#jon and the aemons

[atopvisenyashill]

Though far away, though far away, though far away We're still the same, we're still the same, we're still the same

[franzkafkagf]

new gen targaryens if rhaegar had tried a little bit harder when dodging that warhammer

[amber-laughs]

[theotherpacman]

got s1 is really a very faithful adaptation of agot, with only minor divergences. sometimes I really love the little details in the book that the show doesn't have room for, but sometimes I like the decisions the show made differently.

things I appreciate about the book:

the fact that jon is 14 makes his naivete regarding the wall hit so much harder. he's just a little boy and he's willing to sign his whole life away bc he believes he can be a part of something noble... neither his father nor his uncle nor anyone else tells him that to take the black is a grim sentence steeped in shame

ned hearing that bran's direwolf saved his life and being like "holy shit I killed one of them... what the fuck did I do"

sandor just whole ass traumadumping on 11-year-old sansa completely unprompted and then when he realizes he's just made himself vulnerable for literally no reason he goes "if you tell anyone about this I'll fucking kill you"

mormont thinks jon will be disappointed that bran is now a cripple but jon is so ecstatic bran's alive that he picks up tyrion lannister and spins him around (tyrion is startled by this) and then proceeds to cheerfully make friends with a guy who hates his guts bc jon kicked his absolute ass in training

tyrion and bronn starting to become friends on the way to the vale <3

THAT SINGER BITCH i love him

"whatever you may believe of me, lady stark, I promise you this -- I never bet against my family" screaming crying throwing up

jon going to maester aemon and convincing him to let sam take his vows!!!! using the metaphor of the maester's chain to make his point about how just bc sam is different that doesn't mean he's useless!!!!!!!

TYRION FIGHTING IN THE BATTLE AGAINST ROBB'S MEN!!!!! THE SHOW DID HIM SO FUCKING DIRTY i get that they didn't have as big a budget back then but come on man ToT

"when the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. when the seas go dry and the mountains blow in the wind like leaves. when your womb quickens again, and you bear a living child. then he will return, and not before." LET THE BARRENNESS BE PART OF THE CURSE why did they cut that

when tywin says "because you are my son" tyrion fucking Hates him for that bc he knows that if jaime were he tywin wouldn't spare him a second glance, he's only Tywin's Son now that jaime is prisoner and might die at the hands of the starks

things I appreciate about the show:

arya shooting a bullseye from behind bran. queen

jaime being a dick to everyone all the time for no reason. just going around starting shit. also that scene outside robert's bedroom where he talks to jory. jaime in general

ROS!!!!! MY GIRL ROS MY ABSOLUTE QUEEN ROS

"she's our guest." "she's our prisoner." "do you find the two to be mutually exclusive in your experience, my lord?" lmaooooo get his ass maester luwin

"sometimes possession,,,,, is an abstract concept"

THE DRINKING GAME!!!! first of all it gives us more insight into shae as a person who is so different from tyrion's established worldviews, secondly tyrion is always going around saying offensive shit and he thinks nothing of it bc a) people say offensive shit to him all the time and that's one of the ways he deals with it and b) he's usually right BUT when he makes all those assumptions about shae he's totally wrong and she stands up for herself, but my favorite part of that scene is that tyrion is hesitant to share this traumatic story from his past but he's just made bronn and shae confront their traumas so now he has to share too. and I think that's beautiful

all of varys and petyr's bitchy conversations when they're alone in the throne room

this only covers the first book/season I might make more of these as I keep reading

[helaenarts]

Blind he may be, but Aemon knows what he's about.

[gameofthronesdaily]

You're Aemon Targaryen. I'm a Maester of the Citadel, bound in service to Castle Black and The Night's Watch.

