#also do not have sympathy for him unlike his children

[ilynpilled]

an interesting thing when it comes to evaluating intelligence in media with deep characters is that i think ppl tend of ignore the difference between a character genuinely failing to see something and purposely choosing to not see something. in asoiaf especially it is possible to see that a character does have all the information to come to certain conclusions, or whether they do have ultimately rational ways of viewing the world, we are in their head, but then there are different reasons as to why they act or think in certain ways. there is a difference between cognitive dissonance, characters that need a subconscious psychological wall put up to protect themselves from deep hurt and despair, and characters failing to connect certain dots due to inexperience or a blind spot or a genuine lack of critical thinking ability. there is a distinction between cognitive dissonance or self-delusion rooted in emotion and trauma etc. and a character lacking intelligence. for example the lannister siblings: they are all intelligent/clever/sharp in different ways, cersei absolutely is too, but they can be very insistent on trapping themselves in narratives or going against their own rationality (especially because the alternative would be soul crushing for them). i also like how intelligence in general is treated with nuance. there is a lot to intelligence. characters can be intelligent in different ways, and there are different types of intelligence. it is not something super rigid and linear.

[drakaripykiros130ac]

People are so insensitive when it comes to Rhaenyra’s situation. I have never seen so much cruelty directed towards a girl who was put between a rock and a hard place.

You all are acting as though Rhaenyra’s goal in life was to cheat on Laenor and undermine the Velaryons, her allies and her kin. She didn’t sleep around with the purpose of getting back at her husband and having children with other men out of spite (she’s not Cersei).

Rhaenyra was forced into marriage with a gay man and expected to produce heirs not only for the Iron Throne but also for Driftmark. So, an heir and a spare for House Targaryen. Another heir and another spare for House Velaryon. Four children (preferably sons) were expected from her womb. Good luck with that.

Let’s suppose that the rumors are true and Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey are not Laenor’s. Rhaenyra’s decision to have children with another man should be less criticized, and regarded with more sympathy. She couldn’t spend her entire marriage life to Laenor without having children. Her “suitable” options were these:

1. Remain childless and let herself, the Princess of Dragonstone and Heir to the Throne, be called barren.

2. Demand an annulment by exposing Laenor’s nature (confirming the rumors), and not only humiliating House Velaryon (her allies) but also putting the succession of Driftmark into question (since Laenor was Corlys’ only son and his chosen heir).

At a time when a faction of snakes was constantly nipping at her heels, either one of these options would have left Rhaenyra vulnerable at Court.

She took matters into her own hands and had children with another man. And not just another man. This was a man she could trust, her sworn shield, a man who cared for her and who would never betray her (it’s hard to find someone like that).

To claim that she should have chosen a Valyrian (as though the options are unlimited) is extremely superficial. For this to work, she needed someone trustworthy, someone who would not attempt to claim the children later on. We all know that Daemon would have been the best option for her. She loved him, he was Valyrian and her ally. But alas, with his own marriage and life away from Court, it wasn’t really possible. And I am not really sure if Daemon would have been okay with another man laying claim to his children (that is up for debate).

Rhaenyra preferred a man who was trustworthy over a man with the “correct” features. The chances were 50/50 that the children would look like her, and unfortunately, they didn’t. That’s that.

Laenor and Corlys accepted the situation, because they understood what it would cost them all if they didn’t. This whole thing was on their heads. They provided the heir to the throne with a husband incapable of reproducing. It was not Rhaenyra’s fault.

As such, the children were recognized as Velaryons by the father (Laenor), the Lord of Driftmark (Corlys) and the King (Viserys). And these are the only opinions which matter. No one can prove that the boys didn’t inherit Baratheon and/or Arryn genes. Legally, Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey are the sons of Rhaenyra and Laenor.

When it comes to the Iron Throne, it doesn’t matter who fathered Rhaenyra’s children, as long as they are hers. She is the ruling Queen. And we have no way of knowing how things would have gone down after Rhaenyra became Queen. Daemon had two sons of his own. He could have managed to convince Rhaenyra to acknowledge Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey as bastards and then legitimize them, since she has the power to do so. If the boys wouldn’t have been accepted by the Realm (unlikely), there is also the possibility that Rhaenyra could have decided to pass the succession to her and Daemon’s children. Rhaenyra had legitimate heirs who could have taken the throne after her death.

As for Driftmark, despite greedy Vaemond’s ramblings, the succession was just fine. The Velaryon line would have continued through the marriage between Lucerys and Rhaena.

Lucerys had the Velaryon name and Rhaena had the Velaryon blood. Their children would have had the Velaryon name and blood. Problem solved.

People need to stop acting as through Vaemond was some sort of crusader, demanding “justice” for his House. He was just as much of an upstart as the Hightowers and he wanted to take Corlys’ power for himself, and so he took advantage of some rumors to discredit Rhaenyra’s children and advance himself.

Things are not black and white, and given Rhaenyra’s nearly impossible situation, exceptions can be made. And these exceptions wouldn’t have affected neither the succession of Driftmark nor that of the Seven Kingdoms.

[jedimaesteryoda]

Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow are somehow very much the image of their forebear Aegon V "Egg" Targaryen.

Egg is called the "Unlikely" for a reason. He was the youngest son of the youngest son, the trueborn grandson of Daeron II furthest from succession, yet he managed to become king. Daenerys likewise is a girl and an exiled, dispossessed royal with no lands, wealth or swords to her name at the start of the series, and by the end of the first book, lost her khal with seemingly nothing left. Yet, she manages to hatch dragon eggs and build an entire kingdom and army from the ground up. She is the exiled prince played straight. Jon is the supposed bastard son of Eddard Stark who joins the Night's Watch, yet he manages to rise to Lord Commander and could possibly become a king by the end of the series.

Jon and Dany both can relate to Egg with regards to relationships with his brothers. Daenerys had to deal with a half-mad abusive older brother in the form of Viserys while Egg was terrorized by his own half-mad sibling Aerion, and in the end, both their fraternal bullies ended up dying by fire. Jon had a good relationship with Egg's brother Maester Aemon, his fellow black brother who counsels him like he did Egg to the point he gives him the same advice of "kill the boy."

In "The Mystery Knight," the dragon egg at Whitewalls is believed to hatch a living dragon but it refers to Egg's maturation as he is unveiled as the Targaryen prince while Daenerys hatches living dragons eggs which connects to her maturation and rise.

(Note: Daenerys and Egg make their egg hatching attempts after having tragically lost their sons and spouses. Eg g and Jon both burned down places with Summerhall and Mormont's tower respectively.)

Connections are also found with physical transformation and taking on a new humble identity as a disguise under which the young prince learns about the trials of those less priveleged. Daenerys goes bald after hatching her dragon eggs, signifying her transformation from a weak, frightened girl to a "true Targaryen" just as Egg shaved off his hair to signify his transformation from Prince Aegon to Egg, squire to the hedge knight Dunk.

Aegon took on the guise of Egg as the squire to the common born hedge knight Dunk as he stayed away from royal court traveling the countryside. Daenerys grew up away from royal court in Essos always traveling from place to place while Jon (unwittingly) hides his Targaryen identity posing as Ned Stark's bastard son and rode with wildlings, associated with the smallfolk of the Night's Watch. Both Egg's descendants' views were impacted by their upbringing as Egg's was. Egg's years among the smallfolk gave him more sympathy towards them or as he was called "half a peasant" just as Jon was called "half a wildling" for having ridden with the wildlings and his upbringing as a bastard gave him more sympathy towards the marginalized along with good teachers. Daenerys's past as abused childhood growing up in poverty who sold into marriage made her sympathetic towards the slaves and children, the most marginalized and least protected members of society.

