Rewatched Viserys Dinner Speech And Alicent And Rhaenyra Look Sad And Like They Believe Him. Aemonds

It’s hilarious when TBs cry “Rhaenyra TRAINED to be heir” because that honestly makes her look worse. Wdym she spent 20 years training and managed to fuck things up more than Aegon, who got pulled out of the trash 2 days ago?

Legitimately and it's why nerfing the Greens was such a dumb choice 😭

Like what do you mean you apparently trained your whole life (which btw spending years away from court hiding from bastard rumors "managing" Dragonstone is not really training for ruling an entire kingdom, especially when it comes to navigating political realities when in power) (but then again that's something she no doubt figured she could ignore in favor of ruling with hardcore fire and blood and fear of dragons and Daemon)

Like apparently you "trained your whole life" for this and you're somehow the only one divinely ordained and suited and qualified enough to rule...

AND YET SOMEHOW up against these apparently incompetent, short-sighted, impulsive Greens, who are made up of:

- a drunk dude who's apparently never been trained to rule despite him ruling being the plan since he was a baby, who appoints his unqualified and unnamed frat boys to Kingsguard, bullies his brother in public, drunk flies his dragon to battle, and executes a dozen dudes for "no reason" causing a "PR disaster"

- a kinslayer attempted kingslayer who took out one of his side's only dragons and rider because he got bullied :( and now he hates his brother and wants power and also he's gonna nuke a village for no reason except to feel powerful and manly I guess... also he unfairly does nothing about Rhaenyra's blockade and it's HIS fault people are starving from the blockade apparently and that's why the common people LOVE Rhaenyra SO much

- the dowager queen who converted to Team Black out of sapphic longing for a woman she was friends with decades ago for a couple of years, who willingly sells out her entire family to the enemy, including the son she crowned, two other sons fighting for the war she started, her father who was her only ally at court, her brother who was the only one to sympathize with her position, her sworn shield who lives to serve her and protect her family, her uncle and his men leading the Hightower host out of Oldtown, most of her family's dragons who will die defending their riders... all for the chance to win the favor of a woman who never showed any ounce of care for how her life turned out and the sacrifice she made (in fact the woman who was remorseless about her son's eye getting cut out, who blatantly pushed lies that endangered her whole family, who married a man who hates her whole family and wants them dead) (she fails in winning her favor) but girls stick together - girl power! And she's finally free from the confines of medieval feudalist patriarchy :) (except there's nowhere for her to go and no way to live her life as a free woman in any capacity as the wife of the former king and a highborn lady, unless she wants to try to be a survivalist in the wild or go to Essos and join a pleasure house, which, again, not really "free" and sustainable long term options for her)

- a poor helpless infantalized neurodivergent woman who can't even ride her dragon because she doesn't like it for some reason and she's incapable of acting outside of autistic stereotypes, also she's totally fine about her 6 year old getting murdered in front of her very eyes now, and actually she's gonna use her visions to condemn the brother who's always had her family's back up until this point and instead help the man responsible for her child's death, because she's seen the Grand Design and wants to help Team Black now :)

- "misogynist incel" but somehow also at the same time "Alicent worshipping and unreasonably Rhaenyra hating sex toy" (don't think about why he might have valid reasons to hate this particular woman) who doesn't think ahead and is apparently the most violent terrible hypocritical person in this show (don't think too hard about the show making him Dornish and casting a brown actor and the implications it has for this character on and off screen because the show and mainstream fandom won't!)

- offscreen brother nobody barely remembers who only just started riding his dragon apparently

- former Hand of the King immediately fired and sent away and captured off screen after doing nothing to help the war effort apparently

- Lannister twin off to Essos to fuck several wives and mud wrestle LOL!!

- foot fetishist shadowy creep (don't think about how they made a disabled character have a fetish involving their disability for no reason)

AND YET SOMEHOW against THESE villains... she can't even beat them 😭 she can't beat THESE guys who at this point are actively helping her out... she can't take and hold the throne against THESE Greens...

Like way to just completely make her and her team look equally incompetent by failing to take on THESE foes and instead elect to... mope... complain... do nothing except what others tell you to do... basically make no real decisions of your own except... dress as a nun and sneak into enemy territory with no real plan, leaving nobody in charge while you're gone despite a war looming... and burn a group of people alive for no reason to get dragons that you immediately refuse to use... ride dragon... speak a foreign language... cry... kiss your advisor immediately after she opens up about being violently assaulted and mutilated and never bring it up again... girlboss 💪💅

Truly astounding how badly they managed to fumble the bag with the show. Like. My god 😭 THIS was your vision for the historic Dance of Dragons aka the worst civil war in Westerosi history where both sides were Targaryens with dragons who destroyed each other and the Realm in their quest for power? Like THIS is what the singers in mainline ASOIAF books were singing about? 😭😭😭 bruh 😭😭😭

show!Rhaenyra is oatmeal with water and tears of book readers

My best friend was there when I wrote my opinion on Rhaenyra the Mother of Tastelessness, and she told me that I sounded like a mean bitch. I thanked her for the compliment, but realized I hadn't been specific enough.

