, steadfast in her desire to journey on to Winterfell. “For all that she has survived already, she would have survived her own home. Grandmother, we cannot turn our backs on her.” Margaery’s expression had crumpled then, remembering how they had left her to be married to Tyrion when their own plot had fallen through. The youngest Lannister was far from a cruel man -- but it had been a mockery nonetheless, and Margaery knew Sansa had suffered for it. “What would we be, if we turned our backs now?”  

They did not move from a small inn nearby Moat Cailin for nearly a month -- they would not go to Winterfell without their army in tow. During this time, Margaery and her Grandmother acclimated as best they could to the North. The bitter cold was not good for a woman of Olenna’s age, and Margaery sought to have her constantly cloaked in large furs that seemed to drown her. Margaery herself was swathed in them, and found that with each passing day her skin seemed to pale in the icy region. When she cast a glance at her reflection in a looking glass, she found that she did not recognize the girl who looked back. This was not the little queen of the Red Keep -- it was someone else entirely. It was someone she did not quite know yet. 

When their army arrived, they moved at last for Winterfell. In the deep snow, they seemed to travel more slowly than ever before -- a journey meant to be 6 months had seemed to stretch to 8 or 9 by the time they’d closed in upon Torrhen’s square, just southwest of Winterfell. It was there that they received their last bit of news: the Bolton bastard was dead, and Winterfell had been retaken by House Stark -- led by none other than Jon Snow, Winterfell’s own bastard boy. In the wake of this battle, the Northerners had called out for Jon to take up a long-forgotten title: the King in the North. 

When Margaery had heard this news, a shock of laughter had overtaken her. Olenna had turned, frustrated, and demanded she divulge what it was that amused her so. 

“We journeyed all this way for a King,” Margaery exclaimed, her shoulders shaking with a kind of grim mirth, “ -- well, we’ve found one, haven’t we?”

To this point, Olenna joined in on this rueful, mourning laughter. It was a dark humor, twisted by months of strife and years of blood before it. It was the work of the Gods, Margaery knew, that they had someone still achieved the purpose of their journey. 

When they arrived at last at Winterfell, they were met with an understandable opposition. House Tyrell, for all the North knew, were allies of the Lannisters. An envoy from their forces was sent to parlay with a soldier of Winterfell -- a massive man with fiery hair -- and communicate the message of House Tyrell’s break from House Lannister. When their man returned some time later, he was escorted by that same giant, who called himself Torrhen. She and Olenna had been permitted access into the castle, but their men would remain outside Winterfell’s protective walls. 

They were escorted to a study within the family’s solar, and were told to wait -- they would be greeted by Sansa Stark, as she would be the only one among them to confirm their identity. Margaery stood uncomfortably in the room, facing away from the door. Olenna reclined in one of the seats beside her. When the heavy door opened, Margaery inhaled softly. 

“We came to offer you aid in the retaking of your home,” Margaery spoke, her lips curving into a rueful smirk as the words left her lips. She dared not turn her head to greet her former friend, though she wished too desperately. “Too little and too late, as I can clearly see. Our help was hardly needed.” 

[waterlilyvioletfog]

Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 5: Eastwatch, A Summary, Warning: Full Spoilers. (You didn’t want to be spoiled? Well sorry, KAREN.)

Me: ... If Jaime doesn’t come back I’ll fucking murder you. 

Bronn: *bursts out of the water* 

Jaime: *bursts out of the water* 

Me: Oh thank god. 

Bronn: wHy ThE fUcK DiD yOu ChArGe A dRaGoN?!?!?!? 

Jaime: Because I’m an idiot sandwich with a metric fuckton of PTSD. 

Bronn: NO MORE CHARGING DRAGONS. You’re NOT allowed to die! That fucking dragon isn’t allowed to kill you! You’re not allowed to kill you! YOU ARE HARRY AND I AM VOLDEMORT AND ONLY I CAN KILL YOU. EVER. 

-Meanwhile, Dany has “KILL THE UNBELIEVERS” still on her to-do list- 

Dany: Yo. Ben D. Knee. 

Lannister Soldiers: *still confused as they recover from severe smoke inhalation* 

Drogon: DID MOMMY STUTTER? BEND THE FUCKING KNEE! 

