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tomakeitbeautifultolive · 5 years ago

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Hi, I first heard of N+A=D from your page. Ever since then I was wandering through internet to find more evidence on this theory. But the only thing I cannot digest is the lack of any concern in Ned's PoV. Honestly the only way it could've worked is with Ned not knowing about Ashara's child. Maybe Ashara was angry with him , or she wanted the best for him and spare hum the pain, either way she asked her family to keep the existence of the child's alive status a secret.Maybe that's (1)

(2) why Dany was sent away. Because Ashara wanted to keep her knowledge away from Ned. It's not you or me we are talking about here, it's Ned Stark the most honourable man in the entire solar system! In any way I can't possibly imagine any other scenario in which Ned doesn't even think about his former love and child that is alive. What do you think???

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Hello! Thanks so much for the question! I definitely lean "Ned has no idea" - and that it's actually Jon Arryn who has been working behind the scenes with Ashara on his (unwitting) behalf.

While there are a few fishy things about Ned (like his weird connection to the Searlord of Braavos) that raise some questions, based on what we get in his POV - it's safest to assume that if he thought he was the father of Ashara's child, that that child died in stillbirth and Ashara, in suicide. Which is exactly why, over a decade later, he's not actively thinking of either in his POVs (I like to use myself as an example - my first boyfriend died in a car accident a little over a decade ago. I almost never think of him. So to me, it's not weird that Ned isn't dwelling on the death of his first love because he has a wife and children and the whole North and now all of the Seven Kingdoms to concern himself with).

Even people who don't believe this theory tend to speculate whether or not Ashara faked her death. Many people assume she is Septa Mordane. To which I always wonder... but why? For a casual reader who believes Ashara faked her death, what is the motivation there?

Meanwhile, I have my theory: Ashara faked her death and the death of her child to protect not just the man she loved, but the 'prince that was promised', Jon. After all, the Daynes have a heavy hand in Jon's birth, as detailed with Arthur guarding the prince and Starfall lending their milkmaid. As a lady of the court under Elia Martell and in close proximity to Rhaella, with Jon Arryn's help, it would be quite easy to fabricate a different origin story for the baby girl who donned very prominent Dayne features - which so happen to look Targaryen.

And before I get any retort about what a terrible idea that was? Yes, I get that Daenerys and Viserys ended up "on the run" at some point - but that was never the plan. Many, many children across Westeros are fostered with other families (Ned and his brother Brandon included, might I add). Daenerys was always meant to live a nice, safe, relatively cushioned life until she made it back to Dorne to wed Quentyn Martell (the pact signed by Oberyn, himself - who, based on context clues, happens to be a friend to Ashara). While Robert would’ve loved the death of the Targaryen children, it was Jon Arryn who protected them for years and years, as confirmed by Renly. So long as Jon Arryn lived, Daenerys was safe.

I'm absolutely willing to bet that prior to Brandon's death, many things were supposed to unfold differently. Such as Ned marrying Ashara. But the Rebellion happened, and Ned was forced to marry his brother's intended upon his death.

While readers have the impression that Ned is 'the most honorable man in the solar system', remember that those across Westeros had seemingly no problem buying these rumors about Ned and Ashara (Harwin, Cersei, etc) as well as his having fathered a bastard (Jon). (I mean, Cersei even tried to seduce Ned at one point!). To me, Ned is one of the most misunderstood characters in the series! Here’s why:

Honor has two different meanings, really. For modern readers, we relate it to integrity and morality, but from what I can glean from Westerosi expectations, it's more about prestige and respect, honoring one's king or duty first, even above what's morally right (that's why you see so many characters, such as the Cleganes, rewarded with gold and prestige for heinous, immoral acts).

Consider Ned's honor again while reading this quote from Aemon to Jon:

Tell me, Jon, if the day should ever come when your lord father must needs choose between honor on the one hand and those he loves on the other, what would he do?

Jon hesitated. He wanted to say that Lord Eddard would never dishonor himself, not even for love, yet inside a small sly voice whispered, He fathered a bastard, where was the honor in that? And your mother, what of his duty to her, he will not even say her name. "He would do whatever was right," he said… ringingly, to make up for his hesitation. "No matter what."

Jon hesitates. He wants to believe his father's honor is unimpeachable. Yet what he says is that Eddard would do what was right - and that's true. Ned did not choose the honorable path when he chose to save Jon's life that day - he did what was right:

Then Lord Eddard is a man in ten thousand. Most of us are not so strong. What is honor compared to a woman's love?

This hint is twofold - that there isn’t anything special about Ned, he’s subject to the same emotions as any man, especially when it comes to a certain woman’s love... and that there is a clear difference between honor and love, that they do not go hand-in-hand as many readers/viewers assume.

What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms... or the memory of a brother's smile?

Duty would've been to Ned’s king - handing over his nephew upon his discovery. Duty would've been telling his wife the truth. Instead, the most important thing to Ned - even above his own life - was the love and memory of his sister. Which is why, even if he's completely oblivious to his bastard daughter's identity - he cannot stomach the death of another innocent child at the hands of his king. He knows what will happen to Jon if ever the secret comes out, because he had witnessed it with Aegon and Rhaenys. Likewise, the life of one innocent child - Daenerys - means more to him than does his honor, which is why he quits his position as Hand. Ned is not the pinnacle of honor nor has he ever been, but he strives to be the pinnacle of morality and justice, often at the cost of his honor and respect.

I'll leave you with this, as I might've just had a tiny little revelation. When first asked about whether or not the books would end differently from the show, GRRM decides to give us a strange comparison:

"Book or show, which will be the 'real' ending? It's a silly question. How many children did Scarlett O'Hara have?"

This subtle suggestion might actually insinuate something huge - that perhaps a certain character will have more children in the books than their show counterpart... 🤔 Such an insignificant detail in one series could result in shockwaves in another.

Combining that with GRRM's latest comments about the books having a different ending, it's certainly food for thought! And, assuming Daenerys is Ned's bastard daughter, this force of power that uses her moral compass to guide her all the way back home to save the world... what would the perfect ending be for such a character? Becoming queen or going mad? Somehow, I don’t think so.

Considering there has been much more foreshadowing for Daenerys pining for a simple life and for love rather than queenship or madness (🙄)... I still say her perfect ending is to do what her father, in this case, never could - choosing love over honor.

Thanks again for the question, it’s been my honor to indulge in my favorite theory once again! 🌠🐺

#answered #n+a=d #dayne heiress #asoiaf theories #tumblr really got rid of their line breaks did they?

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moonlitgleek · 6 years ago

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I would love to hear your thoughts about Fire and Blood when you finish it! (Or not even when you finish it, just whenever, cuz you're amazing!) ��

I have the best friends in the world! Love and hugs, lady.

I am halfway through and I intend to go back and reread each chapter once I finish since I keep blowing through pages because I want to know all the things, which is not very good for proper processing. But a few of the things that jumped at me so far:

(spoilers for Fire and Blood volume 1 under the cut)

1. Gyldayn seems more rambly and prone to ponder sexual scandals than Yandel. He spent waaaay too much time talking about that, and while sexuality is at the heart of some conflicts, the way he went on about the story of Coryanne Wylde and the sordid details of how she was “examined” really undermines his position as a historian and makes me overly iffy on him. Also, there are private conversations between Jaehaerys and Alysanne that I’d really like to know his source on.

2. Speaking of authors, what the actual fuck George? You’d think that in a book that goes so into detail about unconfirmed scandals he’d have the room to expand on someone like, idk, Argella Durrandon? He had the chance to make her story a bit better but he not only did he uphold her forceful loss of voice being the last we hear of her, he compounded the matter by also having Marla Sunderland’s tongue removed before she was packed off to the Silent Sisters. Literal stripping of women’s voices for defiance, by their own men no less, when it’s so unnecessary and so singular in its gendered use in the plot infuriates me. There is a lot of overlap between gender and silencing of voice in this (Argella, Marla, Ceryse Hightower, Rhaena Targaryen). UGH.

3. On the topic of women, Torrhen Stark’s daughter not only does not have a name, she is completely unmentioned in Jonos Arryn’s rebellion, nor by her nephew (?) Alaric with either Alysanne or Jaehaerys. Looks a bit peculiar since Alaric obviously brooded on the consequences of Targaryen decision for his family in the case of Jaehaerys and those he sent to the Wall, so is there any particular reason Torrhen’s daughter goes completely unmentioned even when the topic of marriage was raised and southern matches brought up, George?

4. Aegon, Visenya and Rhaenys are outright referred to as the three heads of the dragon. It’s no longer symbolic or understood but an explicit connection. That’s way too obvious for me to buy that Rhaegar’s Aegon and Rhaenys don’t point straight to a recreation of the Conquest Trio.

5. The war of escalating atrocities between Dorne and the Targaryens is terrible but I feel like there is a conscious effort to make the Targaryens seem better somewhat? The mention of them trying to negotiate at this point before actually utilizing dragonflame is weird because it is not consistent with anything in the Conquest. I don’t know what to do with that part.

6. The First Dornish War makes Daeron I’s folly in the conquest more obvious. Dornish terrain is as much an element to conquer as Dornish people and it costs a lot to manage it. Keeping conquered Dornish ground is bloody hard even with dragons. Daeron even leaves a Tyrell in charge just like Aegon.

7. Is it just me or does the Targaryen succession look weird in early days? Jaehaerys is referred to as the rightful heir by all rights then a few pages later it’s nope, Aerea is then suddenly we’re talking about Rhaena’s claim even though every reference to Targaryen succession before that points to a male-preference primogeniture. Alysanne takes issue with Jaehaerys treating Aemon as his heir over Daenerys even though Jaehaerys’ accession is tarnished based on that principle. There is a distinct vibe of seeing the son of Rhaenys the Queen Who Never Was as the expected heir of Aemon rather than Rhaenys herself (though this could partly because Princess Rhaenys and Lord Corlys wanted to put forward a potential male heir to offset Baelon being seen as the natural successor - since when was Baelon seen as the natural successor though? That apparently wasn’t only Jaehaerys’ sentiment so was that a popular view while Aemon lived or a reaction to Baelon avenging Aemon? Was Aemon aware and that’s why he made a comment to Rhaenys about liking a grandson, or was that regular era preference of male heirs?). Main takeaway though is that Jaehaerys passing over Rhaenys had nothing with extant competing claims but was about regarding Baelon as a natural successor for his gender, age and prowess. Jaehaerys pretty much didn’t even consider Rhaenys. Headdesk. You’re killing me, man.

8. I feel like the characters of Rhaena Targaryen and Alyssa Velaryon are being walked back. The point where apparently Septon Barth comments that Alyssa undoubtedly wanted to do the right thing but didn’t know what that was flies in the face of her previously established actions. I don’t like how she was taken down from an active and conscious political player, to a confused and almost secondary player next to Rogar (much preferred him when he was Robar, both the name and the person) till their final tiff, to a womb and another casualty of childbirth with the emphasis being on her children. Rhaena may have called out the latter but the whole thing feels like a punishment for Alyssa for first opposing Jaehaerys and Alysanne then opposing Rogar. As for Rhaena, she swings between political sacrifice for the greater good to treating Jaehaerys and Alysanne with contempt for it. Resentment is perfectly normal and understandable but Rhaena surpasses that. She is purposely cast in an unfavorable light and her sexuality is strongly used to frame it.