"Why do the gods make kings and queens, if not to protect the ones who can't protect themselves?" -ASOS, Daenerys III "I am the shield that guards the realms of men. Those are the words. So tell me, my lord—what are these wildlings, if not men?" -ADWD, Jon XI

Put into leadership roles as Jon is elected as Lord Commander and Dany becomes queen as Egg was elected King at the Great Council, the two show solidarity with the downtrodden as Egg did.

They face frustration in pushing through needed popular changes in face of reactionary opposition up to and including rebellions. Daenerys liberates slaves and supports their rights against the slavocracy, but faces opposition in the form of the Harpy and the Yunkish coalition as Egg supported the rights of smallfolk and faced opposition in the form of rebellions by the lords. Jon pushes for reforms such as naming a former prostitute as his squire and allying with the wildlings, but faces opposition in the form of Marsh's faction.

Daenerys and Jon are Egg's spiritual successors as they try to make the world a better place, and deal with realities of ruling and leadership.

[vainilla-milk]

your little sister's first love feat. oikawa, atsumu, osamu, kuroo

tags: headcanons, established relationship, fem! reader, reader's sister is six years old

sinopsis: your younger sister finds her first love in your boyfriend after introducing him to your family and he started hanging around your home you try to spend time together without breaking her heart.

oikawa

When she saw your boyfriend for the first time she got hearts in her eyes, Oikawa has quite an affinity with children, only that your sister was too affected by his sympathy.

He likes to play with your little sister for a while to tire her out and then have the whole afternoon for you, after all there are few afternoons he has free from training.

She fervently believes that Oikawa is her destined prince and Oikawa believes that he is YOUR destined prince.

You love your sister very much even though you get to a point where it stresses you out too much that she is so invasive when he comes to see you.

One day Oikawa came up with the idea of introducing you to his nephew, the plan worked like a charm.

Now you can say that you finally have Oikawa all to yourself.

atsumu

Ok, Atsumu is undeniably handsome and unintentionally also captivated your sister the day you introduced him to your family.

He is not so patient with children although there are exceptions, with your sister he was quite gentlemanly but that only generated more attachment from her towards him.

During a dinner you invited Atsumu to, he almost choked on his tea when your sister suddenly shouts that she was going to marry your boyfriend.

"I want to sleep with him!" she whined several times where he went to sleep over with you.

You were tired of his attachment until it occurred to you to ask Atsumu if he knew of any children's sports clubs.

He quickly understood your idea and came up with nothing more creative than signing her up for a volleyball club for girls.

Ding dong

Your sister went from being in love with the blonde Miya to asking him to please teach her how to get better at volleyball.

How could he refuse that? At the end of the little practice he would lock you in his arms all night in your room.

osamu

Well, unlike Atsumu, Osamu does have patience with children.

He is so calm and gentle that even your mother encourages you to bring him home more often.

Osamu can better master the situation of your little sister's crush, distracting her by making cooking evenings which he also loves to do with you.

It turns out that cooking onigiris drained all her energy and consequently in the evening Osamu had all the time in the world to devote to you.

Although your sister was a bit more stubborn and tried to sneak in between the two of you.

Osamu remembered those classic legends his grandmother used to tell him and his brother and decided to tell them to your sister to see if he could get anywhere.

She was intrigued to learn about the famous red thread of destiny, although you also saw the bewilderment in her eyes when she learned that her first love already had his betrothed partner by his side.

kuroo

Your little sister didn't fall in love at first sight when you brought your boyfriend to the apartment where you live with your family.

The thing is, Kuroo was so nice and friendly to her that she gradually developed a crush on him. 

He didn't take her seriously, he even liked to be openly affectionate with you because he feels this need to show you off to the world.

Your sister didn't take it well at all that Kuroo had a preference for you....

Whenever he came to see you she insisted on being the first to greet him, she also intruded on your hugs because she was jealous of the attention he gave you.

It wasn't long before you were feeling frustration at not being able to spend time alone together.

Your mother decided to intervene when your sister made a move to kiss Kuroo making him quite uncomfortable.

"My boyfriend, not yours" you tell her jokingly trying to hide your discomfort.

One night you were both quietly cuddling in your bed when you heard your sister crying inconsolably, after your mother calmed her down and left her sleeping in her room she confessed to you that she lied to her and told her you were getting married.

Apparently the lie worked, she didn't even want to see Kuroo again.

"It's not that much of a lie though" you hear the black-haired man say. "Someday you'll be my wife."

You smile shaking your head slightly, Kuroo kisses your forehead and you both go back to your room.

[snarky-magpie]

My Black family headcanons. Possibly unpopular again, because I draw from canon a lot—look, power to everyone who chooses to disregard completely, but it hurts my OCD brain that grew up with the books. So. Here goes.

Orion and Walburga weren't as physically and magically abusive as the fandom makes them out to be. This is a big one. Possibly my biggest disagreement with fanon. That doesn't mean they were good parents at any rate. No. Just that they weren't physically abusive. Why do I think that? First, Sirius tells Harry many awful things about his family, but he never brings up being tortured, either by regular means or by magic. He does his best to paint his family as monsters and relay the contempt and hate he holds for every member of the Black clan (with a couple of exceptions). If his parents were abusive toward him, he wouldn't have hesitated to use it as further proof of what monsters they were. Second, he was allowed to decorate his room in Gryffindor colors and generally flaunt his differences, which once again suggests that his parents couldn't have punished him too severely for minor transgressions.

Any abuse going on was more likely psychological in nature. Arguably, this causes even more damage in the long run, and unlike physical abuse, it's not always obvious at first glance, or second, or tenth, which makes it particularly tricky to approach. And it's probably also the reason why fic writers choose to depict physical or magical abuse—it's just easier to describe and effective at gaining sympathy for the characters going through it from the readers. I think Orion and Walburga had strict rules for their children (they had to behave as befitted the children of the noble house of Black), and put a lot of pressure on them. Despite not being physically abusive, they would dole out punishment without mercy when the children displeased them. Withdrawing affection, depriving them of their favorite toys or activities, subjecting them to rants about their uselessness and insults, forced isolation, and so on. They were likely rather volatile, prone to going into fits of anger for no reason apart from feeling irritated with her children (Walburga) and cold and detached (Orion). Also, last but not least, they played mind games with the children, pitting one brother against the other. Lifting Sirius up when they wanted to punish Regulus, and vice versa. Which brings me to my next point.

Sirius was the favorite son, until the Sorting at least. Yes, he himself mentioned Regulus was the favorite, "a much better son" according to his parents, but the thing with abusive parents is that they often pit one kid against the other and thrive on their misery. Handsome, brilliant, magically gifted Sirius was everything the Blacks might have wished from their heir. Until, of course, his infamous sorting into Gryffindor, where he was influenced by muggle-borns and, most notably, James Potter, the known blood traitor. From that point onward, Regulus became the preferred child, but rather out of necessity than choice. If we're to believe Harry, Regulus wasn't as handsome as Sirius (and as generally brilliant). We have no clue about his magical prowess or intelligence, although the fact he discovered the truth about Horcruxes points to him being clever. His parents visibly favoring Regulus and repeatedly telling Sirius that 'Regulus was the good son' were not necessarily what they actually thought. More likely, they were their misguided attempts at making Sirius see reason and bringing him back into the fold.