Lannister Soldiers: *get it now* 

Randyll: I made my bed, I’ll lie in it until I die. 

Dany: Fair warning, I will munch on your bones. 

Tyrion: *seriously concerned* Well, I guess you could join the Night’s Watch! 

Randyll: Did I fucking stutter bitch? DANY NOT MY QUEEN 2K17! 

Dickon: No wait! I’m a good son! 

Tyrion: We’ve already exterminated the Freys and the Tyrells this season, we don’t need to kill the Tarlys, too! You’re even more inconsequential! Bend The Knee like a good boy! 

Dickon: DID I FUCKING STUTTER BITCH? I’M A GOOD SOOOOOOONNNNNN. 

Tyrion: I hate you so much. 

Dany: *murders Dickon and Ranyll via Drogon, though admittedly she looks very sad and disappointed in them while doing it, so wtf are Tyrion and Varys worried about? Jeez. Jon Snow wields a sword. Gendry Waters wields a war hammer. Dany wields her dragons. Fact. What, did you think she was gonna pull out Longclaw and use it on them? Nah bitch. Nah.* 

-Meanwhile, in King’s Landing- 

Jaime: We’re fucked. 

Cersei: WE HAVE GOLD THO! 

Jaime: WE’RE FUCKED. THIS GIRL HAS DRAGONS. 

Cersei: Well, Dany won’t just let us go. Tyrion might try and get a redemption arc for murdering Joffrey and dad, but- 

Jaime: Olenna Tyrell told me that she murdered Joff, not Tyrion. 

Cersei: ... Tyrion ... did ... not ... kill ... Joffrey? DOES NOT COMPUTE. 

Jaime: It computes, darling. It computes. 

Jaime: Also, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE. 

Cersei: THEN I’LL GO DOWN SCREAMING AND FIGHTING BECAUSE I’M CERSEI LANNISTER AND I AM EXTRA. 

-Meanwhile, there is ever more fresh hot goss at Dragonstone High- 

Jon: *brooding on the edge of a cliff, cape flapping in the wind, looking sexier as a sad-faced zombie than most people do in their entire lives* 

Drogon: HAI. MOMMY SAYS THAT YOU’RE MY NEW DAD. WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOME FATHER-SON BONDING TIME.

Jon: *pats Drogon’s head softly and probably offers to take him to a Mets game* 

Drogon: *purring* *thinking* *oh hai targaryen, you can pet me, it’s okay*

Dany: I am both bewildered and extremely aroused.  

Dany: WELL, you passed the kids test. 

Dany: Also, are you a zombie-

Jorah: HAI HONEY I’M HOME, I CAME BACK, DON’T YOU LO- 

Jon: Who the fuck is this bitch? 

Dany: Jorah! *hugs for her sweet bear/ bro friend, who is, btw, like three times her age in the books just as a gentle reminder* 

Jorah: DANY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *hugs his WIFEY, who is, btw, like a third of his age in the books just as another gentle reminder* 

Jon: wHaT tHe FuCk iS hApPeNiNg?!?!?!?!?!? 

-Meanwhile, Bran has to do SOMETHING this episode- 

Bran: *wargs into like a bajillion ravens so we can have some TRULY gorgeous shots this episode* 

Night King: HAAAIIIII BITCHES I’M ON THE WAYYYYY!!!!!! 

Bran: Oh fuck. 

Bran: GUYS WE HAVE A PROBLEM. 

-Meanwhile, we didn’t see Sam last episode so time for Citadel drama!- 

Maesters: *refuse to believe in shit people keep telling them is real which they have no reason to believe is real* 

Sam: UGH! Stupid maesters! LISTEN TO WHAT WE’RE TELLING YOU. 

Maesters: Sam, we’re skeptics, we’re not going to listen, don’t be stupid. 

Sam: I HATE YOU ALL. 

Maesters: Well that seems a tad unreasonable. 

-Meanwhile, there is ever more drama at Dragonstone- 

Tyrion: *trying to rationalize his behavior* 

Varys: Like, I know dragons are her thing and “FIRE AND BLOOD” is also her thing but like I didn’t think she meant it literally. Also, stop trying to rationalize your behavior, it makes you sound stupid.  

