#still gonna need to collect some gifs of him and vannozza vs him and juan vs him and lucrezia

[lucreziaces]

#it's interesting because while viewers may have initially believed that juan held a special place in rodrigo's heart and favored him...#it became obvious rodrigo may have used juan as a means to highlight cesare's flaws and to push him to grow and overcome his own limitation#a deliberate narrative device to subvert viewers' expectations and create a more nuanced storyline...#by not spoonfeeding the narrative as to question assumptions and delve into the complexities of family relationships (via @houseofborgia)

"You are too much like me. A man feels less… favour for his own image reflected." [Give him his sanction…His support…His powder, his army, his control. His love. He is made in your image.] "Do you think we don't know that? He is me. All the fire and the fury, the drive. The pitiless ambition. I look into his eyes, I see myself. Do you expect me to love that?" — Rodrigo Borgia, The Borgias (2011-2013) // "You aren’t my son, you’re myself. The love I have for you is awkward for both of us. But it is greater than any love known. Even if you can’t understand it.” — Agustín Gómez-Arcos, The Carnivorous Lamb (1975)

The relationship between Rodrigo and his children is complex, but his love for his eldest son, Cesare, is the most intense of all. Cesare is a representation of Rodrigo's own generational trauma and personal flaws. Rodrigo loves Cesare deeply, but at the same time, he feels frustrated with him because Cesare serves as a mirror reflecting Rodrigo's own self-worth issues and flaws. Cesare's presence reminds Rodrigo of his own shortcomings and self-loathing, which created a complex dynamic between them. His intense love for Cesare is intertwined with this frustration, stemming from the recognition of their shared imperfections. Despite these challenges, Rodrigo still holds Cesare in high regard and has chosen him as his successor because Cesare represents both the best and worst aspects of himself.