9. There is a bit of exoneration after the fact to Jaehaerys sentencing most of Maegor’s Kingsguard to the Wall on contradicting arguments. I get his point about oathbreaking but punishing those who deserted Maegor because they didn’t uphold their vows to protect hum while also punishing those who didn’t desert him for defending and enabling a murderous usurper is extremely contradictory. That the two knights who deserted Maegor then deserted the Night’s Watch and a caused a conflict that claimed the life of Walton Stark neatly brushes this quandary off because it demonstrates that Jaehaerys was right.

10. I love how Septon Barth and Alysanne often work as a team in pushing Jaehaerys towards one policy or another. On more than one occasion, one of them makes the argument and the other comes with the definitive final strike. I love the women’s court and Alysanne’s Laws though I think there is a certain vagueness in the way Jaehaerys codified inheritance in the Widow’s Law. I’m still midway through Viserys I’s tenure though so I don’t know if this will be raised in any sort of legal argument for the Dance but it’s a non-issue so far.

11. I hate how Daella Targaryen was written. I hate how we keep adding names to the “death by childbirth” list. I hate how the child brides keep getting ignored. This is too conspicuous in the case of Daella and her daughter Aemma Arryn. Queen Alysanne held herself and especially Jaehaerys to blame for Daella’s death because she felt that, at 16-17, they wed her too early and that contributed to her death in childbed. But it’s treated like a non-issue that Aemma married Viserys at 11 and was bedded at 13.

12. I’m indescribably charmed by how Baelon the Brave got his epithet by booping a dragon on the nose. Also, the relationship between Aemon and Baelon, and Baelon and Alyssa. Too bad we can’t have nice things.

13. I already lost my shit over this in DMs with you but still, Aerea Targaryen! Aerea Targaryen! Oh my god. I was equally horrified and fascinated. A speculated trip to Valyria that resulted in the princess’ body being inhabited by “worms with faces” or “snakes with hands” made of fire and heat that cooked her body from the inside. This surpasses Valyria being a thin place or geophysically unstable. This means there is a Lovecraftian horror capable of using human bodies (and non-human bodies, Balerion was wounded as well but dragons are fire made flesh so that probably protected him) as vessels to… spread? Take over? Turn people into dragonic/fire abominations? Also, also, is that take over possible for anyone or is whatever is dormant in Targaryen DNA that tends to emerge with the use of magic in the form of babies with dragon-like qualities (though it appeared in non-magical cases) makes them more susceptible?

COMPARE TO THE OTHERS. A Lovecraftian horror made of ice and another made of fire. Blood magic probably behind the creation (calling?) of both. We still don’t know how the Others came to be and there has been legitimate rebuttals to the show’s version of their creations BUT I think what could be taken from the show is the suggestion that this is blood magic gone wrong.Both take over human bodies though differently (is this linked to living bodies being warm and dead ones growing cold? Is that why the fire-based monstrosity manifests in living creatures while the Others trades in dead bodies? The things beneath Aerea’s skin burst out either when they felt the cold of the ice bath the maesters put her in or when she suffered cardiac arrest and died. Either way it’s connected to cold) The cosmic balance between ice and fire has deeper roots….. now I’m really curious as to the nature of the magic of the Wall that keeps ice and fire firmly separated.

14. We are slowly building a succession history for the Starks: Torrhen Stark -> son (?) Brandon -> son Walton -> brother Alaric -> grandson Edric -> Ellard of undetermined relation. That’s how as far as I got in the book but that’s too far from the Benjen Stark that starts the Stark family tree in TWOIAF. Cregan Stark was already Lord of Winterfell by 129 so that’s a period of 28 years between that and the Great Council that also fits the aforementioned Benjen and his son Rickon, Cregan’s father and grandfather.

15. I’m so not a fan of the art in this book. It ranges from blatantly inaccurate (Aemond and Luke during the Dance, SIGH), to exaggerated (Elinor Costayne is weird in that art with Maegor. Also, did she wait to react till she climbed the entire Iron Throne? And Jaehaerys was cool and measured in his response to Maegor’s supporters after landing in the Red Keep. WHY does he look like he is yelling in the art?) to weird (Which of the Black Brides is dressed like a septa and why? Why does Jaehaerys look like all of 8 at his coronation when he was actually 14?). Perhaps that’s a bit nitpicky but I’m not impressed tbh.

16. GRRM overdid it with Jaehaerys’ reign imo. There is writing conflict because peace and prosperity is dull to write, and there is cramming every possible conflict under the sun in the story. Was there anything missing? I count family drama, political intrigues, succession questions, plague, policy changes, financial crisis, winter, and mini-rebellions. He reigned for a long time so I get it but at one point it was one conflict after another that I’m having trouble reconciling what I read with previous descriptions of Jaehaerys’ reign.

17. There is a lot to talk about with Jaehaerys and Alysanne but I want to get the timeline straight and give it some more thought. But I will say that as delighted as I am with all the women in Alysanne’s story and with Jaehaerys and Alysanne’s relationship reflected in policy, it’s monumentally disappointing to read about his relationship with his daughters. There was an underlining gentleness in how he treated his mother Alyssa and Rhaena that was sorely missing with some of his daughters. I came out of this part feeling really off and unsettled. And sad. So very sad. WTF, Jaehaerys. Just WTF.

That’s my preliminary thoughts on the first half of the book. It’s mostly feelings with a side of unsubstantiated and unresearched spiraling. Politics, worldbuilding and themes tend to appear on later reads.

(Edit: part two is here)

#joannalannister #ask box #fire and blood #fire and blood spoilers #fire and blood volume 1 #asoiaf #asoiaf speculation #asoiaf criticism #jaehaerys i targaryen #alysanne targaryen #aerea targaryen #rhaena targayen #alyssa velaryon

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valaenarhaegarovna · 7 years ago

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There’s no ice the Sun can’t melt

Original request: Well i will try on this: Jon Snow/Arianne Martell , suprise me on the take but avoid cheap Angst.

Requested by: @kalilseied

Notes: Answering requests takes me so much time omg...

Master List

Ko-fi

Arianne had made a decision.

The moment her eyes landed on the northerner bastard, she vowed to make him hers.

Jon Snow had arrived with her uncle after his short trip North. He had found the boy on his way back from the Wall, and Oberyn told Jon Snow the truth about the place he was going. Her uncle told her that the boy had been angry at his father and uncle for not telling him what the Wall really was, and Jon Snow gave up about that silly idea after Oberyn invited him to discover the wonders of Dorne.

Arianne was glad for it. Had Jon Snow taken his vows, it would be a waste. Such a fine specimen shouldn't go celibate. The heir of Sunspear had watched the man intensely as he presented himself in front of her father, respectful and submissive. Like all bastards from out of Dorne. She had thought to herself, pitting the boy and cursing his old home. She would need to help him out of his shyness.

But it wasn't going to be easy. It had been hard to find the northerner alone; he was always following her uncle, sparring with Obara or trying to learn Cyvasse from Quentyn. To talk to him in front of others wouldn't do; if her father knew of her intentions, he would lock her away and forbid Arianne of getting what she wanted, and that was out of question.

It took her a week to get to him. Jon was reading a very heavy book that Arianne recognized as Quentyn's copy of Building an Realm: The story of Dorne's Great War. A marvelous work about how Nymeria united the entire dorsinh Kingdom. He likes fierce women... Good to know.

"What are you reading?" She asked innocently, leaning closer to him from behind, pretending to be interested on the book.

"Princess!" He cried in surprise, letting go of the heavy book, causing it to land directly on his foot. Jon whined in pain, put stood up in a jump to show his respects. "I am sorry for not greeting you, I failed to notice your approach."

That had been her plan all along.

She gave him a mischievous smile and leaned over to help him with the book, showing of her cleavage. When she rose, she noticed his red cheeks, and her smile grew bigger. Arianne was well aware of her power over men and women. It wouldn't take long to have Jon Snow in her bed.

Or so she thought.

But as more days passed, Jon Snow did nothing but run away from her. He was never alone, and if she found him on his own, the boy would give some excuse and get away fast. Arianne was confused, to say at least. Maybe he liked boys, it wasn't impossible; her uncle Oberyn liked men and women and the princess had even met a girl who liked none! Still, Jon Snow had reacted to her... Why would he flee at the mere sight of her?

Arianne sat at one of the natural pools, enjoying the way the sun kissed her skin. After trying to find herself alone with Jon and failing more times than she liked to admit, the princess just wanted to enjoy some time alone; with nothing on her mind but silly songs she used to hear as a child.

She was surprised by the sound of something big jumping in the water. Arianne opened her eyes to find Ghost's red orbs staring right into her soul. The Martell simply smiled and ran her fingers through the animal's fur, liking how soft it felt.

"Your fur is growing again." She told him. "We will have to cut it again soon, or you will melt in this heat."

The Direwolf just stared at her with those incredibly intelligent eyes. Ghost was very popular in Dorne, notably among the small folk; the kids loved to follow the beast whenever Jon visited Sunspear with Oberyn. Ghost didn't mind the attention, but he always seemed rather annoyed by it. The beast had a quiet nature, his silence only adding to that idea.

"Is your owner afraid of me, Ghost?" Arianne asked, feeling a little weird for being talking to an animal. "He is always avoiding me, it is ridiculous." She chuckled, caressing the beast's neck. "If I were someone else, I would have given up already."

"Should I tell Prince Doran that his heir has gone mad and is fond of talking to an animal?"

The princess turned around to stick her tongue out to her cousin, Tyene. The other woman just did the same, giving Arianne a mischievous smile. The sand snake made her way into the pool, her long blonde hair tied up to avoid the water. Tyene sat at her cousin's side, staring back at Ghost.

"What are you looking at?" She asked the beast. "Aren't you supposed to be with your northerner, beast?"

Ghost showed her his teeth, big as daggers. He could easily rip Tyene's throat apart. Arianne failed to understand why her cousin felt like treating the sweet animal that way.

"I know what you are trying to do, cousin." Tyene told her, her blue eyes filled with worry. "You know well that your father would never allow this."

"He never cared about my lovers before, I find it strange that he warned me not to seduce Jon Snow." The princess groaned. "Uncle Oberyn has a bastard for lover, why can't I take Jon Snow?"

"My father is not the heir to Sunspear." Tyene said with a certain wisdom on her voice. "Besides, he is Lord Stark's son."

She understood it better, now. The Starks had been by Robert's side when he went for the Throne, when he allowed the murder of Elia, Rhaenys and Aegon. It made sense that her father would be against any type of relation between them. Arianne was most glad that Oberyn had overseen that small detail; otherwise, Jon wouldn't be there with them.

"Jon has no fault on what happened."

"Yes, but grief can cloud one's judgement." Her cousin warned her. "Princess Elia's death is still a healing wound, and we must give your father time." Tyene's voice softened. "He will soon see who Jon really is, and forget about his blood."

"I hope so." Arianne stood abruptly. "I will go back to my chambers, I need to rest."

"Will you take the beast with you?"

Ghost bared his teeth at Tyene and the Princess only smiled at that.

"Ghost, come with me!" She asked the direwolf with a sweet tone, not sure if he would actually follow her. But he did. The animal got out of the water fast, waiting for her to join him at the sand. "You are very impatient when the matter is getting far away from Tyene." The princess playfully whispered to Ghost, not feeling even a little bit weird for chatting with an animal. "I just wish you two would get along, she is my favorite."