So let me explain with examples why adult Rhaenyra kneels before young Rhaenyra's throne of supremacy, but remember that this is my opinion, which you may not agree with, but you can't convince me otherwise, so don't waste your time, okay?

Let's take two episodes of season one with adult Rhaenyra, one in which she was a morally good, boring piece of cardboard, and the other in which she gained some taste while being a disgusting person.

Episode 6 is dedicated to the suffering of noble and gentle Rhaenyra, a weak but good-natured princess who is mercilessly bullied by her evil stepmother. She meekly accepts every insult Alicent throws at her, and suffers from the weight of her obligations and duties. When Alicent demands to see baby Joffrey, Rhaenyra doesn't tell her to fuck off or to come herself if she wants to see the newborn so much. She gets up with a tragic face and crawls through the castle, leaving rivers of blood in her wake, even though no one asked her to do so. Yes, she may not want to part with the baby, and be afraid of what Alicent might do, but let's be serious, Alicent was standing in a room with the king and several guards, what would she do to Joffrey, even if she wanted to, in front of others? Accidentally-intentionally swing him like a tennis racket and slam his head into the wall?

In the books, Joffrey's birth was a joyous occasion, with everyone adoring mother and child and celebrating the arrival of the new Targaryen-Velaryon. Book Rhaenyra would never allow Alicent to treat her like that. She is the heir to the throne, not a powerless servant, and she does everything to make sure everyone remembers it.

And so it is throughout the episode. Rhaenyra is constantly humiliated, belittled, insulted - and she suffers with the face of the Virgin Mary from the icon. She has no right to snap, to protest, to complain to her father - all this is unworthy of Saint Rhaenyra, whose morality cannot be questioned, otherwise the audience will remember the end of Daenerys' arc and how the prophecy is the second most useless thing in Game of Thrones after the White Walkers themselves.

And then there is episode 7. Rhaenyra, who almost came close to my favorite version of her. She does one stupid thing after another, and become most terrible person in the room every minute of her existence, but she is AMAZING and i'm adore her.

Sleep with her own uncle while her husband tries to drown himself, grieving the loss of his sister, who, by the way, was also the wife of that same uncle? Rhaenyra, what kind of scum are you, did your crotch itch that much? Couldn't you hold it for a couple of days? Your uncle follows you around like a hound in heat, he won't go anywhere until he gets what he wants, but you, not respecting either your husband or your dead sister-in-law, abandoned your own children for a long-awaited dick. Ew.

Demanding to torture your own ten-year-old half-brother, whose eye your son gouged out, and then being a sassy bitch and thanking your father for indifference to his son's injury? Wow, even Emma theirself said that they cannot find an excuse for this level of gaslighting, you have sunk lower than ever, Rhaenyra.

Sucking on a new husband's tonsils while children who have lost three parents in a week or sum stand by and look at you two with disgust? Bottom has been reached, we are in a special circle of hell made just for you, Rhaenyra Targaryen.

But here's the interesting thing, each of these actions has a flip side. The disgusting lust? Yes, but also the yearning love that Daemon and Rhaenyra have cherished for many years, the passion and desperation that burns brighter than dragonfire within them. The indifference and agression to the crippled Aemond? Yes, but also the fierce protection of her own children, the desperation and fear of accusations that could lead to the loss of her rights and freedoms (let's not lie to ourselves, Viserys would never touch a hair on his girl's head, even if she said "well yeah, they're Strong, so what?", their lives and health were safe). The greed and stupidity of a hasty marriage? Yeah, but also the joy of connection, the awe of having your destined mate.

Just like young Rhaenyra. Troubled, ambiguous, morally gray, and existing not just to be pitied and admired, but also as a character with more than two or three personality traits, and not all of them from a list of kids' cartoon episodes about kindness, love, and caterpillars learning to wash their hands or some other dumb shit.

Writers, you need to stop praising and extolling Rhaenyra, please. This is becoming a parody of Game of Thrones, not a prequel. Give the woman a break, let her be vengeful, grieving, wrong, angry - give her something that turns a piece of narrative into someone to empathize with, rather than relying on those who read the book to automatically attribute the book character's qualities to the show!Rhaenyra. Pretend the source material doesn't exist - you'll be fine, you ignore book with the grace of a buffalo in a glassware store.

I've been pissed off for months on end about a dumb show just because the writers think I'm an idiot, my fragile ego can't handle it.

Ps. Still not native speaker and dgaf about mistakes, english can suck my imaginary dick

Questions I would like to ask Rhaenyra, part 3

I don't need sleep or mental health, I need ANSWERS

1) Why, for God’s sake, did you personally and all alone go find out who saddled Seasmoke? If it weren’t Addam, who for some reason was loyal to you (for what reason, by the way? He saw you for the first time in his life, and doesn’t owe you anything), but for example Daemion or Daeron, you know, sons of Vaemond Velaryon, whom your husband viciously beheaded? Do you think they'd gladly bend their knee? Let's be honest, ma'am, Seasmoke would make a kebab out of Syrax in a 1vs1 fight, you risked ending the war in favor of the greens.

