#like have you noticed that helaena has no arc

[duncan-rohanne]

for a show that is trying so hard to be feminist it's failing on spectacular level. every woman on this show is somehow put into role of a victim. they are the victims of patriarchy and they can't get out. every time they try to have their voice heard the bad men will shut them out. every time they try to have a relationship the bad men will ruin it. every time they try to have friendship or family bond the bad man will step in the middle. and it got to a point when it's not subtle, it's hitting out on the head constantly. this episode especially.

and it's fucking wonder because the book didn't do that. yes, westeros is patriarchy. a hardcore one. it's so patriarchal that a war is fought not to have a woman on the throne. but the women of game of thrones and in the books were more than victims. they worked their way around it. they schemed, they fought, they clawed their ways out on the top. book!alicent wouldn't even try to become a regent? why would she? why are we watching show!alicent be so bitter? her son is a king, second son a regent, daughter is queen, she is fucking the hand, her father is doing her bidding somewhere and her brother is at her feet. if she played it smart she would be the most powerful woman in seven kingdoms but no, she isn't allowed to be scheming, she isn't allowed to want revenge, she isn't allowed to play the players. she needs to be victim.

i don't even want to talk about rhaenyra because they whitewashed her to a point where she can't even make a decision/action without someone advising her.

cersei lannister would never. daenerys targaryen would never. arya stark would never. catelyn stark would never. margaery tyrell would never. hell, as certified sansa hater, sansa stark, especially her, would never. they played the men around them to their best abilities. they guided their husbands, sons, brothers, lovers.

it's so frustrating. alicent and rhaenyra are like "i'm so clever, i can fix this but the men won't listen to me." yeah girl, you had 20 years to do it and you kept making it worse, not learning from your mistakes. i wouldn't listen to you either.

like i said, for a feminist show, i'm not getting any feminism. either take down the patriarchy (which would be interesting arc but it can't be since this is a prequel) or learn how to work within it. this is just perpetual story of "oh well, i tried..."

[bl00dlight]

SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 8 LEAKS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT MAJOR HELAEMOND SPOILERS.

I just wanna say. Once again the Helaegons prove their media illiteracy if they think that Aemond literally going to make amends with his sister, with TEARS IN HIS EYES... reaching for her ARM.... and him speaking so... softly.... when he says "come with me." AND HE SAYS IT LIKE THAT? PLEADING SOFTLY? AND HE ABOUT TO CRY? AND HE IS SO ANGRY AND VUNERABLE AND GUILT RIDDEN BUT IS SO HURT BY HER VISION THAT HE RESORTS TO WHAT HE ALWAYS DOES. AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE SEEN AEMOND ACT THIS WAY TO ANYONE. YALL SAYING HELAEGON WON?

When he reaches for her and GRAZES HER WRIST AND THEN STOPS HIMSELF AND PUTS HIS HEAD DOWN. BECAUSE HE CLEARLY FEELS SOME LEVEL OF GUILT FOR HIS ACTIONS???

Helaemond got the complicated tension simmering arc of misunderstanding helaegons wanted. If this was a Helaegon scene they'd be over the moon. Its only because mfs lack the understanding that Helaemond was never about soft squishy love and was always about yearning. And look at AEMOND YALL CANT SAY THEY DIDNT DO IT FOR HELAEMOND!!!! THE YEARNING!!! And I'm living for it. There is clearly context missing in those scenes, possibly that we might get Aemond and Helaena sort of teaming up in a scene or him pursuing her dreams/taking comfort in her like leaks said. Because when he comes into her room she sort of looks up at him softly and she doesn't seem angry or uncomfortable until he asks her to ride. + There is an established idea that Aemond requires her service again. And then in the balcony scene when she tells him the prophecy, it seems like he already knows about her dreams. So I suspect it's established earlier in the episode that Aemond and Hel have been having some sort of interaction about them.

Which I think is what makes the balcony scene so heartbreaking. We can see there is a connection that Aemond has, that when Helaena assumes he will hurt her, he visibly gets upset and goes into that defence mode again. He comes to her... with tears in his eyes... saying they SHARE THE SAME BLOOD AND THEIR MOTHER CAN'T UNDERSTAND AND... AND... THAT THEY SHARE A TRUER CALL TOGETHER?????? And helaegons are claiming they've won... why because she tells him the ending of the war? Because she refuses to fight?

The way she speaks so softly and gently and despondently about him dying.... I think we've got it Helaemonds. It's heartbreaking. And the idea of Aemond wanting Hel to join him at Harrenhal???? To bring Daemon down together???

Again I'm hoping those aren't the only scenes we are getting cause that would legitmately not make fucking sense but you never know with HOTD.

But still the fact we got Aemond going up with tears in his eye... and his FACEEE and the way the tear goes away at the end when she walks away and instantly he goes back to hardening up. I'm SORRY BUT OHHHH GODDDD THE PAIN!! The way he begins to tear up exactly when he asks her for help too... when he asks her to come with him... I'M DYING....

And then HOW HIS FACE CHANGES WHEN HE GETS HURT BY WHAT SHE SAYS.