The brothers probably didn't like each other much. I know we all love fics where they love each other and have each other's back, but realistically, I don't think that was the case. Most likely, they stayed out of each other's way, which was easy since they were in different houses. It's not a stretch to assume that Sirius felt embarrassed (and possibly angry) about his Death Eater brother. Likewise, Regulus would feel mortified about a blood-traitor brother. Maybe over time, it would grow into something close to contempt, with his parents and his Death Eater pals whispering in his ear. Similarly, I don't think Sirius would blame himself for leaving Regulus behind or not helping him leave Grimmauld Place. At his core, Sirius is a character with strong morals who believes in personal accountability. So, according to him, Regulus deserved to reap the consequences of his decisions. (That's not saying he didn't mourn his brother or the potential of them mending fences in the future. Who knows, maybe he'd eventually realize neither he nor Regulus were to blame for their strained relationship and that the fault lay with their parents if he didn't die prematurely.)

Sirius would hate Jegulus (and I say this with love as a jegulus shipper). Once again, yes, I love fics where Sirius is a supportive brother and friend. I've even written a few. But in my heart of hearts, I don't think that would be Sirius' go-to reaction. Sibling dynamics can be complicated in the best of cases, with jealousy often playing a significant role. The Black Brothers are not the best of cases, and James belongs to Sirius. He is his best friend, his other half, the cornerstone of his new reality, and, in a way, his moral compass because James helped Sirius renounce his family beliefs. If James did a sudden one-eighty and started dating a person with a completely different worldview, not to mention a person close to Sirius, one belonging to the family James helped him leave, Sirius would see it as a profound betrayal of their friendship. He'd probably also feel disappointed in James and his sudden hypocrisy (because we know he loathed the Dark Arts, so for him to date a Death Eater would be out of character—which is why I love Jegulus, the inherent drama of it) and possessive over his best friend.

If you read the whole thing, I commend you :D Anyway, these are just my thoughts based on canon. Obviously, I'm aware fanfic exists for us to explore different scenarios, and they are fun to write and read. But sometimes (at least for me), it feels like it's too easy to drift too far away from what makes the characters, well, them, during these explorations.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Sunk Cost Fallacy by u/Apprehensive-Year513

Sunk Cost Fallacy Losing a parent or losing a child, both are unthinkable positions to be in. It is ironic: Harry’s fury about others grieving Diana’s passing juxtaposed to his acceptance of the Pat Tillman Award of which the namesake’s mother disapproves. Harry has used Diana’s passing as a get out of criticism free card that now people have stopped feeling sympathy for him. It isn’t the Royal Family’s fault or the tabloids that have done that. It is him. Harry went from being the favorite prince to the laughingstock the public has boldly rejected.Just when one thinks Harry and Meghan can't possibly top themselves. they still manage to do so. It's as if they are trying to make themselves unlikable on purpose. Which is wild considering they incessantly require so much external validation to function. One cannot claim the moral high ground of slaying media dragons while also destroying evidence in trials. No one condones phone hacking. However, when Harry speaks of it, people roll their eyes. Eventually, the villagers stopped giving credence to the boy who cried wolf. The lack of shame exhibited, for a disgraced prince to accept an award in an American hero’s name, after insulting the very freedoms said hero died to defend. “Bonkers” was the prince’s word. Meghan infiltrated the British Royal Family, telling them how they ought to function. She wasted no time denigrating the same family and the people of the UK. Harry moved to America joining organizations to change the way the citizen’s communicate. They do themselves no favors. No matter the reverberations, they never learn. These two have to flood the media with their faces to publications they know will be friendly to them. They cannot handle an ounce of constructive criticism. They say nothing when their fanbase attacks the elderly, cancer patients, and children. They shield themselves with veterans and humanitarian causes they clearly don't take seriously. They need the PR handouts of more famous people to supposedly vouch for them. They deflect blame, lie, and manipulate easily. Pat Tillman showed courage in the face of adversity. There is nothing courageous about a millionaire Prince who went to “find freedom” by fleeing a Palace to a mansion on a “freedom flight”. Harry has demonstrated his inability to solve personal problems, tell the truth, and handle people disagreeing with him. He has shown the world he possesses the qualities of a coward. He demonstrates no qualities of the British or American militaries. No one is impressed by this couple. Which they are incapable of comprehending why. This couple never changes their stripes. They will continue telling the world how repugnant they are all while trying to convince the masses of their superiority. Harry and Meghan are talented in one regard; never have two individuals torpedoed all sense of public good will at the speed and degree as they have. From a royal dukedom to royal fools. Their public ruination is all attributed to them. While lying about their families, they made it so everything they do is scrutinized tenfold. They win the award for making it so easy for people to mock them. It’s an award they truly have earned.  post link: https://ift.tt/ECe3v2M author: Apprehensive-Year513 submitted: July 17, 2024 at 03:51PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit disclaimer: all views + opinions expressed by the author of this post, as well as any comments and reblogs, are solely the author's own; they do not necessarily reflect the views of the administrator of this Tumblr blog. For entertainment only.

[lunarmoonanons]

Yandere Husbands prt 2

🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕  

Second and final part. Now I don’t know anything about most of these characters since I’m not a book reader, so I won’t be doing Doran, Arthur, or Gerald. 

🌕 🌖 🌗 🌘 🌑 🌒 🌓 🌔 🌕

  Aeys 2

x sister reader

YN was the twin of Rhaella Targaryen, but unlike her twin she and Aerys had gotten along quite well. She’d read to him as he practiced his sword stances, he’d talk on and on about his aspirations to be knighted, and they’d dream about their futures. YN did also get along with her twin Rhaella, the two having nothing but good things to say about the other. Rhaella was the one to tell her first about her love for Ser Bonifer Hasty, YN was certain that if they asked their grandfather he’d allow her to marry her love. But it wasn’t to last, as their father believed that the prince who was promised would come from Aerys and Rhaella’s line. Aerys protested, demanding that he instead marry YN and they at least liked each other. YN held her twin in her arms as Rhaella sobbed, her own heart slightly breaking. But she complied, they all did. Stefan and Tywin offered sympathies but insisted they must all do their duty. The wedding was a somber affair. 

After the disaster at Summerhall and the birth of her nephew Rhaegar, Aerys approached YN. Saying that he still loved her and wanted to be with her, but YN pushed him away. He was married to her twin and she would not cause undue humiliation to her sister by indulging in his desires, and besides she was betrothed to a dornish prince. Finishing off her rejection with “You have an heir now, let me go to have children.” But he would not. One day, Rhaella was found dead in her chambers, her baby crying out for its mother. YN suspected poison but had no proof. When the question of marriage came up, Aerys demanded his father marry his sister to him. It wasn’t until 262ac, when their father died did Aerys get his wish. Despite the protests from Tywin, Nobles, and YN. 

As king no one would deny him. YN was afraid of her brother now, doing her best to watch over her nephew, now stepson, for her sister Rhaella. The law by Queen Alysanne years ago made it so that the heirs from the first marriage would not be disinherited by the second marriage. For the first years of his reign Aerys had the sense to listen to his hand. YN was grateful for Tywin, being able to be the realist to Aerys grand plans and ambitions. Yet as the years went on, Aerys started to grow irritated at the sight of his wife being friendly with his hand. When YN was finally deemed pregnant, Aerys' paranoia grew. He wanted a healthy child. So he isolated YN from everyone, never letting her see the mistresses he took. One tried to slap away the moon tea offered, and Aerys strangled the woman to death. Eventually, Aerys' paranoia became very apparent. He was cocky and began to disregard advice from everyone, even YN. After her pregnancy, YN had given birth to a pale little boy Viserys lll, and he found himself in her bedroom not caring if she wanted it or not. YN’s nephew Rhaegar tried to defend her, but Aerys would slap the boy away. By the time Duskendale was stirring trouble, YN was forced to birth 5 children. Three of which were miscarried due to Aerys rough behavior with her. Tywin tried to step in once but backed away. YN was always grateful for him, but in the end there was nothing that could stop Aerys from having her. One morning after Aerys had been on top of her all night, he mentioned he was going to duskendale YN tried to say that it was a bad idea, but had unknowingly mentioned Tywin. She was met with a slap, he held her hair tight and kissed her hard. 