Tyrion: Well, at least she’s not as bad as her dad. 

Tyrion: ... So what’s in the raven. 

Varys: It’s a sealed scroll for the KitN. 

Tyrion: ... And? 

Varys: Fair point. It says the world’s going to end. 

Jon: MY SIBLINGS ARE ALIVE, YES. Also we’re all gonna die. 

Jon: *turns to Dany* Bitch, I’m going home. 

Dany: BUT YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MEN! *internally screaming STAY STAY STAY* 

Jon: So give me some. 

Dany: Can’t do that. Cersei. 

Tyrion: Well, if we were to prove it to her she’d come north. We capture a wight, we can bring it south and show it to her. I can talk to Jaime, he can talk to Cersei, and boom! We have our proof. Davos can row me into KL. We just need someone to deal with the wildlings and acquire a wight.

Jorah: I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE. *screaming internally KHAAAALLLLLEEEESSSSIIIIIIII* 

Jon: *protective older brother instincts flair* *cockblocking instincts flair* The wildlings will never listen to you I WILL GO YES. 

Dany: YOU CAN’T GO, I’M HOLDING YOU HOSTAGE. *STAY STAY STAY*

Jon: Fuck you, I’m a king. *gives another inspiring speech about trusting strangers that makes Dany look REALLY small actually* I’M GOING.  

Dany: I hate you. But like, I also love you. 

-Meanwhile, in Winterfell, the showrunners are DICKS-  

Lords: WHERE IS JON. JON’S NOT HERE. CLEARLY WE WERE WRONG ABOUT ELECTING HIM AS LEADER. YOU SHOULD BE LEADER. 

Sansa: NERP. JON’S KING. DAT’S DA WAY IT IS. IN THIS HOUSE WE RESPECT JON SNOW. (except she said it politely and in such a way that contextless Arya and anti-Sansas can bitch about her plotting) 

Sansa: I did warn Jon. *sighs*

Arya: Those sons of bitches, plotting against Jon! We should cut off their heads! Not sit and listen politely! 

Sansa: Watching this show for six seasons has taught me one thing: beheading people who give you support because they dissented is a REALLY FUCKING BAD IDEA. Being polite to everyone means that nobody hates you and you don’t get red-wedding-ed. 

Arya: AHAH! I KNEW IT! You’re plotting against Jon, too! 

Sansa: Oh for Christ’s sake. Just go away and let me nurse my chamomile tea as I do actual work to help defend the North. 

-Meanwhile we have a quick trip to KL before we can go on our wight hunt- 

Jaime: *being a reasonable general* 

Bronn: Nope. You have too much family drama for any of that right now. 

Tyrion: Hi Jaime. Long time no see. 

Bronn: ... gonna step slowly away now... 

Jaime: You killed Dad. I hate you. 

Tyrion: That’s reasonable. But we do need to talk. Dany’s gonna win the war and you know it. 

Jaime: Cersei will never kneel. 

Tyrion: She doesn’t need to. We can have an armistice [you who don’t know what that is, it’s a cease-fire. It means I don’t like you and you don’t like me but we’re not allowed to fight because of reasons.] as long as she listens to us and doesn’t murder Jon.

Gendry: *exactly where we met him. huh. would’ve thought he was still rowing* 

Davos: Hi. 

Gendry: HAI DAVOS. YOU’RE HERE FOR A REASON. SIGN ME THE FUCK UP. 

Davos: But it’s dangerous- 

Gendry: I’VE BEEN GONE FOR FOUR SEASONS. I’M READY. I AM SOOO DONE WITH KING’S LANDING YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW. I HATE THE LANNISTERS. THEY KILLED DAD. [that’s kinda ooc of you to gaf gendry but ok] THEY TRIED TO KILL ME. 

Davos: Fine. Grab a sword. 

Gendry: Bitch, do I look like a fancy-ass knight to you? I’m a blacksmith, and a Baratheon. I’m using a goddamn hammer. 

Davos: *sighs* Kids these days. So fucking EXTRA. 

Davos: Okay, but don’t tell anyone Robert Baratheon was your dad. 

