#Daeron the daring

[tidetower]

The Prince of the Hightower and the Heir to High Tide

Artist: erchitos

[simplynotcapable]

listen to me: prince daeron “the daring” targaryen is one of the most moral people in the dance (by targaryen standards)

barring jacaerys, baela and rhaena, helaena, and the children—daeron is the ONLY moral character in the dance. there’s probably commentary to be made here of how he grew up outside of his mother and grandfather’s influence, but we aren’t talking about WHY he’s a good person just that he IS.

comparatively, we have:

Aegon II: a drunken, usurping rapist who paraded a dragon’s head through his city

Aemond: a mass murderer who at the very least coerced Alys Rivers into engaging in a romantic/sexual relationship with him

Daemon: Blood and Cheese, killed his wife, penchant for teenage girls, the entire Laenor situation

Rhaenyra: Blood and Cheese, the entire Laenor situation

Rhaenys: slaughtered HOW many innocent smallfolk in her grand escape

(very quickly: do not argue with me that Aemond/Alys is some grandly tragic love story or that he’s the victim because she’s older; he murdered her entire family in front of her, and a yes is not a yes if no is not an option)

(very quickly: WHAT do you think would have happened to Laenor if he told Daemon and Rhaenyra, who have just gotten into their heads that they can finally have what they wanted all along, that he isn’t going anywhere?)

(very quickly: i will never believe that book!Rhaenyra had no idea that b&c was going to happen and until the show settles it this summer, i am not going to believe that show!Rhaenyra is innocent in it either)

And then there’s Daeron, who admittedly does commit mass murder.

But this is Daeron’s only real crime.

And, I mean.

Maelor was torn apart by a *mob* of people. This was not a death that Daeron could say “okay this singular person is responsible” because so many people had a hand in it. There was no way to punish the singular person that killed his nephew because a singular person *didn’t*, and there’s no way to only punish the mob because how do you pick out the two dozen people from an entire town?

Sure, Lady Caswell says she executed them all, but she’d have every reason to lie about it when faced with Targaryen wrath. If she didn’t find them all, or if she really has no idea if the people she hanged are the right ones…why would she ever admit that to the Greens, who are rightfully enraged? And so why would Daeron believe her?

Was it right for him to exterminate Bitterbridge?

No.

But Daeron lashed out in his grief over what, in my opinion, is one of the most brutal deaths in the Dance.

He lashes out at the place that holds all the people who did it, even though he can’t pick them out one by one—or, at the least, the place that created these people, the place that spelled his nephew’s death. These people killed him. Daeron kills these people.

Is this misguided? Yes.

Is it an overreaction? Yes.

But he’s also an 18 year old boy with a pet nuke whose toddler nephew was torn limb from limb.

The other Targaryen atrocities involve the knowing and intentional harm to people that the perpetrator knows is innocent of any wrongdoing against them— Rhaenyra and Daemon having Jaehaerys killed after Lucerys’s death, Aemond burning the Riverlands and massacring the Strongs, Rhaenys causing the death of dozens of smallfolk while escaping, Aegon constantly harming those around him—but Daeron’s atrocity is aimed only at those he blames directly for his nephew’s death.

Is the entire town responsible? Of course not!

But, as misplaced as the blame is, at least Daeron is punishing the people/place he blames for his grief instead of intentionally seeking out people who are completely unrelated to the crime.

It isn’t right. But I understand his actions more than I do most other atrocities that take place during the Dance, and I don’t think it’s enough to paint him into the horrible monster that a lot of people do. And being as he’s actively described as gentle and chivalrous and Bitterbridge is his only terrible act…

My son is a good guy who did his best and deserved better than what he got

[aggloomy]

[ophelieverse]

because where tf is him HBO?!?!?

[paintb0x]

🪷 daeron 🪷

[ra-horakhty-art]

Alicent and her children.

[pookiebearsnookumsalicent]

"You shall receive the same terms you gave my nephew Maelor."

Daeron the Daring and Prince Maelor

[marshsano]

the idea of daeron targaryen showing up in season 2 like “MY FATHER WAS SICK???” is so funny to me. like little dude was literally unaware of everything. living his life in peace when the rest of his family decided to usurp the throne.

“AEMOND LOST A WHAT???”

[cruciomee]

Team Green Dragon Hatchlings

[fragileheartbeats]

out of all of King Viserys’ children, Rhaenyra is obviously the most qualified/most competent to sit the Iron Throne. There is no question about that.