GAME OF THRONES — 1.09 (Baelor)

[gotham-at-nightfall]

Valyrian Couples: Part II

Aegon IV Targaryen, Naerys Targaryen and Aemon (son of Viserys II) Targaryen

Daemon I Blackfyre and Daenerys (daughter of Aegon IV) Targaryen

Brynden Rivers and Shiera Seastar

Aelor Targaryen and Aelora Targaryen

Aerion "Brightflame" Targaryen and Daenora Targaryen

Jaehaerys II Targaryen and Shaera Targaryen

Aerys II Targaryen and Rhaella Targaryen

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen

By Jota Saraiva

PART I

[stormborns]

GAME OF THRONES 5.05, Kill the Boy

[mylittlecrow]

i will never shut up about jon promising to protect sansa in 6x09 and then the parallel of lyanna begging ned to promise to protect jon IN THE NEXT EPISODE. something something “if the day should ever come when your lord father was forced to chose between honor on the one hand and those he loves on the other what would he do?” and we KNOW ned picked love. ned loved his sister so much he lied to his king and bff to protect jon. ned loved his daughter so much he sacrificed his honor and duty to the realm and lied to protect sansa.

the writers intentionally put sansa at the center of jon and dany’s conflict. sansa’s not in king’s landing during the battle in 8x05 or 8x06 but she still haunts the narrative, her name is brought up by FOUR different characters. jon was ready to die if dany saw him as a threat to the throne. “i'm tired of fighting it’s all i've done since i left home.” and the only way to get through to him and to get him to fight again and to kill dany is to mention sansa and how she’ll never be safe with dany around. “if we don’t take back the north we’ll never be safe i want you to help me but i'll do it myself if i have to.”

and sansa is so used to being alone. she spent months waiting for robb to rescue her from king's landing, and it never happened. robb chose the north, his duty, over her. and she's beaten for the north's independence and then sold to two different families who stole the north from her. and then she finally finds help in theon and brienne and podrick but she doesn't feel completely safe again until she's in jon's arms. but even then she's still ready for more disappointment, to be separated from her family again because “life is not a song” and “there are no heroes.” but jon isn’t robb. “jon isn’t tormund. jon isn’t davos, or the red woman, or stannis for that matter. jon is jon.”

“where will you go? where will we go. i won’t ever let him touch you again. we need to trust each other. until i return the north is yours. touch my sister and i’ll kill you myself. what you did for her is the only reason i’m not killing you. i’m her family too. what about everyone else? what about the other people who think they know what’s good? i’ll protect you, i promise. no one can protect me, no one can protect anyone.” but jon proves her wrong, he can protect her. he will keep her safe. because when his day comes and he has to chose between love and duty, he chooses her. there still are heroes in her story and their story isn't over yet.

[wodania]

some northern folks

[rhaegars-cervix]

more of my r+l+j disguised in essos au… i think it’d be cool if lyanna learned water dancing :)

[atopvisenyashill]

@theqhreator42 YES. okay this is something i think gets super overlooked with aemon and jon's conversation. this bit here, the famous bit-

The old man seemed to sense his doubts. "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." "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? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms … or the memory of a brother's smile? Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy."

Jon is wrong. Not only is he wrong when it comes to this book, literally right now as he's talking to Aemon, but he's wrong about Ned's past. It's why a lot of the Ned discourse irks me so much because so often people gloss over the fact that has chosen love over duty literally every single day since Lyanna died. He is actively committing treason, risking not only his life, but very likely the lives of his children and wife without their knowledge, and he's very aware of this. But he does it anyway! While everyone is making comments about how Ned was always faithful to Robert, Ned is committing treason against Robert knowing it would mean a violent, brutal end for at the least himself and Jon if Robert were to ever find out.

Then you have right at that moment, as Jon is insisting that Ned would always do his duty - Ned forsakes his duty to protect Sansa's life. He stands before the sept of baelor and out and out lies to protect her! Ned does not give a shit about duty - or at least, what he considers his "duty" is not necessarily about honor or faithfulness to a crown or king or the truth, but his duty to protect his family at any cost. Ned's honor is easily compromised, in fact, under the right conditions - for Lyanna's love, for Jon's safety, for Sansa's safety, for the chance that Nymeria can live (when he tells Arya a lie that is not unkindly meant can be fine).