“You are my sweet sister. If you mention his name again, I’ll have his burnt corpse presented to our children as a warning not to get between us.” YN hoped he would die in Duskendale.

Cregan Stark

(velaryon reader, just imagine maybe Laenor was able to do it once, so YN is the fraternal twin of Jaec)

Usually First Men descendants did not marry non first men, but Cregan wanted no one but the daughter of the princess. YN was the twin sister to Jaecerys Velaryon, unlike her brother she had darker skin and white hair. Cregan was enamored with the girl, but her beauty was only one layer. She also had a mouth on her, and could beat him at his own drinking games. After a month of bonding the boys swore an oath of brotherhood. Cregan and YN met under the weirwood tree, swearing love vows to each other. When it came to the issue of allegiance to The Queen, Rhaenyra, Cregan swore to her on condition that YN stay with him and one day marry him. Jaecerys and YN seemed to agree, as long as YN could do her part for her mother in the war. Her dragon Alaxys was eager to fly in the air. 

During the Dance, YN flew point with her brother, and always returned back to the north. She seemed to like the cold more than the warm south. Her betrothed Cregan was always happy to have her back in her arms. He denied her almost nothing, except when she wanted to fight in the Battle of the Gullet and fly to Kings landing for her mother. Cregan had said no, practically holding her down when she ran for her dragon. He could not lose her. When she fought him, vowing that if he stopped her she’d hate him forever. At that he locked her in the warmest room, sitting outside the room hearing her sob and scream in agony. When the news of her brother's death came, YN screamed at Cregan calling him a traitor and a monster. But the death of her mother broke her, she became cold and angry. Stating to Cregan that she wanted to honor her oath, he was already planning to honor the north’s promise and took his betrothed south.

The hour of the wolf began with Alaxys landing in Kings landing with YN and Cregan on her back. The north remembered and the dragon burned with fury. Cregan spared no traitors, for the oath he held and for the love he had for his betrothed. YN was by her little brother’s side as Cregan delivered her vengeance. Alaxys burned the ones YN deemed deserving, Cregan took rest’s heads. When the hour of the wolf ended, YN was hesitant to leave her brother. Cregan reminded her of her vow to him, that they were fire and ice destined to be. She tried to reason that her brother needed her counsel as he was still a child, but his fingers dug deep into her arms. Vowing that he held no mercy for those who broke their oath. With much resistance, Cregan took her back to the north. Alaxys had spent so much time in the cold that she did not feel comfortable in the warmth of the south. They were married as soon as they returned north. It was a tumultuous marriage, full of love and fights. Sometimes YN would blame him for the death of her family, stating that he prevented her from saving them. He would lock her away in their rooms during those times. Eventually Cregan would not let others see her. They even had to fly together, as YN was not allowed to be in the air alone. Cregan enveloped her whole life, but the north remembered their vow of love, and he would not let her break it. She was bound to ice. 

Rickard Stark

(Now I don’t know much about him other than the wiki stuff so please be kind)

YN did not notice the possession Rickard had for her. They were happily married for a long time, she gave him several children. During the time of Aerys ii reign, YN grew more fearful of the south. Not trusting that the Targaryens would keep away from the north. Her fears were proven to be true when the prince had stolen their daughter Lyanna. She begged her son Brandon not to venture south to retrieve her, but he was a Stark and he was loyal. The news of her son's imprisonment caused a great fury in her. The King in response, asked for her to come to the south. 

Rickard wouldn’t let her go alone, so he placed the maester in charge as they both traveled down south. Once at the red keep, Rickard kept to the shadows as YN pleaded for the release of her children. The king put on the image of listening, but instead just stared at her body. He requested to meet her later in his office chambers, against her better judgment she did. Her husband hid in the shadows the whole time. 

As soon as Aerys inevitably moved to assault her, Rickard emerged from the shadows and cut him down. The shocked shouts of his wife were drowned by his fury as he repeatedly brought the sword down onto his body. Damn his honor, his wife needed defending. YN tried to pull him off, but he pushed her away. When the king was unrecognizable, Rickard turned his blood soaked face to YN. She stepped back as he stepped forward, eventually she hit the bed shaking as he towered over her. He took on that bed, his own mad eyes shone with lusty glee. Adrenaline drowning out YN’s cries. He would be her king forever. 

Eddard Stark

YN was Ned’s Second wife. Catelyn had passed giving birth to Sansa. YN was Ned’s first love, even if she did not view him that way. Her place was in Starfall, in the warmth of the south. But when Ned asked for her hand and YN refused, he locked them both in her room. He never laid a hand to her, but he went on and on about how she was abandoning him. That his children already had to grow without a birth mother, was she that cruel to deny them a second chance. He would have none but her, and if she would not have him then he would die. Did she want that? For his children to be fatherless as well? For him to die?

YN was broken down to eventually agree. So she was taken from her home to the cold north. She wanted to meet the children first but Ned spirited her away to their shared room. Not wasting any time to bed his lady. Once he was certain she was to carry his seed, he allowed her to leave the room. The children seemed uneasy around her at first, but her calming nature was like a balm to their grief. Unlike Catelyn before her, YN also included Jon in all her activities with the children. Of all the children Jon grew the closest. He looked so much like Ned, that Ned would seem overjoyed that the two were bonded. 

Eventually YN got pregnant, the baby draining so much energy from her. But little Arya was so worth the wait. YN thought that since the baby girl drained her so she could rest a bit before another. But Ned wouldn’t have that. He wanted her pregnant almost always. After Rickon, YN begged to be given rest but he called her heartless to deny her children siblings. That she was preventing new life from being born. YN’s life mostly consisted of being pregnant and barefoot. When the King arrived to call for Ned, YN hoped he would take a position as Hand but he denied him. The queen pitied YN, and mused to herself that maybe her marriage was not as bad. Pregnancy after Pregnancy, YN Dayne was exhausted out of life. 

Stannis Baratheon

(I’m not a fan of this guy so don’t expect much)

YN was married to a much older man. Stannis had already had a child, so YN believed she was in the clear for having children. But his red priestess told the would be king that their child would be a champion of light. One night YN was met with the image of her towering husband. SHe tried to ask him to leave, but Stannis grabbed her and forced her on the bed. Telling her it would be alright, that their child would be a champion, all the while ignoring her cried to stop. When it was over he rubbed her stomach and promised that their baby would be stronger than him.

Oberyn Martell

YN did not believe that a her, a Lannister, would be betrothed to Oberyn Martell. A staunch lannister hater, and a sexual fiend if you asked her mother. But her uncle was Tywin, and he had final say in the family. So she was sent south. 

Oberyn promised that he would be a gentle husband. That he did not blame her for the actions of her uncle, but the stares of the others could not calm her fears. It was like they either pitied her for her situation, or only glared at her blonde hair. Oberyn's children all flocked to her, sweet and kind little things. YN decided to make her situation as best as she could. Her husband had copious lovers, maybe she could find one. She tried to tell Oberyn.

