#problem is hotd does kind of affect it like it or not

[rhaenin-time]

[boundwithpurple]

is it ok if i ask you for some advice?

if so, i was just wondering what you would do in my situation because we seem to have similar bearings about our interests (and i have ocd), and i also noticed that you have a mutual you can countenance artistic disagreement with. my closest confidante confessed to me that she finds my equivalent of daemyra/hotd for you to be extremely stupid and beneath my interest - which she hates - which she has nursed for a couple of years without telling me, all the while permitting me to mentioning i am working on a fic or talk about why i like it etc. (as you do); she actually snapped at me over it so it was kind of like "losing her top" sort of situation - i am very aware that i can talk about topics at length of any variety, but that is the tenor of our acquaintance, in that we both enjoy talking about things at length, so i didn't ever get the feeling i had tested her temper, and to be honest there was definitely conversational encouragement which is what caught me so offside!

my issue is that as much as i have weathered in fandom over your typical nonsense, this has actually hurt the most. there's a lot of stuff bound up in it (she feels intellectually inferior to everyone; she doesn't allow herself to be happily invested in something because it's too fraught; actually she doesn't ever permit herself to be happy, frankly, which is incredibly sad and makes me feel sad) but most of all was the fact that her support for me had been rock-solid. mind you this was both ways just for the full context: i helped her through rocking back and forth crying in my spare bedroom at 4am when she had to do her bachelors thesis and i helped her get the actual draft done that week staying at my place, and i was there for her the whole year actually. there's a mutuality here.

i guess i feel conflicted because it's like, one it affects our friendship and two it affects my interests, because i don't want to blog about them anymore and if i'm writing i have to keep it a secret even to myself. i also feel that it's not... well it's not mutual anymore, because i'm very respectful of her interests even where they diverge strongly from mine, i always found it fascinating, but she doesn't return it? and the real pain here is that i don't even know if i can bring it up because she has said she does not see a problem with her behaviour and i essentially need to get over it. but she did lie to me, she allowed me to expound upon things that bothered her, and i guess, well, i feel like an idiot. i know it's important for her to feel intellectually superior to me but did she have to do this to me???

i actually am at a complete loss, and it's such a specific issue i can't really ask for help from anybody, from traditional avenues, especially because most people don't really get fandom or even necessarily understand this sort of rapport that we had. you don't actually have to give me advice haha... just any of your thoughts would probably make me feel a lot better, if you feel like it. thank you so much for reading and i hope you take care and have a good day

oh no! i’m sorry to hear that. that’s really painful. obviously, we all have developed interests our friends can’t follow us in, and have to check ourselves to make sure we aren’t monopolizing the conversation and boring them stiff. you emphasize mutuality and your willingness to listen to her interests, so it sounds like that isn’t the case, and even if it was, she didn’t handle it the right way. there is a kind way to say “hey i love you love this and i want to listen to you share about your writing, but can we talk about something else?” and it does not sound like that is what happened. it sounds to me like she was very cruel to you, because i think it is always cruel to be mean about a friend’s interests. i don’t think that’s understanding what true friendship is about, to place an issue of taste above valuing the gift of a beloved person’s enthusiasm and intelligence animating it, whatever it might be.

i have friends who love things i think are bad. i have friends who think things i love are bad. in the latter instance, i am not scared of what this will do to our friendship, because i think of friends who like things i think are bad - do i think that makes them stupid? do i sneer at them, even internally? i truly do not. and i think if anyone in my position would think less of me because of a divergence in taste is not a friend who i can really rely on. it’s not that taste does not matter; as anyone who has made friendships in fandom based on shared love of something and similar opinions knows, it is the stuff of which real bonds are made. but i think that simply makes those differences an opening for curiosity into another’s unique viewpoint on the world.

it seems like you have a good awareness that this says more about her and her own hangups around taste and earnest emotional investment than it does you, but knowing that intellectually and conquering the shame something like this triggers for you emotionally are two different matters. but to reiterate: we all like dumb stuff. what you like may not even be actually dumb - that’s her opinion - but even if it was the most dogshit piece of slop in the world, that’s really fine. fandom is a pretty silly hobby, which often consists of people devoting great amounts of intellectual and artistic energy to incredibly mediocre fiction for their own entertainment and enrichment. it’s a good time. it’s not the sum total of your passions or interests. maybe she is the one person who possesses purely impeccable high brow taste, but i doubt it, and if so, i think worrying this much about it is a sad way to live.

as to what you have to DO here - unfortunately to truly resolve this you need to have another go at an honest conversation. you need to share how this made you feel. it sounds like this is a fandom friendship, and so talking about media and fic is the substance of much of it. i have not been in the same fandom as many of my longest fannish friends for years, but like you i always find hearing about what they are into interesting because i like talking to them. if she can’t respect the source of your current fandom interest, she still needs to respect you, and allow you space to talk about what you are doing, the activity of writing and your creative engagement, which does not require personally liking the originating source material. if that’s not something she’s willing to do, that’s also fair. i would also talk about boundaries around this and if she is still willing to hear about this subject and how much. but that comes second to you being able to say that you were hurt and her being able to hear that, because without that i don’t think this is a friendship that can really survive the wild twists and turns in enthusiasms (she’s putting gif sets of WHAT on my dash?) that any strong fandom friendship lasting in the long term requires.

[snowblack-charcoalwhite]

Hello, I just found your blog and after going through a lot of your posts/asks I completely agree with most of your opinions on HOTD ss2. I also wanted to ask your thoughts on the characterization of Aemond and Aegon this season. With Aemond there were a lot of disappointments for me in how the writer treated his character. I know the two nude scenes caused a lot of mixed opinions, but in my opinion, they were completely unnecessary and didn't contribute much to character building. Like Alicent's 3 sex scenes, I feel like the showrunner is just taking advantage of Olivia/Ewan's popularity. Aemond has very few lines, does not interact with anyone in his family, and we hardly know what he thinks about the events taking place. He is removed from the narrative and we hear about how others think of him rather than knowing what he really thinks. Him becoming a villain left a bad taste in my mouth because of the way the writer stuffed it and forced us to swallow it instead of finding a way to build it up properly. It makes me, an Aemond and Ewan fan, feel sad for effort that Ewan has put in just to receive little screen time and bad writing for the character he cherishes so much. With Aegon, even though I'm not a fan, I found him very interesting right from season 1. And in this part, I think the writer has put in effort to compensate for what is considered to be worsening the character's image. Overall, Aegon in ss2 was received very well and he won the sympathy of the majority of viewers in the fandom. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, ss2 disappointed me a lot and I have very little hope for the second half of the season, but I still look for reviews in the fandom because it's still a highlight for me after every episode.