As usual, no sound came from the wolf. They walked back to the Water Garden's living area, the servants no longer feared the beast, but still avoided it. They looked at Arianne in awe as she walked past them with Ghost by her side, it gave her a strange sensation of power. Maybe she should ask Jon if the direwolf could stay with her more often. It would be hard to stay at Jon's presence long enough to make the request, but she would try.

Arianne stopped, shocked.

Jon Snow was waiting by her chamber´s door.

"Jon?"

"Your Highness!" He stuttered, his eyes went to his animal companion. "Ghost?"

"He came looking for me, but I do not know it's reasons." She told him, watching the wolf go to his owner. "Is there anything you desire, Jon?"

That had been a tricky question, and she knew it very well, but she just couldn't help it to play games with him.

"I wished to talk to you, your Highness." He muttered those words in his heavy northerner accent. Obara had found it distasteful, but Arianne adored it. "If you have time, of course."

"I have some spare time." The princess would always find time for him, especially in her bed. "Tell me your heart's desire, Jon."

By the glint on his eyes, she knew he would do much more than that.

I really enjoyed writing this... I might write more Jon/Arianne in the future!

#jon snow #Arianne Martell #jon snow x arianne martell #house stark #house martell #tyene sand #game of thrones fanfiction #requested

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feynites · 7 years ago

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I... wrote Game of Thrones fanfic? Which is weird because I’ve only watched like two episodes of the show and read like none of the books. But I know a lot about it anyway and I couldn’t stop thinking about Elia, especially with all the awesome Rhaenys stuff that Cinn has been doing. Sooooo... yeah. This is my take on one of the most tragic characters in the series. Please excuse any continuity errors in light of the fact that I have no clue what I’m doing.

Elia Martell knew that having children might kill her.

It was something warned of for nearly her entire life. She was frail; she was sickly. She had a heart that fluttered and breaths that stuttered, blood that flowed too freely, narrow hips and frequent headaches and irregular moons. Her parents had hesitated in marrying her off. Even to a match most nobles would gladly throw any child into, even with the threat of a mad king’s displeasure should they do him the insult of refusing.

Elia’s parents loved her. But she was still a noble born girl, in the end. Still expected to produce heirs, or face unrelenting shame.

The world had always underestimated her. Even her family had, at times, though in their case, Elia knew it was from love and worry. Poor, sickly Elia. Her first pregnancy had been a nightmare. Much of it she spent bedridden, and she had felt for months upon months as if she was dying. As if they were both dying; herself and the little flicker of life building within her.

Rhaegar had been attentive. She had been glad for him, in many ways. His father was a nightmare, and her heart wrenched for Queen Rhaella, and all that she endured. But she could ask for far worse husbands than one who came and played soft music for her when she was ill, and sat often at her bedside, and spoke of books and songs and poets. Histories, quite often. Rhaegar was a scholarly prince, and an artistic one. He was handsome – though, privately, Elia thought that his looks had been over-sold. It was comparative, she reasoned. Any decent looking man born a prince would become the height of desirability.

Rhaegar always looked just a little too pale to her eyes, though. He was tall and fit, but his smile rarely reached his eyes, and his sharp features had a waxy quality to them at times, which made her think of masks and carvings more than any face. He was courteous and thoughtful. He brought her flowers and played her songs, but at times he also spoke of strange things.

Mad, she deduced, in fairly short order. He was mad, like most Targaryens, but at least his madness had no fire. It was more like the moon. Fickle and fey and driven to odd preoccupations. But harmless, she had thought.

A foolish thought.

Elia could scarcely recall Rhaenys’ birth. There was pain and blood and most of her recollections are of that, but she could remember afterwards. The startled feeling inside of her when she woke, and realized that she had not died. The warm weight of her daughter, being placed in her arms, and oh. Oh. She had thought she might despair if the baby was a girl, if only because it would mean that she would have to try again. To endure more months of torture and pain and probable death. And some part of her, later, did quail.

But Rhaenys was perfect. A little squalling bundle of a babe, round and healthy, with Elia’s brown skin and hair and the most beautiful eyes. She was a daughter, and she did not look a thing like Rhaegar. She looked like a Dornish girl, like home. Elia’s precious child. It did not matter, in the end, that she would have to make another attempt to give Rhaegar a son. Rhaenys was hers. Her girl. The best thing she had ever managed to achieve, through blood and pain and fear, and the sheer stubbornness that had kept her running past it all.

She had to work not to fight anyone who tried to take her daughter from her arms. When she discovered that she could not make enough milk to feed her, she wept like the fragile woman everyone always took her for, and was inconsolable on the subject despite all her best efforts to be practical.

Of course, the rest of the world was not always inclined to share her sentiments. Rhaegar seemed pleased – he held Rhaenys and cooed at her, and smiled his softest smiles for her – and there were celebrations in King’s Landing. Many happy congratulations on ‘the little princess’. But King Aerys did not share any good sentiments. He disliked that Rhaenys looked Dornish; he accused Elia of all manner of infidelity, and his son of weakness, and called his own granddaughter snake spawn and sand rat.

But he was mad, and that was known.

So it was not until he threatened to burn Rhaenys, should he discover who her ‘whore mother’ had actually permitted to sire her, that Elia felt something click in her. Something much colder than a mad king’s fire. It made her canine teeth itch like fangs, and the back of her throat taste like poison. It made her feel calm, and ready, and though she did not recall explicitly contemplating the matter before – that was the day she decided that if she ever got the chance, she would kill King Aerys.

Of course, Aerys was fire and power and madness, and paranoia in spades. So Elia did not suppose she would have very many opportunities. And she was still recovering from the ordeal of pregnancy, on strict orders from the Maesters not to over-tax herself. She spent more time in Queen Rhaella’s company, and that of the septas assigned to guard the queen’s honour. Court was sparsely populated ever since the king began to lean too heavily on his hobby of live immolation. The humiliation of Rhaella being forced to share her bed with the older women, to prevent adultery, struck Elia as a terrible and unworthy insult. But the queen herself seemed much happier to spend time with the septas, and her young son, than with her husband.

There wasn’t much for it, either way.

“Rhaenys may well end up marrying Viserys,” Rhaella mused, one afternoon, while the two of them had tea in Elia’s chambers. Rhaenys was down for her nap, but Viserys was with them. Playing with his toys as the two of them spoke.

Over my dead body, the cold venom in Elia hissed.

“May well,” she agreed, aloud.

“Dornish whore!” Viserys exclaimed, laughing. “Dornish whore, whore, whore!”

Rhaella sighed, and tsk’d. It made Elia think of her own mother, who had taken Oberyn’s chin in her hand the first time she heard him repeating that kind of language, and made him look her in the eye and repeat it. She had shamed him so neatly and concisely that Oberyn had nearly swallowed his tongue, hadn’t dared repeat such words again where she could hear them.

Somehow, Elia doubted that the same technique would work on Viserys.

“He has no idea what it even means,” Rhaella offered, apologetically.

“Of course not,” she agreed, and took a further sip of her tea.

When Rhaenys was old enough, she decided, then, she would send her to Dorne. She would convince Rhaegar to allow it, however she had to. She would foster her daughter out in her homeland. Send her to her family, get her away from the dragons and their ilk. She would not marry Viserys. Elia would find her a Dornish husband.

But... Rhaegar had assured her, when they had first married, that they would be able to leave King’s Landing before long. That they would be free to go to Dragonstone, and avoid the mad king’s court for a time. The promise had proven hollow. Aerys was convinced, at times, that Rhaegar was plotting against him. That any mobility he granted his son would be used to organize a strike.

Elia had no idea if it was true or not. The crown prince did not confide in her. More importantly, she had learned the lesson of a broken promise, and learned it more firmly with each day that passed in King’s Landing. Getting Rhaenys away would be a challenge.

Recovering from her first pregnancy took time, and King Aerys railed and raged, at turns deriding both his son and Elia for failing to produce a suitable Targaryen heir; and at others gloating that he had a second son, that he had Viserys, now, and Viserys would surely prove to be everything that Rhaegar was not. Loyal and gifted and virile. He would shriek at Elia that Rhaenys would never marry Viserys; as if that was meant to wound her pride.

As if she wanted such things for her daughter’s future. Sitting in this stinking cesspool of a city, caught in the deluded ravings of this farce of a court.

The Dornish court had its dangers, and treachery, and ugliness. Elia had known that well enough. But it still functioned. More and more, she longed for home. The thought that she might be trapped here indeterminately was almost unbearable. Aerys was not so old, for all that poor hygiene and terrible habits and past suffering had weathered him. And Rhaegar was a disjointed mess; far kinder and better, but who knew if that would last? People had said that King Aerys was dashing and likable in his youth, too.

What if Rhaegar ended up the same as his father?

Elia passed several weeks nearly unable to look at the queen for long, for fear that she was looking into her own future. Rhaella’s wrists were bruised, and her eyes were tired. Another miscarriage. Aerys had raved of her infidelity, impossible though it was.

And then Elia’s second pregnancy took hold.

As bad as the first had been, the second was many times worse. It likely did not help, Elia supposed, that she felt so trapped. Rhaenys had discovered the wonders of toddling around on her own two legs, and raced around with happy abandon; but her increased mobility meant that the septas could watch her more, and Elia’s own seclusion gave her protests little weight. She felt almost entombed; trapped in her rooms, forced to avoid ‘excitements’, and with few visitors to speak of. The nobles who were both invited to attend court, and willing to tempt the fickle ire of the king, were few and far between. And maids and servants all kept as quiet as possible. Servants were often the first to be targeted by Aerys’ paranoia. None would risk immolation for the sake of smalltalk, and Elia could not even blame them.

She wrote letters home. More than once she thought of asking her family to send someone, some of her cousins or friends or maids, to come and attend her. Most of all she wished she could ask for her brother to come, but always, she would remember King Aerys, and her hand would still. Her mind filling with visions of some innocuous incident setting him off, and him exploding into tirades on Dornish assassins or intrigues, and burning them.

He would do it, too, she was certain. He believed everyone was already plotting against him, that they were all his enemies, or willing to be. A paranoid certainty in him that meant he was not afraid of making enemies. There was no point in trying to prevent something that had already come to pass, after all.

She began to wish, instead, that she could ask to come home. Dornish weather, she thought. She could claim that the Dornish weather would suit her better. She could take Rhaenys with her. Dorne had never been conquered by the Targaryens. It was by agreement that they had joined the seven kingdoms, not force. Her people had resisted conquest even when the dragons actually had dragons by their side. If she could go home, her family would protect her, they would have royal Targaryen children in their hands, they could go to war and finally rid the kingdoms of Aerys…

…And that was why she would never be allowed to leave. No matter what entreaties she made. Dragonstone, she remembered. The king would not even permit her to go that far, and Rhaegar had not brought it up again, despite several efforts on her part to suggest it once more. The subject would be changed. Apologies lurking in her husband’s gentle voice.

Sometimes, she thought about plucking the strings off of Rhaegar’s harp, one by one, and then smashing it against a wall.

She wrote to her family that she was expecting another child. That she missed and loved them dearly, but that they must not worry. She was strong. It would be a son this time, she was certain, and she would manage well enough.

Her family sent kinsmen to her anyway. Chief among them Ashara Dayne, whom Elia had known since childhood, and who kept her company in the infirmity of her condition. Laughing and joking and remarking upon things with the Dornish perspective that she had missed so fiercely.

It eased her mind; though not much could be done for her body, save hope.