“If you wish to be false to me, I will kill any man or woman who looks your way.” He whispered to her, holding her shaking body. “You are mine now. If you want me to get rid of my infidelity, fine. But I will not let another Lannister bring pain to me. Even If I loved them.”

Tag list:

@gulnarsultan

[sapphic-agent]

Can you please get into how much the fandom demonizes Rei? Like, I’m not disagreeing that she wasn’t the best mother. But people really turn this woman (who is financially, socially, AND emotionally dependent on her husband and Clan!) into some abusive mother who WANTED to burn Shoto’s face! When it’s obvious that she was begging her mother to take her away from the house because she was too stressed out from Endeavor’s influence and Touya’s death!

I don’t know, I just think she’s not a perfect mother, but nobody can be a perfect mother. She clearly did her best with what she had, and who would’ve believed her if she said Endeavor was an abusive husband and father? The police? Other heroes? No! I bet Endeavor would’ve claimed that SHE was the terrible parent and that she was suffering from PPSD (which, she probably was, four kids, two of which were born when Endeavor started getting obsessed with overcoming All Might? She definitely had that) and she would’ve ended up in the hospital no matter what.

Let's talk about it😈

So I was actually skimming through the manga where Shoto mentions this. He says that his mother was pushed and pushed by Endeavor until she just broke. And I love this because Shoto understands that his mom was in a shitty situation and never intended to hurt him. Unlike this shitty fandom, he's aware enough to see who was the abuser and who was the one who made a mistake.

Let's go over Rei's past for a minute. She:

Grew up in an environment that was at the best neglectful and at the worst abusive

Was sold like an object (and yes this is canon, the Himura Clan canonically sells their children it was a forced marriage, not an arranged marriage)

Married Endeavor and had Touya at 18

Already, she was dealt a shitty hand. Endeavor is also four years older than her, so he was 22 while she was only barely an adult. Even outside her being bought by him, there's a huge power imbalance here. Even if he was polite and nice in the beginning, she was at a major disadvantage in their "relationship."

One of my gripes with Horikoshi and the later parts of the manga is the retcon of the Todoroki past. How Shoto tells the story and how it's portrayed later are very different.

In Shoto's version, Endeavor hit Rei for defending him from Endeavor. In the Touya flashback, she tripped. In Shoto's version, Endeavor only saw his children as means to an end. In the Touya flashback, he's portrayed as caring about them. In Shoto's version, there's a menacing and villainous aura surrounding Endeavor. In the Touya flashback he's portrayed normally.

And this is done to make Endeavor look more sympathetic. Which is bad not only because he was an abuser who doesn't deserve sympathy, it also antagonizes Touya and Rei in the process.

(People could argue that Shoto's love for his mother and young age make him an unreliable narrator. But to me this is dismissing the victim. Shoto might have been young, but he recalls enough to tell it in excruciating detail. It was a huge part of his life and writing it off like that does him a disservice)

So there are two instances specifically that people demonize Rei for.

1. Shoto's Burn

Now this is the one that is her responsibility. My thing is though... No one ever said it wasn't? Least of all Rei herself. Once she saw Shoto again, she immediately apologized. During the event itself, she realized what she did and broke down and tried to fix it. She also spent 10 years in asylum paying for what she did (which is more consequence than Endeavor faced btw).

The thing no one seems to acknowledge about this is that this didn't come from nowhere. She didn't do what she did out of cruelty or hatred towards her son. She did it because Endeavor had abused her to the point of insanity. To the point where even seeing them in her kids' faces caused her to have a complete mental breakdown. Which is understandable due to the physical, verbal, financial, and sexual abuse he was putting her through.

You know, there's an irl story like this. A woman was suffering from severe PPD and other mental issues after having four kids I think it was. Doctors and everyone repeatedly told her husband that she souldn't have more kids. He didn't listen (I'm not sure if SA was involved here but I'm inclined to believe it was) and they continued to have more. Eventually one day she snapped and killed her children.

PPD is seriously dangerous when it's left untreated, even worse when that isn't the only thing going on. Rei was no doubt suffering from the ramifications of that, but on top of everything else Endeavor out her through I can't believe she didn't break earlier.

2. Touya's Situation

It baffles that people find it in themselves to blame Rei but feel sympathy towards Endeavor over Touya.

Because on top of every instance of abuse I mentioned above, Rei was also taking care of four kids completely by herself. That would be hard even without her own and Touya's mental issues.

From the manga panel I provided, she was the only one between her and Endeavor taking Touya's mental well-being seriously. She knew how having more kids would affect him and she was right. She was the one who had to deal with Touya lashing out when Endeavor ignored him (which also contributed to her breaking down and burning Shoto due to Touya emulating Endeavor).

Rei is a character who's been judged so unfairly. Partly because Endeavor fanboys, partly because Dabi/Shoto fangirls, and completely because of the misogyny that runs rampant in this fandom. She deserved so much better.

I have a fic giving Rei the justice she deserves if anyone's interested. It features my OC who happens to be Rei's quirkless younger sister. Give it a read if you want

[pawthorn]

So, I’m now seeing takes that the Princesses in Neverafter actually have a good point, and after we just went through this with Asmodeus in Calamity and Ludinus in Critical Role, I gotta say…

There’s a difference between being sympathetic and ethical.

There’s a difference between being sympathetic and ethical.

Asmodeus was sympathetic. He was also a murderous, manipulative, hate-filled liar who wanted to destroy every mortal in Exandria.

Ludinus is sympathetic. He brings up reasonable questions about the worthiness of the gods. But he has also been the benefactor of the suffering of others, of children under the protection of the Assembly under his protection, for years. He stole items of extreme cultural importance to the Kryn, propagated misinformation about them, and was the catalyst of war with them. He is the ultimate force behind almost every murder and act of violence in Campaign 3. He is not right.

The Princesses are sympathetic, but their goal is to destroy everyone and everything. The same as Null in The Unsleeping City, Volume 2, in fact, yet I didn’t see much sympathy for Null, or for Tony Simos for that matter.

And I wonder if people fall into siding with these villains because of the Marvel villain paradox.

Because Marvel saw people’s response to Killmonger in Black Panther and decided to make every villain sympathetic. But a key to Killmonger's appeal was that he was cleverly written, sympathetic while still being incredibly violent, carrying the violent teachings of the CIA and applying them to the entire world. And T’Challa’s response to Killmonger was not to reinforce the status quo at the movie’s end, but to tell those that came before that they were wrong and take steps to make real change.

This is contrasted by the Marvel villains who come after, who are sympathetic, care-giving to their communities, revolutionary, but whoopsy, they do some murders (often completely out of character) so the hero stops them and says something about change while restoring the status quo.

Which is frustrating and lazy writing and not what’s going on in these actual play shows.

Ludinus has been rotten from the start. We know the kind of person he is from his previous actions. And we know that, like most power-hungry people, he’s a huge hypocrite. Because the change he wants to see, where the gods can’t directly influence people at their whims? We’re already there. The gods are behind the Divine Gate. The Calamity is over. They cannot strike cities from the sky any longer. His brighter tomorrow is a lie, and his true goals are known only to him. (Also even if his goal was as he said, it’s a nuclear option, and things like that always affect the powerless and oppressed more than they ever affect the most powerful.)

The Princesses are also hypocrites. They lament their lack of agency, but they steal that agency from others. They always intended to kill the Snow Queen. They lied about their motives to the Baba Yaga, to their allies, until they had Rosamund alone. They stole the Book from Tim before the party did anything to disrupt or harm them. And if you don’t think that choosing non-existence for every being in the multiverse isn’t a breach of agency, I don’t know what to say to you.