And HER FACE.... WHEN SHE TELLS HIM HE IS GOING TO DIE... and HE VOICE... HOW SHE SAYS IT SUPER SOFTLY AND HER VOICE BREAKS.

And then when she says that her death won't change anything...

And that's what Hel meant by was it worth the price? Yall notice how the entire scene is about Helaena telling him his pursuit of power is his downfall...

Notice how she didn't really care about Aegon nearly dying, it was the fact AEMOND did it. The fact AEMOND is losing himself, and she asks "will you do the same to me?"

And you can see how vunerable he is and hurt and how his defences are all the way down and all he can do is whisper out that she is speaking treason. And when he threatens her... he doesn't do it harshly or in the same way he did to Aegon. He says it as if it's hurting him. He's got a tear in his eye as he says he could have her killed.

Which he clearly would never do. But he says it. Why? Because he is struggling to maintain his defence around her. Struggling to cope with the fact he hurt her to the point of her rejecting HELPING HIM. OH MY GODDDD.

I don't know what else yall were expecting, but uh in my opinion we've won. We hit all the points

Yearning

Aemond being vulnerable

Begging

Misunderstanding

Targcest vibes with the whole Valryian supremacy lines

Helaena telling him about his own death

The hesitancy towards physical touch

[peachysunrize]

Sorry to come here to rant but I love your blog and I don't know where else to talk about this. I saw the leaks for the finale because some asshole didn't tag them as spoilers and now I'm fucking shaking. I hate the writers with all my heart, why did they have to do this? I wish I had known sooner that the show was going to be about Condal's obsession with the Blacks and I wouldn't have wasted my time watching this second season. The complete character assassination of all the Greens because it wasn't enough to make them look like villains, they also had to make them weak and pathetic and incompetent. What did they do to my girl Alicent? What was the point of Alicole apart from making Alicent feel guilty for having consensual sex once in her life? Aegon the realm delight? Is this a joke? And I can't even think about what they did to Aemond. They completely butchered his character because they saw how popular he was becoming and it would have taken the spotlight off the precious Blacks. I wish they had made him a full villain from the beginning, Ewan would have shined in the role anyway. Instead they built a multi-faceted character, showed us his trauma, and for what? Aemond acting this way towards his sister and mother is unrecognizable not only from s01 but also from the beginning of this one. But hey, if we're lucky we'll get another Daemyra incest scene because apparently groomer Daemon of all people deserves a redemption arc. In the meantime the Greens have been humiliated and shamed in every way possible. I’m crying and I don’t know what to do

Oh my love please don’t cry i love you so much this show doesn’t deserve anything especially your tears🫂🫂🫂🫂🩷🩷😭😭😭😭

I’m gonna answer under the cut<3333

LEAKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

This season’s mission was to villainize the Greens as much as possible, especially Aemond because he got INSANELY popular in such a short notice and Ryan couldn’t have that.

This is probably the worst leaks we’ve ever gotten for all the greens: Aemond being this bad villain who doesn’t care about anyone at this point, Aegon the realm’s delight and thinking about his fucking cock, Alicent begging Rhaenyra and saying Aegon will bend the knee after having his son killed, Helaena being a subject to everyone’s unnecessary cruelty…

This is horrible writing with no regards that this series should be AN ADAPTATION. But it’s far from anything GRRM has written in F&B…

[dulcewrites]

I mean, I don't think they shied away from portraying Rhaenyra in a bad light, they're just doing it slowly, she literally put a bunch of blood relatives from the smallfolk to be burned to death and is coming to see herself as tptwp, they'll certainly go deeper after Jace dies and Aegon disappears. As for Alicent, it was pretty obvious she was gonna betray team green and choose Rhaenyra/Helaena. She never wanted to forsake Rhaenyra and we see in the season is her being over her head in the war—she tries to turn back time, she sleeps with her teenage crush, she seeks absolution from her father (that's why I disagree with you she sees Otto as someone who pimped her out, she merely points out she followed him blindly, not that he abused her, he's still someone she loves and respects), she feels bitter towards her children and prays for Lucerys (not to make Rhaenyra look good, if that's the ga interpretation whatever, it's to show she's a kind person who despises violence) and, by the end, after seeing her daughter physically attacked by Aemond, the person who cut her power, she turns for Rhaenyra in an effort, perhaps naïve, to turn back time, "speaking from a distant dream", wanting to run away, and trusting Rhae because she risked her life going to the Sept and because she feels punished by the gods. It's fine if you didn't want it but it is good writing and people were already clocking this since she chose to put her kids at risk rather than kill Rhaenyra. As for being under subjugation, she was under Targ subjugation in KL under her misogynistics sons... Rhaenyra came before, was the first choice, first friend, first love. There's never complete freedom for any woman in Westeros, but she chose Rhaenyra out of her own desire and volition. I think some people just wanted to keep her life meaning and actions tied to her children and...