Good day/night!

The way Aemond has been treated this season is awful indeed. Of all the Green characters he suffered the most (maybe along with Alicent) from the writers attempts (regrettably, successful ones) to divide TG and deprive them of common purpose and pretty much any affection for each other. The scraps of the latter we got (for example, those between Aegon and Helaena) might have gone unnoticed altogether for the majority of the viewers if not for the actors' interviews (and I doubt that many of GA folks have watched those anyway).

It seems that the writers decided to make Aemond into a "lone wolf", so to say: a person who, due to some kind of mix between arrogance and grievances suffered in the past, feels like he doesn't need anyone in this life because 1) everyone he searched love and compassion from failed him, 2) he is utterly confident in his ability to handle every problem that may arise on his own. I personally don't like the concept of Aemond being isolated from his family - but the main issue here IMO is not even the idea itself but the execution. While I'm not a fan of the brothel part either, I believe that those scenes could have fitted into his arc better - if not for the sloppy and neglectful manner in which this arc has been built. Skipping the important bits of Aemond's story (like reaction of his family members to Luke's death), making him indifferent to the murder of Jaehaerys and depriving him of the scenes that could have connected the different points of his emotional and psychological journey (mainly of the scenes with other Greens) - all of it makes it difficult to perceive the different sides his character is supposed to have.

Ultimately, as I see it, both Aemond and Alicent are treated by the show as tools for presenting the audience with the story of Westerosi feminism: the former - to uphold the image of "cruel men", the latter - to paint the image of a victim (who is also kind of responsible for her own suffering at the hands of men because she chose the wrong side).

As for Aegon, he's been the luckiest out of the Green characters storywise - but it doesn't mean that I'm satisfied with the show version of him. Dumbing him down, using him as a way to show how callous and cruel other Greens (specifically Aemond and Alicent) are - that's not the treatment I wanted for one of my favourite characters. I would even go as far as saying that if the Aegon we have seen in the show so far was the only Aegon I knew (without me having any knowledge of either source material or Tom's interviews or participating in fandom) he wouldn't be one of my favourite characters as I simply would have very little interest in him. Once again, in comparison with other Greens he's doing really well, but I can't help but feel that Aegon - and Tom - are also being used to create a character the audience can pity and to have a good shot at the Emmy campaign. And as soon as HBO guys get what they want (or if they don't get it), Aegon might be thrown under the bus just as easily as it already happened to Aemond after he attracted lots of attention to season 1.

To sum it up, the main issue of HotD is that HBO doesn't care for the characters and for the story: it cares for the hype, viewing numbers, reviews and awards. And with this kind of attitude it's difficult to expect any significant improvements in the quality of the show.

[kingcunny]

What do you think about Viserys and Alicent’s marriage in the show ?

like, its fine. i guess. it served the purpose they wanted it too. I GUESS.

like im. trying not to bitch here but. hotd alicent reminds me a lot of sansa when she was the lannisters prisoner and dany when she was married to drogo. i think they took a lot of inspiration from their early stories for her show character. problem is, young girls getting constantly smacked around is the Only part of the story they took inspiration from. when sansa is a prisoner in everything except words she still affects the storyline, she still does actions that ripple out across various characters. and she eventually grows from this character! she has development! ditto for dany

alicent doesnt have that though. shes so flat and underdeveloped and inconsistently written that its really hard for me to pull anything kind of inspiration for her character from the show. its hard for me to analyze any of her relationships or actions and be like ‘oh ali did this because of x’ ‘she said that because of y’, cause it is really and truly just delusions. none of her actions affect the story, theyre not even remembered by any character including her. she floats episode to episode disconnected from any larger storyline. and its not even like a meta commentary, even though they try to force that, it just feels like they dont know what to do with her character.

and like. how am i supposed to work with less than nothing.

i do like that rhaenyra is the constant unspoken third in their marriage, like how vis is for daemonxrhaenyra. but again, thats not about alicent.

i like the depiction of their marriage in like the two eps of s1 where alicent acted like ALICENT. but once those episodes where over it was all immediately forgotten and never referenced again.

[tessarionbestgirl]

"Aegon is injured and Aemond may or may not have something to do with the fact". This is what Aemond's actor said regarding ep 5. Therefore, we don't know for sure what Aemond wanted or didn't want to do at Rook's Rest so we are again in for a guessing game. And this is one of my problems with the show. They think they are being oh so mysterious and whatnot with this kind of "storytelling" but the truth is that it's just extremely frustrating. The characters have very little screentime (aemond has less than 3 minutes per episode ffs), a lot of important events are just skipped and what little we see is unclear and ambiguous so I have to guess or create headcanons. Like, sorry, but I'm not interested in this. Idk, this show and everything related to it just leaves me annoyed, confused or even angry. What's your experience regarding this?

I understand the annoyance and frustration over this aspect of the show because big part of my dislike for Fire & Blood comes from exactly that same reason. Is a fake story book that I don't even know if half of it is true or not with countless inconsistencies regarding war events and ambiguities about characters motivations.

And a adaptation can only be to a extension better or worse than the source material. So Ryan and his team, have in hands a complicated situation. I know he says to the public that he approached the material as being green propaganda. But he is lying, a lot of things he does with TB to me are prove of that. A lot of pr for House of the dragon is all about what they want you to believe for now what their intentions are. So if we take a lot of what they say in face value we are being lied to. So any HC you and I could created base on that is just end feeling like a betrayal and pointless.

But the final product speaks for it self more than the actors or Ryan or Sarah. Because they did lay ground for the conclusion of the story to be " in war there is truly never a winner" and one of the core of the story from George idea is to end with you questioning who was the right side or the dance.

They say for exemple the it was recorded dubious if Daemon or Aemond actions are intentional or not. But we also see they feeling guilty over it. S1 had a big discussion on the fandom over Daemon taking Rhaenyra to the brothel was intentionally done to tarnish her honor or not, and this season we see him feeling guilty over it, same with B&C same with Aemond and Luke's situation.

Whatever, if this is intention to adapt the the questionable reality of book or make people speculate who is justified or not. That end up just add to a theme on the show,in witch, is about how the intentions don't matter and will not matter in the end. Viserys all him wanted was have a peaceful family life but as Alicent said "he intentions died with him" and that goes for all characters.

Aemond always felt he deserved the crown more than Aegon, maybe he wanted to hurt his brother but he is willing to pay the price of killing his own brother and become the monster that history eventually will paint him to be? That is what they are trying to say with Heleana asking him that and Alicent growing fear of what her son is becoming.