And, unlike the Marvel heroes, Destiny’s Children specifically do not want to maintain the status quo. They’ve looked at the Fairies and the Princesses, and chosen not to side with either. It’s not as simple as one faction being right, though I know that would be comforting.

Anyway, I’m excited for what’s to come in both stories. I’m eager to see Ludinus’ real motives, and to see the third path that Destiny’s Children make for themselves.

[boxylocks]

Was it ever revealed why Arceus is so evil towards his own creations? Or is that still confidential information? Or is he... actually the good god?

If you want to learn more tidbits directly from their mouth I assure you will get a chance to speak to them on both Ask-North and Ask-Valiant-Victory. Though they will likely be more direct with their intentions on Valiant's blog.

Valiant will also be going into some of their behavior in a reply and ask, however, I should say Valiant might not be able to tell you everything he wants to tell you. Most things that come out of his mouth are extremely filtered.

If you want to know more truthful comments regarding everything Arceus thinks and has done to Valiant and others, Valor is your best bet. He's not going to sugarcoat it.

But, If you wanna hear it straight from my mouth full-on rambling style feel free to keep reading! I will gladly go into it more.

Regarding my most recent doodles, I should say they might be confusing to those who do not know what the deal with Valiant is but this is actually Arceus:

Their name is actually Temperance! As to why the hell was I addressing Valiant as Arceus: Valiant was partly made to relay messages so I'm sure you can maybe connect the dots >:3c

Onto the questions!

Question: Is Arceus actually a good god?

They're not a good god at all, everyone is their playtoy, something that can keep them entertained for a while and then toss them out when they become bored.

If you see them being addressed as a good or perfect god, always take it with a grain of salt. Arceus has and will do 'good' things but their intentions are usually self-centered and revolve around them getting some free entertainment.

Some characters you generally see praising Arceus and why:

North (Ask-North) - North was 'saved' by Arceus, so her view of the god is extremely biased and mislead.

Journey (Book-of-Legends) - Journey is a familiar this causes Journey to have a natural desire to admire their god. Journey also just has issues in general that cause them to view Arceus as the perfect being.

Valiant (Ask-Valiant-Victory) - Valiant is a familiar, he has a natural desire to admire his god, but unlike Journey, he is quite literally physically unable to say directly negative things about them. He also is still very much under the impression that Arceus is perfect and always right, its something Valiant genuinely needs to learn.

Question: Why Arceus is so evil towards their own creations?

Many reasons! But I will say, Arceus is typically only directly 'evil' to their followers and children. If you want to know all their creations here they are!

The only creation of theirs that Arceus is nice to is Valor, mainly because they very much want to get rid of Valiant. Again for their own personal gain.

But WHY? Are they so crude and mean to them? It's simple:

Much like their creations, Arceus doesn't have certain emotions: They cannot feel sympathy or empathy towards other living beings. Unlike Valiant it is not because they were deprived of having them, they just genuinely do not want them nor care for them. Any 'positive' emotions they do show are either stolen from someone else's personality using a type of 'mimic' move or an act to get you to trust and like them.

Arceus is very broken and corrupted... Literally: They have been killed over and over by the other gods thousands of times. Due to the constant 'resets' and 'overwrites' of them, they are uh... broken. Their brains are a little fried.

They really just don't care about their creations: They're just toys to them honestly. Something to keep them entertained.

Now, why is Arceus so mean to Valiant? Many reasons as well!

They hate Valiant and view him as a failed project, especially when Valiant learned to talk and started learning how to disobey them. Instant failure, Valiant's beyond 'broken' in their eyes.

They find Valiant very annoying, and creepy. Valiant talks, he's not supposed to do that it's very weird, plus he craves their attention and love, that's like mega 'EW' to them. Valiant is an object, not a living being to them.

Valiant doesn't listen, why do you think they shoved a collar on him :'D It's because he started learning to disobey, it's very annoying having something that doesn't want to listen to you.

Valiant uh... reminds them a little too much of themself and they hate it. It's like looking in a weird mirror.

And the main reason issss! THEY'RE BORED OF VALIANT. Asking Arceus to have something as long as they've had Valiant is asking WAYYYY too much of them.

I hope that answers your questions!! If not feel free to ask for clarification, I'm more then happy to explain things that may seem confusing! 💖

~ Thank you for the ask!!

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

Was there any sense of sympathy in Talleyrand?

Both Fouché and Talleyrand were known to be ruthless traitors in their workplaces, but Fouché was known to have a soft spot for children, and was good with his two wives and made many sacrifices to secure a better better future for his family too.

What about Talleyrand though? Everything I read about him points only to self-profit and almost psychopathic behaviour, he never seemed to have any shred of humanity in him.

Not to mention how he would father illegitimate children and abandon them by never being in their lives.

(Wanting to end Napoleon's conquests after 1806 doesn't count as a sympathetic gesture. It was more of a calculated move than anything, imo).

Well, I must say, you have come to the “Soft Spot for Difficult and Ugly* People” household. So naturally, I have a soft spot for Talleyrand.

(*Ugly in the sense of behaviour, choices, how they are in relation to those in their lives etc.) 

Warning - I ramble in this. It's not strictly coherent. Apologies in advance.

--

Now, I’m not as deeply familiar with him as I am with others - but he has always struck me as a man who is as hard to pin down in terms of his character, “what was he truly like”, as Napoleon. Which means I wouldn’t be so hasty to cast fulsome judgement on his character. 

Baron Pasquier described Talleyrand as a man whose colours were always changing and that the more he studied or sought to know Talleyrand’s character the less he understood it - and he knew Talleyrand well, so that’s coming from someone as close to Talleyrand as Talleyrand would let people come. This, though, demonstrates the difficulty of wanting to come to know someone who held so much close to their chest where what we have left are the things he wanted us to see. 

And the Myth of Talleyrand helps absolutely nothing! Like Napoleon, there’s this story people tell of Talleyrand and it’s not necessarily the entire truth of the man. And this story becomes entrenched and informs, even subconsciously, how people approach his biographies. Indeed, I would argue the view of him as a “ruthless traitor” is part of that very myth. (Of course, Napoleon himself perpetuated some of the earliest iterations of the Myth of Talleyrand for his own, rather obvious, reasons.) 

I do not doubt that Talleyrand had a ruthlessness in him - he was one of life’s survivors, of course he did. He was also born with a physical deformity that, at the time, was incredibly stigmatising (club foot) and viewed as bringing shame on the family. And even if the family is loving and do what they think is best (which may have been the case for Talleyrand - though I believe he had conflicting views on his childhood), broader society was certainly not always kind. Demformaties could be seen as a reflection of some sort of internal or spiritual wrongness or sense that something was fundamentally lacking with the person. (E.g., Hunchbacks were seen as cursed - don’t let them touch you, they’ll put the devil on you ← that kind of nonsense was an every-day belief and people would say it to your face.) 

And sure, he was an aristocrat from one of the oldest families of the nobility, which will shield a man from many things, but there is still no getting around the basic fact that being born a cripple was not an easy way to begin life in the 18th century. My read of Talleyrand is that emotional barriers went up early, along with a quickly developed sense of Let’s-Show-Everyone-They’re-Wrong-About-Me.

Anyway, I have diverged! Re: his personal motives for all his political manoeuvrings - I suspect it’s complicated. 