And the thing about Aemon here too is that Aemon regrets choosing duty over love-

Maester Aemon sighed. "Have you heard nothing I've told you, Jon? Do you think you are the first?" He shook his ancient head, a gesture weary beyond words. "Three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. Once when I was a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. By then my strength was fled, my eyes grown dim, yet that last choice was as cruel as the first. My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, frail? I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children …" Jon was shocked to see the shine of tears in the old man's eyes. "Who are you?" he asked quietly, almost in dread. A toothless smile quivered on the ancient lips. "Only a maester of the Citadel, bound in service to Castle Black and the Night's Watch. In my order, we put aside our house names when we take our vows and don the collar." The old man touched the maester's chain that hung loosely around his thin, fleshless neck. "My father was Maekar, the First of his Name, and my brother Aegon reigned after him in my stead. My grandfather named me for Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father, depending on which tale you believe. Aemon, he called me …" "Aemon … Targaryen?" Jon could scarcely believe it. "Once," the old man said. "Once. So you see, Jon, I do know … and knowing, I will not tell you stay or go. You must make that choice yourself, and live with it all the rest of your days. As I have." His voice fell to a whisper. "As I have …"

And later when Aemon reflects on his latest "test"-

On Braavos, it had seemed possible that Aemon might recover. Xhondo's talk of dragons had almost seemed to restore the old man to himself. That night he ate every bite Sam put before him. "No one ever looked for a girl," he said. "It was a prince that was promised, not a princess. Rhaegar, I thought . . . the smoke was from the fire that devoured Summerhall on the day of his birth, the salt from the tears shed for those who died. He shared my belief when he was young, but later he became persuaded that it was his own son who fulfilled the prophecy, for a comet had been seen above King's Landing on the night Aegon was conceived, and Rhaegar was certain the bleeding star had to be a comet. What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise! The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame. The language misled us all for a thousand years. Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke. The dragons prove it." Just talking of her seemed to make him stronger. "I must go to her. I must. Would that I was even ten years younger."

Yes yes we can debate the influence of dragon dreams and prophecies and what chasing both does to someone but Aemon isn't just preoccupied with dragons and prophecies here - he is preoccupied with the fact that his last living family (that he's aware of) is somewhere out there, very likely in need of a Maester, and here he is too old to even make it to the Citadel to advocate for her, let alone meet her. He's shaking when he tells Jon about getting the news about what happened to Elia and the babies. I think it's clear that while Aemon felt a lot better about following his duties when he was first "tested" (and as he says - what could he have done, really, to protect Rhaegar, Elia, and the kids? He was already well into 80s at that point!) by the fall of House Targaryen, Aemon has a lot of regrets and has a hard time living with the fact that he was spared because he was at the wall while children of his family were slaughtered.

I hate that so often it gets dumbed down in fandom as like, "duty is more important" or that jon is ~looking the wrong way~ when he gets distracted by the pink letter because even aemon acknowledges it's so much more complex than that. Expecting people to simply shake off their bonds of love is an impossible ask and sometimes love is more important than duty. Sometimes your duty is to the ones you love. Sometimes there is no right decision, there are only decisions you can live with and decisions you can't live with, and sometimes you are "choosing" love over duty or duty over love or some mix of both, but these things being at odds doesn't somehow mean that following your heart at the expense of duty is an inherently bad thing. Sometimes, as Ned says to Arya, you do a "bad" thing for a good reason. Sometimes, you choose love, and it is not morally wrong to do so!

[jackoshadows]

The Night's Watch election for Lord Commander is such a riot! Funny and full of twists and turns.

First, five of the brothers keep voting for Three Finger Hobb in all the rounds because they hate his cooking so much they rather have him out of the kitchen and as Lord Commander!

Tonight it was Sam’s turn to give his results first. “Two hundred and three for Ser Denys Mallister,” he said. “One hundred and sixty-nine for Cotter Pyke. One hundred and thirty-seven for Lord Janos Slynt, seventy-two for Othell Yarwyck, five for Three-Finger Hobb, and two for Dolorous Edd.” Sam was more relieved than disappointed. Even with Bowen Marsh’s support, Lord Janos was still only third. “Who are these five who keep voting for Three- Finger Hobb?” he wondered. “Brothers who want him out of the kitchens?” said Clydas.

Even funnier Three Finger Hobb is taking the election seriously and campaigning by cooking them food!

Three-Finger Hobb had promised the brothers roast haunch of mammoth that night, maybe in hopes of cadging a few more votes. If that was his notion, he should have found a younger mammoth, Sam thought, as he pulled a string of gristle out from between his teeth. Sighing, he pushed the food away

Three Finger Hobb also got more votes than Dolorous Edd! Which, I guess, is not surprising, considering Edd gives one of the most depressing campaign speeches ever!