So I will say that my problem with this subject is way less annoying in the show than in the book and while in part I find fun to speculate over those dubious thing they do, I also feel uncertaint over what they will do with those characters, this season I am very scared of the possible out come for Alicent as character. And I certainly despite the fandom discourse that is generated by the "open in the air" scenes. I think that is the factor that frustrating me the most. Because there was a time where was fun to engage on public conversations about media. But HOtD fandom is so toxic and lack any media literacy that even end up affecting how I sometimes interact with the fandom and watch the show.

And that is a big irony of it all because I sure despite Ryan intensions and how he will end the show. The fandom will not change their mind of who is the true winner/justified and what the story is about.

[dwellordream]

thoughts on HOTD, episode 6, season 2 (spoilers below)

Some people are not a fan of Aemond's acting in this episode but I think it's perfectly on point. Even the stupid anime villain voice. That's what he is. Aemond is three kids in a trenchcoat playacting at what he thinks power and intimidation. He's only genuinely frightening when he is at his most pathetic and ashamed, because that is what compels him to do depraved things- the thought of being mocked or pitied.

Aemond releases Alicent from the Small Council, IMO, not because he genuinely thinks her incompetent, but because, aside from his general misogyny, he sees his mother as a woman who pities him, and while he craves her affection, he can't stand being reduced to a sniveling little boy in her eyes again.

I truly DNGAF about the 'Aeriana Targaryen' shit. They had to show Rhaenyra actually trying to come up with a reasonable cover for why Rhaenyra would encourage others to try to claim dragons without her throwing the concept of Valyrian supremacy out the window. Yes, the writers could have just decided to randomly make, say, Viserra or Gael Targaryen have wed a Darklyn, but I'm not really bothered that they didn't. Rhaena the Black Bride's daughter Aeriana by Maegor. Sure.

The writers seem to be trying to walk a thin line between Alys manipulating Daemon for kicks by preying on his insecurities regarding who 'deserves' the Iron Throne in his family, but the suggestion that Viserys 'never sought the throne' is wild. He put himself forward as a contender for the Great Council! I genuinely can't tell if we're meant to believe Alys truly thinks Rhaenyra could be a better ruler than Aegon, or if this is all supposed to be taken as her playing mind games with Daemon sheerly out of spite.

The foreshadowing that Rhaena will claim Sheepstealer, rather than Nettles, seems pretty strong at this point. I get the writers' desire to have Rhaena claim a dragon in a more active and assertive manner than simply patiently waiting for an egg to hatch for her, especially since Morning in-canon was not at all capable of being flown to war during the Dance. However, I wish we could see both Rhaena and Nettles tame dragons here, rather than one Black female character (in a show that already has a problem with shoving its Black characters to the sidelines) simply taking over another's storyline. It is possible they will still include Nettles, and have her claim a different dragon instead, but I'm losing hope.

Gwayne is a snotty racist asshole, obviously, but I commend the show for displaying that he does genuinely love Alicent and Daeron, who he seems to view as akin to his own son. It's surprising that he specifically praises Daeron's kindness, and seems to view it as a strength of his nephew's, rather than a weakness. In the grand scheme of HoTD men, Gwayne is probably one of the better ones, at least in terms of how he treats his family.

I thought the smallfolk riot scene was well-done. Alicent and Helaena are clearly not the ones responsible for the food shortage- Alicent has been booted off the Small Council and Helaena has no real political power herself. Yet they- and most noblewomen in the series- will always be blamed more viciously than any of their husbands or sons for the suffering. It's also good to see the foreshadowing of a more ruthless side of Hugh- while he is motivated by love for his family, he will do anything in order to protect them, including stealing food from other starving peasants.

Seasmoke chasing Addam Velaryon down like an over-eager puppy was pretty entertaining. Whether or not this implies Laenor is actually dead, I have no idea.

It's interesting that they have Mysaria confide about her own incestual abuse- her clearly viewing her father as a predator who horribly violated her- compared to Rhaenyra, who while openly critical of Daemon's behavior as a husband, and who does acknowledge that Daemon took advantage of her as a teenager- doesn't seem to see him as a monster. I don't really feel any type of way about Rhaenyra/Mysaria- obviously I do think Rhaenyra is bisexual, given everything about her and Alicent- but I don't think Mysaria has been used that well as a character by the show, and I'm not sure whether this is supposed to be a one-off moment of passion, or if they will actually have her and Mysaria in an illicit relationship moving forward.

Overall, I think this was one of the weaker episodes this season. It felt like a lot of wheel spinning because the writers were unsure of how to build up to the end of the season. Probably a 6.5 out of 10 for me.

[dream-bee-baby]

Hello! Hello! LITERALLY SO EXCITED FOR THIS! Can I request a House of the Dragon and JJK matchup that involves a moonboard and 3 headcanons?

Here is my information!

FANDOM: JJK and HOTD

 Name: Anna Lee 

Pronouns: She/her

Preference: any gender (preferably a guy)

Personality: I am an INTJ Slytherclaw. Aquarius Sun, Sagittarius Moon and Aries Rising. Neutral Good. I am a huge overthinker and stress a lot with anxiety. People tell me that I can be blunt which results in people thinking that I can be cold but in reality I try to be a kind person when it is needed. I am a realist and many consider me to be intelligent, often asking me to help with their work. I’m incredibly passionate about things I like to do and have a thirst to know everyone’s opinions as I feel that if someone is left out. I’m a creative person but sometimes my brain just goes blank, I hate when it does. I have a really dry sense of humour that usually is a mix of sarcasm, fandom jokes or self degrading jokes. I'm an extremely stubborn person and have to be right about everything. From a young age, my parents were extremely strict and had expected the best out of me which resulted in me being an overachiever. I have to get things perfect or be the best at what I’m doing. I'm really sensitive, even some small harsh words are enough to make me teary. I’ve been called a crybaby because of that and to be honest, that is true. I give too much to other people since I’m afraid of saying no since what if they hate me? And I'm too scared to ask for help or to have something cause I think they will think I'm selfish and worthless. Not the best self esteem 😔 I love to listen to other people since I think not a lot of people have others that they can tell what they wish to say without getting judged or outcasted. But the problem is that I judge too easily too. As much as I want to show a good image to others and help them, I tend to focus on my own needs and how everything can affect me for the better or worse. I hate repeating things, especially in front of a big crowd. I daydream too much. When I get excited, I speak really quickly and stumble over my words which I get embarrassed by and stop talking. I am very sensitive, especially when it comes to my appearance and personality. I’m always afraid that people are constantly judging me or hate me, which is why I tend to avoid public spaces or being around people in general. When I get familiar with someone or a crowd, I’m not that afraid to state my opinion. I get jealous and possessive easily, like I mentioned my parents are strict meaning I got very few things of my own and those things only came to me because I tried so hard to get it. So when I see someone else with it, it just irks me off. I always make plans but I know I’m not going to complete them, I just like to imagine the future if I actually had motivation and energy to accomplish things. I can never start new things while completing old ones. I am also the oldest child and have 4 younger ones, another reason why I stress too much. I don’t think I mentioned this, but I get angry really easily. The slightest mistakes just pisses me off. I suck at short talks and starting conversations, it’s much easier to have lengthier conversations. I can never do presentations, I always get too nervous. Plus, my friends say my voice is really soft so no one ever hears me much, especially since I’m uncomfortable. When I get angry, my judgement is clouded. I am terrible at holding grudges. I would be upset at someone but the second I see them again, I feel normal and happy in a way. Probably said this before, but I’m a huge day dreamer and stubborn. I can’t concentrate on my work because I always get distracted and daydream about things I will never have. I normally appear composed but have a fiery temper. I really want to be a lawyer. My parents never let me use the internet much as a kid so I pretty much live under a rock but I am incredibly book smart. I am literally the personification of Eldest Daughter Syndrome and have been parentified since I was a child and because of this, I’m naturally good with kids and responsibilities. 