2) What would you have done if Laenor hadn't been so loyal and obedient? If he'd seen Jace and asked "Who's white baby is that? Definitely not mine, daddy would skin me alive if I tried to say opposite"? Or if he hadn't agreed to leave his family in their time of need after losing his sister, and hadn't agreed to your fake death plan? What would you have done then, huh?

3) What if Rhaenys had refused to go along with your "perfect" plan to betroth your children to her granddaughters? She doesn't like you, after all, and for good reason. What if she had decided that supporting you had cost the Velaryons too much (which is true), and had said that Corlys had changed his mind and chosen Baela as his heir? Or even announced to everyone that Corlys was disowning your snow-white children?

4) What if Baela had turned out to be as much of a racist ass as her daddy? What if she had decided that sleeping with Strong was beneath her because she was a true Valyrian and he was a filthy half-breed? What if your grandson was born red-haired, or Asian, or looked like Alicent's son Daeron (this one is a joke… or is it?)? Only you are allowed to have consensual sex with the man of your choice, while the rest are supposed to suffer?

5) What was your plan for Aegon and Viserys? Traditionally, the "extra" sons became septons or maesters, do you agree with that? Does Daemon agree? If not, what are their roles in future? They are the most Valyrian-looking of your children, their existence sabotaging Jace's legacy.

6) Do you ever regret marrying Daemon? In season 2, you seem constantly unhappy with his presence, he undermines your authority at every turn - he is partly the reason why your Small Council does not respect you. Laenor at least acknowledged your authority. Do you regret this "exchange"?

7) How can you trust Mysaria so easily when she has proclaimed herself the protector of the smallfolks? Rhaenys killed hundreds and wounded thousands at Aegon's coronation, Daemon… is Daemon, you killed dozens of innocent dragonseeds for one dragon rider. You all have no regard for human life. Or is it okay because she's sexy and tells sad stories?

8) What was your script for meeting Alicent at the sept? You went in there with certain expectations, but if this woman hadn't been humiliated by the scriptwriters with every breath she took, Alicent would have called the guards in a heartbeat. You risked everything… for what? What was the original plan?

9) Question for the book and show versions of Rhaenyra - are you happy with each other? Is the show version not irritated by Rhaenyra's femininity and her "weakness" in not trying to fight every possible battle? Is the book version not disgusted by Rhaenyra's hypocritical righteousness and attempt to gain respect by adopting traditional male characteristics?

10) Are you able to admit that your marriage to Laenor was entirely your own fault? Viserys gave you the chance to choose your own husband, but since the suitors weren't Daemon, you rejected them all. And then you disgraced yourself with Daemon in a brothel and with Criston in your chambers. Yes, Viserys was covering up his own political mistakes with this marriage, but if you had decided on the tour that Harwin Strong was the one you wanted, there wouldn't have been a farce of a marriage to a gay. Viserys could have simply chosen him for you, but even he knew that a swordswallower was not the best option for a princess who needed heirs, and this was a last resort after your antics. Do you ever regret how you behaved on that tour?

This is not just another whining, I say, you know, like a liar

This isn't really a new essay where I hysterically ask what's going on in the writers' heads, but a legitimate question.

Why was Joffrey Velaryon never considered for the role of heir to Driftmark in the show?

I even googled the answer, and there were many interpretations, the most popular being that after Rhaenys's death, Corlys's relationship with Rhaenyra deteriorated so much that he refused to support her farce, and demanded that true Velaryon's blood be on the throne of Driftmark (with Lucerys there would have been no such problem, his bride was Rhaena, but Joffrey was betrothed to Manderly girl), and Rhaenyra couldn't refuse him, considering that he was her strongest ally at the time.

But this is a book, you know, a thing with letters on paper, written by a person who tried to at least make ends meet a little, even in the format of a medieval historical chronicle.

But in the show, Corlys from Season 2 is the same tasteless cardboard cutout as the rest. He barely mourns the death of his wife, and rushes around with his inheritance like it's a hot potato, not knowing who to throw it to.

And for a man whose character traits were declared to be ambition, loyalty to his House and heritage, a desire to put his blood on the Iron Throne - Corlys seems to not try at all. There was a lazy attempt to marry Laena to the rotten Vizzy, then Rhaenyra's marriage to Laenor, but after that, nothing.

In canon, the marriage of the twins and Rhaenyra's children was arranged in infancy, so Corlys quickly received assurance that his legacy would continue. In the show? No one gives a shit, if Rhaenyra hadn't begged Rhaenys for support during the disputes over the Velaryon inheritance with Vaemond, no one would have thought about the marriage of these four.

With that attitude, where history doesn't remember blood, only names, the Corlys of the show would have shrugged and said "oh well" to Joffrey being named heir to Driftmark.