Dolorous Edd got up, stone-faced and glum as ever. “I just want to say to whoever is voting for me that I would certainly make an awful Lord Commander. But so would all these others.”

So who is voting for Edd? Pyp just for fun!

Pyp and his stupid japes

Stannis really, really hates Janos Slynt and does some anti-Slynt campaigning before the team leaders...

“Your Grace, let me say how pleased we are to be summoned here. When I saw your banners from the Wall, I knew the realm was saved. ‘There comes a man who ne’er forgets his duty,’ I said to good Ser Alliser. ‘A strong man, and a true king.’ May I congratulate you on your victory over the savages? The singers will make much of it, I know—” “The singers may do as they like,” Stannis snapped. “Spare me your fawning, Janos, it will not serve you.”

Maester Aemon is dropping all the hints to Sam and going 'I can't be seen choosing any one candidate but someone else can...' Wink Wink!

“The choosing . . . Maester, isn’t there something you could do? What the king said of Lord Janos . . .” “I recall,” Maester Aemon said, “but Sam, I am a maester, chained and sworn. My duty is to counsel the Lord Commander, whoever he might be. It would not be proper for me to be seen to favor one contender over another.” “I’m not a maester,” said Sam. “Could I do something?” Aemon turned his blind white eyes toward Sam’s face, and smiled softy. “Why, I don’t know, Samwell. Could you?”

Cotter Pyke's description of the candidates is hilarious:

“Who? Bowen Marsh? The man counts spoons. Othell’s a follower, does what he’s told and does it well, but no more’n that. Slynt . . . well, his men like him, I’ll grant you, and it would almost be worth it to stick him down the royal craw and see if Stannis gagged, but no. There’s too much of King’s Landing in that one. A toad grows wings and thinks he’s a bloody dragon.” Pyke laughed. “Who does that leave, Hobb? We could pick him, I suppose, only then who’s going toboil your mutton, Slayer? You look like a man who likes his bloody mutton.”

Denys Mallister does a Joe Biden and is like I am old so it's my turn and I deserve this job and also engages in some old-timey classism.

Also everyone hates Janos Slynt!

And this so-called Lord of Harrenhal is a butcher’s whelp upjumped by the Lannisters. Small wonder he is venal and corrupt.”

Sam then does some garden variety electoral fraud and using Ned's philosophy lies to both Denys and Cotter Pyke that Stannis means to chose the other man if no decision was made by that night and setting a deadline. Poor ol' Ned must be turning in his grave knowing his 'some lies are honorable' teachings are being used to commit electoral fraud!

Another candidate then puts in Jon's name as a candidate!!

Maester Aemon answered, from the far end of the hall. “Your name has been put forth as Lord Commander, Jon.” That was so absurd Jon had to smile. “By who?” he said, looking for his friends. This had to be one of Pyp’s japes, surely. But Pyp shrugged at him, and Grenn shook his head. It was Dolorous Edd Tollett who stood. “By me. Aye, it’s a terrible cruel thing to do to a friend, but better you than me.”

Stannis' anti-Slynt campaigning works and Othell Yarwyck who was getting heavily courted by Slynt and Thorne then engages in a sudden twist, gives up his candidature and is like 'I support Jon, here are all his credentials' and does some light campaigning for Jon.

Othell Yarwyck stood up slowly, frowning. The big builder rubbed his long lantern jaw and said, “Well, I’m pulling my name out. If you wanted me, you had ten chances to choose me, and you didn’t. Not enough of you, anyway. I was going to say that those who were casting a token for me ought to choose Lord Janos . . .” Ser Alliser nodded. “Lord Slynt is the best possible—” “I wasn’t done, Alliser,” Yarwyck complained. “Lord Slynt commanded the City Watch in King’s Landing, we all know, and he was Lord of Harrenhal . . .” “He’s never seen Harrenhal,” Cotter Pyke shouted out. “Well, that’s so,” said Yarwyck. “Anyway, now that I’m standing here, I don’t recall why I thought Slynt would be such a good choice. That would be sort of kicking King Stannis in the mouth, and I don’t see how that serves us. Might be Snow would be better. He’s been longer on the Wall, he’s Ben Stark’s nephew, and he served the Old Bear as squire.” Yarwyck shrugged. “Pick who you want, just so it’s not me.” He sat down.

