#who will be the ruler in the end?

[katierosefun]

pyramid game is such a perfect little drama for the sapphics because you've got a whole demented psychological thriller going on about high school girls creating a whole fake social class system that results because one bored little princess bitch thought it'd be funny, and you've got all these dynamics that can only be boiled down to some kind of love story because like. ye lim and eun jeong's dynamic? the princess idol and her athlete bodyguard. soo ji and ja eun's dynamic? the cold mastermind and the compassionate heart. even whatever da yeon and seol ha have got going on? typical hitter and loyal dog dynamic. the list can go on.

[lunarharp]

shirahama-sensei reminded me she has a thing for the teacher from pokemon s/v so i randomly went off on an au where qifrey is the professor. etc

[arson-09]

This actually isn’t just Tamlain, this is Eltamcien (lucien is just off page grabbing snacks for the picnic trust me)

[fromtheseventhhell]

I've seen a lot of theories about Arya leading the BWB so she can "fight for the smallfolk" but would that not mean that our new generation of rulers was failing and nothing had fundamentally changed? The whole point of the BWB was that they were fighting for the smallfolk when nobody else would. The war was incredibly devastating for them and yet none of the rulers made them a priority or really cared about them. How is it satisfying that the story ends with them still being necessary? Would it not make more sense that we have rulers who care about the smallfolk and make it a point to protect them? I've never understood why Arya's association with the smallfolk makes people believe she won't have any political power when that's precisely why she would be a good candidate. She witnesses first-hand what the smallfolk are experiencing and even confronts the hard truth that Northerners are part of that devastation. Those seem like important lessons for a leader determined to change the system.

[spacetimeaccordionfolder]

Reading The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3) and I feel like the Always Sunny in Philadelphia conspiracy board meme trying to figure out the little vignettes at the beginning of each chapter.

[split-pea-shoot]

THIS CHAPTER MAFE ME GUCKING CRY MY EYES OUT I HADNT CRIED THROUGH ALL OF LOTM AND THIS MADE ME CRY FOR LIKE 10 MINUTES STRIAGHT KLEIN WHY DID FATE DOOM YOU TO THIS ENDING

THE MOMENT I SAW THIS I STARTED PANICKIG WTF ITS ENDING????? AND MR AZIKKKKK HES RETURNING THE FAVOR LOOK HOW HARD I CAN CRY

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

ITS OVER FOR ME WTF

I saw that tweet thats was like when Melissa joined the beyonder world she probably knew that thats what “killed” her brother which really punched me in the gut but also the final bit made me kinda laugh like shes summoning that kid’s eldrich horror uncle for a family reunion

BUT STILL WHAT THE FUCK LOTM KLEIN YOU HAVE TO WAKE UP NOW!!!!! ITS BEEN 20 MINUTES SINCE I LOST YOU AND I IMMEDIATELY CANNOT STAND IT

[nightswatchdisbandmentera]

“Dead. He’s dead.”

“No.” The eunuch’s voice seemed deeper. “He is here. Aegon has been shaped for rule since before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows that kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.”

(ADWD Epilogue)

Varys’ words to Kevan Lannister about Prince Aegon are so interesting because of the overarching insinuation that the boy has had a slew of advisors and teachers who have carefully and extensively prepared him for the task of ruling. His listed examples to that point are rather peculiar, however: a knight to train him in arms, a septa to train him in the faith, and various tutors to train him in history and languages.

Now there’s nothing inherently wrong about Aegon’s educators but one has to ask, what do these people even know about actual ruling? What have they seen about the nature of ruling and the nitty gritty of it? What experience do they have? And if they themselves don’t really know what it means to rule, what does that say of their young prince’s education?

It’s an important question to ask when we consider Aegon’s narrative foil: Jon Snow. Jon does not have the expectation of ruling. In fact, as a bastard, he knows that he can never ever get a lordship let alone a crown/throne. Yet Jon has, unlike Aegon, a crew of experienced tutors who have shown him the nitty gritty of ruling. Every single one of his on-page mentors is either a ruler or a leader of men; in addition to the other tutors he had growing up.