But instead he tries to hand the inheritance over to Baela first, who decides it's the perfect moment to gaslight gatekeep girlboss, and refuses the title of heir to the richest House at the time (why? It wouldn't have affected the engagement to Jace, Laenor was Corlys's heir AND the future King Regent, she could have a couple of children, and named the second one as Velaryon heir).

Why did everyone forget about Joffrey? Why should I care about him if the show doesn't? I'll be sad to see him die, because children's deaths are always sad, but otherwise - I don't give a shit.

PS. All grammatical errors are intentional, I refuse to correct my gaps in English

Plot Bunny - Jace took Harvin's lessons a little too close to heart

This plot bunny is destined for the stew, because I simultaneously under-squeezed and over-squeezed it. According to the original idea, purely logically, Aemond should die (you'll understand later), but the thought of it almost gave me a heart attack, a stroke, and thirteen seizures at once. You will take my little beloved son only by digging up my grave and tearing him from my rotting hands. So realism goes somewhere where I have never been and will not, okay?

* * *

"You will die screaming in flames just as your father did!" Aemond growls, holding a stone over little Luke's head. Jace's eyes dart between the stone and his brother, looking warily at his uncle, who has just managed to fight off the three of them and take a hostage. However, as soon as he hears this threat, his face immediately changes - from confused and fearful, it becomes attentive and focused.

"My father’s still alive!" Luke yells, and suddenly Aemond has no interest in threatening physical violence. No, his sharp-tongued uncle has better things to do - while he loved a good fight, consistently winning in his training, he found his true calling in taunts and threats, putting his mind before his sword.

Jace feels his blood boiling like a true dragon's - he's not a cold-blooded seahorse, is he? He's the son of a dragon princess and Harwin Strong. He's lost a father he won't be allowed to mourn, a father he never knew as a parent. More than that, it means he's a bastard, a sin in the eyes of the gods and other men, and everyone, everyone knows it - and Uncle Aemond isn't shy about saying it out loud.

"He doesn’t know, does he, Lord Strong?" Aemond sneers, and that's the last straw for him.

Jace draws his dagger and charges into battle. Aemond throws Luke towards him, and Jace, without much tenderness, throws his younger brother, who had just been choked and almost hit in the head with a rock, aside so that he would not be in the way.

A swing, another swing of the blade - all misses. Aemond is too fast, too agile, even though they are the same age, but the level of combat skills is simply unattainably different in his uncle's favor.

Jace remembers what his father Harvin Strong taught him, and, dodging a rock aimed at his head, strikes again with the dagger, this time faster, more accurately, and harder. And hits.

Aemond does not scream. He gasps weakly, strangled, and sinks to the ground, pressing his hand to the hilt of the dagger protruding from his stomach.

The cave shakes with the deafening, enraged roar of Vhagar.

* * *

The idea, basically, is this: what if Jace had stabbed Aemond in the gut? In canon (BOOK! IT'S THE ONLY CANON I RECOGNIZE! show just gives me characters, a few scenes, and a distaste for life), Vhagar went nuts when her boy got his eye cut out. If Aemond thinks he's dying, the old war criminal lady will burn half of Driftmark before she can be calmed down, and the whole island will be fucked if Aemond actually dies.

But he won't die, because plot armor will suddenly appear, the maesters will patch him up better than a Swiss hospital, because Corlys will do anything to save any part of his house, and because I fucking said so.

There's no denying that this was an assassination attempt on Jace's part anymore - it's weird that the show doesn't say anything about it. How will the investigation go in this case, who is right, who is guilty, and who should get what cut off as punishment? I don't know, but it will be fun =)

PS. English, if you ever come back with the milk you went for, I will throw you out, we barely knew each other, but you made me so many children =/

My perhaps controversial take on the HOTD characters, the GOT characters the writers are trying to mold them into, and the GOT characters they actually most resemble in the books (in my opinion - feel free to disagree).

Disclaimer: these are entirely disconnected series with unique characters, so it's impossible to do what the writers of HOTD seemed to be trying to do in season 1 i.e. mold the characters from Fire and Blood to fit the characters of GOT to try to recreate the success of the early seasons. Given this, I tried to choose one single character analogue from GOT that each HOTD/FB character is most like, but oftentimes the reality is that if any single character from Fire and Blood resembles a Game of Thrones character it is likely that they are a combination of more than one. All of this said, here is who I think the writers are trying to fit certain HOTD characters into vs the character they are actually most like (according to Fire and Blood):

Rhaenyra Targaryen: obviously the show wants her to be the new and improved Daenerys, a protagonist everyone can root for who wants to revolutionize the existing order. In reality, Rhaenyra is most like Cersei: a woman who seeks to use her three bastards to usurp thrones and gain even more power than she already has, all while committing incest with a family member and using her power to punish and silence her enemies. She uses the existing system to raise herself up and keep others below her. She does reach her goal of ultimate power but ultimately she is unable to hold it. In pursuit of holding onto power or gaining more of it, she watches as her children die early deaths. The smallfolk despise her for her methods of ruling. Eventually, she will cause her own downfall and die before her time.