As little as she recollected her daughter’s birth, her son’s would prove vivid in her memory, in all of its excruciating details. She felt certain that she would die, and the certainty was all the more terrifying when she knew what she would be leaving her first child to, if she did. Alone and motherless in this court of rot and ash, with a grandfather who hated her, who would never let her see Dorne, who would marry her off to her uncle, while her spineless fucking father played the harp and read books and broke his promises…

It was a miracle that she did not say anything treasonous in the throes of her worst pain. Pain that became so all-consuming that it circled around to a queer sort of place, where Elia could not process anything else. In labour it felt as if she lived in that pain, as if she spent a decade trapped in it, trying to fight something that could not be fought.

When it was over, she was so startled to find herself alive that she almost could not reconcile the shock of it.

Aegon, she was ashamed to say, did not win her heart as swiftly as Rhaenys had.

His father loved him with great preoccupation, spoke of stars and portents and old stories, and believed he had a destiny. He had the Targaryen look. Fair hair and violet eyes, and when Elia held him, and went through familiar motions of rocking and soothing him, she felt as though she was holding someone else’s child. A dragon child. Not hers, not really; he was for Rhaegar, for mad Aerys and for the cold Iron Throne.

It filled her with guilt. What an awful thing, to leave a poor baby motherless in this place. But she was exhausted and still in great amounts of pain, bleeding and weak, and Aegon… Aegon looked like a ghost. It made her feel dead, to hold him.

She tried to, anyway. Yet she did not fight the nurses when they came for him, did not wish to hold him longer than she had to. Rhaenys was brought to her in the afternoons, when she was often feeling strong enough to not frighten her daughter with lethargy or fainting or bleeding. Recovery was actually swifter than the first time, for all that the pregnancy and labour had been worse. Swifter, and yet, less complete. Her body was ruined. She could not have another child, but she had done her duty and given Rhaegar an heir, and survived the process.

And as the weeks passed, the alarming indifference towards her son began to ease, bit by bit. He had her skin, and her nose, she thought. He had Rhaegar’s eyes and hair, but he was darker, and there was nothing unnerving in his gaze. He was just a little baby, like the Lannisters’ so-called ‘imp’ had been. Not a monster or a horror or anything deserving neglect. If, perhaps, she still did not feel as though he was her baby, she did not see fit to mention it to anyone. Her heart was trying to shield itself, she thought. The gods had given her the Targaryen son she needed, and in so doing, the son that would never wholly belong to her.

He was Rhaegar’s perfect, healthy, unquestionable heir.

Aerys hated him anyway.

Called him ‘reedy’ and ‘weak’ and insisted he had the look of some ancestor who had gotten fat and disreputable in his old age. Elia had stood and taken the insults, had stared at Aerys, pale and thin-lipped and still aching in so many places. She knew some of them would likely always ache, forever on into the rest of her life.

However long that managed to be.

After that, she loved Aegon almost defiantly. Fervently as she loved his sister, though it was still different, too.

She had nearly died to give the dragons their accursed due – if Aerys did not want him, she thought, acid building on her tongue, then she would gladly take him home with her, too. Hair could be dyed, to look less Targaryen. And much of him did seem Dornish. When he smiled, she did not see Rhaegar’s own soft, sad expression; she saw Oberyn, the first time she had peered into his cradle, and he had grinned back at her.

It was a sweet, foggy memory.

We will be alright, she told herself. Aerys not favouring his grandson was not the worst of fates. He would still be more focused on Viserys, then, and if nothing else, they could avoid him as often as not. Perhaps, finally, he would let them go to Dragonstone, if they left without Rhaegar. There was no more need for Elia to remain close to her husband, now that she was barren, and whatever insults Aerys had levelled against them, he at least did not seem to credit her with being strong enough to pose a threat.

Not on her own, anyway.

Rhaegar, though…

After Aegon’s birth, Rhaegar himself became more of a worry.

“There is no chance whatsoever?” he asked, for what felt like the hundredth time, after Elia and the Maester and everyone, it seemed, had explained that she simply could not have another child. It made her glad all over again that the possibility itself was extinguished; because she knew, then, that for all his politeness and consideration and gentility, for all that he had never struck her or touched her harshly, or even raised his voice at her, that he would let her die trying for another child.

A child he did not even need.

“None,” she said, with more finality than she generally employed. She could grant that it was not the most secure of arrangements, to only have one daughter and one son. But Aerys himself had only been able to produce two viable children after decades of attempts, and Rhaenys and Aegon were both healthy. And if it came to it, Elia supposed, they could discuss the prospect of divorce. But not until the children were older. Rhaenys she might have been able to keep with her, but Aegon would be swept up by the court, and in constant danger. Not only from the existing threats, either – if Rhaegar’s second bride should prove scheming or ambitious, Aegon would stand in the way of her own heirs inheriting the throne.

And who would protect him? His grandfather, who hated him? His grandmother, who was abused and locked away? His father, who was sitting before her with that damning moonlit fire in his gaze?

Even Elia was not sure what she would be able to do for him. For any of them.

“You must understand. It has to be three,” Rhaegar said, all woe and tragedy in his countenance. “The dragon has three heads.”

She could have hit him. She wanted to slap her husband clean across the face, in fact. She wished that she believed it could work; that one single, stinging smack could shake the clouds from his eyes and drag his mind back up to reality, but it would only make him look woeful again, she suspected. And hurt her hand.

“I cannot give you three,” she said, at last. Her throat felt tight, to her own surprise. Her voice wavered, as she could not help but ask. “Are Rhaenys and Aegon not enough for you?”

What a terrible thing, for her children to have a father who loved them so little.

Rhaegar only looked still sorrowful, though.

“For me?” he asked. “For me, they are more than enough. But there must be more. All the signs… Elia, I don’t know how to explain it all to you. I have spent my entire life learning everything that I need to know, in order to understand what I do.”

Her father had told her, once, to never trust anyone who claimed that what they did was too complicated to explain. Either they were a swindling liar, or they thought too little of everyone else’s intelligence.

“You want three children because you believe that a prophecy has foretold the coming of a great hero, who will be needed in the days hence,” she summarized. “You named our son Aegon because the great hero of your line was a man who rode the back of a dragon alongside his two sisters, whom he married. You want a second sister for your son, so that when the time comes, the three of them can awaken the dragons of your dreams and restore your family’s dying legacy by beginning the cycle of history anew.”

Rhaegar stared at her for a long moment. Less sad, and more reserved.

“You think I’m mad,” he guessed. Elia thinks she might have appreciated it if he had sounded at least a little accusing, rather than pitying.

Has the possibility never crossed your own mind?

“Of course not, my lord,” she said, aloud.

He stood up. Put his back to her.

“This was a mistake,” he said. “I… I am sorry for it. But you were never the one who could have given me what I needed. I see that now.”

A cold, hard knot of ill-defined fear settled in the pit of Elia’s stomach. A warning bell rang in her mind. She could guess how a sensible man, in Rhaegar’s position, might react to all of this. But that was the thing about madness, she supposed. If it was sensible, it would not be mad.

Her husband left her chambers. Apologies scattered in his wake. Steps quick and stiff, shoulders tensed. Unhappy.

When he was gone, Elia found herself moving to the window, and looking out towards the grounds. If she was a fit woman, she thought, she would go into the nursery. She would take the children, and bundle them up, and carry them out. In the dead of night, when none were expecting such a move. And she would go… where?

Where could she go that would not result in either death or betrayal? Dorne was too far away.

And it did not matter. Elia was not a fit woman, and never had been. She put the thought aside, but went to the nursery, all the same. She was tired. Yet she felt much more at ease when she saw them both sleeping, safe and sound. For a long moment she watched Rhaenys’ eyelashes flutter in her sleep. Smoothing back some of the curls that had gotten into her face. Then she went, and peered down at Aegon.

His mouth was moving in his dream.

Gods, she hoped his dreams were not like his father’s.

It will be alright, she thought, but could not say.

She was expecting things to become complicated. Difficult. Even unpredictable; and it was the last one that struck first, of course. When Rhaegar arranged for his tournament, and fought, and passed her over in his victory run to name the Stark girl-child his Queen of Love and Beauty. Elia’s first thought was that he was shaming her on purpose. Her second thought was that Lyanna Stark was an active and healthy girl, but also, a girl. There was still baby fat on her cheeks and a certain hint to her frame that suggested she was on the cusp of a growth spurt.

Did Rhaegar choose a child, she thought, in hopes of making it clear that he was intentionally snubbing Elia? But, why pick a girl who was engaged to his own cousin? Surely Robert Baratheon could easily interpret the slight as one aimed at him, and it would be a needless insult if Rhaegar’s only goal was to humiliate her…

She sat, calm but also frozen, as something else pressed against the back of her mind.

Lyanna Stark.

The Starks were a northern family, of course. The wolves. Honourable but simplistic, viewed as very steadfast, and unwise to provoke, but also not generally involved with courtly affairs. They were well-liked by their bannermen, so far as Elia knew, and that was impressive, given the number of brutal houses reputedly situated in the North. But then, she supposed, pragmatism was often inescapable when one lived in a dangerous place, and the North was home to the Wall, and served as the last border against the wildlings. The first sentinel of winter.

…Cold.

As ice.

Ice, and fire.

Oh, Rhaegar could not be so stupid, could he? Lyanna Stark? Aegon was not even out of the cradle yet, and already her ‘honourable’ prince was making moves to woo a highborn and betrothed girl to his bed, all for the sake of his thrice-damned prophecy.

Elia was calm, and collected, and spitting mad when she finally made her way out of the stands with as much decorum as she could manage. Her heart was hammering hard enough that it was difficult to disguise her shallow breaths. The court was all in a flurry over things, of course, and the number of pitying looks she received was unsurprising. She preferred the outrage, though, and for once, when Aerys launched into one of his tirades, she found some small vindication in it.

Naturally, Aerys still managed to blame her for much of it. And Rhaegar’s response to his father’s shouting was stoic and resilient. Elia was permitted to leave, by way of her father-in-law bellowing that everyone else get out, and she did. She had no interest in hearing more of his tirades about spies and traitors and his son being an embarrassment. She had no will to even begin to defend her husband.

She was surprised when Rhaegar sought her out, not long after the shouting had finished.

She sat by the fire, trying to warm herself up, and calm the tangle of her nerves. Rhaegar stood at her doorway, still dressed as if for a fight. He looked tired.

“None could fault you for leaving me, now,” he ventured, after a few awkward moments.

Elia stared.

“Is that what you think?” she asked.

He blinked, as if that was not a response he had expected.

“You think I have stayed here because I could not manufacture a decent excuse for leaving?” she continued, too angry and too tired to bother minding her manners. “You are a fool. My children are Targaryens, Rhaegar. They are heirs to the Iron Throne, and your father may be as mad as a bag of cats, but at least he knows how political maneuvering actually works. There is not a lord in all seven kingdoms who does not want to see him off of the throne by now. If I go home, it will be with my children, and if I take my children to Dorne, then there will be nothing to prevent Dorne from rallying the discontent lords throughout the kingdoms, deposing your father, and ruling as regents until Aegon comes of age. He knows that.”

Rhaegar looked sad and stoic. Sad, and stoic, and gods, she was tired of it. He was an able warrior, a man with access to all the resources of the kingdom, and yes, his father was a mad wretch, and Elia did not pretend to know what growing up with that must have been like. But she, who had none of his warrior’s prowess, had taken to keeping a poisoned dagger beneath her skirts. She had watched, and learned, and she knew the way this court worked. She had laboured and nearly died to give Rhaegar his heirs, had done exactly what was expected of her, and given half the chance, she would bury her dagger in his father’s black heart and do what was needed, too.