Looks:I’m slightly chubby and curvy with a pear-shaped body (Double D cups). Upon seeing me, many people point out my eyes which are hazel with slight flecks of many colours such as green and amber being the prominent ones. Almond eyes that are doe-like and slightly turn up at the end but barely noticeable. I have a button nose and thin heart shaped lips. My face is round and my eye shape is almond. I am approximately 5’3. Two small moles are fixated on my right cheek and underneath my lip. Long dark brown hair that almost appears black but that solely depends on the lighting. My hair reaches my hips and is kinda wispy at the end. It’s usually on a ponytail with a few strands framing my face. My clothing style tends to be anything comfortable and classy. I prefer to wear black and colours that are darker, you will never find me wearing orange or neon colours. 

Likes: Chocolate, Anime, Music, Food, Being right about something, Reading, Drawing, Strawberries, Smell of Rain, Sleeping, Being the Best, Baking and cooking (even tho I’m not that good at it)  Daydreaming, Murder Mysteries, Romance, Long walks, Making Ocs,  Fiction, Name hunting, Me, Pinterest, Spicy food, Sweets, Lavender, Aesthetics, and Flower Languages.

Dislike: Loud noises, Jerks, Prejudice People, Slow Walkers, People who chew loudly, Getting look down on, Insects, Studying, Fake People, Self-pity, Getting below 90% in a test, Snow, Overlysweet things, Going outside, and the feeling where your brain is blank and can’t tell what you feel like, Doing nothing all day and Tomatoes

Love Language: Physical Touch and Quality Time

Ideal Type: Pretty big Eyes. I’m actually weak for big baby eyes. I love charismatic people who are funny but know when to be serious. Will always be there for me and not afraid to speak their mind. Honest and loyal. Yet they would still help me see the light at the end of the tunnel and tell me it’s okay, that everything is gonna be okay. I wouldn’t like ‘innocent’ people nor ‘kind’ people cause I feel like I won’t be able to connect with them based on my morality level. Will be attentive to my needs. Not necessarily loud but not quite, somewhere in between. I want someone who I can feel okay around, as if everything was fine. Someone who would help carry a burden with me, we are together in everything. I’m really into the cocky characters? Like they are so hot and arrogant at the same time? type of person who would wait for me when I’m tying my shoelaces. Any hair colour is ok! Though I’m soft for blond and black hair. I love playing with other people's hair! A little bit clingy. I love the type of characters that I think I can ‘fix’ or like beautifully broken ones that make my heart ache. 

Ideal Date: I don’t have a certain type that I prefer but I will forever love soft domestic picnics with their head in your lap and eating goods of all kinds. Or just doing something fun like going out late at night and going on drive or watching stars and any spectacles. 

Hope this is enough information and Thank you in advance! 

House of the Dragon:

I ship you with Alicent Hightower! I've seen someone else has shipped you with her (after I thought of her) but I just think the pairing is soooo perfect, and that solidified it.

I think Alicent would adore just being around you, you're so comforting and have the ability to understand her completely and it means the absolute world to her. When you guys are one on one, she would love to braid your hair. As the maids do her hair most of the time, it's a way for her to learn a new skill and avoid picking at her fingers. During important meetings or anxious situations, she'd fidget with your rings or the edge of your clothes to avoid hurting herself. She would also find ways to ground you as well, she pays close attention to you. Knowing if you were about to overthink or get upset before you. She would do everything she could to help, holding your hand, kissing your tears, helping you take breaths in a hall, or exiling someone.

I think Alicent needs someone who isn't overly rough but not overly bubbly either, aka you, Anna Lee. You're in tune enough with your emotions and experiencing them without shutting down, which helps Alicent feel safe and welcome to also express herself however she needs. You two would spend plenty of alone, quiet time whenever she could spare it. Much preferring to spend time walking, reading to each other/together, allowing you to sit in on meetings and draw. I think Alicent would feel safe and comforted with physical touch. She'd constantly have a hand on you in public (subtly of course). But in private she'd prefer to have more casual and revealing clothes, feeling your skin and warmth grounds her and reminds her why she does what she does

Alicent wouldn't push you like you're used to. She would allow to do whatever you like, whether that means rotting in bed or taking over a country by storm. She respects you enough to let you build and lead the life of your choosing. She will fund everything she can, she'll pay the cooks extra to let you help them or clear out the kitchen entirely for you. One time she even tried to cook for you, it didn't totally go well but that means it's another activity you two can do together

Jujustu Kaisen:

I ship you with Megumi Fushiguro! Our blunt but secretly sensitive boy <3

The two of you would take some time to find your rhythm, but once you do you're unstoppable. There would be immediate curiosity about one another and interest, but Megumi would be confused about your changing demeanor and sensitive emotions. But he cares immensely about his loved ones, and would observe you and pick up on all your little tells. If you had a really shitty day, he'd throw his hoodie in the dryer and place it on your bed with some of your favorite snacks. He's the epitome of actions speak louder than words. Your "blunt" nature is perfect for him, he doesn't feel like he has to read between the lines and knows exactly how to respond. Although your emotions baffle him, he often just stays silent as to not say the wrong thing. He's a great listener and asks how you'd like to be supported (rant, need a solution, talk shit, agree with everything you say even if he doesn't understand). And after spending enough time together, he'll be much better at sweet words. He never says things he doesn't mean, which works well for you to reassure how much he cares for you

The two of you are constantly escaping to god knows where. As much as he's glad you get along with his friends, he can't always handle all those personalities. So he'd drag you away (or vice versa) and you'd work together to build a strawberry garden and plant lavender. He'd make a list of all the books you've read (categorized by genre of course) and he'd buy you new ones and make sure you don't get repeat copies. He'd also find ways to make foods spicy, he'd find a good sandwich recipe and spice it up or make regular ramen and add spices to it.