Excuse me what?😂 Are you fr? If yes can you please give me a reason why she's the most suitable to sit on Iron throne? Because she's rightful heir? I'm sorry but that's not good enough. We have many Targaryen rulers and they were rightful heir, but you know... they fucked up, so it's not a convincing reason.

Actually she was the only one who wasn't suitable to sit on iron throne. Like we literally saw that, she fucked up so bad in half of a year that even her sons didn't denied what she did and literally there's no Rhaenyra after her, she was a disgrace for her future generations, that's says alot.

She was so bad that she was kicked out, people were tired of her. And then Aegon come and gets everything under his control in like a week while he was physical dead.

The funniest part is that all of green kids actually have something that make them more suitable than Rhaenyra.

First we got Aegon, he's brave, resilient, determined, he's smarter than Rhaenyra, he's protective and he's mentally the strongest and unbreakable. He survived the worst things and still continue. He was literally unbreakable, even towards the end of his life he gained the strength to walk, hardly but yes.

Then we have Helaena. She was a lovely and kind woman, she claimed one of the most badass dragons in the history when she was a kid, she was so loved that people literally gone mad after her death, that's say a lot about the difference between Rhaenyra and Helaena.

Next is Aemond. Smart, brave, a dangerous fighter and he have the biggest fucking dragon that he claimed when he was a kid. Do I need to say more?

And finally Daeron. Oh lord, this guy was smart as fuck and he was the most dangerous even though he was the youngest, he's also brave and loyal to his family. And people actually liked him. He was a fairly kind, clever, and humble guy. Definitely the best among Viserys’ sons.

Now what does Rhaenyra have that makes her comparable to them? What does she have that make her better?

Her age? The fact that she's first born?

Well that's just another reason why she don't deserve to sit on the throne, because she was heir since she was 8 yet she never fit into her position as one in so many years (25 years).

On the other hand Aegon never was heir so he never tried to fit but we see how in a short time (2 years or shorter) he grows and fit his position as king, we see how he live up to his title.

I'm sorry but even the fact that she's first born make her more pathetic.

This amount of delusional is not normal. I'm telling y'all.

[aifsaath]

The Portrait of the Future King, a bigger version to be found here

Baela’s first thought, absurdly, was that the king looked much the same as he did now, even though that was only partially true. Young Aegon in the portrait was not thin, but he was a bit leaner than the king was now. His hair was shorter too, chin length rather than the shoulder length locks he now wore. And of course he was not scarred, not even a little bit. He stood straight, but not tall, nearly a head shorter than his brother, but taller than his sister. He wore a rich red tunic embroidered in gold thread at the collar and cuffs and belted at the waist. One hand rested upon his sister’s shoulder and the other rested upon the pommel of his sword. Curiously, there was a green glove on that hand. His sister was similarly clad in red, and the pair of them stood in the middle, a brother standing sentinel on either side. The one standing at Helaena's shoulder she recognized easily as Aemond One-Eye, and the other, standing beside Aegon, must have been Daeron, although Baela had never met him before. The boys wore deep green to their brother and sister’s red, and where Aegon wore golden rings set with red and green gems upon his fingers, and a jeweled chain draped across his chest, his brothers were dressed less ostentatiously. It was, Baela realized, a portrait of a future king and queen. - Our Fathers Clad in Red, Chapter 6 (by me & @gwenllian-in-the-abbey)

Alas, yes, the long awaited portrait / political propaganda is here!

Because there is no way the greens wouldn't use the most obvious religiou symbols and bloodline claims of kingship too.

@lemonhemlock @gwenndigo @branwendaughterofllyr @duxbelisarius @prodogg @theothermaidoftarth @alexandria-millie @maryonaccross @evabluepark888 @darylandbethfanforever9 @ara-meyy @calyssmarviss @tremendousandsonorouswords

[peters-lab-partner]

I love the argument of team black being a functional family as a reason to root for them instead of the greens, as if that's what makes the greens less likeable. The relationship between the greens is what makes them so interesting to me.

Aegon and Aemond don't like each other, but they'll still fight along side one another no matter what. Daeron doesn't have much of a relationship with his siblings, niece, or nephews, but he's willing to go to burn down a town in an emotional fit of rage for Maelor. Alicent's complex relationship with her children, especially with Aegon, and her father. Criston has been made to fill some sort of familial role, but can never do too much because of his station and the rules that go along with it. Helaena is obviously perfect and has a decent relationship with everyone.