Alicent Hightower: the show wants her to be Cersei, a mean-spirited, jealous woman protecting her problematic children and using her status as queen to put others in their place (they even used Cersei scenes as audition material for the role). In reality, I see Alicent as most like Catelyn - a flawed woman, mother to a king, seeking to further the rights of her son in the hopes of protecting her family from those who would harm them, guided by her own sense of justice, honor, and understanding of the laws of the land (and of course, hyper aware of the bastards in the room). All she wants is her and her children's safety, and she is willing to go to war for it. In the end, however, she watches as every last child is taken from her before she herself dies alone.

Viserys I Targaryen: the show wants us to see him as the ultimate father who loves his child unconditionally and always supports her, and that his view of right and wrong should be what guides the world. In reality, he is most like Robert Baratheon: a weak king unsuitable for rule whose mistakes and complacency lead to civil war after his death. His preoccupation with past events and people, and his role in a former love's demise, leads him to neglect his current wife and their children and make decisions that create long-term issues for his family and the realm.

Criston Cole: as soon as Criston turns away from Rhaenyra, the show wants you to view him as a Meryn Trant type of Kingsguard - a man unconcerned with honor and violently anti-women, more than willing to carry out terrible acts commanded of him. In reality, Criston is like more like Jaime: he seeks to make a name for himself as a knight, guided by his own sense of honor and justice, though he is judged by others as lacking such principles. His devotion to his position on the Kingsguard and his love for the royal family motivates him. Occasionally his self-confidence and delight in goading his enemies can make him appear callous and proud. Although he is not officially the royal children's "father," he has guided and protected them and their mother from early on in the absence of their official father.

Daemon Targaryen: the show wants you to both love and hate Daemon. It seems he should fill many roles that Jaime did - a sword fighter whose swagger and danger mix together, whose dishonorable acts follow him through the world. He acts primarily out of love or his pursuit of it, whether for his brother or his lover and her children. The viewer is supposed to see that deep down he is a good guy, no matter how many characters say that he's not. In reality, I see Daemon as a more capable Viserys III: a man adamant in his family's racial superiority, who believes he and his loved ones should have access to unchecked power because they're better than everyone else. A man who enjoys exercising his power over others and demanding obedience out of fear of his wrath. A man who uses his younger family member to further his own interests without much thought to her own wishes or agency and willing to hurt her if she doesn't act the way he wants her to.

Otto Hightower: the show wants you to view Otto as a new Littlefinger, someone sly about his intentions who uses spies, information, and unsavory methods to take advantage of the ruling family and further his own interests and increase his own power. I see him instead as more similar to Tywin: a Hand of the King seeking to put his family close to the throne in pursuit of legacy and advancing his family's station, a man who arranged for his daughter to marry the king so his blood would sit the Iron Throne and bring his family power for generations, a man acutely aware of the political world and how the game is played and willing to get his hands dirty to play it.

The Strong boys: the show wants you to root for Rhaenyra's perfect, good natured and pure intentioned sons as if they were the Stark boys (mixed with Jon Snow). Raised in a good family, these boys know right from wrong and love each other. Yet some people unfairly think less of them for their birth. In reality, the Strong boys are closest to Joffrey, Tommen, and Myrcella. Bastards set to inherit positions they have no claim to, they are coddled by their mother and protected from any consequences to their actions. When one attacks another child, their mother demands that the other child's family is punished for their actions (and doesn't even reprimand the child for his role in the conflict). The result is the child has no remorse for the harm done, and the other child's family festers resentment against the child. Some people uncover the truth of their birth and object to their place in the line of succession, and these people are killed for speaking the truth. Eventually, a war is fought to keep them and their mother away from the throne, resulting in all of them being killed.

Aegon II Targaryen: the show wants you to see him as Joffrey 2.0. A man interested in viewing sadistic acts for his own pleasure, who abuses women for his own enjoyment, and who is unfit to rule. In reality I see Aegon as closest to Robb: a first born son reluctant to rule as king once his father dies but who rises to the occasion to try to keep his remaining family safe. A king willing to fight his battles alongside his men, no matter the risk it might pose to him. A king who tries his best to rule but makes mistakes along the way that cost him dearly. In the end, he watches as he loses everything, and he dies young.

if hotd writers wanted me to hate aemond then why make him the bullied kid who’s also the bravest little mf grown to be sexy eye patched grudgy anime-pirate, mama’s boy with daddy issues, who studies history and philosophy, who trains with the sword and rides the largest dragon in the world? like what am i supposed to do, say no?

I’m going to preface this post by saying I don’t give a flying fuck about the hate I’m going to receive for the opinion I will be sharing and I won’t bother replying to any comments attacking me for it.

