#episode: freies Land

[silmarvision]

(passiv-)aggressive Musikwechsel sind anscheinend nicht nur bei Münchener Kommissaren typisch

[deiarchiescott]

HOTD Rewrite Project: Episode 2x02 excerpt

Link to full project on ao3:

You can read the full rewrite project on AO3:

I wanted to try my hand at rewriting season 2 of House of the Dragon. I've already rewritten the first 4 episodes, and this is my attempt on episode 5, one of my least favourite episodes of the show. My rewrite changes a lot of things about the show (first off, a 10 episode season instead of an 8 episode one) and includes cut characters like Nettles, Black Aly, Sabitha Frey, Daeron, etc. Also includes battles that we haven't gotten to see (or didn't see onscreen) like the Burning Mill, Bitterbridge, the Honeywine, etc. Also Jace spends most of the season flying round the realm — first in the Eyrie, then White Harbour, then at Winterfell with Cregan and Sara.

The challenge for this rewrite is that I have to approach it the way the actual writers of S2 would have — with all of S1 as canon. So no changes are made regarding the first season, and I only continued on from 2x01. Also feel like a big thing missing from the second season were character interactions (Rhaena and Jace never interact, Jeyne Arryn was a nonentity, Helaena and Aemond say one line to each other before episode 8 ...) and I sought to rectify that. Blood and Cheese, Rook's Rest and most other events are completely changed.

✅️ 2x01: Blood & Cheese

✅️ 2x02: The Cargyll duel

✅️ 2x03: The Burning Mill (full battle + Black Aly, the Brackens, etc)

✅️ 2x04: Rook's Rest (no anime villain Aemond)

✅️ 2x05: Cooldown after Rook's Rest, Alicent and Aemond's factions scheme to secure the regency

2x06: The Red Sowing (the sowing is the entire episode, not just the last 10 mins), also a battle at the end (Silverwing, Vermithor, Syrax & Seasmoke vs Vhagar and Dreamfyre)

2x07: Honeywine, Baela in Bitterbridge, etc

2x08: The Gullet

2x09: Battle of Bitterbridge (Baela vs Daeron) and the Fall of King's Landing

2x10: Aftermath of the Fall

Big thanks to anyone who decides to read!

[kazz-brekker]

hotd episode 5 thoughts:

this was a pretty talk-heavy episode, which i guess is to be expected after all the action of rook's rest, but i am glad it seems like there will be more dragons and drama in the next episode

ooooh boy the greens parading the head of meleys through king's landing was NOT a good pr move, it is such a bad look to show that the creatures you based your entire reign around are fallible and can be killed

kind of thought aegon's burns might be even worse than they turned out to be, but the maesters having to cut that armor off his body because it had sealed to the wounds was pretty gross

i feel like rhaenyra and alicent need another secret meet-up to commiserate about workplace sexism because WOW those two councils were infuriating

jace flying off on his dragon to do some unsanctioned diplomacy just like rhaenyra did when she was a teenager…he really is his mother's son

i HAVE missed caraxes the noodle dragon, it is true, good to see him again <3

daemon's petulant little "i did not think they would be so eager to die" while sitting on a rock in his fancy dragon armor was really fucking funny

we got to see jeyne arryn and the eyrie, at last! and some of her dialogue was a direct quote from the books, which is fun

rhaenyra and mysaria's dynamic is one of my favorite surprises of the season so far, it's nice that rhaenyra has someone she can be honest about her frustrations with

man, daemon's harrenhal dreams are getting FREAKY. at first i thought that lady he was hallucinating was aemma but. uh. nope!

i continue to love how no-nonsense simon strong is and how done he is with daemon's dramatics

i'm continuing to appreciate how this show is giving screentime to the smallfolk and emphasizing how much an impact the war is having on them

need someone to adopt cheese's dog and give him some good pats please, he deserves better than this

alicent and criston really are never ever getting back together after this episode

it was fun to see the twins and that jace is pretty good at this whole diplomacy thing. i don't THINK the lady at the table was sabitha frey otherwise they would have mentioned her by name?

i really like how unimpressed alys is with daemon and her dragging him for his poor planning and tactics while also getting more hints of her magic

i feel like my stanning of house blackwood has perhaps reached a slight bump with this batch of war crimes. alas!

i liked when the laena hallucination turned up just to drag daemon for being an absent father

really pleased by the amount of baela and her characterization that we got in this episode, hope we'll see more of rhaena too

we can debate blacks vs greens as long as we want but everyone MUST acknowledge that rhaenyra has VASTLY better taste in who to appoint as her hand

you know, i think this is the first one-on-one scene aemond and helaena have ever had?

aegon waking up just long enough to say "mummy" after alicent has already left…kill me now

rhaenyra immediately knowing that jace had flown out and done diplomacy without her was such a mom move

not really sure what the errand elinda massey got sent on was???

i refuse to believe sunfyre is dead until i see the evidence with my own two eyes

in the book the new dragonriders is mostly jace's idea so i like the idea of it being a jace and rhaenyra collaboration, and i'm VERY excited to see vermithor and silverwing next week

[inthefallofasparrow]

I think the main problem with House of the Dragon's interpretation of that scene from the end of episode 1, is that the lead up is from Blood and Cheese's point of view, not Helaena's. A good chunk of time is devoted to them. Far too much, in fact. We see them talking to Daemon, we see a montage of them randomly wandering through the castle, we see them arguing with each other, Cheese brings a dog for no other reason than to kick it to make sure the audience knows he's a cowardly bad guy, and because all of that time is spent with them, we know their motivations, limitations and incompetence.

Normally that's a good thing for humanising characters, but it means they are no longer a scary, unknown, unseen threat that suddenly and maliciously attacks without warning; they're just a couple of hapless knuckleheads. And that sucks a lot of the built-up tension out of the impact of the scene. It'd be like watching a horror film entirely from the killer's point of view. It's still gory, but it's not that scary because the suspense comes from the victim's limited viewpoint.

The Red Wedding for instance works so well because we see the buildup entirely from the Starks' point of view. We can sense some danger is brewing, but we don't know what it is. There are a couple of odd moments and interactions, as well as some ominous sound cues to clue us into something not being right, but otherwise we just see the Starks celebrating and talking about the future. The betrayal by Roose Bolton and Walder Frey is understandable in hindsight, but we don't see it until it's happening. We don't know they've been in contact with Tywin, planning a massacre. And the shock drives the impact of the attack, because we find out at the same time the Starks do. Whereas, as soon as Cheese asked Daemon what they should do if they couldn't find Aemond, it was pretty clear they weren't going to. So, we knew something bad was coming well beforehand either way, and then watched them bumble into it.

I think what the show needed to do was this:

After Rhaenyra made her wishes known, show Daemon writing an unexplained letter to Mysaria (who is still in King's Landing).

She receives it, and then meets with and passes it on to the only spy she has left, a goldcloak loyal to Daemon (Blood), after Larys killed all her spies in the Red Keep.

Add more scenes of Helaena interacting with Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, so we get to know them and their relationship better.

