#fire and blood analysis

[kataraavatara]

It’s so interesting how y’all (on either side of the Team Green/Black debate) are constantly on about how everything in the book that makes your side look bad/the other side look good is a LIE, and you, somehow, know the truth

Well, it’s called critical analysis and thinking. For example, there are people who insist that Harwin is not the father of Rhaenyra’s kids in the books, and I’m not one of them. I think their parentage is at the very least ambiguous. Yes, I believe the book is biased against Rhaenyra because she’s a female ruler, and have argued that several times and applied it to my analysis of F&B. Are you really going to deny that misogyny affects the way the maesters would have written about Rhaenyra? This seems like just a copy & paste anon you sent to everyone in hopes of proving your superiority as a self proclaimed neutral, but you should probably provide some specific examples of things I’ve said.

[g0lightly]

What was the cost of King Jaehaerys' peace?

I read Jaehaerys as the Frank Underwood of Westeros, if not worse. I have a theory that the true violence of King Jaehaerys' reign took place behind the scenes. Perhaps the cost of his peaceful reign was higher than we would know from a historical record that favors him. I posit that House Strong took Harrenhal because King Jaehaerys, Bywin Strong, and Ryam Redwyne conspired to out Lucamore Strong’s oathbreaking. I believe Jaehaerys and Bywin may have also had a hand in Black Bride Rhaena’s death at only 50 that same year, right in time for House Strong to inherit Harrenhal as a sort of payment for the scandal (and also maybe her death).

But why would Jaehaerys want to bring scandal upon his own Kingsguard, you ask? Lucamore was the one to bring Aerea into the Red Keep the day she showed up nearly dead on Balerion. He reportedly spent the next day talking about what had happened until Jaehaerys warned him that he should put a stop to it. Maybe he did not put a stop to it and Jaehaerys needed to get rid of him; he could have already known about Lucamore’s wives and children but turned a blind eye or Bywin could have sold his brother out to advance his own station. Ryman is really just an accessory here tbh.

And why would Jaehaerys want to kill Rhaena, his sister? For one, she’s still his rival claimant as the oldest child of Aenys - this is why Jaehaerys and Alysanne argue over making Daenerys their heir instead of Aemon. Jaehaerys says Daenerys can be queen when she marries Aemon, which happens to mirror his power dynamic with Alysanne. Then there’s the fact that she is Aerea’s grieving mother who is, according to the smallfolk, getting increasingly witchy. She also happens to ride Dreamfyre - if there was any dragon that had an affinity for dreamers, I think it was her. Rhaena was the one who suggested putting dragon eggs in cribs, maybe that came to her in a dragon dream. That’s all to say, what if Rhaena was experimenting with magic to try to figure out what really happened to Aerea? What did Jaehaerys not want getting out?

[snowmenatwork]

a boy from hell and a boy from heaven found home on earth

[cruciomee]

I cannot wait to see this beadwork in high definition!

The design on Aegon II’s outfit in season two has two gold dragons facing each other, to make the head of one dragon! I feel like there is symbolism in this!

The House of the Dragon costume department is upgrading their game fiercely

[fictonrantsworld]

I just find it funny, that alicent,the epitome of duty and graciousness, probably likes it for people, especially her children, to behave in an orderly conduct befitting their station, to then have a daughter that casually leans and basically folds herself 90 degrees over the table to make sure otto sees the details in her beetle (that aegon got for her-this is the alleged rumours of the script im not 100% sure myself).

Like i imagine as a personal headcanon, back when they were still friends, rhaenyra was the tomboy princess, that was always reminded by a half japing young alicent to act like a proper lady, then years later u have helaena like:

u can clearly see helaena even putting her legs up to push her body forward, so her favourite peepaw can look at her beetle.

While rewatching this scene and putting my volume up in my headphones,im pretty sure i heard her distinctively say 'look at it' to otto.