Rhaegar had more than half a chance.

And he used his chances to give flowers to betrothed girls of five-and-ten.

“…I am sorry,” he ventured. “I did not think…”

Silence fell between them again.

Elia looked into the fire. She needed the warmth. But the sight of flames had long since begun to make her feel sick. The venom in the back of her throat felt like blood and ash, instead.

Rhaegar sighed.

“I will make certain you are safe,” he promised. She supposed it was the only thing he reasonably could promise, here. No other words of comfort would not tread too close to treason. The walls had ears; Elia had possibly said too much herself. Though, come to it, she doubted that she had said anything that King Aerys was not entirely assured of already.

“Of course. I know what your word is worth,” she replied.

And there, just barely, she saw him flinch. Saw the barb land home, for once. Before he turned, and walked away.

Elia of Dorne knew that having children might kill her.

But she had always supposed that it would do so in the carrying and birthing of them, and not the terrible intrigues that would follow after.

#game of thrones #a song of ice and fire #elia martell #fanfic #not dragon age #this was also my attempt to figure out some possible spoiler-y information about rhaegar's actions #from the show anyway #also this is not meant to step on any toes i am just really excited for cinn's rhaenys stuff

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kazz-brekker · 2 years ago

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hotd episode 7 thoughts

let me tell you, i have been anticipating the funeral drama in this episode for WEEKS and it absolutely did not let me down.

as always i am happy that we got to see some of the dragons but i would have loved even more. where is syrax! i want to see her all grown up!

i’m glad we got the velaryons mourning laena, but it really did make me wish that we’d gotten to see more of her alive. laenor is clearly grieving his sister, but i honestly don’t think they ever had any significant scenes together.

corlys and rhaenys with their grandchildren was really sweet, i especially loved seeing rhaenys comfort rhaena and baela at the funeral.

helaena targaryen continues to be a weird little girl and i support her!

i love the idea of making aemond care more about helaena than aegon does, it’s a good characterization bit and also incredibly evil (cannot wait to see Certain Events that happen as a direct result of aemond’s actions utterly ruin their relationship).

why was this episode so dark. i could see everything but it was really gray :(

however i did like the part where everyone was standing around awkwardly after the funeral, the interpersonal drama was delicious.

matt smith and emma d’aracy have great chemistry, all the staring they did at the funeral made me SO impatient for them to actually interact, and their conversation on the beach was fantastic.

loved getting to see them confront all their thoughts and feelings about each other that have built up over ten years. i’ve always found their relationship compelling to watch even though it’s obviously. you know. incestuous. it’s just fun to watch! and i feel less “step away from the underage girl” now that rhaenyra is older.

i know harwin strong is dead and never coming back but i’m still glad that we got to see jace mourning him and rhaenyra talking about their relationship.

a brothel …. a shack on the beach … daemon i am literally begging you to bring rhaenyra somewhere actually nice on your next date.

the scene of aemond claiming vhagar was both funny and awesome, the visual of this tiny little kid riding a huge old dragon and screaming his head off was hilarious but the moonlight dragon ride was very cool.

truly family solidarity as exemplified by the targaryen-velaryon kids is when your cousin that you just met for the first time that day wakes you up in the middle of the night to tell you your uncle stole her dead mom’s dragon so you go beat him up together!

i like the added detail that rhaena was planning to claim vhagar, it adds even more betrayal to aemond taking her instead.

is house of the dragon actually an extended psa about the dangers of giving young children knives? maybe so!

mom rhaenyra looking after her kids and making sure they’re okay is very important to me :)

honestly, i felt pretty bad for aemond in the big confrontation scene, he was kind of a jerk to the other kids but it can’t be fun to get yelled at by your dad when you’ve just lost an eye.

i absolutely LOVED the tension in that scene and the way that it built and built until alicent just went for it and tried to stab rhaenyra. characters going completely feral and unhinged in the BEST and alicent dropping her mask of cordiality and screaming at rhaenyra was so, so good.

viserys your parental favoritism is reeeally showing…

the scene between rhaenyra and laenor was wonderful, i’m so glad the show made it clear that even though they have their differences and have been basically forced into a marriage together they still care about each other and their kids a lot.

loved that larys was like “hey alicent want me to stab a kid’s eye out for you? :)” and alicent was like “no dude i’ll actually TELL you when i want you to kill someone.” she’s learning!

there were 3 dragons when the boat was sailing away, does that mean helaena has already claimed dreamfyre?

when rhaenyra and daemon started talking about getting married i was SO worried that i was going to see them engage in some not chill behavior together and kill laenor so i’m glad that didn’t happen.

i do have to respect this show for avoiding another bury your gays by having laenor fake his death but. uh. is anyone ever going to tell corlys and rhaenys that their son isn’t dead?

the valyrian wedding between daemon and rhaenyra was really cool but tbh i was kind of laughing at them passionately making out with tongue in front of their kids.

i say this every week but i am VERY excited for next week, looks like we’re in for even more family drama.

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lady-griffin · 7 years ago

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Eastwatch - GOT S7E5

Thoughts & Reactions (SPOILERS BELOW)

Overall, I liked it. But I had some annoyances and frustrations with it.

Best part without a doubt was Gendry “I’m the bastard son of Robert Baratheon.”

I laughed so hard at that and Davos, Davos was A+,“don’t mind me, all I’ve ever done is live to a ripe old age.” It fine with me if all you young people want to have an early grave, just fine.

Gendry was a gem and Davos was fantastic, the sneaky smuggler that he is.

Also, “I thought you’d still be rowing”

The only complaint I have is Gendry had quite the switch, from not trusting High Lords (is uncle was going to sacrifice him) and then suddenly being all proud of being King Robert’s son. That seemed weird, especially since Jon and Gendry have a great connection to bond over that’s not their fathers---ARYA “McMurder” STARK.

Though I guess Jon and Gendry becoming friends, might patch over the whole Robert killing Rhaegar thing.

Dragonstone/Field of Fire 2.0

Loved the detailing and visual effects of Drogon. Just excellent!

I have to admit as much of an asshat Randall Tarly is, taking a stand of not bowing was admirable and impressive. Also, Drogon yelling at people to bow to his mom is pretty awesome and something he’s been doing since he first came out of his egg.

Dany isn’t at the point of being the Mad King, but it does seem the show is definitely playing with the idea. It’s very interesting to see her absolute judgment of everything and everyone, she definitely has a white and black view of the world, for the most part.

It’s also interesting comparing Essos Dany and Westeros Dany.

I felt Essos Dany genuinely gave a choice to the slaves/followers of the powerful people she wanted to overthrow, here her choice is less of a choice. The comparison between the people who followed Dany from Essos, because they believed in her and chose her vs. Dany demanding that the Westeros lords bend the knee because she is their rightful queen is quite compelling, but I don’t think that will be addressed.

In Essos Dany earned people’s respect (arguably with violence and dragons), but in Westeros she demands it.

Jon and Drogon was excellent.

Dany and Jon scenes weren’t as bad as last episode (I’m sorry that cave scene was so awkward) and while I get they’ve known each other for weeks now, it seems like a very emotional goodbye/reaction (the emotion in eyes) for these two characters who have only known each other for three episodes.

I just wish there were more built up between these two, but again the Drogon and Jon scene was excellent and Dany being offended Jon didn’t immediately call her children beautiful.

Winterfell

I would love if it turned out that Sansa and Arya were working together to lead Littlefinger into a trap. I think that would actually be a great twist. But honestly, I don’t have that much faith with D&D when it comes to subtle or sneaky plots.

I’m assuming they’re bringing up drama for the Stark sisters so it will be more of a surprise when Arya kills littlefinger, which I find so disappointing.

Many fans talk about how satisfying it would be for Arya to kill Littlefinger, but honestly, story wise it really wouldn’t be. Arya and Littlefinger have barely interacted with one another, they have no connection. In the behind-the-scenes, D&D talk about how Arya hasn’t contended with Littlefinger in a long time, when has she ever??????

Oh Sansa, my fiscally responsible Lady of Winterfell. You are doing so well.

Listening to the lords’ complaints, grievances and concerns is smart. Even sympathizing or coming across as understanding is smart.

Confirming that Jon is king was good. Should there have been more of a response for them suggesting treason against Jon and replacing him with Sansa, probably. Laying down the law would’ve been smart as well, but again building up drama between the Starks.

But honestly, I think Sansa is doing the right thing and while I hope (even suspect) she’s playing Littlefinger, again my trust in D&D for that area is very limited.

Also, jesus Arya. Beheading people for insulting Jon is not the way to go. Calm down.

I thought it would’ve been great if Sansa has responded, “like Joffrey. Just kill anyone who disagrees with us.”

Bran vs. the night king was interesting. I feel bad for that maester who must be so confused and concern with what’s going on. Also, Bran, maybe tell your sisters about the bullshit that is Littlefinger.

Overall, I wish we can see Littlefinger being more devious and sneaky and him and Sansa actually having a battle of the wits and wills, and Sansa coming out on top. But I don’t think we’ll get that, but who knows.

I will admit Littlefinger using the Raven Sansa sent when she was 13 to try and cause a rift between Sansa and Arya, is a lot smarter than people’s speculation of him using the letter to have the North turn on Sansa.

Because literally that would’ve been the stupidest of plans.

Like all Sansa would have to do would be like, I was 13 years old, scared and alone and the Queen (you know the one we all hate) made me write it.

But as attempt (will see if it’s sucessful or not) to drive a wedge between the two sisters, who last knew each other when they were 13 and 12, it not bad.

Oldtown

Gilly was absolutely precious with all her facts.

Also, just randomly bringing up Rhaegar Targaryen, that was unexpected but very fun. Sadly, Sam was not listening. I was expecting him to pause and go “wait what?”

Also, I find it kind of hard to believe that Rhaegar annulled his marriage with Elia. That doesn’t really seem to make sense. Especially since Targaryens have been known to have more than one wife. Also, would that put Jon over Aegon and Rhaenys? I don’t think so, but I’m not entirely sure.

It just seems shitty toward Elia, but oh well. I’m just going to assume Dorne is not part of Westeros anymore.

Also, while I know people love the idea of whirlwind romance and eloping of Lyanna and Rhaegar, that never made sense to me. Rhaegar wanted to have a third child, the third head for his son’s three-headed dragon. Rhaegar thought that Aegon (his first son) was the prince who was promised, he needed Jon so Aegon could fulfill his destiny.

Rhaegar had a plan and a purpose, I’m not saying he didn’t care or love Lyanna. But it seemed to me he was focus on getting that third head, I wonder if it will turn out in the books, Elia knew of Rhaegar’s plan and either supported them or just went along.

Also considering the fact Rhaegar named his first two children Aegon and Rhaenys, would Jon’s birthname be related to Visenya?

Also, maybe in the books it will be revealed Rhaegar did annul his marriage with Elia, but this seems more like GOT then ASOIAF, and it just feels like another disservice to Dorne.

King’s Landing

Is Cersei really pregnant?

Oh Jaime, you fucking idiot. It felt in line for Jaime’s character to be further on Cersei’s side after she told him, but honestly I would’ve just saw that as more reason to want to escape Westeros and the Dragon Queen.

Seriously.

Eastwatch

Very small aspect of the episode to be the name of the episode.

5 out of the 8 men, all have a very important connection that not one of them once brought up --- ARYA STARK. Come on guys, one of you mention her.