They all care about one another but find it hard to truly express that, but when their backs are against the wall they'll fight together to save each other.

[bottlesandbarricades]

Daeron, when he gets home: I am sick and tired of never being included in this family. Never get an oh, Daeron Dad died. Hey, Daeron would you like to stage a coup against your half-sister? Sup, Daeron would you like to come to your dickhead brother’s coronation?

[thatscruelsummer]

quick alicole sketch (w baby daeron ♥)

[belladonna-kisses]

Nobody can convince me Viserys loved Aemma. I don't care what nobody says. I'm not listening. I don't wanna hear it.

And I know Aemma probably in the Seven Heavens fuming- cause imagine your husband murdered you for a son and then later on he gets three sons and neglected them.

HE GETS THREE OF WHAT HE MURDERED YOU FOR AND THEN NEGELCTS THEM!

Viserys deserved the slow death that he got. Infact, it wasn't slow or painful enough.

[the-loststone]

HotD Team Green Defense

The amount of people who fail to grasp Team Green's perspective is honestly staggering to me. So many people are Team Black, maybe out of some (misplaced) belief that they are being feminists and advocating for female power, or something like that, and choose to ignore the very legitimate worries and motivations of Team Green. Admittedly, the show has gone out of it's way to villainize Team Green as much as possible, while victimizing Team Black, and deviating from the source material for this narrative. (I would tell them to be suspicious when showrunners do that because they did the same thing to Daenerys in GoT and everyone was surprised when she turned around and burned a city down in a rushed ending because the show never properly developed her arc.) Nevertheless, despite their efforts to make Team Green the less appealing side, if I had to compare motivations, Team Black is the more villainous.

So many people dismiss the fact that for Rhaenyra to secure her throne, she would have to kill her siblings. They write it off as paranoia of Alicent, or ambitions of her and Otto, that they are making excuses for Aegon to be made king instead of Rhaenyra. But that's just not true. These are very real likelihoods. Even if Aegon did not seek the throne, or he and his brothers decided to gracefully allow the succession to pass to Rhaenyra, it would never be peaceful. Just look at Rhaenys and how Corlys is still bitter and Viserys has been worried that they may come after him since she has a right to the throne. That's one of the main benefits in having Rhaenyra marry Ser Laenor was to join their claims. Or look at how worried everyone was of Daemon, and how he may seize power after Viserys. The only thing keeping him alive was his brother's love for him, the fact that their house was dwindling, and no one was fighting on his behalf over Viserys. So if there is every another claimant, it would be a great worry that the side in power may be kicked off by another claimant. And Aegon and his brothers are men, and just by virtue of having dicks, they have a better claim to the throne. All laws, precedent, and cultures in Westeros have male heirs before female heirs. The king's word does not change that. And note that the King only made Rhaenyra his heir over his brother. So technically, the King said "all my children first, including my daughter, then my brother." (Something already controversial because if it was accepted before, Rhaenys would be Queen and he would be nothing). But he never again made a statement for the lords after his sons births. He never reinforced Rhaenyra's succession as his heir outside the privacy of their own quarters. Alicent even said, let the lords come and decide, and make vows, and he and Rhaenyra reject it because they worried the Lords would choose Aegon.

Rhaenyra knows, to inherit without rebellions every few years from lords who are unhappy with her and want to supplant her with her brothers, she would have to kill her brothers and make sure there are no people who can contest her right to inherit.

And this is just Rhaenyra's succession. Now add in the fact that she's claiming illegitimate children as her heirs. Very obvious illegitimate children. Even if Rhaenyra managed to successfully inherit with no push back from anyone, and no one wanted to supplant her with her brothers so she didn't have to kill them then... well guess what, she'll have to kill them to secure her son's ascension to the throne. (And if she won't then Daemon certainly would). And then, even if she does kill all the Greens, then there's the issue of her legitimate children vs. her illegitimate children. Even if the kids grew up to love each other, someone may say, well the first three shouldn't inherit, let's put the legitimate ones on the throne. And then you have a completely different succession crisis.