After Helaena had mentioned worrying about 'rats' earlier, briefly introduce the ratcatcher (Cheese) summoned to deal with them. He says there's an infestation in the children's room and suggests they temporarily move to Rhaenyra's empty old room.

Show Helaena getting more and more upset and paranoid about a looming threat that she tries to explain to Aemond, but can't.

Then that night, two men in hoods suddenly enter Rhaenyra's old room (through the secret passage we saw Rhaenyra and Daemon use last season) and hold Helaena and the children hostage there. (Though their faces are hidden, we can intuit who they are)

One reads the letter to her which Daemon sent, revealing it offers gold for anyone who can deliver 'the prince's head' to him. They demand to know where Aemond is, but Helaena doesn't know, so they decide to misinterpret the letter, and take Jaehaerys' head instead, and ask which one is him.

The rest can play out the same, I guess.

(Having Alicent in the room at the time too, like in the book, would obviously heighten the tension as well, but that's another thing.)

As a 'home-invasion-with-kids-involved' scene, this could've potentially had real 'Funny Games' (2007) vibes to it. But because we followed the invaders most of the time, not the victims, the set-up read closer to a non-comedic version of 'Home Alone' (1990).

[a-chaotic-dumbass]

Lol whoever j0nerice stan said that must have been related to whoever tf wrote the last hotd episode where Alicent does not know Daeron at all??? Uhhmmm? They never interacted at all after he came out of her? No letters? Was he exiled? Banned from ever interacting from his mother? Not surprising the whole hotd plot right now is T4rg a$$ licking why am i surprised 😂 they must all share the same brain cells, because that just makes no sense 😂 like a lot of meta writers always slap the fact that they think of each other, how she taught him how to talk to girls???

Like pleaseeee Jon has 0% chance of falling for dragon c00chie, this I am sure of, unless GRRM also wants to commit that Season 7 character suicid3 in his last two books. 🤷‍♀️🥹

tbh i cant really comment much on the hotd part bc ive yet to see the latest episodes but my mildly spicy take is that i still lowkey like the show💔 i might not be a targ enjoyer but even i can appreciate some nice costume design and finally some good looking dragons. i do think its odd that we're only now getting a daeron name drop instead of seeing him in s1 bc like? he's still one of alicent's and viserys's four children, arguably the best/most adjusted. anyways. i think theyre doing the best with what they got, esp given that im p sure it'll be explained with something along the lines of daeron being sent off to Oldtown to squire for a knight(which makes sense i suppose but the principle is there. i still wanted to see him in s1)

the thing abt jon x dany is that i mostly get why ppl ship it, yk, hot cold fire ice red blue opposites attract and so on, and if i squint my eyes and twirl around three times, i can also see how it *could* happen if dany were to land in westeros and get to the north. personally tho? i dont really see it. yeah theres jon and dany not even knowing that the other exists, but also the fact that for the past 5 books the north and the starks have been fighting for independence and to overcome their tyrannical rulers (Robert's Rebellion against Aerys, then Robb being declared King of the North, their disatisfaction with the Bolton and Lannister regime, the Frey pie and the grand northern conspiracy theories.) Dany wants all of the seven kingdoms and the iron throne, she says so herself in the show. even if she and jon do have an affair, then ive no doubt that she'd give it up for the IT, esp bc we all know that R + L = J is certainly canon, which could make jon a rival claimant, not to mention young griff still existing. could jon fall for dany? ehh possibly, i highly doubt it tho. even if it did happen, i hope grrm would handle it better than the i dont want it u r my qween we got in the show bc jon isnt an ambitionless man. he has goals and drive he wanted to be lord of winterfell in his childhood and when stannis offered him the north, truly he considered it, he even joined the nights watch bc its a place where bastards can climb the ranks. idk why the jonerys ship/pers seems so insistent on making jon a meek little house husband but its kinda grating

[theforgottenmcrmy]

live reactions to house of the dragon season 2, episode 5

as always, these are just my opinions🖤

(spoilers below the cut)

Oof, even the recap of the battle still hurts🥲

I have subtitles on, and I just love how the intro says “(epic theme playing)”

Lord Cregan and Lady Jeyne spotted in the tapestry?👀

Corlys pleaseee, I’ve tried to be strong for a whole week. Don’t do this to me.😭

I’m so conflicted with the fact that he might have stepped out on Rhaenys at some point, because it’s so evident that he loved her greatly.

Rhaenyra🥲

Such a dumb PR move by the Greens. Thats all I’ll say.

You can literally HEAR one of the small folk ask, “they killed a dragon?👀”

Rhaenyra WILL answer this 🔥

Meleys, you deserved so much more💔

And just WHAT do they think they will do with Rhaenys’s body?!?!?! (If that’s what’s in that cart)

The irony of Alicent’s favorite child now becoming something she can no longer control…

Oh shit, wait- is that…. Surely it’s not-

You’re seriously trying to tell me there was NO other way to get Aegon back into the castle?!?! Seriously? If you insisted parading Meleys’s head around for the small folk, you at least could have brought Aegon into the keep by a back gate or SOMETHING.

And now that I’m thinking about it, what the hell did Aemond say when he returned back without Aegon? What did he tell Alicent?

Wowwwwwww. I knew Aemond was cold, but I guess I didn’t realize HOW cold he’d become. Imagine dracarys’ing your brother, then coming back to gloat over his burned body and announcing the obvious that someone will have to rule in his stead,

They seriously just LEFT Sunfyre there?!?!?! And what the hell does Cole mean? Is he dead?😭

“Our largest dragon has been killed” yes BUT so was Rhaenys?!

GAG HIM, MY QUEEN🖤

Seriously though, all these men talk a big game about battles that haven’t truly occurred in DECADES.

I’m really hoping the swap the sacking of King’s Landing for Rook’s Rest. Quite frankly I don’t think I can take another emotional blow this season.

I love Jace and Baela’s dynamic so much.

Real talk though, would the Brackens or anyone else for that matter even be able to hear Daemon over Caraxes and the horses?😂

Mmmmm, Fried Bracken.

“I did not think they would be so eager to die.”💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 Please, why is Daemon so unintentionally hilarious this season.

Not Daemon of all people making a decent attempt at ceasing a centuries long feud-

The Vale 💙 🕊️

Yep, Lady Jeyne is Rhaenyra’s kin alright.

Mysaria is right on point. And I’m loving seeing Rhaenyra putting her trust in others again🙌🏻

Go Elinda go go go

Why do I feel like whatever is going to happen with Corlys will not go well…

Oh Lordy, Alys is feeling creative tonight isn’t she…

My favorite WHAT?!?!?! 🤮🤮🤮

I wouldn’t be hungry either, the FUCK

“His family’s wealth” I’m sorry Ser Simon STRONG, is that not your family too?

I love their banter, that’s the hell😂

“The obvious choice is immediate successor, Aemond.” OH, so Aemond IS his heir? Almost exactly like I said on a tik tok i’d made, only for some people to argue with me that the Greens would have Jaehaera inherit before him? (Even though doing so would be hypocritical to their entire cause)

Ser Crispy, you can kiss any chance with Alicent you ever had goodbye 👋🏻

Aemond doesn’t miss a beat, immediately hopping to business. I’m weak as hell.