Gendry aren’t you curious about Arya and what became of her, instead of your father who you never knew or cared about. Seriously the brotherhood had her, you must’ve learned about the Red Wedding. What became of Arya?

Come on, one of you bring Arya up.

#Game of Thrones #GOT #GOT Spoilers #Gendry #Davos Seaworth #Sansa Stark #Arya Stark #Petyr Baelish #Littlefinger #Jon Snow #daenerys targaryen #Jaime Lannister #Eastwatch

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atopvisenyashill · 8 months ago

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Because I like giving Jaehaerys a headache: Baelon goes to avenge his brother Aemon against the Myrish pirates. He ends up dying as well. Who is now heir?

Well in canon, Baelon runs off to kill the pirates, then comes back and is suddenly named heir. So if he runs off, and just doesn't come back, that puts Jaehaerys is a trickier position because he had never actually named Baelon as heir, plus Viserys isn't yet married while Rhaenys is married with a powerful husband and a dragon (I don't think Viserys nor Daemon had even claimed their dragons just yet).

So...I do think he'd use this opportunity to say "well I have two grandchildren who could be my heirs and given the rapid deaths of both their parents, I think the lords should help me decide between them" as a way of sort of kicking away any responsibility for the aftermath. However...so fucking tricky. Viserys hasn't already become entrenched as heir yet which is a lot of why he has so many votes in the GC 101. He also doesn't have his Targaryen bride yet nor even a lone daughter to point to - his heir would still be Daemon and Daemon isn't all that old yet. Now, Rhaenys doesn't have a son either but she's at least had a single child, is married, and again, has a dragon.

I think he'd go for a GC earlier because just straight up bypassing Rhaenys for Viserys is very weird in this situation; you can almost see the sense in passing up a granddaughter for another son because Jaehaerys is still alive (ie it's not inherently in his eyes, a daughter before an uncle thing - he's just passing up one son for the other). But this is just very clearly passing up Aemon's line for Baelon's and I do think there'd be some pushback here. And I also think he'd have to play politic a lot more here as well - yeah, he can definitely still rely on misogyny (that's what the greens did after all lmao) to back his claim up, but without having named Baelon as heir, he looks like a little bit of an asshole here. And unfortunately for him, while he's politcking, Alysanne is not only politicking to get Rhaenys the throne, she's also probably really fucking pissed off that he's doing this after their two oldest sons have just died. This is absolutely going to be a crazy Second Quarrel where the King and Queen are a) not living together b) on completely opposite sides and c) getting ready to duke it out via their Rhaenys/Viserys proxies. So for sure, Jaehaerys is having Viserys claim and probably Daemon claim a dragon immediately, marrying Viserys to Aemma immediately, and um. Probably things go badly for poor Aemma here.

Whatever way it goes, I think it's a really close vote. These men are not just going to vote in a woman without a lot of promises made to them. The main people Corlys and Rhaenys need to win over are the Lannisters, Tyrells, and Tullys. We don't know how the Tyrells voted but we do know the Tyrells and Hightowers clash a bit so it's possible they can sway their votes. I think Grover Tully is a nonstarter but Elmo might be able to sway some votes, along with the Blackwoods who are already voting for them. Who knows what's happening with the Lannisters - they side with Viserys, then the Greens, but that doesn't mean Tymond can't be swayed. Plus, with Alysanne actively campaigning for Rhaenys (she had died before the GC 101 remember), that might sway things in their favor.

It's really tricky to say! I think what way it goes just kinda depends on your read of the characters and Westeros as a whole - I think canon shows us that they'd still rather a man above all else in several instances, especially when the person sitting on that seat would prefer a man. Jeyne, for example, had the backing of the Royces against her male cousins. And Rhaenys has to wait until 94 AC for Laenor, but Aemon/Baelon die in 92, so the GC is probably held in 93 while she's pregnant again, so she's arguing on behalf of a theoretical child, while Viserys and Daemon are here and alive, and a living breathing man is always worth more than a girl's theoretical baby (regardless of whether Viserys has his own heir or not smFh). On the other hand, god wouldn't it just be fun if Jaehaerys' plans were all completely ruined because Baelon runs off and gets himself and maybe Vhagar killed as well because he's upset and Alysanne manages to out politic him and get Rhaenys crowned while she hasn't even had a son yet? That's my dream, their marriage would be completely FINISHED but it would be so fucking funny.

#asks #anons #FUCK JAEHAERYS ALL MY HOMIES HATE JAEHAERYS

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lordofpinecrest-blog · 7 years ago

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SEASON 7 EPISODE 3 THE QUEEN’S JUSTICE

Another great episode! The dialogs between Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen and Jon Snow were some of the best ever, especially as those discussions progressed. And we certainly saw what the title “The Queen’s Justice” was all about. So much talking without action so you know what that means–this will be long! So let’s get to it.

DRAGONSTONE

We begin with the arrival of Jon Snow and Ser Davos arriving at Dragonstone. They arrive in a dinky boat, so maybe that is the way to avoid Euron and his fleet. They are met by Tyrion, Missandei and a few Dothraki soldiers. You knew from the way they greeted each other that the Imp and Bastard still shared a weird bond. Tyrion “The bastard of Winterfell” John “The dwarf of Casterly Rock.” They smile and shake hands as they remind each other of the last time they saw each other atop the Wall. Real male bonding! Davos is introduced and then the Imp introduces Missandei as the Queen’s “most trusted advisor” Remember how I always talk about the word “Trust.” Back to that later. Jon agrees to hand over his weapons in a show of good faith, but it was smart. After all, what could he and few men do with them? But he did part with Longclaw which is made of Valyrian steel. He better get it back as he will certainly need it. Did you notice Tyrion’s slight nod? Happened a lot in this episode.

Davos asks Missandei where she was born because he cannot place the accent. She does say the island of Naath and the Onion Knight says it is the Isle of Butterflies, which is true. So it wasn’t a trick question, but he seemed to look at Missandei with some suspicion. And haven’t we all come to trust in Davos’ judgment of people?

So it is off to meet the Queen, the Wonderful Queen of Oz. But didn’t you love the lines as Tyrion and Jon are walking up the long path as they discuss Sansa. Tyrion “She’s much smarter than she lets on.” John “She’s starting to let on.” Yes she is!! And when they are discussing how Stark men do not fare well when traveling South, Jon says he is not a Stark and that is when a dragon flies close over him ala Tom Cruise in Top Gun. No coincidence in the timing as Jon is part Targaryen. And the look on his face was priceless. In fact, The facial expressions throughout the show add to what makes it so great.

We cut to Melisandre looking down at them as Varys joins her by his side. He wondered why she wasn’t down there meeting Snow, especially after she was the one who encouraged Her Grace to summon Jon. But she said she has done her part by bringing “Ice and Fire” together, which I think this is the first time that phrase is mentioned. Varys’ lines are masterful, how once a commoner tastes power, he won’t give it up-- like a lion who has tasted man and nothing is so sweet again. WOW! And who are the lions? The Lannisters! In an episode show of some confessions, Melisandre admits to her horrible mistakes and says she is off to Volantis, which is a city in Essos where we believe she was born. But Varys goes farther and tells her not to return as she would not be safe. Not sure why or where he was coming from, but he knows something. So when the Red Priestess replies “Oh I will return dear Spider” as she and Varys must both die in this strange country. First, she addresses him as the Spider and her prediction that Varys will die there must have some meaning. Maybe she knows something about Varys and Varys does look spooked as it appears he looks out at a ship taking her away. But I couldn’t see the sigil on that ship. Did anybody recognize it?

And then we have one of the moments we all have been waiting for: the meeting between Daenerys and Jon Snow, both introduced with their titles of Queen and King, although Danny’s is so long! Davos is so loyal as he chides the Queen when she refers to Jon as only a “lord.” A history lesson ensues about Torrhen Stark being the last true King of the North who bent his knee to Aegon the Conqueror and swore his loyalty to house Targaryen in perpetuity Of course Jon pointed out that the Mad King had murdered a bunch of Starks so the deal was off.

So who was Torrhen and why is he mentioned? I didn’t know who he was, so I did some research and it may prove valuable. Aegon had already conquered much of the South with his dragons and his sisters, Rhaenys and Visenya, both of whom he married. So Jamie and Cersei have some precedent if they were to marry. All the Southern lords had bent their knees after the destruction of Harrenhal and the Field of Fire. Torrhen marched South (and we know how that usually turns out for the Starks) with about 30,000 men and was in the Riverlands. When he reached the Trident, he was faced with a Aegon having 45,000 men and 3 dragons. Being smarter than Ned and Rob, he chose not to have his men devastated in battle and wisely chose to bend the knee. As a result, he became known as “The King Who Knelt” but he was appointed Warden of the South and Lord of Winterfell. Don’t’ we agree that it was a good deal at the time? And one more interesting fact: Because Torrhen reached the deal, no Stark swords were charred by Aegon’s dragon and as such, there are no Stark swords in the Iron Throne. I like the side story because Jon knows what it is like to face overwhelming odds, but also knows he can win. Also, Rorrhen’s bending of the knee took place at the Trident, where Robert Baratheon defeated Rhaegar Targaryen. Coincidence??

Daenerys gives an impassioned speech and then asks Jon for forgiveness for her father’s crimes. Jon agrees that she is not responsible for those crimes, but will not bend the knee. And as they go back and forth, both looking at Tyrion as they do, Jon correctly states that Stormborn has not stormed King’s Landing because she doesn’t want to see thousands of innocent people die. What great insight. As Sansa said last episode, he is good at this. And when Jon says she is better than Cersei, we see the first smile on her face. But just as it appears things may be warming up, Danny thinks Jon has insulted her by refusing to call her queen, not bending the knee and calling her a child. Thank goodness the Imp can also be an interpreter as he clarifies the statement a bit. But Her Grace still calls him the enemy as she does not believe his story of the Army of the Dead and the Night King.

While I will not repeat it line for line, you have to agree that Daenerys’ speech back to Jon as she descended down from her throne towards him was one of the best we have heard and seen. She goes through her history. But it is worth noting that she wonders if Jon’s presumptive father knew that King Robert had sent assassins to kill her when she was a baby girl in her crib. Ned didn’t and know it was Ned, who later on, told Robert to stop his plan to have her assassinated. But in her powerful voice, she goes on to say “I was born to rule the Seven Kingdoms and I will” Why? Not because she believed in gods or myths, but faith in herself. WOW!! And buried in the speech is Daenerys’ line that she had been betrayed before. Hold that thought.

And once again, it is the Onion Knight, the commoner, who has the great comeback. He goes trough all that Jon has accomplished and how he became King of the North. Not because of any birthright, hell he is a bastard, but because the people of the North believe in him. I have to give Davos an A++!! Danny is soaking it in, not yet persuaded, but listening as true leader should; reserving judgment. Of course, he almost slipped that Jon had given his life for his people. Not sure why Jon stopped him on that. Maybe because it would add to the craziness of how it all sounds?

Tyrion tries to make peace, after all what is the harm in bending the knee, takes no time. But Jon is not Torrhen and reacts defiantly. Why would he do that? After all, he doesn’t know her and her claim to the throne rests on her deposed father’s claim his is founded on the trust of his people. Jon does call her “Your Grace” which is respectful. Danny says that is fair but that he is in open rebellion. She is about to say more when she is interrupted by the Spider bringing in a message which we know is the defeat of the Sand Snakes and Euron’s destruction of that part of her fleet. Had she not been interrupted, would she have broken the Rules of Hospitality and killed Jon? She may leaned toward it, but I think the Imp would have stopped her. But the scene does end on another great line. Jon “Am I your prisoner?” Danny “Not yet.” Chills.