I did say that my problem with it wasn’t the choices made but how we got there… and I still believe that. It’s lazy writing at best, poor at worst imo

“I’m sorry but even as someone who has gone on record to say that I think the change they made to Rhaenicent was the best, I can’t just let poor execution slide. I don’t even think Alicent having little legion to Aemond or Aegon comes out of nowhere. She has constantly, to a fault, reaffirmed her trust in Rhaenyra.” - directly from my previous anon about how felt about s2

I’ve noticed this since the final ep was released, I hope this doesn’t come off mean bc I appreciate your opinion, but when people push back on the writing. You have a faction of being like “oh, you just don’t understand Alicent.” Nope, I get what they are going for. I just think it’s incorherent writing, and the quotes given by the writers themselves sort of only further prove that to me. People seem to act as if this plot is some sort of revelation or favor to Alicent as a character… when it is not. Not a fan of her arc, or lack thereof in s2 🤷🏽‍♀️.

[bumblesimagines]

i think nettles is going to be replaced by rhaena, bc its gonna take a few seasons for her to have a significant role and they just want to give the poor girl a side plot for some time 😭😭

also ngl been kinda hating thia season, it has GOT s2 energy, it's kind of boring and it doesn't interest me as much

This season has been very drawn out and repetitive for sure which is disappointing cause we left S1 strongly and then after episode 1 of this season it's been the same thing over and over again.

Gonna do some spoilers real quick (including some book spoilers)

Rhaenyra left episode 1 of this season pissed off and wanting Aemond's death and then after her reunion with Jace all her anger?? evaporated?? Yes, she was exhausted and grieving in the last ep of S1 and first ep of S2 but?? It's like she just stopped grieving and being angry??

It feels like she's been reduced to one of the two types of Strong Female Lead written by a man. One of the types is the sexy cool girl who doesn't need no man but still gets saved by a man and has sassy one liners, the second type is the perfect rational woman who has no flaws or bad traits. Rhaenyra is currently the second type and it's annoying because it also fits the rest of the woman (apart from maybe Alys and Alicent).

The men thus far have been allowed to make mistakes, stick their foot in their mouths, be loud and angry and bitter, have complex personalities and arcs while the woman have been reduced to always rational and practical.

Helaena 'accepted' her son's death when she's supposed to be going mad with grief, Rhaenyra is no longer angry when her son was literally murdered, half of Alicent's scenes revolve around Cole, most of Rhaenys scenes pre-battle were just telling people to shut up, Baela and Rhaena are hardly on screen.

All Rhaenyras done these past eps have been dip out of Dragonstone and get dismissed by her council over and over and over again. Literally since she got back it's the same 'oh these men are sexist and won't listen to her' again and again. We could've been seeing her make rash decisions fueled by anger and then regretting them later. We could've seen her realize her anger needed simmering only for it to resurface after witnessing Ser Erryk's death by having Rhaenys fly out to meet Cole and avenge him as well as protecting Rooks Nest.

Just because Rhaenyra is the main protagonist doesn't mean she has to be absolutely perfect and reasonable. Character flaws and negative traits is what made GoT's characters and story compelling. It's what actually makes the Greens interesting. Ryan obviously considers them the big bad villains and as such they have noticeable flaws which makes them fun to watch. The Blacks are noticeably more boring because they lack those bigger flaws.

It's a frequent thing with men writing about women. It feels like they're so nervous and uncomfortable with potentially being called a misogynist that they unintentionally end up creating/using sexist tropes. It's fine for women to be rebellious and angry and bitter and resentful. It's fine for them to be submissive and gentle and motherly. It's fine for them to change over time and to appropriately react to certain things. This fandom also forgets that in their treatment of Rhaenyra and Alicent depending on which side they're on.

Anyways I'm actually annoyed about Nettles 😭 she was the ONLY woman of color in the book and her existence and closeness to Daemon pushed Rhaenyra further into her own downfall and now what? They're going to make her paranoid over an actual father-daughter duo?

I get Rhaena was underused and hardly involved in the battle (since she was more like young Sansa in the book. Not a bad thing at all tbh it might've even been nice if Team Black had a less 'i want to fight' character. You very rarely see poc characters in period era dramas be allowed to have those arcs/personalities without some sort of trauma or mistreatment) but if anything, they could've had her helping Nettles claim Sheepstealer. They could've had them becoming good friends and potentially even doing a call back to the og Rhaena Targ who had a female lover since they've already implied the eggs given to Rhaena are Danys eggs. There were a billion plots to go with and they went with the most simple generic one when there aren't supposed to be any dragons in the Vale. I see why George decided not to be involved anymore.

[goddessofroyalty]

Fandom: House of the Dragon

Pairing: Aemond/Lucerys

Verse: Blood for Blood

Warnings: omegaverse, mpreg, I threw the canon timeline out the window

I finally had a whole minute to breathe this week (it’s been... an interesting week) and instead of finishing the Blood for Blood arc I wrote another unconnected scene at a random point in the timeline. So take it while I try and survive the weekend of crazy that’s about to hit me. 

------------------

Viserys is having a good day, and as such, Alicent’s husband has requested the whole family eat together.  