Alicent’s having a panic attack rn, isn’t she?

The dog😭💔

“What he has somehow become” girl be so fr. As if YOUR lack of investment and attention to him, and your willingness to ignore Aegon’s awful treatment of him for years (that you damn well knew plenty about) played absolutely NO roll in Aemond becoming what he is…

Cole’s been sipping some of Alicent’s delulu tea. He REALLY thought he was sparing her by stabbing her in the back to support Aemond as regent instead.🤡🤡🤡

What’s with the Frey’s and them ALWAYS EATING whenever they’re conducting business?

It’s realllllly fucking crazy to think that (show) Jace is bargaining away his OWN INHERITANCE and he doesn’t even know it like🫥🫥🫥

Even crazier for the Freys to think they were just going to be given Harrenhal without declaring for Rhaenyra.

If Daemon knows she’s a witch, why is he so keen to play buddy buddy with Alys literally every damn chance he gets? Sus.

Ugh, I hope Daemon has a moment of clarity. This change from FOB is NOT it.

I’m confused, I could’ve sworn Corlys was already named Hand.

Baela🖤🖤🖤 The icon, the legend. We love you.

“I am blood and fire. Driftmark must pass to salt and sea.” GODS could you be any more bad ass like-

Rhaenyra using See Alfred’s own subconscious opinion of her and her abilities against him in order to get him to do what she wants😂 you sure you aren’t a direct descent of Margaery Tyrell, ma’am?

Ser Simon’s probably thinking “would you like to regain control of this situation at any point, or…?”

Nice touch to have Rhaenyra with a lady (who is not the usual tone) who’s tugging a bit too much at her hair, since Elinda is busy off in King’s Landing.

Helaena KNOWS

Alicent sitting at Aegon’s beside, as she once did for Viserys…

Not the “mummy”😭💔💔💔

“Will you fly before Vhaegar as Luke did?” Ma’am, that was TOO COLD💀😭

So is Sunfyre really gone then?😭 What the hell, these changes are starting to irk me.

Did not miss that Rhaena had an off-screen attempt to claim a dragon.

If only Sam from GOT had a dragon😂

Dragonseeds, here we go…

Glad to see they didn’t cut the mob scene with Helaena and Alicent from the trailer, but I’m curious to see the context of it now since it wasn’t during Jaehaerys’s funeral.

VERMITHOR🖤🖤🖤🔥🔥🔥

[targwh0re]

My Boyfriends Predicts each Game of Thrones Season Finale pt.3

A/N: My man get back from his cruise tomorrowww!!! Then it’s on to season 4! Also he told his his dads favorite episode is the red wedding 😭😭😭 my baby don’t know what that is and was like “yeah I can’t wait to watch that episode then” 🤦‍♀️

- Catelyn will stay prisoner for a little while longer until Robb finds out the Kingslayer is back in custody and…idk

- Robb is gonna go talk to what’s his face (Walder Frey) and get the other half of his army and march on Lannister Land [ohhhhh😬; if only that’s how this show worked]

- Jon is either gonna link up with his buddies and escape or march on the wall and be like “I’m free now”[He said if I was him I wouldn’t want to be any part of that march between five different people]

- Sansa might go back and hang out with her old lady friend at some point, he thinks she also want to get the fuck out of there. But isn’t she about to be betrothed to what’s-his-face? (Loras). Sansa will either do that or the queen will Marry Loras and maybe she’ll go with little finger. Who’s this bitch gettin married to?🤔 [Lmao kinda but we take the long route😂]

- Arya will get dropped at Riverrun until her mom and Robb come to pick her up (probably get bullied a bit along the way) [baby have you learned nothing smh 🤦‍♀️ ]

- Jamie, things are starting to look up for him. That guy might return Jamie for money. And he thinks someone’s gonna try to rape Brienne again (she’s gonna beat the shit out of them) [I don’t care what anyone as to say to me, I will die on the Jamie/Brienne ship]

- Cersei is probably gonna have Ser Loras killed that way she doesn’t have to marry him. [only in her dreams;for now🔥]

- Joffrey is gonna go, closer, like more and more insane. But at the same time he’s going to be controlled by his new wife. Joffrey is, uh…let’s see…idk

- Margaery is doing really good. She manipulating Joffrey real good with that crossbow scene 😏 you know you like to kill people 💀

- Tywin is gonna bonk his two kids on the head when they don’t marry the people they’re supposed to fuck…i mean marry. And he’s going to assume the more political side of the Kings job, likes he’s just going to be doing the kings political shit

- Tyrion, I think bro is actually going to like fumble to kingdoms bag. Like he’s gonna drop a bag of money in the street and make some poor kid rich. He’s not gonna marry Sansa. He’s gonna be like no dad, I’m gonna marry this woman

- Loras should pick correctly🤦 careful who you pick [😂😂😂]

- And the old lady (Olenna) lit [Same, she my fav💅]

- Dany is coming back with a vengeance. She’s got an army, three dragons, and she’s gaining army’s as she conquers city’s. So, yeah… she’s winning in this game of chess [from a certain standpoint I suppose]

- Sam, bro might get fucking murdered. He might find Jon and be like “Buddy?!” And Jon gonna be like fuck they’re gonna make me kill him… [I swear to god this boy is always thinking Sam is going to die, like let that man live in as much peace as he can find]

Add on after episode 6 bc I forgot…🫢

- Bran is gonna go to the wall and be like 😱😱where’s Jon?!?! But Jon’s gonna be out there with the bad guys, doing bad guy things like climbing the wall. And Brans gonna grow up and be big boy and control his wolf through his eyeballs… in his wheelchair ( someone’s gonna get that man a wheelchair) [he not wrong about the wheelchair]

- Theon, bro’s gonna die 💀 though he deserves it [Nah not death, though I’d argue what he went through might have been worse…]

Afterthoughts:

Shit is crazyyyyy but good

Same as alwayssss…Dany is a Goddess 👑 and Joffrey is a Joke 🃏

[cruelfeline]

@goodbyenorthernlights

Thank you so much for the explanation!

I never saw Firefly. I feel like I probably saw Avengers at some point? Maybe? Like, I'm aware of it at least. But if I saw it, it didn't make enough of an impression on me to be memorable, so meh.

Now, Buffy I did watch when I was younger! And little bits and pieces, when I was older. And I do remember some of it.

And I guess my memory of it just kind of compounds how I react to Forspoken.

Buffy clearly had these sorts of quips and one-liners... but they're not what I remember. That is, they're not what I remember being noteworthy about the show.

What I remember about Buffy is like... the episode where she finds her mother dead. The episode with those floating, grinning specters collecting people's organs. Spike's torment. The catchy songs from the musical episode.

Which like... the quips exist, but the whole show isn't quips? The show has genuinely sincere, emotional moments, and that's what I remember. The quips might provide a giggle here or there, or they may just fade into the background, but I remember Buffy because of the meaningful scenes.