Trouble: *proceeds to appear in the form of gold cloaks, but Davos pays them off to shut up and then Tyrion turns up so Gendry smashes their brains in and we’re all just like “damn Gendry.”* 

Qyburn and Cersei: *plotting* 

Jaime: Hi. I just talked to Tyrion. 

Cersei: ...okay? 

Jaime: Dany wants an armistice. Because zombies are on the way. And apparently soon they’ll have proof for us. 

Cersei: Huh. Didn’t expect the conversation to be that but okay. 

Jaime: ??? 

Cersei: Oh sweetie. I know everything.  

Jaime: ?!?!?! 

Cersei: I want to talk to her. It’s in our immediate interest to have her leave us alone. But in the meantime, you should know that Imma kill everything in our way. Because I’M PREGNANT, Y’ALL!!! 

Jaime: ... am I the father? 

Cersei: Yup! AND we won’t hide it. 

Jaime: That’s a stupid idea. 

Cersei: DADDY TOLD US TO IGNORE THE BULLIES AND CRUSH OUR ENEMIES TO DUST 

Jaime: Fair point. *hugs Cersei* 

Cersei: *smiles and hugs back* Oh and don’t ever betray me again. 

Jaime: *thinking* *oh that’s riiiight, I fucked a crazy person* 

-Meanwhile, as always, there is drama on Dragonstone- 

Davos: DON’T TELL ANYONE THAT ROBERT BARATHEON WAS YOUR DAD. YOUR NAME IS CLOVIS.YOU’RE A SMITH. YOU’RE JUST HERE TO BE POLITE UNTIL YOU GO BE THE SMITH IN WINTERFELL. 

Gendry: Got it. 

Gendry: HAI JON SNOW. I’M GENDRY WATERZ AND I’M BOBBY B’S ILLEGITIMATE KID AND I’M HERE TO HELP YOU FUCK SHIT UP IN THE FAR NORTH. OUR DADS WERE BROS. WE CAN BE BROS TOO. 

Jon: ... You know how to wield a sword? 

Gendry: Nah. I wield a hammer. And I’m a badass. 

Jon: ... okay. 

Davos: Nobody mind me. All I’ve ever done is be the best person in existence and outlive literally everyone. Like, dude, I’m by far the oldest dude on this show. 

Tyrion: Bye Jorah. I missed you. Not even Grey Worm can glower quite as well as you. Though Jon Snow has you beat in the brooding sadface category. 

Dany: Good bye. 

Jorah: Bye Dany. *kisses her hand and walks away because he sees Jon and knows he has to prove something* 

Jon: Well. At least you won’t have to deal with me anymore if I die. 

Dany: Pls don’t die. I want your babies. 

Jon: ... okay. I’m still not your boyfriend though. *gives the trademarked goodbye which certified badasses give to people they respect* 

-Meanwhile we need to reveal important exposition- 

Gilly: *dithering on about boring ass shit* 

Sam: *annoyed at her dithering on and also at the maesters and also at everything ever in the entire world* 

Gilly: Oh, what does “annulment” mean? 

Sam: It means a divorce. 

Gilly: Huh. Says here that some Prince “Ragger” was given a divorce by the dude who wrote this book so that he could marry someone else in a secret ceremony in Dorne- 

Sam: *EXPLODES IN RAGE at Gilly because he’s annoyed even though she didn’t do anything wrong* THAT’S IT. WE’RE LEAVING. THE MAESTERS ARE TOO STUPID TO BE AROUND. 

Gilly: ... Okay? 

Sam: *steals some extra books* *grabs Gilly* *grabs little Sam* *steals a horse I think????* *leaves because he’s BORED* 

Gilly: You’re not gonna fulfill your life-long dream? 

Sam: NOPE. 

Gilly: Well that’s sad, but we’ll go with it. 

-Meanwhile Arya vs. Littlefinger is on- 

Arya and Littlefinger: *attempt to out-sneak one another* 

Littlefinger: *OUT-SNEAKS ARYA?!?!* 

Me: wtf I hate everyone and everything, stop it. 

-Meanwhile, we have a new location! EASTWATCH-BY-THE-SEA- 

Tormund: We’re fucked. 

Jon: Indeed. 