From my perspective, I believe parts of Talleyrand were, ultimately, serving France. Fundamentally, always, France. (Not unlike Richelieu, in some respects - it’s about France, not the man on the throne.) Therefore, if a regime change was needed to benefit the country he would do what he thought he needed to do to make that happen. Talleyrand himself certainly perpetuates this as his chief motivation - that he served loyally and faithfully France, which necessarily means that he could not always be loyal to the man in the metaphorical Hot Seat. 

People may disagree on the extent to which this is true, but for my part I think there was always a slice of Talleyrand that was trying to do what he thought the right thing for the broader nation. Which isn’t always the popular thing. 

At the same time, of course he had his more base motivations that were self-serving with the intent to secure himself status, wealth, power, influence and so on. And isn’t it more realistic to have a man who is in turns a flawed and ugly man at the same time as he is doing what he thinks is right for others than a simply one dimensional person who is only ever grasping and nothing else?  

The bit about sympathy I cannot answer. I think it’s hard for any historian to say with certainty that he had it, or to what degree he felt such feelings (though I’m sure many have opinions) - but I’m a bit of a softy and would like to assume he did. Even if it was well guarded, tightly controlled, and deeply buried. We know he called his daughter Pauline his “little Minette,” which speaks to some affection there.   Anyway, I would encourage everyone to look at any “obviously this is what that person was like” story we are told about a figure, a people, an event etc. and see if there are perhaps some nuances to be teased out. Talleyrand is certainly an example of this.

[eyesofanapothecarian]

I'd like to stop and take a few to talk qbout one of my biggest other compassion.

Firstly, the Book, Fire and Blood is very much different then HOTD.

In Fire and Blood, The Velaryon are not of African American decedent.

Not because this show is a promotion to BLM either, George R.R. Martin made the entire book to make you question the truth of Rhaenyra sons and the fact that it truly could go either way for her first sons legitimacy.

See in the book Rhaenys is half Baratheon.

And if you remember correctly from GOT Baratheon black hair seed genetics are extremely strong.

But so are Targaryens.

This is why Rhaenys is told to have split color hair of strips of black and white though slowly turning gray when mentioned.

Unlike HOTD.

Therefore Luce and Jace having Black hair is considered completely legit to start with though many don't believe.

There's also the sympathy towards Alicent and Rhaenyra relationship in the show.

As they once truly loved each other in the book no such relationship exists.

Alicent simply does not believe Rhaenyra to have been faithful to her marriage and her sons aren't Leanors.

Truly a call back to Ned Stark and Jon Arryn discovery of who Joffrey, Mrycella and Tommen do belong too.

Because of her child all come to be of Targaryen white haired.

Futuristically though we very well know any Baratheon blood in these children can result in Over lapping Targaryen features.

As well as Stark overlapping Targaryen features.

Also in the book Leanor does in fact die.

They don't help him flee with his lover to get out of his duties as Rhaenyra husband.

Matt Damon is very beloved but if you read the books before you seen him as Daemon you'd be greatly concerned with the red flags he exhibits towards Rhaenyra position.

It's believed he corrupts her to be the in charge of the iron throne and over turning her commands.

Though this is the true start of his corrupting her he does fall for her in the books which sets up their ending together with a horribly played and violent relationship.

In the book, Alicent is bitter because of the shows reason for her loyalty to the king.

And her father's lack of interest in her anymore.

When he see her attack they become a duo to be reckoned with like she wanted.

Because Rhaenyra was raised to rule by the king and he never showed Aegon how to rule this is why in show and book she has many victories and is seen to be the heroine that shows restraint and sympathy.

Alicent was only queen trying to put Aegon who had no interest in what he was supposedly born to as king.

This is why the greens torture and are easily the villians in the story.

Alicent never once spent time trying to properly make her children PROTECTORS OF THE REALM rather then just RULERS OF EVERYONE.

She doesn't care about the other parts of being top of the line she only cared for getting the top spot.

Daemon being unstable and the father to the only Targaryen children legitimate on the throne after the dance probably helped with the madness in their line.

I do feel sorry for Helaena her daughter.

As she is a seer abused her children slaughter and only tortured because she was born to who she was.

She spends the rest of the book insane mostly after her children's death.

Perhaps if Aegon the Second ever once had his father's attention and learned to be a true prince like Rhaenyra had been true princess the war would not have been so ugly.

He was never trained for it.

[crystalelemental]

Talking about the children of Omnicron reminds me, I never shared what my wife and I talked about after the Big Reveal: babysitting Solus.

Obviously this only works in a sort of AU situation where Solus isn't living with Ulrich, and the other children are free to move about, but just imagine Deena raising this kid herself, but getting busy with the guild work or dealing with the Kroma situation, and having to ask them to babysit. In priority order:

Ulrich is the obvious first pick. Even outside of being your father figure in-game, he runs an orphanage of human children. He knows what he's doing when it comes to kids. He's calm and reasonable, but firm. He's basically made for this role, and he takes it seriously. A bit of a stick in the mud sometimes, but the easy top pick.

#2 is Fenrir. He doesn't really like kids, but he at least does the job. A bit hands-off, and easily annoyed when Solus needs something, but he's still responsive even if he'll grumble about it the whole time. He just takes things too seriously to be truly lax with this task. And Nara's asking. That's his little sister, the next one in line, so there's a bit more companionship there. He can't really say no when she asks, even if he's bothered.

Nadine would be #2, given she's pretty reasonable and exudes fun wine aunt vibes. When she's in the mood for it, she's great. Not always a good influence, but she's the kind that teaches the important life lessons that go against what's typically taught, you know? And she is genuine with praise, when it's earned. The problem is, "when she's in the mood for it." Nadine also does not particularly like kids, and unlike Fenrir, is willing to refuse Deena whenever she just doesn't feel like it, and she often does not feel like it. She's not #3 by any personal failing, but rather, she's #3 under threat of violence. Even #3 is higher than she wants, but she does understand why.

Merida was supposed to be #2. Considering she has her Surfer-sona, you would assume she can be super sweet and upbeat and fun; all things kids would respond well to, right? She'd take them on adventures to the beach and everything! Who wouldn't love that? It worked out great until Merida decided hey, if this kid's gonna be a future Sovereign, they need to be the best in everything. I'm gonna teach this kid everything I know about volleyball. And it turns out the kid picks it up pretty quick. One comment about the game being easy while they were playing against each other, and Merida got Actually For Reals Angry. She is no longer considered an ideal choice, and is banned from playing volleyball with the child.

Zetta is not allowed to watch Solus. He wants to. God does he want to. He'll ask constantly about when Deena will ask him to help watch the kid, he's put together all sorts of fun uncle activities they can do together, exactly none of which are safe or appropriate for children. Deena just laughs it off as work being slow and not needing anyone, and he doesn't really question it, thankfully. He's just eagerly awaiting the day he's asked. Deena has honestly considered leaving the kid home alone before going to Zetta's.

BONUS ROUND: Metta is actually a pretty great babysitter. You wouldn't really expect it, given his disgust for humans and how connected to them Solus is, but he is nothing if not calculating and able to plan for the long game. Babysitting the future Sovereign of Monsters is an opportunity he can't pass up, and he can use that to undo Deena's attempts to imbue sympathy toward humans. He is trying to be a terrible influence. Solus will complain about a kid not sharing their crayons, and he'll be all "Typical humans, always taking what isn't theirs. What if there were no humans? What if you could have all the crayons to yourself?" And Solus, being a child, will be like "Yeah!" and run off to take the crayons. Unfortunately for him, when Solus does use force to take them back, the other kid starts crying and their empathy kicks in, and they're able to talk through the problem and be friends again. Inadvertently and despite his best efforts, he's a very effective conflict resolution manager. He hates it so much.

