#(also we need to talk about how two of the show's main female characters rhaenyra and helaena are described as being plump/plus sized)

[navree]

Alicent must work out or something, for her to still keep her figure and such after having four kids back to back. Our Queen does Medevial cardio!

If the writers hadn't been trying to push the "being on Rhaenyra's side means you're a feminist and being on Alicent's side means you're for the patriarchy" thing, they could have done something with what GRRM wrote in the book about how Rhaenyra started getting jealous of Alicent for still being "slender and graceful" after having kids even though Rhaenyra never lost all the weight from pregnancy and thus Alicent was considered prettier than her (which also, like, God I hate men, oh no Rhaenyra had multiple kids and no longer isn't as skinny and perfect as she was at fourteen, the horror, shut up). But at least Alicent's doing her exercise regiments and drinking her medieval green juice.

[la-pheacienne]

My two cents on episode 7 because I just watched it.

It was an amazing episode. I will even argue that it was the best episode so far. So many things happening, nothing felt rushed. The funeral after party was GOLD. So many dynamics being explored between all the characters, so many feelings expressed just by angry stares, longing glances and half spoken innuendos. Like a pot slowly boiling and ready to explode. The fight between the children was perfect, the fight between Alicent Rhaenyra and Viserys later on was easily the best scene in HotD until now. I am team Black until the very end and I love Rhaenyra with all my heart but I FELT Alicent in this episode and THIS is great writing. I absolutely loved that Alicent regretted her actions afterwards, I also loved how she expected her father to be pissed and judgemental, and he was judgemental but at the same time appreciative, like? That's some great, multilayered dialogue there, people. The way Daemyra schemed and plotted their wedding and Laenor's escape was GoT season 1 material. Epic plot-twist.

Let's talk about Daemyra. I went over many posts here about the couple, and I admit that I am genuinely confused. I will address some of the complaints I saw: Matt and Emma don't have chemistry. Emma wasn't into it. Daemon wasn't into it, he was blank and passive and indifferent. The sex scene was short and we didn't see oral sex and different positions, orgasms, eye contact, whatever. The dialogue before was also lukewarm because Daemon didn't confess his undying love for his niece on one knee. We still don't know Daemon's motives because he doesn't speak. He didn't show enthousiasm after the mariage proposal. Etc etc etc.

Part of the reason for this reaction IS the incredibly high expectations. Another part is the ridiculous nature of a lot of these expectations. With all due respect for Daemyra's shippers out there (because I am one of them) I think you are confusing this show with Pride and Prejudice. This is not a romance show. This is not a show about the epic love story between Daemon and Rhaenyra. This is also not a romcom. It's a Game of Thrones show. The love story is a part of it, not even the main thing. Yes the dialogue wasn't exactly lovey dovey, yes Daemon didn't start crying when Rhaenyra proposed, he didn't swear eternal love and devotion like Romeo. No, he didn't go down on Rhaenyra in a feminist power move.

I'm sorry, but who fucking cares.

I've said what their dynamic in this episode definitely wasn't, let's see what it actually was. Let's talk specifics.

What I saw with my own eyes, was two broken depressed people coming together again under the least ideal circonstances (hmm the funeral of Daemon's wife hello). I saw a very bitter and hurt Rhaenyra that still longed for Daemon. I saw a depressed Daemon that felt everything is lost to him until Rhaenyra confessed her feelings. I saw a very strong female character pursuing what she wants. I saw tenderness, love, devotion. I don't need romantic words for it, I saw it. It was fucking there. Daemon finally let slip the real reason why he chickened out in the brothel and in the mariage ceremony: wasn't for the throne, wasn't for his own ambitions, but for HER. "I spared you, you were only a child = you didn't understand what you were doing and how much it would cost you, your reputation, your claim to the throne, everything, so I let you be because I cared so much for you". "You have a place in my court if this is what you need" "I need NOTHING", said Daemon the ambitious bastard who only wanted Rhaenyra for the throne. Yeah. That's why he was so hesitant in Rhaenyra's affections, that would CLEARLY benefit him, that's why he was so considerate, and cautious, and afraid and hopeful and tender. Yep, the throne. That was the WHOLE fucking point of Rhaenyra pursuing HIM instead of him pursuing her. To show that he wants HER and not the throne, he wants what's best for her and he wants to make sure that's what SHE wants. He's not trying to seduce her because it would come across as yet another plan to get the throne. His feelings are already clear, Rhaenyra knows it, we know it, we saw how depressed he was and we saw the longing in his glances and the tenderness in his words, we didn't need big rom-com déclarations. So, Daemon's motives aren't clear people? Really? WTF.

The dialogue before the sex scene was impeccable. The most romantic scene in the whole GoT universe. Let's talk about the actual sex scene. Yes it was short. Yes I don't care. Again, this is not a romance movie. The sex scene was extremely cute, appropriate for the CIRCOMSTANCES (FUNERAL HELLO) and the characters position in this particular chapter of the story, Rhaenyra is not a cheerful teen anymore and she gives the deadly victorious possessive look in the end that I personally loved. Yes it was short, but again, it's not an epic romance movie, it's Game of thrones and there are other, more important things to show than oral sex, sorry. Go watch porn.

The only complaint that is valid is the lighting. That was shitty.