And I feel that that's how I experience Forspoken. One-liners may exist, but they're either funny to me or unobtrusive. Either way, they're not what I really remember, or seriously think about.

What stands out for me is like... Cuff's penchant for teaching despite his designed purpose. Frey's self-loathing. The stark contrast between Frey and Cuff in terms of their relationship with duty and commitment and freedom. The mystery of the Rheddah-Athia conflict. Birbs. The horror of what has happened to Athia as a land and country.

Like... Frey may say something silly here and there, but there's so much else to focus on that I just don't really care?

I feel that that sort of quippy writing would certainly be bothersome if the entire story were made of nothing else, but that's just not the case. Neither in Buffy, nor in Forspoken.

So the criticism just kind of gets a big *shrug* from me. Frey would be annoying if she was made of nothing but quips, but she's made of so much more. And Cuff being made of quips... well, that's actually really funny when you realize that the other thing he's primarily made of is genocide. Like, he's a millenia-old demon who has murdered an entire country and likes to think he exudes dignity, but he has the sense of humor of a twelve year old. That's objectively hilarious.

[lifewithaview]

Bart the Bear and Gwendoline Christie in Game of Thrones (2011) The Bear and the Maiden Fair

S3E7

Robb and his entourage are traveling to the Freys but wet weather has delayed them. Talisa has big news for him. Jon Snow, Ygritte and the others have crossed into the south and are headed to Castle Black. Margaery has good advice for Sansa who dreads the thought of having to marry Tyrion. For his part, Tyrion thinks she's too young. Shae is also unhappy with Tyrion's upcoming marriage and she wants them to run away. Tywin Lannister makes sure King Joffrey knows exactly who is on charge. Daenerys and her army arrive at Yunkai, the Yellow City. Ser Jorah recommends that they simply bypass the walled city as conquering it serves no useful purpose. She disagrees but the slavers of Yunkai refuse to free all of their slaves. Melissandre arrives in King's Landing with Gendry and tells him of his ancestry. Arya meanwhile runs off on her own and into the arms of an enemy. Jaime begins his trip to King's Landing but refuses to leave Brienne behind. Theon Greyjoy is comforted by two young ladies but his captor has something else in mind.

*This is the only episode of the series to film scenes in the United States. The scenes in the bear pit were filmed in Los Angeles, because they involve a live bear (named Bart the Bear), and there are various legal restrictions on international transport of large animals such as bears. Only the bear pit was partially built on a parking lot in LA, and Gwendoline Christie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and the bear were the only actors present; the rest of the cast filmed their scenes on top of a full bear pit set in Northern Ireland. Shots from both sets were then digitally combined in post-production.

[deiarchiescott]

HOTD Rewrite Project: Episode 2x05 excerpt

Link to full project on ao3:

You can read the full rewrite project on AO3:

I wanted to try my hand at rewriting season 2 of House of the Dragon. I've already rewritten the first 4 episodes, and this is my attempt on episode 5, one of my least favourite episodes of the show. My rewrite changes a lot of things about the show (first off, a 10 episode season instead of an 8 episode one) and includes cut characters like Nettles, Black Aly, Sabitha Frey, Daeron, etc. Also includes battles that we haven't gotten to see (or didn't see onscreen) like the Burning Mill, Bitterbridge, the Honeywine, etc. Also Jace spends most of the season flying round the realm — first in the Eyrie, then White Harbour, then at Winterfell with Cregan and Sara.

The challenge for this rewrite is that I have to approach it the way the actual writers of S2 would have — with all of S1 as canon. So no changes are made regarding the first season, and I only continued on from 2x01. Also feel like a big thing missing from the second season were character interactions (Rhaena and Jace never interact, Jeyne Arryn was a nonentity, Helaena and Aemond say one line to each other before episode 8 ...) and I sought to rectify that. Blood and Cheese, Rook's Rest and most other events are completely changed.

The structure of my rewrite:

✅️ 2x01: Blood & Cheese

✅️ 2x02: The Cargyll duel

✅️ 2x03: The Burning Mill (full battle + Black Aly, the Brackens, etc)

✅️ 2x04: Rook's Rest (no anime villain Aemond)

✅️ 2x05: Cooldown after Rook's Rest, Alicent and Aemond's factions scheme to secure the regency

2x06: The Red Sowing (the sowing is the entire episode, not just the last 10 mins), also a battle at the end (Silverwing, Vermithor, Syrax & Seasmoke vs Vhagar and Dreamfyre)

2x07: Honeywine, Baela in Bitterbridge, etc

2x08: The Gullet

2x09: Battle of Bitterbridge (Baela vs Daeron) and the Fall of King's Landing

2x10: Aftermath of the Fall

Big thanks to anyone who decides to take a look!

[blackcat419]

For the rewrite of HotD, the main big change I’m making is restructuring where each season ends. (Spoilers below cut) oh and poll at the end cause I love appealing to public opinion.

Option 1

In HotD, season 1 ends with the death of Lucerys, Season 2 ends with umm… Rhaenyra preparing to take Kingslanding? Season 3 and 4 have yet to air but if season 2 is anything to go on, I think Season 3 will end with Daemon and Aemond’s death and Season 4 with Rhaenyra’s death and Aegon taking the throne.

I kind of hate this layout. It rushes season 1, breaks up cause and effect events like Lucery’s death leading to blood and cheese and then to the cargyll brothers and all that across multiple seasons. And it also leaves season 2 on a very weak ending.

Option 2

In the rewrite, I want season 1 to be broken up into 2 seasons. This might sounds like stretching a dead cow for more milk than it’s worth but I think by breaking season 1 into two seasons, we have more time with pre time skip characters and more time with the kids of each side.

Season 1 would end with the birth of Jace and Daeron, we have the final episode be very family drama heavy with everyone realizing that ‘omg that’s not Laenor’s son’ and King Viserys trying to rectify the family divide and failing.

Season 2 would end with both sides crowning their respective monarch and the beginning of the war of letters where we see all our major players (Dalton Greyjoy, Cregan Stark, Alysanne Blackwood, Sabitha Frey, Jeyne Arryn, Ormound Hightower and Daeron Targaryen, the Triarchy, and the Aemond arriving at Storms end to meet with Borros Baratheon).

Season 3 opens with the lead up to Luke’s death and ends with Jace’s death and Rhaenyra taking Kings Landing.

Season 4 starts with Rhaenyra ordering the death of Green faction members and the stokeworth and Rosby question and ends with her death, Aegon taking the throne, and Aegon and Jaehaerys’ wedding. I also think it could end with the men of the council finding Aegon II dead so it’s a very bittersweet ending.

By separating the seasons like this, I hope that the over aching themes of each season can really hit home and that we don’t lose our major players till season 4. Season 1 is the rift between the families forming, season 2 is that rift extending to the children, season three has it look like the blacks are going to win and Rhaenyra and Daemon reconciling, and season 4 is Rhaenyra and Daemon breaking apart and the greens being the ones winning only for both monarchs to die, leaving behind their children.