And then, AND THEN, frigging BLOODRAVEN turns up to do some last minute campaigning for Jon Snow that pretty much all but decides the election!

With a raucous scream and a clap of wings, a huge raven burst out of the kettle. It flapped upward, seeking the rafters perhaps, or a window to make its escape, but there were no rafters in the vault, nor windows either. The raven was trapped. Cawing loudly, it circled the hall, once, twice, three times. And Jon heard Samwell Tarly shout, “I know that bird! That’s Lord Mormont’s raven!” The raven landed on the table nearest Jon. “Snow,” it cawed. It was an old bird, dirty and bedraggled. “Snow,” it said again, “Snow, snow, snow.” It walked to the end of the table, spread its wings again, and flew to Jon’s shoulder.

The way Jon's Targaryen ancestors Bryndon Rivers and Maester Aemon came together to get their descendant elected is 🔥. Not to mention Yarwyck going 'Jon is Benjen Stark nephew!' which means his Stark heritage counted as well. Some Ice and Fire stuff in here.

And finally the election is over and Jon wins. Those poor five brothers will have to continue to eat Three Finger Hobb's food!

The humor interspersed throughout chapters like this are why this series just does not get boring no matter how many rereads I do. Even if GRRM never finishes at least we will have some good books out of what we still have.

[queen-of-andor]

Maester Aemon when it comes to defend his great nephew:

Maester Aemon was courteous, but firm. "My lords, when Donal Noye was slain, it was this young man Jon Snow who took the Wall and held it, against all the fury of the north. He has proved himself valiant, loyal, and resourceful. Were it not for him, you would have found Mance Rayder sitting here when you arrived, Lord Slynt. You are doing him a great wrong. Jon Snow was Lord Mormont's own steward and squire. He was chosen for that duty because the Lord Commander saw much promise in him. As do I."

Maester Aemon:

[davinamikaelsonalwaysandforever]

Jon Snow is quite literally narratively haunted by the dead:

His bio dad got his chest smashed in by his cousin's hammer because he stole his lady love.

His mother, he dosen't know about, died giving birth to him.

His stepdad got beheaded as a traitor, which set off the War of the five Kings.

His girlfriend died in his arms after telling him he knows nothing. ironic.

His sister Rhaenys was stabbed to death, and his brother Aegon got his head smashed in by the Mountain. His other brother/cousin Robb went out via Red Wedding style, as did his wolf, whom Robb likely warged into after his death, so technically he died twice. All of them died because of Tywin Lannister.

His two stepmothers (Elia and Catelyn) were brutally murdered on the Lanaisters behalf, with one of them currently haunting the narrative as the Walking Dead via Lady Stoneheart.

His grandfather, Rickard, was killed by his grandfather, Aerys, as was his uncle Brandon, which set off a rebellion.

His grandmother died giving birth to his aunt, Daenerys.

His uncle Viserys was crowned by his uncle Drogo, who later got an infected wound and was mercy killed by his aunt Dany.

His cousin, Rhaego, was killed by a Maegi during a blood ritual to save his uncle. Their deaths were later used by auntie Dany to bring dragons back into the world.

His great-uncle, Aemon, died on a voyage to Oldtown, which Jon sent him on. On his last journey, Aemon at last saw the truth. His last act was trying to send help to his great-niece, Daenerys, to bring her home safely and make her understand that she and her dragons are the only hope against the coming great war for the dawn.

And now Jon Snow is dead as well, stapped by his own man, pending to be ressurected.

Wherever you look, death touches this character. If Daenerys Targaryen is the daughter of death, then Jon Snow is the son of death. Death shaped these two characters into who they are today. It's also why Jon is destined to be the King of Winter, with his Bride of Fire by his side. Together, they will defeat death and bring about the dawn of a new age.

“Old powers waken. Shadows stir. An age of wonder and terror will soon be upon us, and age for gods and heroes.“ -AFFC (GRRM)

[fromtheseventhhell]

I can tell I'm Arya-pilled to the max because I'll see other Arya stans talking about the questionable morality of her executing Daeron and I'm just like "That was so Lady of Winterfell-coded"