#look i'm a nerd with instagiffer

[backjustforberena]

Thoughts whilst watching Rhaenys vs Rhaenyra in 1x08 (EXPANDED AND NOW WITH GIFS):

Just the fact she’s looking at the Heart Tree. There’s the direct religious aspects, given she might lose her husband and the death of her son is also on her mind. But also taking solace in front of a lone tree that’s out of place, as she now feels, in King’s Landing. Alive only because others have deemed it nonthreatening to survive there.

“Baela said you might be here.” - there is no way that Rhaenyra is catching Rhaenys unaware at that moment. Rhaenys probably told Baela exactly where she would head as soon as they settled, knowing that Baela would pass that on, or she told Baela to pass that on. She’s in the godswood garden for the precise reason to face Rhaenyra.

Rhaena was a surprise and I love her expression when she sees her. The smile that can’t be tamed. The public show of love that is just holding out her hand and taking hers. Rhaena being so thrilled to see her grandmother, you can just see it on her face, and looking to Rhaenys before leaving.

Rhaenyra’s first interaction with Rhaenys being both to use her granddaughter’s presence to “soften” her, and then praising her raising of Baela. “You honour me, Princess.” is Rhaenys-speak for f*** you. She sees through it all and I love it.

The refocus of soft!Rhaenys with Rhaena, to when Rhaena leaves and Rhaenys just blinks and has her guard up. Instantly the power is with her, because Rhaenyra is the one that needs HER, not the other way around.

“You intend to advocate for yourself” - well, love, if she is, she’s not about to tell YOU is she?! And she never will. I don’t know what Rhaenys would have done had Viserys not turned up, and frankly, I love that. She doesn’t let Rhaenyra know whether her theory is right or wrong. Ultimate poker face.

“This is no fair proceeding, it is a trap...” AND RHAENYS HAS THIS TINY SMILE. Because of course it’s a trap, you sweet summer child. It’s been a trap this entire time and you walked right into it. From DAY ONE Rhaenyra has been told . And so she’s... what? Appealing to Rhaenys on moral grounds? No wonder she’s finding that funny, because, surely, Rhaenyra has to be joking. She can’t claim any moral high ground. She’s right down in the dirt after what she did with Laenor.

“And yet you did worse than that with Laenor... did you not?” SIX YEARS, STILL BITTER. And good for you! Six years, with very little interaction with Rhaenyra, I assume. Six years with no one to talk about the fact that you pretty much think the heir to the throne, your cousin’s kid, your former daughter-in-law, conspired to have your son killed.

It’s such a moment of truth: a moment for truth. Even if Rhaenyra confessed that she’d killed Laenor or knew the circumstances around his death or whatever, Rhaenys could not TOUCH her. This is close as she can get: making her feel bad. As she could never enact any other consequence. She’s never getting justice for her son’s murder because his murderers are above those consequences and to spell out the reasoning behind it all would be to commit treason.

And what she gets are lies. Or as good as. “I loved your son.” - not as much as Rhaenys, even if that were true. Rhaenys doesn’t believe any of it and has to stand there are take it. A little quirk of the brow when Rhaenyra says: “I did not order his death.”

Rhaenys makes to LEAVE. She isn’t there to get anything from Rhaenyra, apart from, perhaps, the truth on Laenor. But when it comes to the succession and the betrothal offer, Rhaenys doesn’t come to the meeting wanting to know what Rhaenyra is willing to offer her. There’s an actual jaw clench when Rhaenyra continues to speak and stops her from leaving.

“Back Luke’s claim, and let us betroth Laena’s children to mine. Baela will be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and her sons will be heirs to the throne. Rhaena will rule in Driftmark, and… the seat will pass to her and Lucerys’s children in time.” - I think this 10/10 would have worked on Corlys. But Rhaenyra isn’t dealing with Corlys. And Rhaenys couldn’t give a hoot. Seriously, give her one good reason, Rhaenyra. I dare you. Rhaenys couldn’t care less. It’s not about thrones and power anymore, not to her. Not after Laena and Laenor. There is nothing in her expression to infer that she is even slightly tempted.

“A generous offer. Or a desperate one.” It’s interesting to compare this to Rhaenys’s chat with Alicent because Alicent does have moments of power in that conversation. But in this, I don’t think you could pick a single second where Rhaenys is the one at a disadvantage. A moment where Rhaenyra surprises her or tells her something she doesn’t already know. The only moment like it is when she turns and sees Rhaena, but Rhaena is removed from the scene pretty early on and the effect is minimal. She’s not ruffled by it, it simply informs more about Rhaenyra’s position.

“You’re right in this at least... it does not matter.” AKA MY FAVOURITE LINE. It’s so deep and so meaningful and just the subtle dig of “in this at least” as well as the multiple interpretation of what “it” could be: the circumstances surrounding Laenor’s death? The offer itself? The interest in Driftmark? Even just acknowledging the power that Rhaenys has or making any moves to make Rhaenys feel included or appreciated or whatever. It does not matter = it’s not enough = it’s too late.

As well as this, the notion that she says “it does not matter” whilst looking at the Heart Tree again. At nothing. As the storm gathers. 

She’s just saying the truth this entire scene. She’s ten steps ahead and Rhaenyra just seems like she’s running to catch up. And Rhaenys could have helped, and once upon a time had wanted to help... had Rhaenyra not engineered a situation that made it impossible for her to. Both for her head and her heart, it would be wrong to side with Rhaenyra at this point. So, Rhaenys calls Rhaenyra out. She’s desperate. I’ve done a whole other meta post about the lines in that last little speech because it’s just GOLD.

STEP FORWARD, QUEEN WHO NEVER WAS! The way she crowds into Rhaenyra, leaving Rhaenyra shaken to her core. All of Rhaenyra’s tactics have either been seen for what they were (emotional manipulation, lying, appealing to Rhaenys’s ambition) or totally without effect. Rhaenyra has underestimated her opponent.

If Viserys hadn’t hobbled out of bed, Rhaenyra would have been totally done for. Utterly, completely, without hope. She would have had to have gone with the high-handed approach of calling it a farce, but that would have done very little. The tactics that worked when Aemond lost his eye only work if she has the power and the allies. Without Viserys, she doesn’t.

Rhaenys leaves the conversation having agreed to nothing, denied nothing, and without confirming or denying her plan of action later on that day.

“I must stand alone.” There is such sadness in this line that I can’t even get into right now.