I fucking LOVE that Aemond killed Luke and I wish it wasn’t accidental. I wish Luke’s death was full on intentional, lol.

As a victim of bullying, I’ve been in situations where I have had to fend off 20+ kids as a kid myself. I’ve been verbally, physically, emotionally and psychologically assaulted as a child by other children, simply because I wanted, strived for and had good grades in school, actions that did not affect any of my classmates in the slightest. Therefore, I absolutely sympathise with Aemond, whose lack of dragon and later on his acquisition of one hurt no one (dragons belong to no one, you snooze you lose), yet he still got ridiculed and attacked for it. Yes, Aegon was also a bully and I hate him for it, but ultimately he grows out of it and supports his family, unlike the Strong bastards who remain bullies and assaulters. Oh, and Aemond tried to hit Jace with a rock because he attacked him first. Accusing him for standing up for himself is victim blaming. People who defend the Strong boys are bullies and that’s final.

No, I don’t give a rat’s ass that his attackers were children. Aemond was a child, too, and they ganked him 4v1. It’s crazy how some of y’all support physically attacking someone because you don’t agree with them. It was satisfying to see him kick their teeth in. Aemond and Luke are only 2 years apart, even if the actors’ appearances suggest otherwise. Your age does not excuse you being a fucking piece of shit. Children and teenagers appear on the news daily as rapists, killers, assaulters and all kind of criminals. That’s the reason juvie exists. Children should face the consequences of their actions.

“Are you excusing child murder?” if it is by the hand of the child they unapologetically disabled, fuck yeah. Besides, at the end of the day, Aemond dies, too, so you could say justice is served.

Still, I would have given the Strong boy the benefit of the doubt if it weren’t for this scene:

Lucerys is laughing at Aemond.

He is looking him in the eye and he is laughing at him. It’s been 6 fucking years. Lucerys is 17 (confirmed by the writers) and he feels no remorse for what he did. He was not punished for his action, so he has learned nothing.

He feels safe to mock Aemond, in the comfort and safety of his grandfather’s house, where his guard and stepdad can stop Aemond, whom he cannot beat on his own, from bashing his head against the wall. He feels safe to attack Aemond when he calls him Strong, knowing that other people will finish the fight he started but can’t win.

But what happens when no one is around to protect him from the consequences of his own actions? He shits himself. His face falls, he stumbles backwards and does not object to Aemond calling him Strong.

Not laughing now, huh, you little shit stain?

if I see one more post about Aegon “bullying Aemond his entire life”, I will go fucking ballistic, I swear to g—

scratch that, I will actually go ballistic right now. this is the “Aegon doesn’t deserve such a shitty treatment” club and I’m the self-proclaimed CEO. we are about to do some analyzing and reading so BUCKLE UP.

gonna make one thing clear first — Aemond was bullied when he was a child. no one denies that, no excuses can be made for that. I’d only like to note that there wasn’t only one bully. here’s a quick reminder:

now that we successfully counted to three, let’s look over Aegon’s other horrible crimes relationship with Aemond throughout the years.

📍 the night Aemond lost his eye (S1EP7), Rhaenyra suggests he should be “sharply questioned” (she means tortured) so they can learn who told him that her sons were bastards. Viserys, in his perpetual denial, angrily asks Aemond “who spoke these lies” to which he replies that it was Aegon. it is clear that Aemond does that to deflect suspicion from their mother but his words come as a surprise to Aegon.

he’s in a tough spot — Viserys demands the answers “as their king”, not their father (to signify his authority and pressure them into telling the truth). and Alicent screamed in Aegon’s face and slapped him just a minute ago, so he may be less eager to defend her. he can easily lie and say that he overheard some maids gossiping or that he can’t remember where the rumor came from. instead, it takes Aegon about 5 seconds to back Aemond up.

📍 we didn’t get many scenes with young Aegon and Aemond in general, but here’s a short bit people keep overlooking: when Harwin and Criston start fighting, Aemond and Aegon instantly gravitate toward each other. and moreover, Aegon puts a hand over Aemond’s back (which to me is either a protective or a comforting gesture). what a horrible brother, truly.

📍 next we see them all grown up before dinner in S1EP8. I think it’s safe to assume that if Aegon has been bullying Aemond all these years, Aemond wouldn’t want to spend a second in his company. he’s seated between Helaena and Otto, both of whom are dear to him, so Aemond can stay at the table and chat with them. and YET, not only does Aemond voluntarily talks to Aegon, but their conversation seems friendly (you can barely hear it in the show so here’s the enhanced audio). Aemond makes a joke about Aegon’s drinking habits — Aegon quips back — and then, what a shocker! Aemond starts venting his frustrations to Aegon (“Even when the noose is so tight, they expect us to break bread”). nothing would’ve stopped him from venting to Otto but Aemond stays with Aegon. he wouldn’t have done that if there hadn’t been some level of trust between them. he wouldn’t have done that if he hated Aegon’s guts.