Option 3

Option three is following the breaks that I’ve set for summarizing of the books. So season 1 ends with Viserys’ death, season 2 with Rhaenyra taking kings landing, season 3 with Aegon taking kings landing, and season 4 ending with Jaehaera’s death. This would completely follow the dance story from beginning to end and would allow up to see more of characters like Baela, Rhaena, Daenaera, Jaehaera, Aegon the younger, and minor lords as well.

[malicedafirenze]

so I finally got done watching S5 of The Dragon Prince and ghgnghghggngh why do I have such a mixed bag love hate relationship with this show (spoilers)

I want to love this show but there's so many things that just don't land and don't work, and yet here I am, hooked once again, because after 8 episodes of cringe humor and weird dialogue it fed me some crumbs of delicious Aaravos content.

I find so many of the accents so goddamn stilted and awkward. The french sun fire elves are the worst. I don't object to french-sounding elves in principle but dear lord does it sound unnatural and strained

SO much of the humor just does not land and the pacing of individual scenes is just ??? ATLA had some very kiddie humor here or there too, and I love the somewhat darker and more mature tone of TDP but jfc it feels like they need to hammer every joke home with so much time that you'd think they were planning for a laugh track

ep 8 and 9 were so much better than the whole rest of the season because once this show lets itself focus on action and drama, it's actually pretty fucking good, but for some reason you need to get through a first half season of awkward goofs.

Terry annoys me so much. Yay trans rep, but why the utterly random coming out out of nowhere (that was S04 I know but I watched it very recently okay) and his whole sounding like a therapist shit towards Claudia, like yes, it could be funny that this random wood elf does aroma therapy on his dark mage gf but everything somehow turns awkward in the execution

The library showdown was generally cool but the framing for why Amaya told them to leave without her was so fucking weird: you have this moment of Dragon Ex Machina, Zubeia wiping away the demon bears with ease, and then suddenly when Amaya is back in the frey after grabbing Bait, they're suddenly out of time and need to leave that instant??? Like I see what they were going for, obviously Zubeia was under real threat from the demon bears, but imo the framing/visualization of that threat did not work at all and I audibly went "WHY" at my screen at the random "you have to leave without me" thing.

That being said there's some shit that goes extremely hard and I'm here for it:

Rayla just fucking dismembering Claudia apparently wtf??

I enjoyed the sexy fish pirate man, I hope he survived getting eaten

I am an utter addict for Aaravos' voice and even the flashback repetitions in Janai's nightmares were legit enough to get my attention again

I am very excited for how someone is going to end up saving Viren's life against his will and I will gladly read fanfic of it

I had the 'our child' thing spoiled by being careless on tumblr but seeing it actually on screen was better than expected, love that for my OTP, toxic af parenthood is just what they needed

I really expected there to be more Aaravos since this show got renamed to Mystery of Aaravos false advertising smh.

They got creative with Dragon designs this season and I support that

out of all the things I found weird and cringe, I am 100% here for Zubaia getting randomly healed by a funky little gnome that calls himself the mushroom mage, 10/10 no notes

young viren hot

Rayla and Callum worked much better for me towards the end of the season when they got more comfortable with each other, love that for them, some delicious drama when the sexy fish man tortures them in front of each other, good for them, that's my shit

Considering all the things I liked about the last 2-3 episodes I feel nitpicky and weird for complaining about the first 7 or so but UGH it was a bit of a pain to get through them tbh. There is so much I deeply, deeply appreciate about what this show tries to do, as a high fantasy kids show with an overarching story, gorgeous visuals and explicit lgbtq and disability rep that I feel like an ass for complaining about it so much, but god damn there are so many things that are just unbearably cringe about it and OH MY GOD I just remembered the god damn "maybe you should express your love like a bee, here just move your tushy like that" scene holy FUCK can someone please give me an edit of this show with about three times the Aaravos screentime and all this second hand embarassment removed

[wearenorth]

D&D decided to make Dany "mad" within last two episodes, because they needed her out of the way for their shity ending. They couldn't make Dany go mad before, cause they needed her in helping to protect Winterfell. And the rest is just double standards.

When Sansa let's hounds out to rip Ramsay into pieces - she suffered so much, she deserved this moment, finally she's gaining power, yeah, go girl. When Daenerys is done with years of abuse from her brother and she doesn't stop Drogo from executing Viserys after he threatened Dany's baby - how could she, he's her brother, that's the first sign of madness. When Daenerys doesn't know something about the Westeros, because she didn't have maester or septa to teach her - she's uneducated and inexperienced, how can she become a ruler. When Jon Snow doesn't know something - well d&d decided to make dumb, especially after his resurrection. When Robb executed Rickard Karstark for a treason - that's justice, that was right thing to do for Robb. When Sansa ordered Littlefinger's execution (not executed herself, something that's not acceptable by the Northerners/First Men) for treason, betrayal and so on - that's justice, that's revenge, it was the right thing to do. When Arya executed (probably) all male Freys (even when some were innocent - at least some in the books were) - that's revenge, that was right thing to do. When Daenerys executed Varys for a treason - how could she, she had no right, she's mad, this was one the signs. When Daenerys executed Randyll Tarly and his son Dickon for not bending the knee and for participating in taking Highgarden, killing Tyrells (Dany's allies), even, though, she would forgiven the later one, letting Tarly keep his title, lands, incomes, later listening to Tyrion and offering Randyll to join the Night's Watch (he refuses) - she's mad, how could she, that's foreshadowing of her madness. Daenerys burns food supplies from Highgarden so that Lannisters couldn't take it and have another advantage against her- she's mad. Starks and Tullys do the same thing during war of the 5 kings - that's really clever. Daenerys ends slavery and frees the slaves - she destroyed centuries old cultures, she had no right, she's mad. The Starks literally enslaving wildling woman - it's not like they threat her like a slave, just force her to work like one, but Osha isn't complaining, so all good.

When the Starks do something like this - it's excusable, everything is ok, it was necessary. Dany does something like this - she's mad. F*ckin double standards everywhere.

[sweetscarlettangel]

HotD Season 2 Episode 5 Live Thoughts

Driftmark

I think Corlys probably never imagined he would be the widower

King's Landing

The smallfox aren't happy with the Greens parading Meleys around

Gwayne's right — can it be counted as a victory with Aegon's state?

Is Alicent considering harming Aemond?  She probably already knows what happened 

Helaena probably saw what was going to happen 😭 

Gosh, I’m feeling sorry for Aegon

I didn’t think swords would be sharpened with lemon and salt

Is Sunfyre alive? "Long in the dying" what does that mean?

Dragonstone

Why is Ser Alfred on the council? Wasn’t he the steward or the castellan or something similar?

Jace & Baela ❤️ 

I love how Baela is being given lines and seemingly a character arc. Hopefully the same will happen with Rhaena

The Riverlands

What? Daemon let them live?

The Vale

The Eyrie looks cozy

Rhaena's growing a backbone

Dragonstone

Again with Rhaenyra's frustration with gender norms

This scene feels luke a therapy session

But at least Mysaria is proving her worth 

Bonding moment! Finally a scene between Rhaenyra and one of the twins that isn't simply giving orders

Corlys is going to be hand!