So I wanted to take a look at Jon’s mentors and the positions they have held to contrast their experience (and thus the validity of the lessons that they give Jon) as opposed to the lack of experience in Aegon’s crew.

Ned Stark - Jon’s first and (arguably) most impactful mentor. While teaching Jon important lessons about rulership, he was serving as the Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North; thus making him one of the most powerful men in the entire realm. He then went on to serve as Hand of the King - the most powerful official save for the king. The irony is that Ned didn’t teach Jon as a successor. Robb was the one meant to succeed him. Yet Jon absorbed his lessons all the same.

Benjen Stark - we don’t actually see much on-page mentorship from Benjen, yet he still is one of Jon’s many father figures in the series. He is a a man of the Night’s Watch so he is sworn to hold no lands or titles. Yet as First Ranger, he is undoubtedly one for he highest ranking officials in the Watch and potentially a skilled warrior. He takes on the role of the knight or leader of men among Jon’s teachers.

Tyrion Lannister - despite being an ‘outsider’, Tyrion comes to hold considerable power. He is an exceedingly learned and intelligent man and managed to impart important life lessons during his short time with Jon. He rises to become Hand of the King and later Master of Coin. Though he doesn’t actively teach Jon how to rule, he’s still an important part of Jon’s character development.

Maester Aemon - one of the anomalies in this list. Yet his impact on Jon’s life cannot be understated. He is a teacher to Jon; we have various references to Jon going to Aemon for advice on how to lead. Aemon also gives Jon advice meant for kings: “kill the boy and let the man be born”. What makes Aemon an interesting addition is that he is a would-be king. And an interesting contrast between Jon and Aegon is that both parallel Aegon V; Jon more organically, Aegon rather artificially. If we remember, Aegon V was a hidden prince who ultimately became king. This is the very same trope that Jon and Prince Aegon are following. And it’s interesting that Aemon, Aegon V’s brother, gives advice on governance to Jon; the same advice given to the unlikely king. So it’s Jon who is carrying the torch of kingship from Aegon V, not Young Griff.

Jeor Mormont - one of the most direct mentors in Jon’s arc. Not only is he a surrogate father to Jon, he does what Ned never did: he directly grooms Jon to be his heir. Jon gets to watch Jeor actually govern the NW as his steward but it’s interesting that he shadows the LC through servitude. Though Jon is intended to succeed the Old Bear, he has to humble himself; he has to follow before he can lead. It’s a contrast to Aegon who would hold power over most (if not all) of his tutors.

Donal Noye - the other anomaly save for Maester Aemon. He is a humble Blacksmith. Yet he has been in the service of kings (having served the Baratheon boys who would all end up as kings). He plays an important role in bringing Jon’s ego back to earth and helping him sympathize with those less fortunate than himself. Despite his humble origins, he does briefly take command of the Wall during Mance Rayder’s attack and then transfers that command to Jon, purely because he believed in Jon’s ability to lead (and he was right).

Qhorin Halfhand - another who takes on the role of a skilled master at arms for Jon. He is an undoubtably powerful warrior. But he is also a leader of men. He teaches Jon important lessons on leadership during their time together beyond the Wall - e.g., to lead your men you must first know them. And in true ‘fridged mentor’ fashion, Qhorin dies so the young prince can take over and grow as a leader.

Mance Rayder - the King Beyond the Wall and one of the most important leaders in the books despite spending all his time in the North. Mance’s role as a mentor for Jon is doubly important given that he also takes on the role as a Rhaegar proxy. Despite Jon coming to him as an (undercover) enemy, he’s still able to impart powerful lessons on how to command an army and wrangle support from different factions of men. Jon learns a lot about diplomacy from observing and being under the KBTW. Mance is a skilled warrior, commander, and politician. A charismatic and gifted man - the picture perfect king for Jon to emulate.