Thoros, Beric, and Sandor: HAI can we all go on this suicide mission together? 

Suicide Squad: *establish that they all’ve got beef with each other* 

Jon: Well screw that. We’re all alive, which means that we’re all in this together. 

Suicide Squad: *walk out into the snow together, looking so fucking badass and I’m so excited!!!!!!*

[theseventhhex]

D∆WN Interview

Dawn Richard

Photo by Rob Daly

Dawn Richard, known professionally as D∆WN, is a multi-platinum American singer-songwriter. Being in two groups, Dawn already has 2 consecutive platinum #1 albums under her belt with Danity Kane. D∆WN is one of music’s most distinctive voices and songwriters, developing her own unique style via a tirelessly independent route. Her latest solo album ‘Redemption’ strikes the perfect balance between future-facing electronic music and the music of D∆WN’s New Orleans upbringing, bound together by an untouchable approach to song-writing and flawless vocal range. The final part in a trilogy that started with ‘GoldenHeart’ and continued with ‘Blackheart’, it represents her most focused, complete album yet… The Seventh Hex talks to D∆WN about the DIY approach, literature and Game of Thrones…

TSH: How much effort and work is involved knowing you're taking on so much as a solo artist?

D∆WN: I didn't realise initially how much I would take on doing so much of my solo ventures on my own. However, it's been so rewarding, even though there's a lot of hard work involved. Trying to deliver on a variety of different fronts can be hard, you're doing the booking, you're setting up the stage and you're musically just putting it all together. Sometimes you think it's too much, but when you get on stage and see the reception, and to see the audience on your side - it's all worth it.

TSH: Have you found much time to catch your breath?

D∆WN: I haven't had a chance to look up! I've been so busy with these last three projects. You know, people were telling me I'm being over ambitious taking all of this work on, but I really wanted to prove to myself that I could do work of real quality with no machine backing me.

TSH: You're primarily leading and going in with pure passion?

D∆WN: Exactly! I love this approach, some might say it can feel challenging and not worthy, but I find it more odd when some media don't see you as indie and they just clump you in with the rest of the artists in a similar lane. The independent artists have it tough, especially when you're not backed my millions of views and sales. We're pitted against our peers and expected to deliver the same art than each other with no machine behind us. It's basically up to us to deliver and work twice as hard. You can certainly feel like quitting when it's not built for you to win, because our fanbase has to search and find us, we're not force-fed to them, so we have to work twice as hard. Nonetheless, it is gratifying and the DIY is becoming a bigger movement.

TSH: Is the idea of versatility a defining factor for you?

D∆WN: Yeah, the target is to always do something different. It just so happens that I'm not doing what everyone else is doing, which can be a great thing or a horrible thing, because when you're too different, sometimes people don't know how to embrace it. It can be disruptive to the social idea of what things are supposed to look like. However, I'm just born to be the disruptive pop girl. I'm just challenging myself to make people feel what I'm feeling - telling them a story that's worth telling and when they listen constantly, hopefully they can find and dissect new meanings within that they can relate to. I never like to make my art simple; therefore I tend to straddle the line of having depth but not being so deep that people don't understand me. One thing is for sure, the moment people don't understand something, they hate it instead of trying to understand and feel it. People don't like being uncomfortable.

TSH: Were you looking to capture a certain type of energy with 'Baptize'?

D∆WN: I definitely had a direction in mind. We actually did this song two years ago when I first met Kingdom. All those songs on that EP were done on the day we met. The entire project felt like the scene in the movie Moonlight, where he's teaching him how to swim and it's like a renewal. I felt like the sparseness and space between the recordings had this emptiness that we were capturing. I felt like I filled various gaps and it felt like a baptism type of moment. Throughout my voice wasn't really a part of the production but like water instead. I like the idea of applying the analogy of water all throughout the record alongside a feeling of fluidity. 'Baptize' definitely has this sense of stillness too.

TSH: What does 'How I Get It' signify to you?