Varys gives Stormborn the bad news, the Iron Born and Dornish allies were ambushed by Euron. All dead or captured. And when Daenerys asks “all of them?” we cut to Theon being pulled out of the water as the other Greyjoys look down at him in disgrace for not dying in battle. Will Theon come back to help? I say yes and in fact, I think he will end up saving his sister.

KING’S LANDING

We go from Theon to a grandstanding and victorious Euron with Yara, Ellaria and Tyene in tow. As he parades toward the Red Keep, we see the King’s Landing citizens reacting as they have so many time before, throwing things in glee at the defeated. A true Roman mob if there ever was one. Euron saying “This is the life...Look at them, cheering for a Greyjoy.” And the mob calls his captives “whores.” Didn’t they shout that at Cersei? And then Euron rides his horse into the throne room. Who does he think he is, Tywin Lannister?? He presents his gifts to Cersei, and in doing so, he taunts Jamie as he says “I give you what no other man could give-justice.” Now, Euron believes he has earned the right to marry the Queen, andhe thinks he is getting that reward, as Her Grace tells Euron he will get what his heart desires, but only after the war is won. Euron did not seem pleased with that and turned away with what looked like disgust as I am sure he saw no sense of gratitude on Cersei’s face. How long can Cersei keep toying with Euron? She has no intention of marrying him. And while both Jamie and Euron are right about the mob, that they will turn on anybody, Euron keeps poking and taunting (see below as to what happens when you taunt) the lion, and we know that soon, Jamie will have had enough and fight back. Can’t wait for that.

Next we have the Queen’s Justice. With both Ellaria and Tyene in chains, Her Grace poisons Tyene with the same poison Ellaria used on Myrcella and sentenced Ellaria to watch as her daughter died from the poison and rotted away. And Cersei poetically sealed it with a kiss! Okay, we all know how cruel Cersei is. But didn’t Ellaria deserve to be punished for killing Myrcella who was a young innocent girl? She blames the Lannisters for the death of Oberyn at the hands of the Mountain, but that was a fair fight and the Red Viper would have won if he hadn’t taunted his opponent. So in a way, it was justice, just a very warped justice. And yes I know that the Mountain killed Oberyn’s sister, but that is not what motivated Ellaria to kill Cersei’s daughter.

We go from the cruelness of Her Grace to he making love to Jamie. At first he resists her temptations, but then gives in. When they wake in the morning, he does look affectionately at Cersei, but not the way he used to. And when a hand maiden knocks on the door, when Jamie says don’t, Cersei says she is the Queen and will do as she pleases. But history in King’s Landing may not be on her side. And clearly Jamie’s love for her is not what it used to be. I smell trouble there.

Next we see Cersei with Tycho Nestoris, the representative from the Iron Bank. To be sure, the back and forth was good, with Cersei saying how the destruction of the Sept of Baelor was a tragic accident and Nestoris replying sometimes tragedies are necessary to restore order and rational leadership. Her Grace showed her negotiation skills and was right when she said the Iron Bank investing on things that it thinks will pay off, is by any name, a bet. That was the best line here, as was Nesoris’ statement that Euron was loyal “for now.” But Cersei says give her a day to pay off the debt. Seemed absurd, but she pulled it off. In the books, as least when they ended, the Iron Bank did not lend the Lannisters more money. And for him to say or hint that Cersei brings “rational leadership” defies logic. This is a departure from the books that to me, just doesn’t make cents or sense!!

DRAGONSTONE

A brooding King of the North and a brooding Imp. Ever the sense of humor, Tyrion says Jon is even better at brooding. As they talk, Jon’s frustration is apparent and he gets emotional as he can’t understand why nobody is reacting to the threat of the White Walkers and Night King and says to Tyrion that he probably doesn’t believe him. But Tyrion surprises him when he says he does believe him as he says “I trust the eyes of an honest man more than what everyone knows.” Great insight and wisdom. That is why we have come to trust in Tyrion. He sees things where others do not. Jon is afraid he is a fool and made the same mistake his father made by going South. So again Tyrion chimes in with his wise words “Children are not their fathers, lucky for all of us.” He is of course referring to his father and The Mad King. But Jon is looking for an answer to his question of how to gets Daenerys to believe him and help the North. As only Tyrion can, he explains to the King of the North that while Danny may be a foreign invader, she protects people from monsters, just as Jon does. That is why she came here, but it is not a reasonable thing to ask for Stormborn to travel North to fight an enemy she hasn’t seen on the word of a man she doesn’t know after only one meeting. Very reasonable thinking. After Jon says that maybe he is just another Northern fool, the Imp wants to know if there is something he can do to help.

So Tyrian meets with Daenerys and they discuss dragon glass. First, did you notice that Danny referred to Jon as King of the North and not just Jon Snow? I found that to be very telling. Stormborn is not convinced about the existence of the White Walkers, but she is always willing to listen, which can “trump” those that don’t. Okay, had to get that in. And then Tyrion says he wishes Snow was wrong, as he goes back to his old ways when he says a wise man once said “that you should never believe a thing simply because you want to believe it.” And when Daenerys calls him out as to who that wise man was, the Imp says he doesn’t remember. Danny lets him slide even though she knows the Imp is telling a white lie when he says he would never do that to her. But if he is willing to tell a white lie, he is capable of much more?

History lesson: When did Tyrion first use this ruse? Last year, with Grey Worm and Missandei, he says “A wise man once said that true history of the world is the history of great conversations in elegant rooms.” While the room was not elegant, the words spoken next may very well lead to history and the alliance that will save them all. Tyrion knows Danny needs allies so why not allow Jon to mine dragon glass which is worthless to them? It will help gain an ally and trust. But Daenerys picked up on Ser Davos’ statement about Snow taking a knife to the heart for his people. The Imp dismissed it, but from the look in Daenerys’s eyes, she has not. Score one for Danny over the Imp.

Next, Jon walks down and meets Daenerys outside as she watches her dragons flying overhead. No truer words than when Jon says they are amazing to see. We can already see that Danny has softened her attitude as she explains to Jon that she named two of the dragons after her dead brothers and that she knows Jon lost two brothers as well. And we see how Daenerys has taken the Imp’s counsel when she says people thought that “dragons were gone forever but here they are and perhaps we should all be examining what we thing we know.” Jon realizes Danny has been talking to Tyrion and may start to believe him. But the best and most honest line was after they talked about the Imp loving to talk; Daenerys says people enjoy what they are good at, and Jon replied “I don’t.” And then two strong willed leaders, talk it out. Yes, Stormborn will not let Cersei remain on the Iron Throne and Jon expected nothing less. But she will let Jon mine and armor the dragon stone. And when Jon says you believe me know, Daenerys gave almost the perfect reply “You better to get work Jon Snow.” What would have been the perfect reply?? Of course what Ygritte always said to him “You know nothing Jon Snow.” And as Jon thanks her and walks away, Daenerys looks up at him-with what look? You decide, but it counted.

WINTERFELL

We start with an overview of Winterfell as they are obviously bringing in food and grain to store for the Winter. Sansa gets an assessment that they only have enough food to last a year so they have to gather more as Winterfell is the best place to defend no matter where the theat comes from. And her plan to store grain is forward thinking, if the attack comes from the South. Certainly, if the Lannisters were to attack and try to lay siege, Winterfell would withstand the siege just as the Russians did against Napoleon and Hitler. But while Winterfell could hold off and win against the South, it couldn’t against the Army of the Dead. So she is half right. So in chimes Lord Baelish who is so creepy just lurking in the background. Littlefinger claims he knows Cersei better than she does, but Sansa says he doesn’t. But listen carefully to his advice. Don’t fight in the North or the South. Fight every battle everywhere always in your mind. Everyone is your enemy, everyone is your friend. Every possible series of events is happening all at once.” And if you think that way, everything that happens you will have seen before. A WOW speech from Littlefinger and one we have missed for a long time. But what does he mean? Is he referring to himself who said he was a friend of Ned Stark only to become his enemy? Or even to Sansa?

As Sansa is absorbing this, a messenger tells her to come to the gate. And in comes Bran. Had to put a tear in everyone’s eye when Sansa sees her little brother for the first time in years. Which was sadder? Sansa’s tears as she hugged Bran or Bran not hugging her back with no emotion in his eyes. I get it that Bran is a Three Eyed Raven, and is out to save the world, but that doesn’t mean he lost all his emotions. To me, this didn’t cut it. Next Sansa is talking to Bran out by the Weirood tree. It was like a scene from Netflix’s Stranger Things. Sansa says she wishes Jon was there and in a monotone voice, Bran says he needs to speak to him. And when Sansa says that Bran is Lord of Winterfell, he says he can’t be and that he can’t be anything as he is the Three Eyed Raven. Well isn’t that something? You know, out to save the world? Sansa of course doesn’t understand, after all, who would. So Sansa asks Bran to try to explain for her, and he does try so maybe there is some feelings left inside him. He says “I can see everything. Everything that has ever happened to everyone. Everything that is happening right now. But it is all fragments, he needs to piece it together to see better. That when the Long Night comes again he needs to be ready and rather than look at Sansa, he turns to look at the face carved into the Weirood tree. To prove what he was saying, he tells Sansa that he is sorry for what happened to her, what happened in her home but that she looked beautiful in the snow on her wedding night. That shakes Sansa to the core. But as she walks away what is the look on her face? Not sure, but isn’t what Bran told her what Littlefinger said to her? Every possible series of events is happening all at once, And if you think that way, everything that happens you will have seen before. Creepy!! And with Bran saying he cannot be Lord of Winterfell, that further cements Sansa’s standing.

THE CITADEL

Sam has cured Jorah. I think Jorah will reunite with Daenerys and help her as her armies need a good commander. Plus he knows the ins and outs of Westeros’ geography and he is a Notherner, a Mormont. And when he tells Sam that perhaps our paths will cross again, count on it. Sam, while praised is then “punished” by having to re-write old scrolls. We all know that Sam will find something important in those scrolls and that Sam will discover a way to fight the White Walkers.

DRAGONSTONE

Daenerys wants to take her dragons and go hunt and burn Euron’s fleet. She is talked out of it by her war council. Were they right and who was there?

CASTERLY ROCK

Casterly Rock was an impressive sight to see. And as some predicted, Tyrion, being the low man in his father’s eyes, built the sewers and knew a secret way in. So the Unsullied sacked the city, but as Grey Worm observed, there were far too few Lannister troops there. And when he asked where they are, we see Euron’s flagship and that Euron’s navy has set the remainder of Danny’s Greyjoy fleet on fire and sunk it. How did Euron know they would be there? And are the Unsullied marooned at Casterly Rock?