Rhaenyra arrives first with her husband and younger three. She is proving annoyingly stubborn this time around. Not fleeing back to Dragonstone like she normally does at the first sign of having to take responsibility for some of her actions. Rather she sends Daemon or her eldest back as necessary to ensure everything is still at peace there while she remains within the capital.  

Rhaenyra claims it is so she can support her son as he adjusts to life as a married omega but Alicent’s father believes it is so she can build a presence in court and seek out potential allies for when the King eventually dies. Alicent is inclined to believe her father right in this matter.  

Still Alicent smiles politely as they get the younger Aegon and Viserys settled at the table with their nurses. The boys just old enough that they might be able to last the full meal before they lose patience and need to be taken away.  

The same can be said about Helaena’s children who arrive with their mother but are put with their cousins to make the nurses’ job easier for the night. The five of them looking like the family they are by blood.  

Rhaenyra’s and Daemon’s eldest three join next. Aegon trailing in a little after that, clearly having expected the meal to have already started and his drunken state to not be less noticed with everyone already focused on their food and conversation.  

Alicent’s eldest glances around at everyone looking at him.  

“How am I early?” he asks because they had been given a time and he clearly had waited until after.  

“We are still waiting for Lucerys and his mate,” Viserys says and Alicent bites her tongue to prevent herself from correcting him that they are waiting for his son and Aemond’s mate.  

In this case he is right though. Aemond has always been punctual. The same cannot be said about Rhaenyra’s second born.  

“We should start before the food gets cold,” Alicent suggests after another awkward minute of silence around the table.  

“We can wait,” her husband says.  

Another minute passes.  

“Perhaps we should send someone to go check on them,” Alicent suggests because that should hopefully at least somewhat shame Lucerys for his tardiness and irresponsibility.  

To think he will be left to rule Driftmark one day, the place will be in ruins within a week. Alicent takes some solace that her son will be able to step in before the omega can do too much damage.  

“You are right,” Viserys says, finally seeing some sense, “perhaps something has happened to him.”  

Just as he goes to wave at one of the guards the doors open and the missing two members enter. Aemond keeping pace at Lucerys side despite the omega’s gait being slowed by the waddle he has gained as his stomach swelled with child.  

“Sorry we are late,” Lucerys says, a slight incline of his head as close as they are getting to an apologetic bow apparently. His hands not even moving from where they are supporting the weight of his stomach. “We were held up.”  

He looks to Aemond at it as if he is to blame for it. And Aemond merely stares right back. The two of them holding each other’s gaze in a way that, as loathe as she is to say it, reminds Alicent of the silent conversations Rhaenyra and her mate have.  

“It is quite alright,” Viserys says with a smile that is clearly trying to reassuring despite his pain. “I am sure you would much prefer to be resting than being here.”  

“If my young brothers and nephews can handle it than I am sure I can as well,” Lucerys says. Joffrey sticks his tongue out at this brother like a brat not a prince, but the five younger ones sit up a little straighter the words somehow encouraging them.  

Aemond remains Lucerys’ shadow as they go to their seats. Alicent’s second son only sitting down himself once Lucerys is settled and the staff are already hurrying to bring the first course out to them all.

Viserys gestures for Alicent to lean over to him as everyone finally starts to dine.  

“I told you they would be a good match,” he says proudly, nodding to the two of them. And Alicent watches as Aemond’s eye keeps sweeping over Lucerys plate as the omega talks to his cousins. “I knew after how he was with Helaena when she was expecting.”  

“Aemond is a very responsible alpha,” Alicent agrees. If there was such a thing as too responsible she would say that he was that. She knew he watched over his older siblings in a way that almost made her wish their positions were reversed, often dragging Aegon home before his brother met those with unflattering opinions about the crown after drinking so much he can no longer stand or keeping Helaena and the children company when Aegon seemed to forget his wife and sister existed. And now Aemond was mated to the very boy who had taken his eye and was taking more care in ensuring Lucerys health and safety than most could claim from their husbands and certainly more than the bastard deserved.  

He has studied more and trained harder than anyone else in the family. Claimed the largest dragon that still breathes. And despite all of it only is getting something to his name because he is marrying the bastard son of Rhaenyra.  

Aemond deserves Driftmark even if it is not his by birthright.  

---------------

It is Aemond’s fault. Lucerys was getting cramps and he wouldn’t let him do aything until he got checked over. 

[gojuo]

Your casual ableism towards Helaena is astounding. Stop speaking about her. All this because you hate a ship.

You are pulling headcanons about her personality from the book and your own delusions. Some of the descriptions are all hearsay from unreliable accounts in the first place. There was also no mention from the book that she "helps the smallfolk out a little". None. The smallfolk are fickle beings and a non-monolith. They fawn over and hate on royals like whiplash. It annoys me that you people just spew fake narratives and conjectures for argument's sake and say you've read the book.

We're only one season in and yet you're here acting being a dragon dreamer is not the arc that's going to propel Helaena into being part of the main plot. It's actually good for her.