Tormund Giantsbane - a leader of the freefolk who rises to become an unlikely ally for Jon. A skilled warrior and proven leader (we know that he took charge of a couple of thousand of freefolk), Tormund becomes important when there’s a transfer of power from Mance to Jon as leader of the freefolk.

Stannis Baratheon - by law, he is the rightful king of the seven kingdoms. According to prophecy, as Melisandre says, he is the promised messiah. Despite a less than ideal personality, he’s still an important part of Jon’s political arc in ADWD. Arguably a man of immense administrative potential, Stannis is also one of the most successful military commanders in the series; which is great for Jon since he also learned from Ned, who ran an undefeated streak as a battle commander.

The total count now comes to: two kings, two Hands of the King, a ruling lord, three warriors, one wise maester (who has counseled a king), and one commander. That quite a resume for Jon. All these men have some experience leading men and commanding armies, however big or small. So Jon’s preparation has been quite thorough.

What a stark contrast between the two boys, then. Varys’ words give us a roadmap of a “perfect ruler” (or as perfect as one can be) yet when we actually take the time to examine what we see in the text, Aegon is not at all suited for that role - Jon is. In fact, not a single character in ASOIAF has had the intensive preparation to rule that Jon has.

It’s beautiful irony. The prince, the one promised to rule, is actually quote underprepared for the task of it. Meanwhile the bastard, who is at best promised a life of servitude, is the one with the most preparation (and experience) for rulership. It’s the way Aegon, as a narrative foil to Jon, acts as one who validates Jon’s journey. There are certain things needed of a ruler. Jon has them, Aegon doesn’t.

Winds isn’t out yet so we don’t yet know for certain where these two boys will end up. But I’m almost sure that young Prince Aegon is doomed and though he may hold the throne for a while, he will not be the king at the end of the story. And it just might be his inexperience that ultimately dooms him. So what does that say for Jon then? Aegon can’t hold the throne as he’s unprepared for it, but what about Jon who is?

[ijustloveobeymeok]

Levi: What the hell happened!?

Lucifer: Okay, start from the beginning

Mammon: Aight, well, I was mindin' my own business-

Levi: BULLSHIT

Mammon: I WAS

[skitskatdacat63]

Boy King Seb :D

[katrina-loves-birds]

I was just rereading the Paris pages, and like. I’m losing my mind at the way that these two characters view death. Andronicus’s absolute refusal to die, the way he STATES that he is not Done, his refusal to accept that death is beyond his control, is so indicative of his character and ruling style. You can see the shadow of what he was before whatever happened to him, his once-present charisma, the way he is used to being obeyed, and his absolute refusal to be anything less than In Charge in his declaration.

Directly contrasting that is Voltaire’s line “May I last until my work is done.” Voltaire accepts that he can’t control everything and he is willing to admit he isn’t all powerful. This admittance seems to be the main difference between Voltaire and Andronicus- Voltaire was successful as a ruler because he was willing to delegate and create secondary systems capable of running his city, while Andronicus was too obsessed with absolute control to the point that he destroyed himself.

[oathtorn]

// sometimes I think about how many times in bg3 you get conflicts that don't have an objectively "best" outcome. I think about freeing the 7000 vampires, for example. Freeing them is the ethical thing to do, because they are all innocent victims, but it remains true that leaving thousands of vampires loose, even in the underdark, is a bad bad idea. Not only are they traumatized people, but they're predators who have only their instincts to help them survive in an unfamiliar land that isn't exactly bountiful in terms of wildlife. If they don't do well, they'll die or be slaughtered, and if they do they'll ruin entire communities or ecosystems, depending on whether they feed on people or animals.