📍 at dinner, when Aegon pisses Jace off and the brunet springs to his feet, Aemond stands up too, which forces Jace to act as if nothing happened and come up with a toast. Aegon watches him with a shit-eating grin on his face. it’s the face that screams “I know you won’t dare to act up in front of my brother and my brother has my back”.

when Aemond makes a toast and calls Rhaenyra’s sons “strong”, Aegon raises a cup to that. he can sit this one out — Aemond has his personal vendetta against the boys, and it would be safer for Aegon not to meddle. but what does he do instead? when Luke gets up from the table (clearly intending to go to Aemond), Aegon instantly stands up, comes up to Luke and not just stops him but slams his face into the table right in front of Rhaenyra without thinking twice. and it doesn’t look like Aegon is just messing with him — no, it looks like he wanted to do that for a while. like Aegon finally got his chance to stand up for his brother too. AND he also stops Baela from joining the fight.

📍 S1EP9 is when we get a glimpse of Aemond’s ambitions: he deems himself better than Aegon, he thinks he deserves to be king. but once he finds Aegon and they get into a fight, it turns out that Aegon knows that Aemond is a better choice. he doesn’t want to fight him, he begs Aemond to let him go. and Aemond can do that — Criston has his back to them, so Aemond could’ve pretended that Aegon managed to break free. and even once they caught Aegon, I have no doubt that Aemond could’ve helped him escape. but it seems that, despite his displeasure, Aemond values his family the most. he can’t betray his mother’s trust, and he knows Aegon is the first in line to the throne. Aemond envies him, yes, he may even hate him because of that. but he values his family the most.

📍 as @florisbaratheons noted, during the coronation scene, when Aegon glances at his family, Aemond looks right at him and gives that tiny nod that says “I may hate this and think I am better for the job as king. But I’ve got your back.” I like that Aemond is the one who keeps eye contact in that scene. He could’ve turned away to signal his dissatisfaction with the situation, there wouldn’t have been any consequences for that. But he didn’t.

📍 what I find interesting about S1EP10 is the beginning of Aemond’s dialogue with Luke. that’s the boy Aemond wished to get back at for years and yet, he starts by saying “Did you think that you could just fly about the realm trying to steal my brother’s throne at no cost?”. Aemond could’ve skipped that part — imagine him saying smth along the lines of “Wait, Lord Strong! Don’t you think you and I have other matters to discuss?” (to which Luke answers that he doesn’t want to fight and the conversation goes on). instead, Aemond makes a point to remind Luke: my brother is the king, and I came here on his behalf. you can argue that Aemond doesn’t do it for Aegon specifically but for his family in general. but Aegon is a part of the family, and S1 Aemond has his priorities straight.

📍 as much as I hate comparing the show and the book (these are two different things and should be viewed as such), I’d like to remind you that Aegon was the only one who stood by Aemond’s side after Luke’s death. I wonder why we didn’t get that scene… I guess it’s because it would be kinda hard to call Aegon “the main bully” after he literally throws Aemond a feast. but we do get to see Aegon supporting his brother: in S2EP1 he welcomes Aemond at the small council meeting despite his mother’s protests (“Aemond is my closest blood and my best sword”). and he trusts Aemond wholeheartedly, that much is obvious.

📍 let’s get to the most controversial part — the brothel scene in S2EP3: some people believe Aegon is being a bully at that moment. those people seem to forget one little detail:

it’s been only a few days after the death of Aegon’s son whose murder was a direct result of Aemond’s ruthless actions. does Aemond ever address it? does he express his condolences? does he mayhaps help to catch the killers, being the skilled fighter that he is? the answer is NO.

I do think Aegon’s joke was cruel (I wrote a whole post about it) but that’s all it ever was — a JOKE. the humiliation comes not from the things he says but from the fact that Aemond is found in a vulnerable position and surrounded by a group of strangers while his brother laughs at him. TGC explained it best:

I also love @notbloodraven’s take on that scene:

Aegon lashing out so cruelly at Aemond seems to be an effort in making Aemond feel as badly as he does and blaming him for Jaehaerys without actually saying the words.

would this be the right way to act? no. but there’s no right way to grieve and to cope with the loss — and HIS SON WAS BEHEADED so maybe take 1% of the sympathy you show your favorite character(s) and cut Aegon some slack.

+ other things worth talking about:

📍 @bietrofastimoff23 analyzed S2EP3 beautifully and I can’t help but mention the scene that happens before Aegon goes to the brothel. it’s the moment when Larys suggests that Alicent and Aemond are plotting against Aegon. he isn’t surprised by the idea that his mother can do that — but the second his brother is mentioned, Aegon’s face falls and he shakes his head no. because there is no way Aemond would ever do that to him. and instead of asking for any proof, he asks Larys “who spreads these lies?” and then commands him to “tend to them.” Aegon can ask him to spy on Aemond, to find any dirt on him, find any weaknesses he can use — he does not.