Ladies, what's more ableist? The writers doing a complete 180 on a character's personality from being a happy-go-lucky lady to a new version where she has not only been characterized as being neurodivergent but is now also a gloomy, withdrawn introvert instead of staying the happy-go-lucky lady she used to be, or me calling this shit out?

You know, reading your ask I was wondering to myself, damn did I not manage to convey my thoughts properly? In that other ask I was saying how weird and ableist it was for the writers to completely change Helaena's book character (merry and jolly) to the total opposite (gloomy loner), while putting her on the autism spectrum as well, neither which she was in the book.

To clarify, I am not saying the "gloomy loner" part is synonymous with the "autism spectrum" part, I am saying they are two separate things.

So what it comes down to is that Condal/Hess made her neurodivergent, which is completely fine, nothing wrong with that. But then they also erased her original cheery personality, and replaced it with all the negative connotations people have with autism instead of having her be both autistic and joyful (since those things are not mutually exclusive). As if Condal/Hess/whoever else is in that writers room cannot envision an autistic person being jovial. And it's not like being autistic and being a gloomy loner is bad either, because of course it isn't, but what is faulty in this situation is that Helaena was neither of those things originally, meaning that Condal/Hess/whichever writer found the need to change her characterization into the complete opposite in order to make her autism work in their eyes. Which I found very ableist since it seems to tell us that being neurodivergent means one has to be "isolated, withdrawn, socially awkward, detached-from-life, reclusive", instead of being able to be both neurodivergent and a "jolly, comical, merry, larger-than-life, happy" person.

Now, if you paid attention, you'll notice I kept on repeating myself in the previous paragraphs. I did this because from reading your ask I got the impression that I totally failed to communicate my thoughts on this subject. Kind of logical because Helaena's autism was not the point of that previously mentioned ask, but also, it's well within the realm of possibility that I'm just a really amateurish writer unable to correctly give out a well-articulated and analytical meta piece. But then I kept on reading your ask ... and it seems like the problem isn't me, it's you.

There was also no mention from the book that she "helps the smallfolk out a little".

Are you stupid? Like, seriously, are you? Do you know how to read or is your brain capacity truly that limited? Girl, I'm fucking saying that the writers for HOTD could have used Helaena's newly-acquired character trait of being a dragon dreamer in the show to go do that, so as to explain for in the future why she was beloved by the smallfolk of the capitol AND to have her character fucking do something in the season instead of just being a silly little MacGuffin, NOT that this is what happened in F&B, you stupid fucking bitch. Do you know how to fucking read?

You completely misunderstood and misread my post and worked yourself up and seethed over it, then made the decision to get on your high horse like a pretentious, pompous ass and flew into a self-righteous tirade in MY inbox, trying to teach ME — a person firmly Team Smallfolk since 20 fucking 13 which I've made very clear on numerous occasions — a lesson so that you could feel better about your self-perceived higher moral standing compared to lil old ableist me, and worse yet, instead of sending me a private DM like a goddamn adult asking me to explain myself since you obviously understood nothing of what I said, you sent an ask on fucking anon, like the bitch-made pussy that you are. You are pathetic. You people did not even know Helaena existed up until fucking 2022 when this garbage show started airing, meanwhile I have posts made about her from all the way back in 2013 immortalized on this blog when TPATQ first dropped in Dangerous Women. Fucking bonehead who was introduced to the Dance characters through watching the show telling ME to not speak on Helaena... YOU 🫵 need to brush up on your reading comprehension before you enter my inbox ever again.

[navree]

Do you think that the showrunners were biased against the greens , esp Aegon ii ans Larys?

I can't really speak to bias, just because I do not know these people personally and as such I don't have any insight into what they actually think or feel. But it's clear that, from a writing perspective, they seemed to have prioritized Rhaenyra (and to a lesser extent, Daemon) over the Green main characters, and viewed them as largely more sympathetic and tailored some of the writing accordingly. And I do believe there was a vested interest in making Aegon kinda look as bad as possible, though they've still given him a fair amount of qualities worthy of analysis and development. With regard to Larys, that's the one thing where I can confidently say that yes, there was some sort of bias clearly at play. The concept of the evil disabled villain is not new, the concept of the guy with some kind of deformity who fetishes a non-deformed body, the concept of the guy who signals his depravity through not just his physical limitations but sexual perversions, these are not new concepts in media, and these are concepts unique to show!Larys. And it's a shame, because they could have done something interesting with Larys, in his relationship with his disability and with masculinity and with his family and certainly with Alicent. But because ours is, by and large, an ableist society that does have a tendency to present "deformity" and disability and subpar physical appearance as a mark of who a character is as a person, the writers just decided to fall into those lazy tropes and stereotypes, without examining the internal biases that might have led them to write Larys that way even at the expense of an interesting character.