He loves listening to you talk about your passions and he also loves seeing you daydream. He just sits and silently smiles at you, it's the cutest most romantic thing to view from an outside perspective. He'd watch you in the kitchen, you'd go to reach for the next ingredient or a utensil you needed and his hand would be right there with the exact thing you needed. Megumi has many passions of his own, so you both encourage each other to build your lives but also create a more realistic expectation of yourself and goals. He'd always make you feel like everything you do is enough, because it is. He'd encourage you to try and spend more time doing nothing, or trying something new and learning what it feels like to fail. Because failing is important and natural, and he wants to help you be kinder to yourself in a realistic way

[fandom-blahs]

What do you think will fix HOTD will Ryan make changes because of the season 2's reception?

(I will try to answer in the least purist way possible, if that even means anything for F&B) Apologies in advance i'm a bit of a yapper.....

Doesn't that largely depend on what Ryan thinks are actual issues?

I know I've been a massive HOTD hater during season 2. I want the show to do well and I want it to succeed but alas I picked up on red flags in season 1, tried to ignore them, but had to accept that they're the bread and butter of the show lol. Now, seeing those same issues reflected in the larger backlash makes me feel vindicated, as what bothered me is clearly part of the bigger picture. Highly doubt it will change because as I said...bread and butter of the show.

What do you think needs fixing anyway? What does "fixing" HOTD mean to you? It definitely means something different to Ryan and Co. than it does to tiktok fans, twitter stans, redditors, and tumblr ASOIAF scholars, casual viewers etc.

The pacing? The lack of interactions? battles? More dragons? Maelor the Missing? The dialogue? "2 women trying to find themselves in war"? Where is my Literally Who character (for me that would be Marston Waters <3) Team Bias? Making GRRM happy? Suddenly condensing the season from 10 to 8 episode? The show getting condensed from 5 to 4 seasons? "historical accuracy"? Queer Baiting? Avoiding another Dany Mad Queen disappointment? Fitting in the prophecy (GRRM's orders). Budget??? and a hundred other things I haven't mentioned.

Idk how much the writing strike affected the show, GRRM himself said that the script for each episode had like...5 drafts/revisions but after GRRM's "toxic butterflies" post errr... ok..

Despite being a massive hater during S2, I don't think the answer is appeasing fans (unless that fan is me ofc lol <3). If you have a lot of time to kill you should try jumping between the echo chambers of each team it's really funny. If you want to inflect mega damage on yourself, go to twitter.

For what it's worth, there are some changes that were good that fans don't bring up while other changes fans didn't like but idk...I really liked :) there aren't many for me and I struggle to reconcile both the show as is and my desire to see an adaptation that reflects the "soul" of GRRM's writing. GOT did that, HOTD did not.

From a show-only perspective, it's clear the creators have a vision— a weak one in my opinion—that diverges from what fans expected from ASOIAF/F&B adaptation. Trying to realign the show with F&B at this point would cause its foundations to crumble making for an overall weaker show. For better or worse, the show has been building its own themes since the beginning—just not the ones fans hoped for. I don't envy Condal at all and actually feel very bad for him especially after S2, he is (was?) a huge GRRM fanboy that's how he landed the position anyway. I still think he's a dumbass based on interviews though.

Anyway the only criticisms he'll respond to are the ones from executives.

Their biggest problem imo is hitting the beats of the story (F&B and their own super cool original idea), introducing plot points and characters arcs, and wrapping everything up in 16 episodes or so while kind of leaving it open for a sequel (which I imagine is mandatory because executives).

[medschoolash]

hi there!

do you think daemon's emotional based erection problem was related to his wife whose and behavior and tone in the show seemed rather abusive towards daemon?

after her death he was able to perform, i mean he had children afterwards and stuff.

Thank you for your answer, your takes are the best in the whole daemyra fandom, your blog is just amazing!😩🧡

awww thank you so much for that lovely compliment! I still can't believe people actually enjoy my rambling thoughts about daemyra and HOTD.

So I'm not really sure if his ED issues were solely related to his wife even though I can see how that would potentially play into it. Clearly, they had a terrible relationship and she wasn't very kind to him but we also don't know how Daemon behaved with her so I don't want to completely scapegoat her when it comes to the downfall of their marriage. She didn't seem like a pleasant woman and did speak to him with contempt that made their dynamic extremely toxic but I'm sure it wasn't easy to deal with a husband like Daemon who doesn't want you.

The main way I think his dynamic with Rhea impacted his psyche is it has festered as an open wound for years because he didn't get to choose and this open wound plays a big part in his emotional instability and behavior during the early episodes. This lack of choice in his marriage that he can't get out of plays into Daemon's feelings of being cast aside by his brother, and reigned in as a Targaryen Prince. He's a dragon rider. He's of pure Valryian blood and instead of living a life of power and glory, he's stuck in the boring Vale with a wife he hates and a brother who tries to keep him on a leash instead of including him in the dynasty that he should rightfully have a part of. Daemon has been constantly longing for more. More power, more love, more adventure, more everything because he actually thinks it's what he deserves purely because he's a Targaryen. That's why Corlys was able to convince him to fight in the stepstones. He was chasing something he felt he's been denied unjustly.

So when we meet him in episode 1, one of the few things he has going for him is the fact that he is heir to the seven kingdoms since Viscery has no sons but even that's about to be all over so then what does he have left? Who is he really without being heir? That weighs on him heavily. He has a hostile home in a place he wants no part of, he's a part of his brother's court but only in the capacity decided upon by the advisors that don't like him, and he has no children. Literally, all he has left is Mysria his mistress, and the adoration of Rhaenyra. So I think psychologically a combination of all these things affects him and play a part in his erectile dysfunction.

This also makes it make sense that it seemingly resolves once he does find himself in a place where he may be content with his role in life. Laena is a stunning woman and she's of Valyrian blood. She's a dragon rider and she's also from a very rich house so the partnership gives him something he didn't have before, a choice and an advantage that he feels is acceptable for a Targaryen. I also think this contentment settles in because though he may desire Rhaenyra he can not have her anymore. She's married now and sure he could have stuck around to have an affair with her but I don't think he would have ever been content with having only a part of her and not all of her so in a way he's forced to let go. I think losing Rhaenyra was the last L he had it in him to take so he finally accepted that maybe things won't be the way I think they should be but I can still have something. Something that I pick, something that can bring the things I wanted before like family, adventure, and a spouse that he desires and who desires him. There is a certain peace in knowing that your ultimate desires are out of your reach, accepting that, and moving on to create a life that isolates you from all the things that weighed you down before. I think his life in Essos with Laena represents freedom for Daemon, freedom from his feelings for rhaenrya, freedom from his resentment towards his brother, and freedom from making himself try to fit where he seemingly can't.

