#but it could definitely be an incorrect quote

[theweirwoodfiles]

The Weirwood Files: Rhaewin (Rhaenyra x Harwin)

Subject: A defense of Harwin Strong and an analysis of his relationship with Rhaenyra.

I want my first real post to be a deep dive into the beautiful relationship that is Rhaenyra x Harwin, a relationship that team green considers shameful, while team black (mostly staunch daemyras), finds it shallow and boring. I believe both interpretations are incorrect, as even with their limited screen time together, Emma and Ryan managed to tell a beautiful love story, even in just the way they looked at one another. With a single look, so much was said without a word being spoken. 

One thing that Rhaewin has begun to get criticism for lately, is the idea that Harwin is no better than any other man in Rhaenyra’s life, that he too has groomed and taken advantage of her, that perhaps he is no “saint” as he seems to be treated by the fandom. 

The truth is, there is nothing within the canon to suggest this. The first moment we get between them is when we see Harwin giving Rhaenyra an encouraging look after she returns from killing the boar. Nothing here implies he is lusting after her. Instead, Harwin merely just stands out as being the only one at the hunt to look at her with admiration while everyone stares in confusion or judgment. 

The next two scenes we are given of them also definitely don’t have any hint of predatory behavior from Harwin. He runs into her after she snuck out with Daemon and presumably decides to keep her secret, and the one after that he carries her away out of the chaos during her wedding after being given permission by his father, the hand. 

There is no canon evidence to support Harwin groomed her. Grooming implies a pattern of behavior over time that we do not see from Harwin. He and Rhaenyra have no pre existing relationship before they conceive Jace, Harwin does not even put himself forward for her hand during her marriage tour. Harwin does not commit any predatory actions towards Rhaenyra. 

This quote by Sara Hess is the closest we have to an official canonical description of Harwin, and while granted, Hess has said her fair share of questionable things in the past, there is nothing in the canon that disputes what she said. 

“He’s one of the more unambiguous characters, he’s just a good dude. You don’t see him off doing morally questionable things, which almost everybody else is doing. They’re so flawed and human and messy. He was able to be a paragon of decency and generosity and handsome strength. He’s one of the guys you could just love and feel great about loving and then he’s ripped from you too soon, before he does anything that could fuck that up for you. He’s our perfect angel.”

With this settled, I want to move on to their actual love story. We know they did not have much time together before they conceived Jace, considering the timeline of events. What we can put together at least, is that Rhaenyra was in a vulnerable position with Laenor. After they tried several times to conceive and failed, she needed to secure her position quickly and found solace in Harwin, who proved himself to be one of the only trusted figures she had in court. 

The next time we see Rhaewin is after the time jump. They have already had two beautiful sons together and another has just been born. Despite this implied intimacy, they have to hide their affections, only able to give each other coy smiles and a playful line here and there. Harwin holds their newborn son and Rhaenyra looks at the sight with adoration, yet also a hint of sadness, as if she is thinking of a world where they could be open about their love. In the night, they are in each other’s arms and make sons, princes of the realm. Yet in the day, these stolen moments are all they can afford.

The next time we see Harwin, he points out Criston Cole’s lack of care in his son’s training. He attempts to teach Jace as distantly as he can, and it is very clear he is increasingly frustrated with only being able to go so far in his son’s teachings. In the end, Cole still provokes him, and Harwin unleashes his anger on him. All the pain and frustration of only being able to love Rhaenyra and their children from afar is let out in the form of this beatdown on Cole. 

It would not follow without consequence however. Harwin is ordered to leave his position as Commander of the City Watch and go back to Harrenhal, away from Rhaenyra, away from their sons. Ryan Corr does an amazing job in this scene and you can just feel his utter devotion when he says one of my favorite lines from the show “you have your honor, and I have mine”. 

In a world where conceiving bastards is considered sinful and shameful, Harwin sees their union as one of love and honor. His sons are not treacherous reminders of sin and lust, but worthy princes born of love.

Rhaenyra and Harwin’s final scene together is one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the show. Rhaenyra is losing one of the only trusted figures she has in court, the man she sought comfort in and who fathered her three sons, and Harwin is losing everything that means the most to him. And once again, despite the privacy, despite the fact that this is their last moment together, they still cannot be open about their love. There is no final kiss goodbye, not even a hug. There is only a single look between them that says all we need to know, and a hopeful promise that Harwin will return. 

One of the most tragic things about this scene is that Jacaerys picks up on everything between them. He sees the looks shared between them, the desire for a hug or a kiss, he sees it all and he knows what it means. His mother and father have a love story that they can never tell anyone about, not even their own son. 