[chocxy-prince]

How would The First Generation react to the Neobeasts if they were…to fight per say? (beast ancient au by @cuppajj )

(this is hypothetical to say but i think to write how pissed off/sad each might be.)

content in the undercut

I’ve been kinda thinking about this a bit (but to also sponsor my own parents a little bit/silly)

Vanilla Bean To: Saint Vanilla: Rightfully pissed off. Who does he think he is? She had raised him so well, to not put himself above others, To not be selfish, establishing a cult surrounding himself and calling himself the only true savior to the cookies of earth bread. But she’s also quite sad. What could she have done. When she was born from sunlight and gold, She swore as the goddess of heaven and purity, She’s going to take this faker down, Even if it’s her own son. She cannot allow the people to deceived by a fake.

“You…HOW DARE YOU?! You have NO right to be vanquishing this poor innocent souls. You are not any saviour, or a god. You are a cult. You are nothing. I swear by the heavens pearl white clouds, you will die by my hand.” (internally sobbing inside because she doesn’t want to do this to her own baby)

White Cocoa to: Frigid Cacao

If you haven’t read the most recent part published of The Runaway series, You probably know how she feels already. Mixed feelings….shes upset, angry, confused. What could she have done? She wasn’t in control…He had locked her temple up and wouldn’t let anyone inside, even disciples of her old cause. Both evenly matched, old versus new… She ain’t going let him return her to his prison and continue being rogue.

“…my son…oh my boy…What happened to you….? When i was told you went rogue…I couldn’t believe my ears. But it is really true. How could you do this…destroy the history and cultures of people who were here before my time…during…” *a pause* “…If it is a fight you want, a fight by the true monarch and builder of the citadel you will get. Bring it on, Boy.”

Burnt Parm to: Celestial Cheese

He’s not entirely shocked, He figured something like this would happen, just not so soon. The old eagle and God Of Prosperity hopes to just talk it out and come to a solution..But he knows, Greed makes a cookie stubborn and unwilling to give up power. He will wrench it from her and save the people, and earthbread. He wants to return her to her former glory, unlike some of the others who may not have a choice…Maybe with her there is one…

“…oh precious daughter… the greed is not worth it…I would never wish to pull my own weapon, on the same cookie i loved, cared for…and baked…Im sorry it came to be this way, But I will do what i must.”

Cranberry Ale to: Dragonberry

Also pissed off. Well, He’s debating his feelings a lot. Well she was cocky, caring and loving in her younger years, it seems it’s caught up to her big time. His old trading capital from his pirate years turned into a ruthless dictatorship…This won’t stand. He knows she won’t budge without a fight, so he’ll bring the fight to her.

“It seems things have caught up to you…Maybe for your benefit, kid. But unlike the others…I have sympathy. I want you to change…I don’t want you like this anymore.” (if the talking out solution does work)

)if it doesn’t): “You seem to not understand the damage that you’ve reckoned upon the world, along with your little friends. I will put a stop to it, even if i have to put my hands on you.”

Wildflower Cookie to: Midnight Lily:

To be totally honest, he’d join forces with her and infact would help the neonates kill the rest: cocoa esp. he hates her guts. Keep Vb alive tho…that’s my wife.

“Perhaps we can join together and spread our ideas and fruits of prosperity to the world…Maybe the others don’t understand…”

(Divine Goddess is not included because she is associated with the republic, and therefore her children aren’t really an issue.)

[theerurishipper]

Isn't too much of a stretch to theorize that Felix could've been lying to Marinette about his abusive experience under Colt during the play in representation (at the very least exaggerating a few things) just to gain sympathy. Unlike Colt, we see Gabriel and Audrey abuse their children onscreen but for Colt, we only have Felix's play and speech in pretension as evidence. Also, the play reveals that Colt abused Felix since he was a toddler and we know his motive for abusing Felix is that he blamed Felix for his illness because Felix was a senti. So does that mean Colt got sick soon after Felix was born? Does that mean Emelie got sick when Adrien was very young. Could Felix be exaggerating about the abuse experience saying he was mistreated ever since he was very young or the actual truth was that he was abused when he got older when the effects of the damaged peacock miraculous got stronger? Or maybe I'm being stupid and that Felix being portrayed as a toddler was a metaphor for childhood innocence. Also, he said his father was 1000 times worse than Tomoe which I think was an exaggeration to earn sympathy from Kagami. I still think Colt was abusive but not as devil-like as Felix is making him out to be. I think Colt was slightly worse than Gabe . NOT trying to downplay his abuse ( Felix deserves a better father) but for it to be revealed that Felix was exaggerating and lying about a few things would make his character even more fascinating and will show that old habits die hard. These are just my opinions though. What do you think ?

I think Felix was being honest about his dad. I don't think he would willingly portray himself as a victim, since he seems to look down on Adrien for not being able to fight back. I don't think he's the type of person who wants to admit that he wasn't able to fight back against Colt (which is not his fault, to be very clear), so I don't think he'd say it if it wasn't true.

I think the reason Colt comes off as worse than Gabriel is because the show itself doesn't think Gabriel is abusive. So, they portray him in a more sympathetic light and give him more humanizing moments while the only thing we know about Colt is that he was an abusive jackass. I don't think that Colt is actually worse than Gabriel, because both of them do pretty much the same thing. It just feels to me like that point of Felix's play is to make Gabriel seem more sympathetic by making Colt out to be worse, and I don't want to buy into that narrative, especially since the show has shown us that Gabriel isn't much different. We know that he is perfectly capable of smacking his son into the Eiffel Tower and traumatizing him with the body of his dead mother to take advantage of him, so no, I don't agree that Colt is worse than Gabriel. I know that it's a really strange thing to fixate on, but I really dislike the way the show uses Colt Fathom to try to make us believe that Gabriel isn't a monster too.

As for the timeline, Colt supposedly got sick after using the Peacock Miraculous to create Felix, and Emelie got sick around the same time. Supposedly Emelie "vanished" first, and Colt died soon after. Gabriel managed to put Emelie in that pod thing before she passed away completely, but Colt died for real. Felix being portrayed as toddler is exactly what it says on the tin, that Colt used the Amok liberally to control his son's thoughts and actions, even when he was just a toddler (and I do dislike when the show pretends that this makes Colt worse than Gabriel, because Gabriel was doing the same thing. What's even worse is that Adrien has two Amoks, so Gabriel and Emelie were controlling Adrien's mind simultaneously. Shit is so fucked up and the show doesn't care if it means they get to push their "just a man who loves his family" agenda).

Anyway, Felix is definitely capable of lying and manipulating others, but I do think we're supposed to believe that Colt is exactly like he was portrayed as. It could have been interesting if he was lying, but I don't think that's the case.

Thank you for your ask!

[jeynearrynofthevale]

I really think making Aegon a rapist was a misstep by the writers. Like the actor said, making a character a rapist removes any possibility of real sympathy for them. There’s a reason they left that out of Tyrion’s arc in the show even though unlike Aegon, it’s indisputably book canon. I absolutely understand the need to place Aegon as flawed and not a good king and I don’t have an issue with that. But there are plenty of ways to show him as morally flawed that aren’t that.

I really think a good alternative was to show him with one of the mothers of his bastards. Maybe show them asking for money or help for their sick child and him completely dismissing it. That shows him as callous. Or show him with a pregnant mother of one of his children forcing her to leave the castle and not doing anything for her. Then you can have Alicent paying them to go away while also forcing them to be silent. There are plenty of ways to show someone as a bad person that don’t go as far as rape.