📍 it turns out to be true — Aemond was plotting behind his brother’s back. which is treason btw (I don’t think Criston intended to keep things from Aegon — he probably believed that Aemond would let Aegon in on their plan). and Aegon does have the power to remind Aemond of his place — he can throw him off the council with a snap of his fingers, he can take offense at Aemond’s attempt to publicly humiliate him (their conversation in High Valyrian — Ewan himself calls it a “public execution”). but that’s not what happens: as TGC phrased it, Aemond’s betrayal “breaks a bit of Aegon’s heart off”. an actual bully would’ve immediately pushed back, but Aegon silently sits down and doesn’t argue, he’s so defeated he can’t utter a word. he has the means to be a bully but he doesn’t contemplate it for a second.

📍 I don’t want to talk about S2EP6 because it makes me sick but I will reiterate one thing: never ONCE Aegon made fun of Aemond’s disability or tried to cause him any physical harm. just want to point that out.

there is no moral to this story, I guess. if you managed to read till the very end, thank you. if you still hate Aegon, that’s your opinion and you are allowed to have one — but please, for the love of god, just stop making shit up. no, Aemond was NOT bullied as an adult, absolutely nothing suggests that he was. Aegon was naive to blindly trust him and it backfired on him, that’s the actual story. and if you are so eager to hold Aegon accountable for his mistakes, maybe it’s time for Aemond to take responsibility for his actions too.

+ some of my favorite critical posts about Aegon and Aemond: x, x, x, x, x, x, x, x.

P.S. I will not argue with anyone so please don’t waste your time — I consider all my arguments solid and that’s enough for me. if you are thinking of sending me anon hate, pls go take a walk instead, it will do you more good. 🌿

Plot bunny - She wasn't her to claim

Aemond is afraid. Of course he is afraid, even though he is a prince who is about to claim what is rightfully his, but this is the situation, the time, the circumstances… It was not meant to be this way.

But what choice does he have? Aegon is mocking him, in the company of these… these… Velaryons. His father doesn't care, and hmother doesn't understand, for she is not of dragon blood, and doesn't feel this yearning for the sky, the loneliness in mind that should be filled by something incomparably greater and inhuman, someone like…

Her. Vhagar, the Dragon Queen, who has sung to him since they landed in Driftmark. She called to him, shining like a beacon in the night, and Aemond knew that he must, must answer her.

He has only one chance, today and now. He may feel like a thief sneaking into the dragon's lair at night, but once he and Vhagar are united, no one will dare offer him a pig again!

"It's him! Jace, it's him!" Aemond hears the girl scream and before he can react, he is hit in the back and knocked to the ground.

Aemond screams, taking a mouthful of sand, when Jacaerys's sharp knee presses into his back.

"What are you doing here?!" his nephew demands, grabbing Aemond by the hair, "What did you want to do with Vhagar?!"

"She's riderless!" Aemond yells back, spitting out sand, "Get off me, you twat!"

Aemond's head is shoved hard into the sand again, and he doesn't scream in pain only because he doesn't want to eat more sand.

"Vhagar is my mother’s dragon!" screams the same girl's voice as before. Now Aemond recognizes it - it's Baela, daughter of Laena and Daemon.

Aemond is floundering on the sand like a fish out of water. This is humiliating and disgusting, and once he gets out of here, he's going to beat the shit out of Jace!

"Vhagar is mine to claim!" the second girl's voice sounds much less confident, and Aemond can't even remember her name, but she's already pissing him off.

Throwing Jace off his back, he kicks him in the side, making him yelp in pain, and answers all four of them gathered here and getting in his way, "Then you should’ve claimed her sooner!"

"B-but… But I…" babbles Rhenya... Naera... Rhaella...? instantly losing her confidence.

"She will claim it, don't doubt it!" Baela answers confidently, pushing her twin in the back, "Go, Rhaena, this is your chance to get a dragon!"

"B-but… Ugh…" Rhaena (so that's her name!) mumbles, looking around as if someone here has an answer to everything.

"Go, go!" Aemond taunts, "Or are you really as cowardly as you look?"

"You…!" Jace yells from the ground, and Aemond kicks him again without looking, still angry about being forced to eat sand.

"Okay, I'll go!" Rhaena answers confidently, and walks forward, leaving her sister, Jace, Luke, and Aemond behind.

A few minutes later, the night is lit up by flames, and behind the roar cannot be heard a child’s scream.

* * *

Like every plot bunny I have, this one ends on a cliffhanger because I have no idea how to continue it. Rhaena is dead, fried to a crisp, and who's to blame? Aemond, of course, because he existed, wanted a dragon, and didn't stop her! Obviously he needs to be beheaded or something!

Except Vhagar already knows her little baby is right there, and will be furious if he's been taken away from her =3

Also, did everyone notice my oh so subtle reference to the typical TB stan argument where they constantly confuses which girl was dragonless at the time? I've lost count of how many times I've read "Vhagar should been claimed by Baela!" and screaming to the screen "you dumb bitch, those girls are DIFFERENT, they're not interchangeable, no matter what Condom says!"