TL;DR: Rhaewin is a beautiful yet tragic twist on the knight and princess love story trope. Those that see this relationship as shameful have had their brains rotted by team discourse who buy into the “bastardphobia” present in universe (despite the fact that that is constantly criticized by the narrative itself), and wave it away as a “mistake”. There is nothing at all shameful about their relationship, and their sons were not made of sin, but of love. Rhaewin is also far from boring or shallow, to say this is to insult the work done by Emma and Ryan. There is a very beautiful, and rich love story between these two characters for those that have eyes to see it.

[noblebluebird]

Text:

Legend: I don't always remember what people have said and done to me in the past.

Legend: But I do remember how they made me feel.

Legend: And where they live.

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Here is the result of the poll! There are so many pyromaniac Links in the group that I had a hard time deciding who would be the best for this bit. Thank you everyone for helping me out! I was honestly surprised to hear that Legend blowing up someone's house was canon. You learn new things every day!

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Bonus comic for our second and third place winners.

Have a great day everyone!

[hazbingirliexoxo]

*Reader, Angel, and Husk on a heist together*

Reader: How do you think Angel will distract them?

Husk: He’ll probably, like set off an alarm or throw a rock or something. That’s what I would do

Angel: *moaning loudly and sensually at a nearby distance*

Husk: ….

Reader: ….or he could do that

[ok-i-need-a-life]

Newt: Tommy, have you ever been arrested?

Thomas: Yea, I have. How did you know?

Newt: I was going to say its illegal to be that hot- what in the bloody hell did you do...

Thomas: Hit & Run.

[dragonnnfly]

Httyd 1, Astrid: I HATE HICCUP

Hiccup: All I hear is rivals to lovers, slowburn, hurt/comfort, 50k+ words

[stacytea]

(sometime during Fingon's reign)

Maedhros: Finno, darling, are you alright?

Maedhros: I've just seen you using regular ink to sign decrees, instead of your fauvourite, fancy, pink, glitter one

Maedhros: I got worried.

[incorrect-all-for-the-game]

Andrew: I think I got your lunch. *Holds up a note that reads: ‘I am very proud of you. Love, Matt ’*

Neil: Oh yeah. I didn’t think this was for me. *Holds up a note that reads: ‘Be good. For the love of God, Please be good.’*

[onepiecehiperfixation]

Nami: Look your a princess... I'm a thief pirate... I don't deserve you. Vivi: You deserve the world. Because it feels like we were build in the same dirt.

[spacefinch]

Leia: When I was in preschool there was this really weird system of time-out where they'd put you in this giant plastic bucket. Leia: And the rule was you couldn't leave the bucket for ten minutes. in case you didn't know. I was what the teachers referred to as a "difficult child" which is code for "walking entity of sass" so I was in the time-out bucket quite a bit. Leia: Once they put me in the bucket for thirty minutes- and I thought that was incredibly unfair so I grabbed the handles and shifted my body repeatedly until the bucket and I were out of the classroom, in the hallway, and through the front door. Leia: They found me in the parking lot scooting to freedom in the time-out bucket. The teachers were furious and I said, "Hey, I never left the bucket." Leia: So they called my mom and told her what I did and she just said "Well, she never left the bucket."

[annoyinglandmagazine]

Galadriel: How many different ways do you know to kill a man?

Elrond: How many different ways do I need?

Galadriel: I like you.

[mattzerella-sticks]

Taylor Kelly, in her book: "...I had always feared, if my relationship with firefighter Buckley came to an end because of some infidelity on his part, it would have been with the other firefighter he was closest to who I already suspected had strong feelings for Buckley that ran deeper than their purported friendship. It came as an even more crushing blow when he confessed to cheating on me with someone he had only been working with for a few months. I was devastated..."

Buck: *closing Taylor's book* Who do you think Taylor thought I'd cheat on her with?

Hen: *stares*

Chimney: *stares*

Bobby: *stares*

Ravi: *stares*

Eddie: *sweats*

[no-see-um-incorrect]

(Lasko and his listener. when the time comes. getting spicy)

 Lasko: c-can you turn th-the light off cause I don’t like The way my body looks..

 glasses wearing listener: Oh No no it’s good See! *Takes off glasses* I can’t see shit no more!

[justletmeon12]

Alastor: [showing his mother around the station] Now, don't touch that! It's a very sophisticated piece of electronic equipment!

Alastor's mother: What is it?

Alastor: I have no idea. My boss told me never to touch it!

[chronicowboy]

paramedic one = hen, paramedic two = chimney, ambulance driver = buck

[marvel-lous-guy]

Peter: they say we learn from our mistakes. That's why I'm making loads

Harley: ...

Peter: Soon I'll be a genius

Harley: You already are dumbass

[funnyincorrectmcu]

Yelena: I like being invited to things. Yelena: I don’t necessarily like going. Yelena: But I like being invited.