Harrenhal

Ugh

So many different Targ women could have been used — Millg as young Rhaenyra, Aemma, Laena

And Daemon's deep into his delulu era

King's Landing

I think they’ll have Aegon parallel Viserys

Alicent might start understanding Rhaenyra better

Alicent's probably regretting coddling Aemond

I like how they're developing Hugh as a well-rounded character rather than just a smith who claims a dragon

Trouble in Alicole land

And the stirrings of the smallfolk begin

The Twins

Why is Lady Frey wearing a Septa's headscarf?

Why would they want Harrenhal? It's a cursed castle no family can hold

Jace at least is proving himself as the heir

Harrenhal

Guess they're truly pushing Alys & Daemon

Don’t really like the mischaracterizations

Driftmark

Baela just wanted a big family reunion 😢 

Baela isn't pulling her punches

Corlys is probably seeing Laena in her

Dragonstone

What a liar

Daemon can't be reasoned with, Rhaenyra! Not with how he's being written this season

Harrenhal

The Blackwoods crossed the invisible line

I liked that lady

And Daemon is just showing why he'd be a bad ruler

King's Landing

This is an Elinda Massey appreciation account! She did everything for her queen

Was that Dyana?

Driftmark

Fruit of the Poisoned Tree Corlys — what he wanted for years, recognition and power but at too great a cost

King's Landing

Go Helaena! Confront your backstabbing brother 

Alicent likely feels guilt for how she kept Argon at an arm's length

And Aegon just wants his mom 😭 

Dragonstone

Rhaenyra always idealized Visenya, why is this a surprise to Jace?

Teenage rebelliousness? 

I like the twist for the dragonseeds idea. Much better than offering a dragon to whoever is brave enough

Jace's sass!

[themovieblogonline]

House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5: Fire and Fury Unleashed

The latest episode of House of the Dragon, Season 2 Episode 5, dropped, and it's packed with drama, tension, and fiery twists. This episode dives deep into the aftermath of Princess Rhaenys' death, showcasing how the folks in Dragonstone react to this devastating loss. Let's break down the highs and lows of this episode, focusing on the things I loved and those that fell short. The Good Princess Rhaenys' Death: The Ned Stark Moment The death of Princess Rhaenys hit hard. Her character has often been compared to Ned Stark. Rhaenys was wise, graceful, and always played by the rules, even when it cost her dearly. Her restraint in not killing King Aegon earlier speaks volumes about her character. She knew the political implications of such an action and chose peace over power. This episode allows us to reflect on what might have been if she had seized the throne. https://youtube.com/live/oqJTWauIkiM Daemon’s Campaign Daemon's campaign to seize the throne is another highlight. His strategic mind and ruthless determination are on full display. We see him building his forces and plotting his next moves with precision. The scene where he bullies the Brackens to bend the knee with his dragon was intense. Despite their resistance, Daemon's presence is formidable, and his character continues to be a fascinating mix of hero and villain. Jace Stepping Up Jace stepping up and pushing his mom to find more dragon riders is a significant moment. His frustration at being kept out of the action is palpable. He’s like Robb Stark, eager to prove himself and ready to take on the responsibilities of leadership. Jace's idea to convince the Freys to allow Cregan Stark's men to help fight for Rhaenyra shows his strategic mind and determination. Aemond’s Quiet Power Aemond's quiet way of taking power is both chilling and impressive. His silence speaks volumes, and his strategic moves show he’s not to be underestimated. The scene where he stands proudly with the conqueror’s dagger while Alicent dips without a word is powerful. Aemond is emerging as a force to be reckoned with, and his ascent is fascinating to watch.   The Bad Rhaenys' Untapped Potential While Princess Rhaenys’ death was impactful, it also highlighted missed opportunities. She had the potential to claim the throne and change the course of events dramatically. Imagining her holding the Dragonpit with her dragons and her husband’s fleet at Driftmark is tantalizing. Her decision to pursue peace, while wise, leaves a void of what could have been. Rhaenyra’s Leadership Rhaenyra’s leadership is under scrutiny. Her council's reluctance to follow her defensive strategies highlights the tension. Rhaenyra’s insistence on peace and defensive tactics, while admirable, is starting to show cracks. Her frustration is evident, and the need for a more aggressive stance is becoming apparent. The comparison to Tony Soprano's reluctance to fight back is spot on. It’s time for Rhaenyra to inspire her council and take decisive action. Criston Cole’s Ambiguity Criston Cole’s character continues to frustrate. His reluctance to answer Alicent’s questions about Aegon and Aemond shows his ambiguous loyalty. Once seen as a victim of royal drama, his continued actions place him among the show's most disliked characters. His behavior is increasingly comparable to Joffrey or Roose Bolton, making it hard to sympathize with him anymore. The People of King's Landing The suffering of the people of King's Landing is a stark reminder of the war’s impact. The sight of them struggling, starving, and witnessing a dragon’s head paraded through town adds to the grim atmosphere. This situation leaves the Greens vulnerable, setting the stage for potential rebellion. The show has been building up to this, and the White Worm’s plan to turn the people against the Greens is a masterstroke. Daemon’s Conflicted Nature Daemon’s character continues to be a complex mix of hero and villain. His interactions with the Brackens and his dreams about his mother highlight his inner turmoil. The suggestion that he might have tried to claim his mother’s dragon, Meleys, adds depth to his character. His trauma related to his mother’s death at a young age is starting to surface, making him even more intriguing. Conclusion House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 delivers a powerful mix of drama, strategy, and character development. From the impactful death of Princess Rhaenys to the strategic moves of Daemon and Aemond, this episode keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. While there are some frustrations, particularly with Rhaenyra’s leadership and Criston Cole’s ambiguity, the episode sets the stage for explosive developments. Stay tuned as we continue to dissect and enjoy this fiery season of House of the Dragon. Read the full article

[theredpharaoah]

Dragons:

Targaryens are pretty much guaranteed to claim a castle dragon. It’s why Jaehaerys had the pit so heavily guarded. It’s probably the reason he created the pit and the dragonkeepers in the first place - to control access to dragons within the house. The Dragonkeepers have to turn Targs away from claiming dragons they know Jaehaerys wouldn’t like certain members(women) claiming. And even amongst the wild dragons, the Targaryens don’t show fear. Rhaena, Aerea, Maegor, etc, used to be among them just fine. Rhaenyra’s flinching at the arrival of Seasmoke and Rhaena was feeding Androw to Balerion with zero fear. Viserra would play in the pit and dare boys to put their hands in dragons’ mouths. Saera tried to steal a dragon. Baelon hit Balerion on the snout. Alyssa wanted Balerion but the Dragonkeepers persuaded her to go for Meleys instead. I laughed at Meleys not liking Daemon but that’s not the lore either. This is not Eragon. There’s no destined dragon for a rider. They ride whoever they choose to claim. And these dragons aren’t wild like Drogon was, they don’t have to be whipped into submission to be mounted. So please explain to me how tf Rhaena almost died. Was she attempting to tame a feral dragon? Because that’s the only way this makes sense. And Seasmoke has only been riderless for 6 years; he’s not feral and he was never an aggressive dragon.