Viserys' actions may seem to the viewers as promoting girl power and feminism, but that's not what's happening. He's being an abusive, neglectful shit. He's deliberately putting the rest of his children's lives in jeopardy, and even the Strong grandchildren he claims to love, because by keeping them in the succession despite their obvious illegitimacy invites people to contest that. And that's not to say he couldn't have taken steps to remedy this. He could have changed the rules so that succession passes to the eldest child, regardless of gender. But he didn't. He could have acknowledged that his grandchildren were illegitimate and forgiven it and legitimized them as Targaryens, but he didn't (conveniently usurping Valeryons - and people may argue that Baela/ Rhaena can still rule being married to Jace/Luke, but that's not the same as being able to rule in your own right, otherwise, why not take the offer for Rhaenyra to marry Aegon).

But since he didn't do any of these things, the only way to stop the Dance would have been for him to make Aegon his successor. Something that everyone would have been relieved by because it would have prevented war. But he didn't. And so, Alicent has to fight to keep her kids alive. The Greens have to push their claim to survive. Whereas, had Rhaenyra graciously backed off her claim, saying that yes, she had 3 brothers, and while they were younger, the laws and precedent are in their corner to inherit, then she would have lived. People wouldn't have fought for her claim if she hadn't pushed it. Nor would they fight for an illegitimate heir.

But some may say... Well Rhaenyra has more supporters. She does. She has the Velaryons and countless other houses backing her. So do the Greens. (the Greens have the wealthiest houses). But once it becomes a fight to throne, it's less about who has the right, and more about who can offer you the most. Notice the Starks and the Baratheons agree to fight because they'll get a wedding out of it (and the Starks because they'll have somewhere to send people during their current famine). The Vale because of the blood ties. The Lannisters because of past insults. Once it's decided to be a fight, it's never about who actually has a right to the throne, it becomes about who can give you the most so you can help them win it.

And this is what it really comes down to. Rhaenyra had a choice. She can back off, and her family can survive. Her brothers can live. Her sons will live. Or she can inherit, and her brothers can die. And she is perfectly willing for her brothers to die. And some may say that that's a very jaded view to take on Rhaenyra and she would never kill her family if she could help it... but it would be out of her hands. It would be necessary to protect her son's right to inherit and to keep away possible rebellions.

And you know, fine, that's okay. She wants to fight for the throne, more power to her. She can go after the throne and kill her brothers. But I don't think it's right that people say that she's the aggrieved party. She's not. She's the aggressor.

And that is why I'm team Green. Because Alicent is right. Just by living and breathing, Aegon and his brothers are threats to Rhaenyra. And this would have happened no matter who Viserys married. Sure people can be upset that Alicent married her bffs dad (something that only happens in the show because in the books, Alicent is 10 years older than Rhaenyra and they weren't close), but that doesn't mean her children should die because Rhaenyra is the preferred child. That doesn't mean the realm should be thrown into war because Alicent 'seduced' a widow. (And I say that with heavy sarcasm because Viserys is a grown ass man.)

And then there's the argument of who's the better house because of blood purity. It's a ridiculous argument and I'm honestly annoyed by people who are Targaryen purists and believe in the whole, dragon supremacy. Hightower is badass house. A lot of people don't realize that they've been around since The Wall and Winterfell were built (Bran the Builder built Hightower, commissioned by the Lord / King of Hightower). They've been around since before Targaryen's rode dragons. So spare me the ridiculous arguments of who's got the most Targaryen blood. If anything, Team Green is more Westerosi, you know, the country they are trying to rule.

In the end, the show will do what it does best, and disappoint you. Either they'll continue pushing this narrative of girl-boss queen and fail to show the complexity of the political situation that result from Rhaenyra's decisions. Or they might stick to the book and have a complex issue actually displayed and show both Aegon and Rhaenyra's descent into madness.

There are more issues one could delve into. Like the fact that Rhaenyra married Daemon. That either Corlys Velaryon has so much unhinged ambition that he's ignored deaths in his house to side with those who have literally murdered his family (cough cough Vaemond and Laenor) (and the whole Laenor excuse in the show makes no sense because no way in hell are Rhaenyra and Daemon risking that he's ever found and that their kids are declared bastards; it is much cleaner for them to do it like they did in the books and kill him) or there will be serious repercussions from the deaths of Velaryons and continued discussion of the succession of Driftmark/High Tide.

But that's the main summary of my thoughts. 👍

If you made it to the end of my rant. Thank you.