HIGHGARDEN

We know that the bulk of the Lannister army was with Jamie marching on Highgarden along with the Tully army. And who is beside him? None other than Bronn. Olenna looks down on the advancing troop and knows she cannot win. We don’t see the battle, but we know that the Tyrells were crushed. I know that Jamie had the numbers, but from history, one would have thought that the Tyrells, with the castle and its walls, would have put up a better fight. And with the victory, we see the Lannister troops loading up the gold to pay back the Iron Bank. Just as as Cersei promised, a Lannister always pay her debts. Olenna is waiting in her chambers when Jamie arrives and is ready for her death sentence. Jamie bows his head in respect and tells her he learned lessons from failure and took his army where the Unsullied were not, just as Rob Stark had done at Whispering Wood. A fascinating conversation then takes place. The Queen of Thorns admits that she did unspeakable things to protect her family and ordered others to do so. Never lost sleep over them because they were necessary to protect House Tyrell. But then she goes on to say how her failure was she couldn’t imagine how far Cersei would go. That the lack of imagination was her ultimate downfall and that she would not have regretted doing what Cersei did. She tells Jamie that he knows Cersei is a monster, but isn’t Olenna a monster too? Yes, she is. And Jamie is right, if the Lannisters wins, and there is peace, nobody will remember how she did it. To the victors go the spoils and the winners and their atrocities are buried in history. The Queen of Thorns warns the King Slayer that his sister will be the end of him and he replies “possibly.” Of course, that is the opposite of the witch Maggy’s prophesy that Cersei will die at the hands of her younger brother. And although twins, Cersei was born first making Jamie a younger brother. Olenna asks how it will happen, i.e., how she will die and Jamie tells her the horrible deaths Cersei wanted to inflict upon her but Jamie talked her out of it. So he does it mercifully, with a quick, non painful poison. But before she goes, the Queen of Thrones makes sure she exits on top. She tells Jaime that is was her that killed Joffrey, although she wasn’t familiar with the poison and didn’t know how painful and awful Joffrey death would be. On my part, I don’t believe her as I think she knew exactly how it would kill the Boy King. “Tell Cersei, I want her to know it was me.” The look on Jamie’s face. A little shaken but no overt reaction. But what does this mean? Jamie now knows that Tyrion is innocent of this son’s death. How will that news effect Her Grace? I say it won’t, but it will The King Slayer. And one last thing. Prior to this, I think we all thought how smart and clever Olenna was. We admired her during her conversations with Tywin. But in this scene, she says to Jamie that she was surprised that Tywin never came to take their gold when the Lannister mines went dry. To me, that shows The Queen of Thorns never understood the Game of Thrones. Tywin never instigated wars and he would never have attacked a House loyal to the Throne. Plus, the Tyrell’s banner men would not have abandoned House Tyrell under those circumstances and thus Tywin would have lost. Agreed?

RECAP

So much happened. Let’s look at the big picture. When we started on this adventure, there were many great houses in Westeros. But how many are left? The Tyrells have joined the Freys, Baratheons, Boltons and House Martell. Unless Cersei or Jamie have another child, the Lannister line is coming to end. And Daenerys says she is the last Targaryen. So who is left? The underdog Starks!! And yes the Tarlys and Tulleys are still around, but they do not compare to the Starks.

How did Euron know again where Danny’s fleet would be? Is Jamie so smart that he knows his brother so well, or is there a spy in Stormborn’s ranks? If so, who could it be? There are only three possibilities. Tyrion who is Lannister and loves his brother. But he hates Cersei too much and he can be beheaded for his failures so I say no. Varys? We never know with him and his realm is not the Seven Kingdoms. Or what about Missandei, who Tyrion describes as the Queen’s “most trusted advisor? What do we really know about her? Not much. Just saying.

Will Jamie tell Cersei that Tyrion did not kill Joffrey or keep it to himself for now? I don’t think he will tell her right away. And will Cersei become overconfident with her victories? How long can she put off Euron? And how long before Jamie and Euron come to blows? Will that split Jamie and Cersei? Was it a mistake not to kill Ellaria as others have escaped from chains? And where is Yara? And in the end, while we like Olenna, she was her own monster as well.

At Winterfell, Sansa is growing in power and confidence. Littlefinger is still lurking there, and Bran has to figure things out. What will happen when Arya arrives? That should prove interesting.

That leaves us with Jon and Daenerys. So fascinating as the two of them know they need each other, but don’t trust each other, at least not yet. Will Danny find out how Jon rose from the dead? Will Jon tame a dragon? And when will each of them learn of Jon’s true heritage as that will form a true bond between them. (I predict not until next year-what do you think?) Jon has to convince Stormborn to believe not just that White Walkers exist, but in HIM. And we did have the scene where the dragons, Jon and Daenerys were all in one scene. Again, no coincidence. And of all the leaders, aren’t they the only ones who know the value of forgiveness?

In the previews, it appeared as though Daenerys was riding her dragon, Drogon. If so, can’t wait to see how that goes! And there was also a dagger which looked like the one that was used to try to kill Bran. I believe Littlefinger has it so the plot may thicken there.

Another long one, but it deserved it. Until next week,

Eric, the Lord of Pinecrest

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kazz-brekker · 2 years ago

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hotd episode 10 thoughts

i was very much hoping to come out of this episode emotionally devastated in the best possible way and i am definitely am but i’m also. sort of annoyed about some of these adaptational choices? weird mix of emotions to be feeling. anyway!

that scene between luke and rhaenyra where she reassured him about being lord of the tides someday was really sweet but also made me very sad, rhaenyra clearly loves her kids so much and i’m devastated about it.

any time rhaenyra and rhaenys have a scene together i’m excited, can’t wait to see them be genuine allies in season 2.

i might be giving daemon too much credit as a person but it felt of weird to me that he completely abandoned rhaenyra when she went into premature labor even when she was calling out for him. like, obviously he’s a very morally gray person who does bad stuff, but hotd has taken pains to show that daemon genuinely does care about his family above all else and he was also very protective of rhaenyra in episode 8 so. idk. i really don’t think i’m being too generous to daemon when i say it was a bit strange?

why was jace being mean to luke during the training scene :(

that labor scene was very stressful but emma d’arcy was SO good in it.

i felt pretty convinced that this show was going to draw a parallel between rhaenyra wanting to name aemma’s child visenya in episode 1 and then naming her own stillborn daughter visenya and then they just. didn’t follow through on it? why add that in if you’re not going to do that!

this show has gotten me very invested in the sibling relationship between viserys and daemon and i SO wish that we had gotten to see daemon mourn his brother for more than 2 seconds. he didn’t even cry! it’s 2022 please let fictional men cry when they are sad!

i do like the idea of rhaenyra not wanting to absolutely destroy westeros in pursuit of the throne but i also feel like this episode was making it feel like she was pushed into war by a bunch of men.

rhaenyra’s grief in this episode was well-acted, but let her be angry too! “they murdered my daughter and stole my crown and they shall pay for it” is an iconic line of dialogue from fire & blood for a reason!

the crowning scene was very cool, i liked the idea of the funeral transforming from a moment grief to a moment of triumph. daemon crowning rhaenyra and then kneeling was great and so was rhaenyra and rhaenys looking at each other in solidarity.

rhaenyra looks better in that crown than her father ever did. i speak only facts.

i’m pretty sure rhaena and baela had collectively 1 entire line of dialogue in this episode which is such a waste, they’re both interesting characters who deserve more.

rhaenyra flying down on syrax when otto arrived for the negotiations was cool and a fun parallel to episode 2 but also, should she really being flying on a dragon if she JUST gave birth?

the call back to episode 1 with the torn page … oof alicent and rhaenyra never got over each other did, they?

daemon choking rhaenyra also felt a bit out of place. i fully admit that daemon is not a good person and their relationship definitely has weird and messed-up elements, but considering how they were portrayed in episode 8–raising their kids together, holding hands all the time, daemon beheading a guy for insulting rhaenyra–i was under the impression that this show wanted us to root for this relationship.

what were they trying to do with this moment? was this supposed to be a “gotcha, you thought daemon could be a good person but actually he’s bad all the way down” moment? has he done this to rhaenyra before? is this the first time he’s laid hands on her? why is it literally never mentioned again in the rest of the episode and the next time we see them they’re holding hands like nothing happened? idk i’m not saying that daemon is a good person (he’s not!) but it just felt very random.

i really liked the scene between corlys and rhaenys, especially corlys admitting that he was wrong about his ambition and rhaenys referring to jace, luke, and joffrey as her grandkids. functional marriage for the win!

i knew it was coming but the when jace said dragons are swifter than ravens, send us, i was like NOOOOO HONEY DON’T.

they mentioned cregan stark! and grover tully! and the riverland lords! and allies in the vale of arryn! black supporter characters incoming!

rhaenyra reassuring luke that his journey will be quick and he’ll be welcome at storm’s end … nooo stop i’m already sad.

daemon singing to vermithor in high valyrian was cool but i’m gonna be real if i had to pick another dragon to show on screen this season it would have been sunfyre or dreamfyre. we were robbed of them!

luke arriving at storm’s end and seeing vhagar, who’s literally the size of a castle, was extremely cool and very ominous.

that whole sequence at storm’s end in general had SUCH a great sense of building tension and terror.

despite the circumstances under which it was revealed i am clapping and cheering at the sapphire eye reveal.

aemond saying he wants to give alicent luke’s eye as a present … oh he is never beating the mama’s boy allegations.

the whole sequence of luke and arrax fleeing from aemond while he laughs was EXACTLY as terrifying as i hoped it would be, i especially loved seeing vhagar’s huge shadow. even though i knew how it was going to end there was so much tension and i really did want him to escape.

but listen i’m sorry, i think the idea of aemond losing control of vhagar and her eating luke and arrax against his wishes is incredibly stupid.

hang on need to write my two cents on controlling dragons. yes, dragons in asoiaf are portrayed as dangerous creatures with minds of their own and daenerys does have trouble controlling her dragons in the main series. they’re not mindlessly obedient to their riders at all.

however, there is exactly one instance that i can think of in fire & blood of a dragon deliberately disobeying its rider (silverwing refusing to fly good queen alysanne over the wall) and that was a weird outlier. this show has also not portrayed dragons as disobedient to their riders (and no, i’m not counting the “it’s an illusion that that we control the dragons” line, that wasn’t backed up with any proof).

vhagar is very powerful dragon, yeah, but she’s not untrained, and aemond has been riding her since he was a kid. if he could stop vhagar from killing him before they were properly bonded, then it makes no sense that he couldn’t stop her from eating luke and arrax.

also the implication that luke and arrax would have survived if they hadn’t fought back is … kind of bizarre? why portray it like that?

i do think that fire and blood portrays aemond’s murder of luke as very spontaneous (and partially motivated by maris baratheon making the worst-time dick joke in the history of westeros, which they didn’t include) and i wish that the show had just. committed to the bit. they could have had aemond give in to his rage and bitterness and the grudge he’s been nursing for 6 years, killed luke, then have his “oh god what have i done” moment. as it is, it feels sort of like they were afraid to have him do something actually bad on purpose.

i really wish they had included daemon’s iconic “an eye for an eye, a son for a son, lucerys shall be avenged” line, i was waiting all season to hear it. emma d’arcy absolutely ATE in that last scene even with no words but i think they could have done both!

still … even if i had some problems with the adaptational choices in that episode … that last shot of rhaenyra turning around with absolute vengeance on her face was amazing and i’m excited to see the dance start in earnest.

#pie says stuff #pie watches hotd #hotd #hotd spoilers #house of the dragon #rhaenyra targaryen #daemon targaryen #rhaenys targaryen #corlys velaryon #lucerys velaryon #aemond targaryen #jacaerys velaryon #vhagar #i have. many thoughts on this finale apparently #but i think i'm entitled to #considering one of my first thoughts when this show was announced was 'oh damn we're gonna see storm's end in live action'#maybe i will change my mind on some of them when i think on it longer but idk #either way! very dramatic finale! i was stressed even knowing how it was going to end!

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