Rhaena:

The way Rhaena is spoken of is not reflected in her character. They speak of her like she’s a coward and she comes off as anything but that. Compare Rhaena with Lady Jeyne to how Rhaenyra and Jace scoff at and dismiss her at the end of this episode; it’s not clicking. She’s not a coward. Where is this going? She’s in the Eyrie and none of us gaf about that storyline. You apparently compounded her character with Nettles. This is usually done in shows and I don’t have a problem with it, except you’ve just made that entire choice useless because you still sent her to the Eyrie. How are you going to get her back to Dragonstone? What about the children? What are you going to even do with the kids now that you’ve aged them down so much? You should’ve had her claim a dragon the episode she was supposed to leave to the Eyrie.

Daemon and The Riverlands:

First off: why is Daemon imagining himself fucking his ideal of his mother? What purpose did that serve for the plot or anything? Daemon was said to have been unaffected by the effects of Harrenahal, so why tf have you made him damn near incapacitated? And Alys Rivers; are you splitting Nettles story to her now? Are you making them lovers? What is the point of this? Also his character; he’s an idiot butcher. He told the Blackwoods to go play Ironborn on Bracken land and expected that to go over well with the rest of the River Lords? Then we have Jace; you can’t give the Freys Harrenhal you fucking idiot. The Freys wanting Harrenhal doesn’t even make sense. Nobody wants that fucking castle. It’s only useful during war.

Aegon and Helaena:

You made up a suit of Valyrian Steel armor and put him in it just so you could violate all the properties of Valyrian steel. What the fuck was the point of this? You could’ve just gave him the regular suit of armor he wore in the book. You made Helaena a dreamer and….what? The whole point of Dragon Dreams is that they give you knowledge about the future. Dany has Dragon Dreams and she uses them. Helaena doesn’t use hers at all. Dragon Dreams don’t make you fucking Cassandra of Troy; you’re not uselessly screaming and unable to decipher meanings. And there’s been a very obvious drop in ability for her. In season 1 we see Helaena performing entomomancy. There’s no way she’s doing all the shit she was doing at Laena’s funeral and doesn’t know what she’s doing. She’s 13-14 here too so it’s not some childish intuition she’s no longer able to do. And her character back then was way more badass than what she is now. She reminded me of how I interpreted Rhaena I’s character. Now she just runs around crying and being cryptic. They haven’t even mentioned the fact that she’s a dragonrider and we’ve never even seen her interact with Dreamfyre. Helaena loved flying -it was her greatest joy in life. We’re gonna discuss this regent shit later. You cut Maelor so she’s not going insane either. She went insane cuz she was constantly reminded of Jaehaerys when she saw Maelor. Originally she was told to choose between her two sons, not tell them which one of the twins was her son. And we need to discuss how she’s been completely robbed of Agency here. Helaena was actively participating in the usurping of the throne. She was in the Small Council meetings, and she was expected to go to battle and defend the city as well.

Christon Cole:

Character makes no sense. He would’ve been executed or sent to the Wall regardless of having Alicent’s favor after he killed Joffrey. Everything after that has just made him and the show seem more ridiculous.

Rhaenyra and Rulers Don’t Go To War:

This is not Planetos tradition. The rulers are expected to go to war. And in Fire and Blood, they expect Rhaenyra to participate in the war. On her dragon. Her never being in a battle is one of the weakest aspects of F&B. This episode you talk about her frustrations with being denied battle, we once again see she looks to Visenya, and then you proceed to have her act nothing like her. Her having to come to terms with the fact that she’s on her own and will have to face Vhagar should empower her. Meleys could’ve beat Vhagar. Syrax, Caraxes, and Meleys are all in the same age/size range. Syrax is faster than Vhagar and Rhaenyra has decades of experience riding over Aemond along with far more knowledge of battle tactics. She has a chance here, and she has to have a chance because otherwise she might as well walk into KL and let them kill her. The clip of her next episode flying on Syrax made no sense. Where are we going? Her picking up the sword??? She has no training. She can’t use that. Her threatening who I believe was Lord Celtigar - we already know you’re not going to do shit. Also, Rhaenyra is said to be intelligent since she was a child and she’s not shy about going to battle. The only reason she doesn’t fly to battle in the early days of the Dance is because she’s recovering from her miscarriage. Her personality clashes with later descriptions given of her by both Mushroom and Eustace: her reaction to Nettles and Daemon being one of them. And her apparent paranoia in KL seems nonexistent by the time she meets Aegon on Dragonstone - implying she wasn’t paranoid to begin with. I also don’t think Rhaenyra would be the type to put up with Daemon’s infidelity or that she would blame Nettles moreso than Daemon, but that’s my interpretation.

Culture:

Aemond becomes regent because he’s “The Protector of The Realm” and rides Vhagar. If it was up for debate, precedent(which they act like they live so much) would see regency pass to Helaena. The only reason Helaena probably didn’t become regent in the books is because she was already mad by the time Aegon was injured at Rook’s Rest. Dreamfyre should be larger than Caraxes, Syrax, and Meleys, but Rhaenys says otherwise. She’s at least the same size. So she had a dragon of a large enough size to support her claim as Regent. Also, the Greens were not arguing for Agnatic seniority - that came after the Dance. A daughter inherits before an uncle by Westerosi customs. So Aegon’s heir is Jaehaera in the show. The main argument made against Rhaenyra claiming the throne in the books by the Greens was that her children were bastards, not that she was a woman. Aegon only agreed to take the throne after Christon lied and said Rhaenyra would have to kill him to insure her bastard sons could ascent unobstructed. Aegon’s words according to Eustace: “My sister is the heir, not me. What sort of brother steals his sister’s birthright?”. This whole “women can’t rule” thing they’re doing in the show was not the norm of the culture. Visenya and Rhaenys did more of the day-to-day ruling than Aegon and Alysanne is still fresh in everyone’s minds. Also, they’ve completely failed to convey the seriousness of kinslaying. Aemond was not looked at well for what he did to Luke. He was called Aemond the Kinslayer. We haven’t seen anyone treat him differently but Alicent.

Dragonriders:

Dragonriders are warriors. Dragons aren’t for trips and to be shown off. Rhaenys is presented as a warrior in F&B and she does not use a sword. Meleys makes her a warrior. GRRM does make a distinction when he specified that characters were Dragonriders and used a blade, but Dragonriders are considered warriors. They’re literally in control of nukes. Rhaena could be said to have acted like a warrior too, and Jaehaerys acknowledged this. He said they’d have to go to war if the eggs Elissa stole hatched and that no hatchling could hope to stand against Dreamfyre and Vermithor. He refused to have Alysanna be a part of this. Rhaena then says “She is Rhaenys and I am Visenya. I never thought any different”. So Rhaenyra, Baela, Helaena, and Rhaenys’ lack of respect makes no sense. I interpret it as they would’ve been treated like warriors who hadn’t been blooded yet. And better than that, because a dragonrider doesn’t need to be blooded - you know they’re going to do damage. These men are not speaking to these women - especially Rhaenys and Rhaenyra - like they control beasts that could annihilate their entire family and bloodline in a matter of hours. And even the show contradicts itself. In episode 3 when Willem Blackwood is vying for Rhae’s hand he’s mocked by Bracken for saying he’d insure she was safe. Bracken says: “‘Protection’? The Princess has a dragon you dumb cunt.” And everyone, including Rhaenyra, laughs - she doesn’t need a man to protect her and they all know that. This also explains why Rhaenyra never learned how to use a sword even though she’d been the declared hero since she was 8: she didn’t need to. She only had to hone her abilities as a dragonrider. That was more than enough to insure she could fulfill her duties as Protector of The Realm.