With all that being said, I do think the showrunners also had a vested interest in developing the Greens far more than they did the Blacks. The Blacks do appear to be framed as more sympathetic in the narrative, yes, but they're also incredibly two dimensional. There has been a lot of effort put into making nearly all of the major Greens varied and complex. Aegon's many things, but he's certainly not one dimensional, and there's a lot to talk about him. Alicent and Aemond and Otto and Criston are all explicitly written to contain multitudes in terms of their personalities, that there are both good and bad qualities within them that are explored within the text and their arcs thus far. Helaena is very two dimensional but that's just more laziness in general than any sort of bias. And when you contrast that to Baela and Rhaena who are so interchangeable I still can't quite entirely pick out which is meant to be which half the time, Jace and Luke who are such wooden planks of characters that I dare anyone to name three distinct characteristics of each, Rhaenys and Corlys who have such schizophrenic writing half the time and have like an hour of screentime combined, it becomes very noticeable. The Greens got a lot more character and a lot more time devoting to fleshing them out as people, not just as a whole team but also as individuals specifically. In contrast, the only Blacks who have any fleshed out characters are Daemon and Rhaenyra (and maybe Rhaenys and Corlys but again, incredibly disjointed writing that makes it hard to feel like they're real people with firm personality traits half the time). Everyone else is just basically there to be background extras and eventual cannon fodder. I'm being serious, is there anyone who's sad about Luke's death because of the fact that he will now be absent from the narrative and you'll miss the contributions his character and his arc could have given the story as a whole? Is there anyone who was sad about his death period for any reason that wasn't "he's young" and "I'm sad for Rhaenyra about it"? No because the kid was a blank slate that's why his only significant character moments were in the same episode as when he died because the writers realized we're supposed to feel things when Vhagar eats him instead of either cheering Vhagar on or feeling sad for Aemond's emotions.

Despite the fact that there's a clear vision to make Team Black more sympathetic, there's also a clear and concerted effort to make Team Green much more fleshed out and multi dimensional that's coming at the direct expense of the characters on Team Black.

[bl00dlight]

Since we've seen the leaks already, what do you think this, and the season as a whole, says about Aemond's character? I really don't want to see him as a villain or someone who's inherently bad, I don't want to think of him as someone who doesn't care about other people besides himself; but some of those comments I see from other people are a little discouraging. What do you think of it/of him?

This is an ask I've thought ALOT about.

I think ultimately- yes Aemond is a villain. But I don't think he is INHERENTLY bad. Unfortunately alot of people online legitmately have no ability to properly analyse characters. That's not saying I'M the best at it, but I've noticed how Aemond's arc has gone over most people's heads. Which is partially the writers fault.

So - basically, yes Aemond is villainous, but he wasn't born that way. He is essentially the product of his environment, I'm gonna break this down into the leaks and his overall arc so far.

This is going to be alot. Buckle in.

LEAKS -

I'm hoping there are more scenes between Helaena and Aemond to give context to their reltionship. But personally, there is SO MUCH between them which, feels like it's gone unexplored and is coming to a head very suddenly?

First of all, Aemonds actions in Helaena's chambers is the result of two things

SCENE 1) Fear, he is terrified about the fact the Blacks have a FUCK load of dragons now. Aemond has just been confronted with the very possible reality, he may indeed be fucked. He's spent his entire life building this shield mentally and physically - Vhagar is apart of that shield. As far as he was aware, nothing could touch him, no one could stop him and so far - he's been right. The whole reason why the Blacks haven't bothered using their Dragons to attack King's Landing is the fact that Vhagar would fucking destroy them.

Blacks

Greens.

And THEN once Daemon fucks off and Rhaneys dies?

So... basically so far? Yea, Aemond was unstoppable. He was riding ALLLLL of this ego, pride, power he had suddenly been given - everything that he wanted? He finally feels respected, above fear, and most of all in control. Now I've been saying for ages Aemond is a Valyrian supremacist despite many people disagreeing. But I was right (thanks Ewan) - so compounded with the fact he thinks he is basically Targaryen Jesus. He is this scorned boy, who rose from the ashes and is taking charge. He thinks himself the embodiment of Targaryen supremacy, ultimate power without weakness.

You gotta remember he is a character driven by ego, driven by rising above fear, he doesn't ever want to feel like he did as a kid, ever again. Which is why he tries to kill Aegon? Aegon put him in a position where suddenly Aemond was right back in that place. So he reacted with the ONLY thing he KNOWS works, the only way he knows he can remind people, remind AEGON, that he is not weak, he is not dangerous- and most importantly; HE is important and won't be overlooked. And what is that? Violence.

But once he sees the Dragonseeds? He feels that fear again, the most fear he is probably ever felt. And he is suddenly faced with something that he has been avoiding his entire life; the idea that he might be fallible, that he might lose. Because it's one thing taking on a set of small dragons, who as we saw with Meleys - who was the SECOND LARGEST dragon they had - basically you can't do shit if Vhagar is after you. And on top of that, Rhaneyra is the Queen - so she is unlikely to fight. So who does that leave excluding Daemon? Jace and Baela, who ride dragons around the size of Arrax. And both of them are far less proficient at riding than Aemond.

But now? From Aemond's perspective?, once the Blacks get those Dragonseeds, the war looks like this;

Basically? Aemond is on his own. And now he is facing two VERY large dragons - one being FUCKING VERMITHOR.

