#it’s actually best to just listen to nothing anyone on hotd Twitter says… just keep it there

[dulcewrites]

The discussion of what would’ve happen if for some reason there was no Dance and Rhaenyra came to the throne is on again on Twitter, many are now agreeing that there would any sort of new conflict, even if Rhaenyra didn’t want it and tried to be a peaceful ruler (which I doubt ‘cause she doesn’t know the first thing of ruling) principally because of Daemon because he like to cause trouble and problems for everybody and their mothers; but that’s not the important thing in this (for me); Rhaenyra’s technically legitimate heir is Aegon III and that would be a problem to Jace and the String kids because Daemond would play his cards against them (and he wouldn’t be on the wrong at least on the eyes of the lords of the realm, his children do are legitimate at least on the books; show Rhaenyra has practically only bastards).

Putting that aside; do you thing that Aegon and Helaena would still be forced to marry or would Alicent choose someone else like a Hightower cousin or Cregan (just because everyone thing he is the epitome of a good men; he got three wives and that caused his on succession crisis) or would she choose some other fate for her like being a silent sister or septa?

Aemond would probably be more free of choosing his partner or destiny, I think, so does Daeron. And Aegon probably would keep being him but with less stress on him .

I do think that who ever they married they still would be in danger of Daemon coming after them and their children; specially if any of the boys have a son that was legitimate.

Plus I think that Targaryen’s where kind of dumb for never tying the largest part of the Seven kingdoms (The North) to the throne, like at some point just honor is not enough for maintaining loyalty, you need something that has weight; lol it would be funny if Aemond or Daeron ended married to a Stark and that caused to the North being loyal to the greens (I just love my Starks)

😘😘🫂🫂

Imo multiple things about Rhaenyra’s situation can be true. It can be true that many people in the realm would have looked down on having a queen rule, and that in a feudalistic society - patriarchy and misogyny reigns supreme. That’s not fair. Just like it can be true that Rhaenyra fucked up royally by having not one, but three bastards (technically five in the show lmao). She royally fucked up by having her brown haired strong boys (named Jacaerys Lucerys and Joffrey) then turning around and having super blonde targs named after kings.

Rhaenyra was set up to fail by even being named heir tbh, knowing the precedent that had been set by her own father becoming king over rhaenys. It was going to be an uphill battle regardless of whether it was the Hightowers or any other family. Or if she assumed the crown.

Anyway I just wanted to get that out the way because people chalk up everything wrong in Rhaenyra’s life to the greens when half of her problems come from her (and viserys) giving them ammunition and emboldening them through their stupid decisions.

As for the marriage piece, in the book it is said Viserys wanted Aegon and Helaena married to each other. The steps are bit more dubious in the show. I’m of the belief if it was possible to keep Helaena in particular, bc that’s her baby and she’s clearly anxious about her daughter in specific :(, close and married off to someone other than her brother, Alicent would have done it. Probably same with Aegon. His marriage would been of the upmost importance. They actually had a lot of opportunities to create alliances with having a girl and three boys. With the way Aemond was basiclaly offered up to the baratheons, it makes think the same would’ve happened to the other kids if given the chance

It’s funny you mentioned cregan, bc though I don’t mind him as a character and I’m interested to see where they take him the show, the way people talk about him… as if he is the stark to end all starks 💀. I saw a tweet talking about how people only speak about him that way because of the targaryen connection. I can’t help but agree :/. Like you mentioned, he creates his own mini succession crisis. Cregan and jace technically do bind the starks and targs together. “Regardless, Lord Cregan and Prince Jacaerys reached an agreement, known by Munkun as the Pact of Ice and Fire, which stated that the future firstborn daughter of Jacaerys would one day marry Cregan's son, Rickon. Cregan pledged his support to the blacks.”

That’s sort of just dropped when jace dies, and not followed up at all with rhaenyra??

Ellard Stark supported rhaenys (it was really more laenor’s) claim and the starks swore to Rhaenyra, I can kind of see why the greens didn’t try that. But imo the staunchness of the starks supporting ANY targ in this situation is weird to me. Whether it be Rhaenyra or Aegon. I understand the idea of wanting northern inclusion fomr greens/black standpoint… but I also don’t get it?? from the northern stand point. Idk it would’ve made more sense to me if they took the dornish/independent approach and just watched the targs slaughter themselves.

But I have a whole rant for about how which houses swore to which side makes no sense in general