On Adaptations:

When you’re adapting a book to a show/movie, you have license to take many liberties. People can’t follow narratives and characters on a screen the way they can with a book. They also can’t be informed of the world the way they can with a book - you have to show not tell. But Fire and Blood provides even more freedom than usual, because it’s a vague gloss of events written from two very biased accounts. Furthermore, after the dumpster fire that was GOT, I don’t think you’d have a hard time going AU with this. There is so much freedom here, but what you change has to be purposeful and good. First of all, you need to decide what you want to do? Are you sticking to the book ending or going somewhere different? You have to decide the main themes and messages you want to convey - what are you trying to use this story to say? They don’t seem to have done this. The show reads as indecisive. Are we sticking to the script or are we going in another direction; sometimes they seem to do that sometimes they don’t. Then they change lore that wasn’t really up on the table for changing; why change Dany’s eggs? The message? I couldn’t tell you. GRRM had a clear bias during the Dance - he supports the Blacks. Rhaenyra is one of many iterations in his “Amethyst Empress Cycle” - a cycle I believe he intends for Dany to break. And so the message GRRM seems to convey is some sort of naive feminist theory. The issue is that these show runners are failing at even that. Feminism is intuitive. There’s no way Rhaenyra can see her situation and what she’s doing and not see how big of a step forward it is for women all over Westeros. Yet the character they’ve crafted denies this - they all do - and continue to behave as though they exist in a vacuum. That they can have one: Rhaenyra ascending as Queen Regnant. without the other: drastically altering the political landscape of Westeros. Rhaenyra in the show acts as if she’s the exception, not a new rule. She doesn’t advocate for any other women in the realm and she still thinks in the patriarchal thought patterns of all the men around her. In the books we couldn’t say this because we’re not given enough to know. But based off of the show, we definitely can. And then this episode; what’s the message? Women are presented as this caricature and then instead of having them break that mold you have them embrace the caricature. It reads like some very idiotic interpretation of Difference Feminism. Acknowledging that those things traditionally considered feminine are just as important as the masculine, does not mean what we’re seeing in this show. Alicent doesn’t take Cole to task for betraying her at the council, she essentially says “I thought I meant more to you than that”. Rhaenyra doesn’t take Alfred to task for his insubordination, she bows to his demands, gives him an important mission, and looks weak all the while. She acts like she wants his approval. These women aren’t even the characters we were introduced to in season 1. Remember young Rhaenyra- how bold and sure she was even in the face of her inexperience? Where is that. This Rhaenyra can’t even rule her face. This Alicent can’t even express herself. This show is fighting itself. It’s fighting its apparent message, it’s fighting the lore, it’s fighting characters and relationships it previously developed.

And the changes? What do you change when you adapt a story? In my opinion you should change the weak points of that story. Off the top of my head; Rhaena, Dragonseeds, not immediately attacking KL, Moondancer and the dragons ridden by women problem(somehow they’re all just smaller than the men’s dragons - even if they’re older), ambiguous relationships, lack of sorcery known by Targs, lack of glass candles, lack of Valyrian arts and crafts known by Targs and Velaryons, inconsistent dragon populations, inconsistent dragon sizes and ages, etc. These are things I would think to change in my adaptation of this story BEFORE I took it in my preferred direction. They’ve solved Moondancer. Other than that, they’ve made more issues. One example is when they said Aegon had that dagger made by the last of the pyromancers. Why the hell didn’t they teach their skills to someone? Why didn’t he demand they do so?

Relationships:

I would put this above adaptations but Tumblr is stupid and will delete all this if I hit return. They’ve botched a bunch of relationships. Viserys loved Rhaenyra the most, but he was close to his other children and his grandchildren. He was sick, but he was a father figure to Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond. And Rhaenyra and her kids were closer to them as well. Rhaenyra and Alicent’s kids never liked one another though. Rhaenyra, Laena, and Daemon were pretty much in a throuple. I don’t think Rhaenys ever disliked Rhaenyra. The Velaryons knew(as did the whole realm) that Laenor was gay, and I’m pretty sure they knew that Rhaenyra and Daemon loved Laena. They knew Laenor couldn’t provide heirs which was why Rhaenyra and Laena’s children were betrothed when Rhaena and Baela were 2 and Jace and Luke were 4 and 3. They did that to insure they would still have Velaryon blood in their lines. Vaemond and the other Velaryons always just read as thirsty for power to me. I mean Corlys ain’t even fuck with them like that tbh. He built High Tide cuz Driftmark was too crowded(Read: his family got on his damn nerves). Vaemond attempting to take lordship from Luke due to lack of Velaryon blood was nonsensical because Rhaena and Luke’s children would be just as Velaryon as any other Velaryon had ever been. He just wanted power. Aegon and Helaena’s relationship is way off too. Aegon was a sleaze and he slept around(and was predatory), but he did seem to care for and maybe even love Helaena. They slept in the same bed until B&C happened. Their marriage was nowhere near as cold as it’s depicted in the show. Daemon and his relationships with everyone is a mess. He doesn’t seem to care about his children at all really, he doesn’t seem to have loved Laena, he doesn’t seem to have loved Mysaria, and he’s abusive of and doesn’t seem to love Rhaenyra. I also don’t read the family being so fractured. Unlike with Rhaenyra and her brothers, Baela and Rhaena never call their brothers “half-brothers”. And considering Rhaenyra’s love of Laena, I don’t believe she didn’t raise those two girls as her own. I also don’t think that Daemon doesn’t see the Strong boys as his own kids too, and they don’t see him as their father. Harwin couldn’t take an active role in raising them for obvious reasons and Laenor was never around. They’d been around Daemon since they were born, and he was their father - a present and active father - for most of their lives. Joffrey wouldn’t even remember Laenor or Harwin as he was 3 when they died. And that leads me back to Rhaenyra’s relationship with Rhaena and Baela; they were 4 when Laena died. They don’t remember her. When they think of “mother” it’s Rhaenyra’s face that pops up, not Laena’s. And it’s the same for The Strong Boys and Daemon. Harwin couldn’t have raised them as it would’ve been way too dangerous for him to even show a decent amount of affection towards them. Maybe he could on Dragonstone though? But even that wouldn’t be enough. Her eldest: Jace and Luke are 6 and 5 respectively when he dies. They have fragmented memories of Harwin at best. Autobiographical memory literally stabilizes at those ages, everything before that is either nonexistent or fragmented.