[wonder-worker]

A.J Pollard’s biography on Edward IV was so cringe lol (generic; minor but frustrating inaccuracies; intensely judgmental at times and oddly dismissive at others while never considering the broader context; entirely diminished and trivialized Elizabeth Woodville as both queen and wife of his main subject in the name of "defending" her; created a false dichotomy between Edward and Henry VII’s styles of ruling and lauded the latter at the former’s expense even though Henry literally followed Edward’s example for the very things Pollard was criticizing Edward for; had a downright nonsensical and thoroughly misleading conclusion about Edward’s legacy & Richard’s usurpation that was based entirely on hindsight, Pollard's own assumptions, and the complete downplaying Richard’s agency and actions to emphasize what Pollard wrongly and misleadingly claimed were Edward's so-called 'failings', etc, etc)

I wanted to buy his book on Henry V but after reading this shitshow and the synopsis of that book, im guessing it's going to be 10x worse, so...no thanks

[missy-kitten]

Nerdy Chat: Isekai Hero Summoning

Hero summoning in isekai is pretty popular (I watch a little too much of it TBH) and this may sound exciting at first, but I think that in real life it would be awful.

The first issue with hero summoning is the lack of consent. The person being summoned is often taken from their own world abruptly and forced into a completely unfamiliar environment. This can lead to feelings of confusion, anxiety, and trauma.

Another problem is that the person summoned often doesn't know the whole story of the politics and history of the world they are now in. They are expected to fight for a cause that they may not fully understand, and their actions could have unforeseen consequences. They may later feel guilt because they made the wrong choices. Most media seems to make one side clearly the correct option, but reality is rarely so cut and dry.

Also, it is common for the person summoned to be a minor, which makes the situation even more concerning. They are thrust into a war, which can lead to trauma, injury, or even death. The burden of saving an entire world should not be placed on the shoulders of a child or even a young adult.

The person summoned did not ask to be a hero, and it is not their responsibility to save an entire world. They are just an ordinary person who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The fact that they are given cool powers does not make it okay.

If the person summoned does manage to save the day and return home, the experience will have a lasting impact on their life. They may suffer from PTSD or other mental health issues, and their relationships with family and friends may be affected.

Seanan McGuire has a series called, Wayward Children, that I think is a fantastic example of the fallout of returning from a magical world.  Pirataba’s web serial, The Wandering Inn, I think displays a more accurate reaction to being summoned and forced to fight than most books: some rise to the task, others are horribly traumatized and cannot function and other just go insane.

[dead-salmon]

thinking ob lb2 again and i'm still so sad that it was messed up so badly when the initial themes were really great

like skadis & odin's (which skadis 2nd interlude elaborates on) selfish love, wanting the world and beings they love to continue living even if it's a cruel existence for them. the way you can compare it to surtrs selfish feelings he has for ophelia, or the love sigurd and brynhild have for one another

skadi & ortlinde being unable to understand their loved ones decisions until it's practically too late. the inability of ophelia, skadi and ortlinde to actually take action until it's much too late. napoleon serving as a symbol of hope in that regard, the rainbow finally spurring ophelia into action.

the from lostbalt manga scene of ophelia admitting that she truly had different wishes in life than where she ended up, apologising for not doing better. skadi grieving over this, over ophelia, as a mother who is in the exact same spot of being unable to leave the duty that was placed on her.

lb2 had potential man, skadi's character has so much potential. it just pisses me off that both the game and fandom reduce her to moe scathach when there's so much that could've been done with her character

[brotherdusk]

was nostalgically spinning qyburn asoiaf in my head, rereading some iconic passages, when I realised that an insane amount of whatever the fuck he and book cersei had going on has subconsciously leaked into my characterisation of whatever obrecht and xii have going on. oh my god. well at least I know where it came from now

[thanatoseyes]

So we're in Avernus in my DND campaign and I play Hysteria a purple tiefling, fighter/warlock, my patron being Asmodeus, grand pa pa. We passed this mirror ice wall and my first instinct was to shatter it but I didn't. Instead hysteria was granted a wish. And you know what she wished for? For Asmodeus to be free. It didn't actually work entirely. But it did loosen a few chains and I think she started the apocalypse.