So all that power Aemond once has is gone in an instant. And on top of that? Aemond who has thought himself above everyone else because he is a Targaryen, that he is SUCH a Targaryen he managed to claim VHAGAR (QUEEN VISENYA'S WAR DRAGON MIND YOU???) when he was like 12/13?

And now? Now he sees a bunch of common folk bastards on dragons. On large, old - TARGARYEN dragons who are sacred. They are literally viewed as Gods. Imagine how big of an ego blow that is for him? He has just learnt that holy fuck.... maybe I'm not as special as I think I am. But he hides that through bigotry, by claiming its an abomination of their heritage.

So when we see Aemond approach and grab Helaena - it's not done because he has no care for her, in fact his dialogue is about that very idea. He is terrified, hurt and desperate. Technically? He is right, Helaena rides a fairly large dragon. He NEEDS her. He has no other option but to try and force her? Without it they are fucked big time. And so what does he do? But Helaena DENIES HIM. She reinforces what he feels is his powerlessness, so what does he do? Resort to violence.

If you listen to what he says to Alicent, it proves he does care for Helaena. But he is so angry that Alicent has put them all in this position of weakness, that basically started this war with Rhaenyra and now? Won't even back up her own children out of fear. Aemond doesn't want Helaena to be weak, because he knows that will get her killed. He literally says it

"How am I going to protect her if she can't protect herself?"

He means that, because now there is a possibility Aemond might die. And then what? Who will protect Helaena if not herself?

People forget Aemond is deeply dysfunctional, I think it completely makes sense for him to impulsively hurt Helaena. Because his intention isn't to abuse her - it's done out of fear.

In the same way, Daemon doesn't grab Rhaenyra's neck to hurt her - it's done because he feels powerless. Parallels. None of this is to JUSTIFY their actions, violence against women is violence against women. But, people are forgetting that both Daemon and Aemond are men who feel weak, fragile, unloved - and the only way they've been taught to get what they want is through violence.

I'm hoping we get some scenes before this one with Helaemond, because it's clear Helaena doesn't fear Aemond when he comes in. She seems quite comfortable and casual telling him she is going to bed. It's not until he makes his demand do we see her retaliate. And again? To Aemond it doesn't fucking matter anymore if Helaena doesn't want to kill anyone, because if she doesn't help - they'll all die. It's a matter of life or death at this point. And that ALSO triggers Aemond big time, because if he can die? That means he is infallible. He is desperate and now the only person whom seemingly understood him to some degree, is turning away.

SCENE 2) Now on the balcony we see everything I just said, manifest itself. He approaches her, gently and he says this (let's break it down)

We share the same blood you and I.

This is not just about the fact they are siblings - this is about the fact they are dragonriders. 'The Blood of the Dragon' - it's interesting because Aemond doesn't view all his relatives in that way. He certainly doesn't view his brother or his nephews like that. Not from the way he speaks about them. As if they are below him. But not to Helaena. To him, she is the same as him - which is a recurring theme with the Targaryens, they don't view themselves as humans in the same way other Houses do. They view themselves as literally part dragon. It's a deep, ancestral connection that only THEY share, only THEY can understand.

And he wants her to know that, despite what he did - he didn't do it to harm her, but because of his blood - the same blood in her. He is sort of appealing to her understanding what drives him, it's absolutely a piss poor excuse to hurt her but basically he is saying "We are the same, you know why I did what I did. You know what my drive is, what my purpose is. You know I'm not a monster like Alicent thinks I am"

Which leads us to -

I know you wish no harm to anyone. But in a time like this? When the good of the realm depends on us?

So here he declares he knows she doesn't want to hurt others and that he doesn't want to make her do that. It's manipulative- he is basically trying to persuade her into thinking it's for the good of realm. That he wants her to fight to save herself and others. That at the moment, yea the Greens are fucked.

Basically he needs her. He needs her more than ever.

Our mother is not a dragonrider. She cannot understand that you and I have a truer call to heed.

But HERE, here is where it gets interesting and he plays his hand. Right now, Alicent and everyone else around them think he is a fucken bull blown monster. And he is desperately trying to connect with his sister - the one person who he knows hasn't seen him in that light. That's why she asks him if it was worth the price?

She has time and time again assumed the good in Aemond. And we can see that from the little moments, when she strokes his arm in the dragonpit, when she claps for him when he makes the speech at the dinner. We even know that Helaena feels safe/ feels that Aemond has good in him because Phia has literally stated that, Helaena probably feels safer with Aemond, more seen and understand. That they share an affinity.

And the two of them are also the ones who have been the MOST dutiful, they both have committed their lives to their mother. They share a greater cause.

And so Aemond? Who has felt so deeply isolated ESPECIALLY IN SEASON 2, is going to his sister, fully bare in his vunerablity, and saying "No one understands us. Alicent is a Targaryen, she doesn't get the blood we share or our desires. She doesn't get why have a destiny that is greater.)

