#(and it's even more obvious in the books when Viserys sits on Jace on his knee)

[thesunfyre4446]

Marrying Daemon was the dumbest thing she could have done. It solved no problems just made the existing ones more glaring.

First, if Laenor had been alive the Driftmark succession would not have been brought into question (Yet, it eventually would have always) as after Corlys, it goes to Laenor. It would’ve freed up some years or decades and Luke could’ve idk- actually gone to the fucking island he was set to eventually rule over or learn to sail. Maybe endear himself to some more people because as much as certain viewers like to pretend otherwise, Corlys was the only Velaryon happy to spit in the eyes of his ancestors sit that boy on the Driftwood throne.

Two, Viserys would not have had to use his last breath and final braincell to go to the throne room to help Rhaenyra usurp the Velaryons. He probably would’ve lived a little while longer and maybe this time he would’ve died quietly without uttering nonsense about a prophecy the Targaryens should not have even been involved with in the first place.

Rhaenyra could’ve maybe got her shit together and stopped living in a lalaland where she thought she would just be handed things because she’s *checks notes*

-A Targaryen

-She has a Dragon

-Daddy said so

But we know she wouldn’t, the entitlement runs deep. She would’ve stayed on Dragonstone where she’s ruling over a castle of employees sworn to her and a small merchant/fisher’s village. Rhaenyra lived in bliss on that island for a decade with no responsibilities.

Three, when you raise the Strong boys alongside their brothers and especially alongside Rhaena- who is literally a Targaryens/Velaryon child who is what the strong boys are actually supposed to look like, it becomes so obvious that the boys are bastards of non Valyrian parentage.

The only one who won in this arraignment was the Child groomer. He got the woman he spent years grooming as a child and he got a heir and a spare. Let’s pretend in a fairytale world where the Greens don’t crown Aegon and they slink off to whatever corner of the world TB think they deserve to after Viserys dies. The history books would write about the series of freak accidents that took Rhaenyra’s first 3 sons until Little Aegon was the heir.

i honestly don't have anything to add anon. 100% agree with everything you've said.

rhaenyra is a horrible politician. her marriage to laenor kept the velaryon alliance and secured driftmark for her son. if laenor was alive, vaemond wouldn't have called for a petition, and rhaenyra wouldn't have to marry the strongs to the dragon twins. she could've arranged for marriages with other important houses like baratheon or lannister and win their support. also, by having legitimate sons with daemon she harmed jace, Joffrey and luke's legitimacy and position. especially jace.

your point about the strong boys parentage being even more obvious next to baela and rhaena is sooooo true. as if they didn't already stand out enough, raising them alongside the velaryons that they're usurping is ridiculous.

i really don't understand the people that are saying that rhaenyra is a good ruler because she managed dragonstone. dragonstone is a little island with a couple of villages surrounding it. you can't possibly compare it with ruling SEVEN KINGDOMS. (and even dragonstone turned against rhaenyra in the end, but i digress) rhaenyra thinking she's prepared to rule shows just how clueless she really is (she even says in ep 8 she doesn't know anything about ruling a kingdom lol)

i don't think that rhaenyra's decision to marry daemon was necessarily politic. i mean yeah he's a dragonrider and a soldier, but his loyalty was never an issue because he would never never never NEVER side with the greens (aka otto). the marriage def did more harm then good for rhaenyra, and the main benefactor was daemon.

[the-hufflepuffle]

Okay so this post has spoilers for House of the Dragon, so scroll on if you don't care or don't want spoilers

Okay so I love cinematography, and looking into deeper meanings of small choices the writers, directors or actors choose to add to give the characters and story depth and House of the Dragon is a GOLDMINE. Especially episode 9 and 10.

I wanna talk mainly about the coronations of Aegon II and Rhaenyra. And the crowns.

Aegon first:

Aegon has shown time and again he was not raised to be a ruler, because his father held to Rhaenyras claim. Because of this, he was held to very little responsibility and even less consequence for his actions. This goes for Aemond as well, though it seems Aemond recognized the weight of the name Targaryen and like he said, studied the histories and philosophies.

Aegon is a drunkard, a rapist and a negligent father and husband. He cares for no one because he believes no one cares for him. This is shown when he asks Alicent "do you love me?" On the way to the Dragonpit. Aegon has never been shown the love he craves so much, until the crown of the Conqueror sits on his head and the masses cheer for him, because he was not raised with Alicent or anyone's love, but his mother's fear for his life and everyone else's assumption he will ascend the throne he has no interest in.

When the crown is sat on his head, they have to lean it back, almost to tilt it so it won't fall. The Conquerors crown is to big for Aegons head. This, to me, symbolizes a lot about Aegon.

1.) Aegon is not ready, or meant, to be the king. This is an obvious statement given what we know about him but the crown being so large on him it's tilted almost gives me the sense of a child in a crown to big. A child not ready or aware of the weight of that crown.

2.) Aegon is not Aegon. Despite what everyone says "he has the Conquerors name, his sword and his crown", Aegon is not the Conqueror. The Conqueror left large shoes for any Targaryen to fill, he conquered a continent and became its sovereign. The job of his descendants was to maintain that realm. Aegon is expected to be the Conqueror reborn, and that can be a lot for him to feel he has to live up to. More than his forefathers.

3.) Aegon is not Viserys. Viserys continued Jahaerys reign of peace and stability. And both kings, especially to a boy, left roles to fulfill he wasn't trained for. The crown doesn't fit him,perhaps because he isn't meant to wear it or any crown.

Now onto Rhaenyra.

Viserys named Rhaenyra his heir, and the future queen when she was 14 in the show and 8 in the books. We knkw that Viserys died at age 52 which means he had between 30-45ish years he taught Rhaenyra how to rule. How to be fair and just, while still commanding respect.

This is evident in Rhaenyras children as well when you watch Laenas funeral. The greens are busy being bored and blowing mouth bubbles, fantasizing about their sister, or playing on the dirt. No disrespect to Helaena I love her she deserves better. However Rhaenyras children are solemn, showing the proper respects and understanding that while they are also grieving the death of Harwin Strong, especially Jace, they put the needs of Daemon and his daughters ahead of their own.

When Rhaenyra is given Viserys crown at the funeral of her and Daemons stillborn daughter Visenya, it fits her perfectly, resting where it rested on her father and on Jahaerys before him. This demonstrates much about Rhaenyra as well.

1.) Rhaenyra was prepared to rule a kingdom. Viserys had named her his cupbearer, so she was on the small council meetings and could observe what happened and how these meetings presided. She was taught and reared by Viserys to fill this role and continue the generations of peace in Westeros, and we see this in episode 10 when Rhaenys explains the state of the war room to Corlys.

2.) Rhaenyra is the rightful heir. The crown that Viserys wore was Jahaerys before it was his, and now it's Rhaenyras. The crown fitting perfectly symbolizes that maybe not just Viserys vision for Westeros woukd be continued through her but Jahaerys legacy will continue as well. Even in episode 10, it was Aemond who officially started the war. Until then Rhaenyra had planned to be diplomatic rather than war waging which Dameon would have wanted.

3.) Rhaenyra is ready to rule. Viserys death was something people had been prepared for for years, but as someone who was prepared for a death since the fifth grade onky for it to happen 4 years later, no amount of preparedness will ready you for the pain. Rhaenyra really only had Viserys for much of her life, and the crown fitting to me symbolizes that not o my is it time for her reign, but that she is ready despite the grief.

All in all I loved house of the dragon and can't wait for season 2. Let me knkw what you think, I'd love to have a conversation!