So it makes sense that without the burden of a wife he didn't want, a niece he can't have, and a standing at court he was never going to be allowed to have because his brother is weak he can actually release the emotions that played into his ED before so it's no longer an issue

[dulcewrites]

What is your opinion on show Aemond? In books he was basically psychopath, in show not yet, but I wonder what do you think of him besides the things you said before like he is arrogant. Btw, you are probably the only person who sees his arrogance and inability to rule (despite having Vhagar, being great swordsman and studying history and philosophy) because I swear to God, every Aemond stan views him as perfect and not arrogant at all and perfect material for a king. And you know what is the funniest thing? That they only acknowledge his traumas when they are comparing him to Daemon, you know, Daemon is the bad guy from episode 1, groomer and many other things but Aemond is hurt and insecure and disabled, but when confronted, they all view him as perfect. You know, just because he has traumas means he is perfect. But it never crossed their minds that any sort of trauma affects the process of thinking, self confidence, perception of people around us and does it in not positive way. And no, just because Aemond is traumatized doesn't mean he will be good father and husband because how in madieval world would he have any opportunity to even acknowledge that he has something called trauma and then starting to work on it, slowly realising how this worked and made him the person he is now?

It's 2022 and people are talking a lot about mental health which is great, but seeing how many people not even understand how Aemond's traumatic past shaped him and thinking it won't have negative effect is really sad.

And maybe the reason you got this terrible anon message because his stans really have no clue how his past will affect him and people close to him. They focus on how a good and dutiful son he is, but in fact he is parentified child. I also am one and believe me it could be great for strangers, me caring about my mother, but they don't know how hard it was in childhood when I was the one to take care of her where it should have been other way around. And my relationship with her is not a testimony of any kind of strong bond, but the fact I was burdened by her problems and needed to find solutions to them, because she couldn't. And in episode 9 when Alicent says If anything has happened and her panicked expression, it reminded me of my mother and everytime she relied on me.

You are basically the only person I saw admitting that he is a piece of work. Others believe that after all he has been through he would be perfect father, husband and king. No one sees how his past shaped him in bad way. Because it's like knife that cuts on both sides, sure, after losing an eye he became full of determination, dutiful, but also full of anger and having many repressed feelings. And this will affect all his relationships, but his stans doesn't see him as flawed character, they point out Daemon wrongdoings and use it to put Aemond on pedestal. And once saw one of them saying Aemond will get rid of his traumas once Viserys and Luke died. So thank you for portraying him in realistic way, I know it was request to write his wife being killed over a lie, but you captured his essence in such amazing way.

Well I appreciate that you like my different interpretations of Aemond. To be fair/honest, the way I write him in fmo or even in that request is not how I personally would want him written in the show. I don’t enjoy seeing women, regardless of the context or nature, being treated so poorly. There are times where it makes me sad when writing. But I’m also an admittedly sensitive person lol. Those anons I got, while complete weirdos who need help, I see as outliers compared to a lot of people who enjoy hotd. It’s just when you are in a large fandom, the wronged opinions tend to be the loudest. I do a lot of people misinterpret characters but they also have the good sense to not harass people.

I think that all the layers that make up show Aemond is why he is extremely compelling. He can be messy or arrogant, and probably a bad king/Prince regent. But he can also be a young man who had to deal with a losing his eye, a neglectful father, a mother who takes on a lot and probably projects a lot onto him bc he is so dutiful and kind to her, and having unique sibling relationships. And that does not even mention the possible piety or the strained relationship with intimacy he may have. I do think a lot of writers on here know and understand show Aemond but maybe choose to paint a prettier picture bc why not. Like I don’t plan on writing Aemond as a terrible father or husband in everything I do. I have some stuff in the works that is the opposite actually. He can be a lot thinks at once bc most people are. You just have to pick your threshold of what you can tolerate, irl and when you engage with media.

As for how I feel about show Aemond. I like him. I wouldn’t take the time to write about him if I didn’t. There are certain changes that I think the show did well, and I would argue and say his characterization is one of them. It also doesn’t hurt that ewan plays him extremely well. Older aemond could have fell flat if they did not have someone as talented playing him. So much of that charisma is not the text, it’s ewan acting his ass off. I’d say that’s the case for all the Hightower/targ kids. Phia, Tom, and ewan did the best with what they got, especially Tom and phia

[just-some-random-blogger]

good morning/day/evening, lovie! ig ive just burst (into tears) from the amount of love i felt to this gif. 'when its day FOR YOU' its 2:19 and ive had some drinks w/friends. yeah, we have fem, masc and neuter gender words. and it usually depends on the nouns gender its paired with. and the nouns gender depends on logic (like a girl is fem while in german girl is neuter) or just feelings nothing (night is fem). 'i typed my love actually so thats on google translate' 1)i figured you typed my love bc youd used it already 2) we say google translate sucks 3) musc is the main form of an adjective on its own so no wonder its translated like this. 'but theres no rap here?' idk TT i just love this speaking(?) part, we call it recitative but im not sure. theres one song that describes my taste in the best way possible. milyy (darling/honey). it has no eng subs (all the translations ive found are ugly) and it doesnt matter, just listen to the way it sounds and the music. i have no idea why theres a child in the vid bc?? ok the chorus literally sounds like 'Guess what ive been doing when you werent here? I was meeting my ex-lover. He promised me to show his new apartment And to try out his windowsills. And i put on my red gloves Despite him begging for stockings. Do you know, honey? (x2) Do yk what ive been doing while you were gone?' it doesnt really imply sex BUT it does have mentions of alcohol and the whole vibe isnt childish at all... but ok i love the song. 'you’ve made me like her again' a fanfact! i have such halseys last album (where those songs are from) vibes from all hotd fics. maybe all this royal aesthetic affects me like this. 'which is what her name is an anagram of' OMG fhsjd i never thought abt it! ig its not really a problem you couldnt read it as halsey. if it doesnt bother you too much, then its fine. your writings are still good shjs. and youre still big brained. 'thank you for reviving my interest in halsey' my pleasure<з you can take all the time universe gives us! yeah i put notifs but the main point is i dont have notifs in general HFJFKDH the sound is ALWAYS off so... my mom gets mad at me frequently and noone can contact me whenever they want. 'AND I LOVE THE SONG SO MUCH' IM SO GLAD. its so beautifel and also meaningful like the cartoon itself! i used to love su sm TT 'my child' meow meow, catmom. 'dont be so ok with it' well mindset ig. 'i cant even read the russian symbols' AHAHS IM SORRY i forgot to type a latinised version. its zapekanka. k is k its a simple one. and a is a. and з is z, i usually use it for <з. and yeah!! youre so right with p! what a big brain! 'she’s literally just a plot device without too much depth used for nada' oh its sad( actually its like 90% of russian classic literature and thats why i usually end up hating fem characters. or theyre just too... sweet and naive and all. i dislike all people with this type of character and its not my fault its 8/10 times women (in lit). i love characters that are interesting to me and it doesnt depend on the gender. ig im frequently seen as a sexist/homophobic just bc im judgemental... yeah not the best trait but i dont choose whos the one im going to hate based on THESE facts. yeah your face can annoy me, your voice can sound too pitchy for my liking or i just dont like your vibes BUT not bc youre a woman/man/gay or smth else. and MORE SO when you have a reason to dont like a person? it doesnt matter whos it. 'WHYYYYY>?' well i dont know ANY of them closely and im still judgemental. 'YOU GOT A MR WORLDWIFE TOO' YEah! pushkin is some kind of a literature hero here? well hes done a lot of things for it and the language and hes been a brilliant writer (hes called genius in schools). but he was SUCH a worldwife. hes written that he had more than 100 women. but he did have a wife closer to the end of his life. he also had a footfetish and put it in his most famous novel.. 'you keep saying cunning spain' well i like this image. meowmeow im glad you find it cute meowmeow. ig its all for the part 1 bc its already long. see you soon, my love<з