And it's SPECIFIC, he is saying YOU AND I. He means it, that he legitmately believes he and Helaena share this destiny. In fact? We saw it when she was a kid? When he defended Helaena from Aegon, his defence was that she is their sister and going to be a Targaryen Queen who keeps their line pure.

Aemond is basically saying, "You're my equal and I need you beside me so we can take what is ours."

Come with me? To Harrenhal? We will lay waste to Daemon and his army, let our enemies see that we will answer outrage, with outrage.

Again, reinforcing what I just said. It's important to note he begins to tear up here, that he is completely vunerable before her. He feels alone, weak, and misunderstood. So he is going to her, sort of like a child goes to their mother for comfort/help. He wants her to turn around and validate him, to make him feel strong and righteous. He wants her to make HIM feel better, so even though he probably does feel guilty and remorse for hurting her. He can't express that in any other manner other than asking for her to help him. Because he doesn't know how to help other people.

This whole speech is very reminiscent, and what I ASSUME is a parallel to when Rhaenyra asks Daemon to join her against the Greens/marry her.

I need you, Uncle. I cannot face the Greens alone. Let us bind our blood...But you and I, are made of fire. We have always been meant to burn together.

It's a vunerable moment, and again it touches on the same ideas Aemonds does to Helaena. The idea that there are enemies who are undeserving of the crown, and that Rhaenyra needs DAEMON NOT just because she loves him - but because they share this deep understanding of one another. They are equals. They share the same blood and therefore it's destined that they do this together.

So? Yes. Aemond does legitmately care for Helaena- even if there is manipulation involved, he isn't manipulating her anymore than Rhaenyra did to Daemon.

It's real for Aemond, he truly believes this - and he is desperate enough to be this vunerable. We see him try to grab her arm and then pull away. There is a level of intimacy between them, or at least intimacy HE feels.

And so when she rejects his plea, when she ASSUMES THE WORST, assumes that he would burn her - its basically telling Aemond that she doesn't understand him. She isn't the same.

And we literally see Aemond begin to tear up even more. Because now he feels even more misunderstood and isolated. So again? He goes into his defences - into the only thing he knows how to do - violence.

But he doesn't hurt her. He threatens her, very softly by the way? It's not a real threat, it's another desperate power move to force her into submitting. Because he is rapidly feeling all that power, all that strength slip away from him. And now he knows that he will die and Aegon will be King again.

And instead of rectifying that his ambition will be the death of him, he tries to silence her.

Now it's hard to separate Targaryenism from the sexual/romantic element. So I mean, the people online who are really pushing the idea that Helaemond is toxic and Aemond is innately evil is really misinterpreting what's actually going on.

First of all, Helaemond was always toxic, this is GRRM's work - name one couple which isn't toxic. Even Corlys and Rhaenys were toxic let's be REALLLLL.

Second of all, sometimes... just sometimes abusive people such as Aemond - are not innately evil. Sometimes they are victims themselves who have internalised that trauma and enact abuse onto others. That doesn't justify his actions, but it gives context into actually understanding how a character like him devolves into genocide. How he goes from the boy from s1 to the man who is basically a Targaryen fascist.

And as for Helaena? Well, she isn't exactly well adjusted. And she is entirely a victim 1000%, but in that scene - we see her shut down. Instead of trying to appeal to Aemond in a way which might subdue him, she basically says every single thing which she knows will make it worse. And yea, Helaena knows it will make things worse. She too is enacting cycles of a different kind of abuse. Which is disconnection, neglect. Why? Because she has experienced the same trauma as Alicent.

Helaena is kind, she is caring but she doesn't have the tools to attempt to manage someone like Aemond. So she turns away from him. She reinforces his greatest fears, because to her? It doesn't matter. Nothing is really real. She is able to disconnect and stop caring because she knows the outcome, she knows it's meaningless so she doesn't even try. She knows that the Greens don't matter and their line dies out. So, why bother trying to soothe Aemond if for all she knows, their fate is sealed.

But to Aemond? He doesn't have the insight of the end. To him its all happening right now, it all matters and he is scared and alone. He is trying to reach out to his sister, who isn't there anymore. And he doesn't fully understand Helaena knows everything. He doesn't understand that Helaena is basically so traumatised by her own life and what she has seen- that she dosent care.

To him, she is hurting him, she is abandoning him.

Remember that these characters are like 18-20 max. They are not developmentally mature. And they are traumatised.

So as for Aemond's arc?

I think it all makes sense. However the writers have done a piss poor job this season of ACTUALLY exploring this properly. I've gone through it in previous posts how I think the writers should've handled Aemond early on in this season to build up to this. But basically, all the ingredients are there, they just haven't put them in right to get the proper pay-off. So it all feels very rushed and very sudden. And it would've been 10000x more impactful if instead of mindless Alicole scenes and Harrenhal hallucinations - and yea the brothel scenes the way they were done... ehhhhh they could've done better at establishing that.

But anyway, what we should've gotten is scenes between the Green siblings/family - that show thr dynamic which has set Aemond over the edge.

And we should have seen Aemond and Helaena earlier on which is the catalyst to him going full psycho - when finally even she turns away from him.