D∆WN: That track signifies the angst that I have to consistently put middle fingers up to those who give me an idea of what success should look like. The movement I have behind me are very much 'the others'. We don't have this clichéd idea of how to reach success or what it's defined as on a specific path. This track is an F U to people who say we cannot create our own lanes. It entails a cockiness that we're still here and that our direction is unconventional. My entire story is unconventional. I'm tired of people saying black girls can't be in electronic culture or pop culture has to have one type of black girl. I'm over that idea. There is a revolution of the black girl and women in general coming into the music industry. We are just not going to accept the idea that we represent or are just one thing. I am definitely not your poster idea of pop. I am an acquired taste.

TSH: How do you commonly decide on your vocal direction?

D∆WN: It normally depends on the sounds being formed or the general feel of the record. I'm a fan of switching tones and manipulating my voice. I like to use my voice as an instrument a lot. Sometimes people think my voice is processed because I can really stretch it, thin it out and add volume to it. I like to also manipulate my voice on my own before I even get to using plug-ins or effects. It's fun to lay down vocals without effects and it definitely shows depth and versatility.

TSH: How empowered do you feel onstage?

D∆WN: The stage is my happy place. I love the stage because it's where the communication happens. It's my form of church with my movement. I'm grateful because my movement isn't just singers and artists, but dancers too. Overall, when I perform, I want to create a world where people can escape, it's all I want to do. I want the audience to have a cathartic feel. Dance helps make this happen. The audience can move their bodies and it gives them strength in a way that they normally might not have. The live shows should consist of a vibe of non-judgment - the crowd can feel free to take whatever form they want.

TSH: You come from an educated family and your mother has taught four generations of kids. How amazing has it been to have such strong ethics and values instilled in you from an early age?

D∆WN: It's so amazing. You know, it's funny because when I was younger, it was horrible, haha! My parents being teachers meant they wanted us to be great all of the time. Now, as an adult, it's brilliant to look back because it's forced me and my brother to accept only greatness. We constantly push ourselves, and, for me, it can be stressful. I am a workaholic and I don't know when to stop, but I'm eternally grateful for what my parents represented and I appreciate them for making me a lover of the book...

TSH: You cite the likes of Edgar Allen Poe and Gustav Klimt as influences...

D∆WN: For sure. These days people don't read anymore. I love authors, novelists, sonnets and poems. I personally feel a lot of the depth in my lyrics and my stories comes from my love of literature. My parents were educators and I was able to be around a family of librarians. I was surrounded by people with masters degrees and PHDs. I got to see both sides - the artistic and intellectual side of academia; therefore I like to apply both worlds to my music.

TSH: Is Hans Zimmer very much your dream collaboration?

D∆WN: Oh man, if I could work with him, I could die after that! What he is, is the dream for me. He makes me full when I listen to his scores. When I saw him at Coahcella, I was taken back and so glad that the youth could see what he's all about.

TSH: You also very much admire the female characters in Game of Thrones, in particular Olenna Tyrell...

D∆WN: Lady Olenna is a boss! She's like my spirit animal. I think most of Game of Thrones' female characters influence my style, fashion and also what a woman should be. I feel the show gets it, you know? When you think about the show, the real strengths are the women. Cersei, Sansa, Daenarys and Arya each have a warrior like spirit that shows women can be more. Also, the way Lady Olenna died is how I'd go - I can relate to that - never bow down and tell it to someone's face. That show has a lot to do with the rising female power. The men are only great in the show because they have great women around them.

TSH: How do you like to unwind, outside of music?

D∆WN: I take time to do yoga, but I'm just blessed to have an amazing family. I keep my personal life private and close to me on purpose, because it's been good to me. In my spare time, I separate the woman from the work. I'm lucky enough to have a group around me that will tell me I need to relax. I live in a vegan household, which is also very refreshing.

TSH: What are the key aspects that you hope to maintain and stay true to as you look ahead?

D∆WN: I just want to continue to move people. We've become so complacent and desensitised with things that we don't even realise how to embrace the new. I'll be happy if I inspire other DIY artists to push this independent route. Overall, I want to leave a legacy where people can see that you could do it without yes people and without force-feeding people. I want people to know that your passion and hard work can be enough to achieve greatness. The machine is not the only way that you can be successful, you can be self-made - it is possible. There is a lane I want to burst open, whereupon independent artists can thrive.

D∆WN - “LA (feat. Trombone Shorty)”

Redemption