this is how my cat greats me sometimes T_T i miss my jinjin T_T MEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW T_T

ig ive just burst (into tears) from the amount of love i felt to this gif.

<3 <3 <3 thats great. idk if ive told you already, i feel like i have, but my teacher says its good to cry 2 a week to flush out the dirt from your eyes. on another note, i was chopping onions for my grandma this morning and i CRIED SO BAD IT HURT LASFHLKASHFKLHASFASH

'when its day FOR YOU' its 2:19 and ive had some drinks w/friends.

you went drinking!!!???? omg i hope you were responsible with it. i only recently tried drinking when it was my best friend's birthday. i want to try it again because being drunk is so fascinating but also i cant do that because T_T i would die on my way home

yeah, we have fem, masc and neuter gender words. and it usually depends on the nouns gender its paired with. and the nouns gender depends on logic (like a girl is fem while in german girl is neuter) or just feelings nothing (night is fem).

in german girl is neuter ???? ok then. i dont understand enough about fem/masc words cos filipino is neutral everything we just have siya which is he/she/it everything lolol HAHAHAHAHAH

'i typed my love actually so thats on google translate' 1)i figured you typed my love bc youd used it already 2) we say google translate sucks 3) musc is the main form of an adjective on its own so no wonder its translated like this.

#1 big brained for that #2 she trying google on her last brain cell T_T #3 makes sense. boo men 👎

'but theres no rap here?' idk TT i just love this speaking(?) part, we call it recitative but im not sure.

i see. thats nice to know. i figured that with all the music you sent me. i personally dont like it. i guess you like spoken poetry with background.

theres one song that describes my taste in the best way possible. milyy (darling/honey). it has no eng subs (all the translations ive found are ugly)

HAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHAAHA I FELT THE UGLY TRANSLATIONS HAHAHHAAHAHAHAHA i love the kitties and the cutie bb girl <3 if i had to guess what i means based on the song and the video, is it about wanting to growing up and like expectations as an adult? like 'i cant wait to be an adult' but also be careful what you ask for?

and it doesnt matter, just listen to the way it sounds and the music. i have no idea why theres a child in the vid bc?? ok the chorus literally sounds like 'Guess what ive been doing when you werent here? I was meeting my ex-lover. He promised me to show his new apartment And to try out his windowsills. And i put on my red gloves Despite him begging for stockings. Do you know, honey? (x2) Do yk what ive been doing while you were gone?' it doesnt really imply sex BUT it does have mentions of alcohol and the whole vibe isnt childish at all... but ok i love the song.

[jaw on the floor] my gosh boy was i wrong T_T WTF WHY IS THERE A CHILD HERE HELP T_T WHEN I TELL YOU MY JAW DROPPED AFTER READING THIS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SUCH A BIG BRAIN MOMENT FOR ME IM SO 💀💀💀💀

'you’ve made me like her again' a fanfact! i have such halseys last album (where those songs are from) vibes from all hotd fics. maybe all this royal aesthetic affects me like this.

interesting to know. i mean i think each of our experience affect us as a person so it goes both ways.

'which is what her name is an anagram of' OMG fhsjd i never thought abt it! ig its not really a problem you couldnt read it as halsey. if it doesnt bother you too much, then its fine. your writings are still good shjs. and youre still big brained. 'thank you for reviving my interest in halsey' my pleasure<з

nah it bothered me so much my brain was so frustrated i hated seeing her and her name because i kept reading it wrong. i read her as hasley in my head for a long time even though i knew it was wrong then i only shut up my brain by reading at loud and suddenly the world was silent again lashflashflasf and i wasn't bothered by her name anymore

this was the era of halsey that i could not pronounce HAHHAH

you can take all the time universe gives us! yeah i put notifs but the main point is i dont have notifs in general HFJFKDH the sound is ALWAYS off so... my mom gets mad at me frequently and noone can contact me whenever they want.

thank you i need all the time in the world cos school T_T. also ur so me fr tbh i personally dont care about notifs even though its on i just ignore everyone T_T HAHAHHA

'AND I LOVE THE SONG SO MUCH' IM SO GLAD. its so beautifel and also meaningful like the cartoon itself! i used to love su sm TT

ive heard it on tiktok before and i wondered where it was from so thank you for that <3 i love the cartoon too but i never got to watch it play out, you know, like on tv theyd play the episodes out of order and i just ??? yeah i never even learned about stevens mom whats up with her

'my child' meow meow, catmom.

<3

'dont be so ok with it' well mindset ig.

DONT BE SO OK WITH IT

'i cant even read the russian symbols' AHAHS IM SORRY i forgot to type a latinised version. its zapekanka.

slay zapekanka

k is k its a simple one.

IT IS WOW I THOUGHT IT WASNT MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE actually idk when i started telling myself it wasnt a k lol HAHAH

and a is a. and з is z, i usually use it for <з. and yeah!! youre so right with p! what a big brain!

purr thank you for the brief lesson <3

'she’s literally just a plot device without too much depth used for nada' oh its sad( actually its like 90% of russian classic literature and thats why i usually end up hating fem characters. or theyre just too... sweet and naive and all. i dislike all people with this type of character and its not my fault its 8/10 times women (in lit).

SAME I HATE IT WHEN WOMEN ARE STUPID LIKE SIR HAVE YOU MET A WOMAN? AND HAVE YOU MET A man (derogatory) russian literature L for that 😞🍅thats why i like making my fem characters chew their male interests. feminism.

i love characters that are interesting to me and it doesnt depend on the gender. ig im frequently seen as a sexist/homophobic just bc im judgemental... yeah not the best trait but i dont choose whos the one im going to hate based on THESE facts.

T_T i think ur just judgy T_T your ire has no boundaries T_T HELP T_T you should maybe work on that ? but i totally get not liking weak characters

yeah your face can annoy me, your voice can sound too pitchy for my liking or i just dont like your vibes BUT not bc youre a woman/man/gay or smth else. and MORE SO when you have a reason to dont like a person? it doesnt matter whos it.

T_T 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀like i said, your ire knows no bounds

'WHYYYYY>?' well i dont know ANY of them closely and im still judgemental.

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 HELP T_T

'YOU GOT A MR WORLDWIFE TOO' YEah! pushkin is some kind of a literature hero here? well hes done a lot of things for it and the language and hes been a brilliant writer (hes called genius in schools). but he was SUCH a worldwife. hes written that he had more than 100 women. but he did have a wife closer to the end of his life. he also had a footfetish and put it in his most famous novel..

HE HAD A WHAT NOW actually i dont want to know more about his footfetish, you do you boo. BUT OMG he like rizal for real, although yeah he didnt get married he just 💀 then never had a wife cos he just 👻 but idk if his lovers reached 100 💀💀💀💀💀💀

'you keep saying cunning spain' well i like this image. meowmeow im glad you find it cute meowmeow.

T_T MEOW MEOW

ig its all for the part 1 bc its already long. see you soon, my love<з

YEs yes p2 <3

xxx

[kingcunny]

EiHF again. <3

I saw in the tags on one of your posts that people often mistake Viserys' cowardice for stupidity, and I AGREE.

1) It's so funny to me how Viserys openly talks about being afraid of hard conversations with his daughter. I'm sure it's a common joke amongst fathers given the time and place, but Viserys is really not joking. But in reality, when he does take the time to explain his thinking and be transparent with her, she's quite amenable to what he's saying. It's a vicious cycle of hiding things from Rhaenyra, discussing things with everyone BUT Rhaenyra, blindsiding Rhaenyra, and then provoking the very reaction he was trying to prevent. And he literally NEVER gets it!!!! She literally just wants a heads up, especially when it concerns life-altering decisions about her own life. She just wants to be asked for her opinion, even if the answer is no, just ASK.

2) I believe part of his reason (HOTD), in many different ways, for choosing Alicent is cowardice. He feels bullied by Corlys. He feels their offer to join their houses is almost an indictment of his legitimacy. But instead of privately declining the offer, he publicly slights his daughter. That was petty, Viserys.

Also! That "proud men don't like looking up" conversation with Lyonel was Viserys flirting, and you can't tell me Lyonel wasn't picking up the vibe.

3) It's kinda sad to me how most of Viserys' physical affection just...isn't returned. Except for Aemma, it's like 60/40 chance that a gesture is gonna be returned. Thinking mostly of the scene after Joffrey's birth where Viserys has white knuckle grip on Rhaenyra's hand, and she's just kind of holding it there in a limp fist. He even has to shake her arm a little to get her attention back. Also, it took six episodes to get a hug from the two of them???? And I don't think it's a mistake that Viserys is most affectionate with her when she's so explicitly maternal, right down to wearing her mother's Arryn colors.

yeah!! like viserys isnt stupid, he knows that theres some fighting there. i think he just underestimates how bad it is? just assumes its childhood rivalries that theyll grow out of? and thats why he makes his kids and grandkids kids start training together, hoping thatll fix it and doesnt ever address the actual problem that their mothers hate each other. (f&b goes more into this, but its mostly cut from the show… :/)

1. YES. i think its a lot of overthinking on viserys part, like worried that by saying this thing or that thing, hell upset rhaenyra. so he doesnt tell her anything, but THATS the thing that upsets her! you can even see in ep 2? when he talks to her about having to remarry, how grateful she is for him to just open up to her! she just wants to know whats going on dummy!

but then again, when theyre having dinner (in i think the same episode?) he tells her they should be able to be open with each other, say whatevers on their mind and rhaenyra responds by saying hes the king and can say whatever he likes, viserys looks almost… upset by that. and otto in ep3 telling him that rhaenyra will do as he commands, and viserys says he doesnt want to command her. i think the very idea of having an open and honest relationship with your children, especially as a father to daughter, is not.. all that common for that time? even more that hes not just rhaenyras father but also her King, complicates it more. (and this is maybe part of where the emotional incest comes from too?)

2. it definitely feels like viserys is threatened, or atleast intimidated by corlys? i have my own little headcanon that as kids viserys had a crush on rhaenys. he always assumed they would be the ones getting married, until she goes off and married corlys instead and that sorta started the animosity between them. corlys dislikes viserys as well, sees him as this soft, weak man unworthy of the crown AND his wifes usurper. theyre only barely tolerating each other for rhaenys sake. but that aside, i agree i think viserys saw the marriage offer to laena as a slight to him. like as a way to ‘fix’ the ‘mistake’ of the council of 101, saying more about viserys own lack of self esteem than anything else. laena was also like, 12 at that point right? i think seeing her all dressed up like that reminded him of aemma, who he married at 11, and he was hit with a wave of ‘oh gods i cant do this again’ so he ran and tripped and fell in the opposite direction.

2.5 IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FLIRTING YES. im so glad someone else sees the lyonel x viserys agenda. viserys calling lyonel in, alone, telling him to keep sitting. who do u think i should marry 🥺👉👈. he wanted lyonel to say himself… the way he kept pacing around, leaning on the table, over the chair. he was nervous infront of his crush!

3. ive been going through getting screenshots of hotd lately and it absolutely killed me how aemma and viserys were always holding hands, playing with each others fingers… i hadnt noticed it until you pointed it out but yeah… after she dies he doesnt really have that physical affection with anyone else. i think like, its maybe daemon? as the only other person we see him interact with like that? is that really the only time we see viserys and rhaenyra hug im gonna do something crazy….. but ALSO have to agree i dont think its a mistake! he was absolutely seeing the ghost of aemma there