Another thing, its just hilarious to me that aegon and aemond noticed viserys coming in and started going to their seats while helaena didnt even bother😭😂.(she probably didnt notice lol)

Also the last pic, I can't, like what were rhaenyra and daemon thinking when she did that lol. I need the script for this whole episode

[beware-of-pity]

I need people who would die on the hill of "Fire and Blood is completely unreliable, therefore we cannot trust anything that's written in it" to open their eyes and read a book that is similar to the structure that Fire and Blood uses to realize how wrong of a statement that is. I know that this will probably be received as a very hot take but I do not believe that everything needs to be analyzed or has to have a deeper meaning behind it. The curtain can be blue and there doesn't have to be a reason for the curtain to be blue other than the fact that it's just blue (hope someone gets the reference). Ryan Condall obviously disagrees with that, because in his quest to recreate his own 'magnum opus' of a 'Shakespearian tragedy', as he always likes to refer to it as, he has instead created the equivalent of a dumpster on fire next to the other bigger dumpster on fire that was Game of thrones.

Bland, whitewashed characters with little to no turmoil or agency going on are revered as complex and nuantical on Twitter. And if you even dare to disagree, you're immediately sentenced to the stake. Characters like Alicent and Rhaenyra could literally not even be in the episode and nothing would change. Rhaenyra was in episode 4 for not even 5 minutes and with everything going on in it you wouldn't even have noticed that. She should have been there, leading the council as Cole marched on rook's rest, her only available connection to the mainland in the crownlands, apart from Claw Isle, after duskendale fell to the greens and instead her only scene in such climactic episode is her walk of shame returning home and her, rightfully, getting scolded by her son for thinking that she could still sue for peace with Alicent, the mother of her son's murderer. The show makes the decision to have Rhaenys volunteer instead of having Rhaenyra send her there so that later when Rhaenys dies Rhaenyra cannot be blamed for it. The fundamental changes of characters like Alicent don't work because the writers are not able to sustain such changes from the source material they are deriving the story from. Going from leading the council that would place Aegon on the throne, to never even being in on the plan to usurp Rhaenyra, that her father created, is such a letdown for such a political savy character like book Alicent.

Aging her down, to Rhaenyra's age, and making these two childhood best friends, was a mistake.

What is very evident is that the showrunners have no clue, so far, what to do with a character like show Alicent. If she's not going to lead the council when Aegon is bedridden and Aemond is off to fight in the Riverlands, why doesn't she just leave?

Going from an active participant in a usurpation from somebody who needs to miss-hear or misunderstand her dying husband for her to get in on the plan, only so there is an excuse to get her on the war council is bad writing.

Making people believe that Rhaenyra was usurped because of a misunderstanding, and not only because she was a woman, is bad writing. And going to the extremes, of having these two 'betray' each other in order to have a reason to make Rhaenyra look bad in the eyes of her rivals is bad writing. Rhaenyra could have been the perfect heir, and even only because she was a woman, Otto and Alicent would have usurped her either way.

Going back to the point of this post; Timelines, ages, events, who got married to who, how many kids they had, things that you can quantify are not something that can be made up, used as rumors or form of propaganda in a history book. What you make up as a rumor is sexual escapades and a young girl seducing her sworn shield who has watched over her since she was seven. Things that can make a person look bad to glorify or uphold the good of someone else alongside all the other stuff that happens behind closed doors and makes you question where the information is coming from.

I find it so odd that the aggressive marketing team for the second season was all about choosing your side. Lol, what is there to even choose? Choose between the overly sanctified Rhaenyra, who god forbid is still searching for the peace that has already been thrown over the cliff long ago, and is not allowed yet to make a mistake. Or, Alicent, the pathetic hypocrite who made her bed and is not willing to admit it. Anything interesting about these two women is completely being cut so that Ryan Condall and Co. can continue to spread the "men are bad and violent, women are the gentle peacemakers that don't want war." which is leaning a little too heavy for my taste into gender essentialism which would make every choice they have ever made about these two characters more misogynistic than any of the action of the actual misogynistic characters in this story. Taking away the very little agency these characters had and constantly making them the perpetual victims of the patriarchy and completely sidelining any sort of character traits that they may actually develop through their actions had they actually been taking any, doesn't work for me.

This show was a mistake.

[fadingstudentbananacookie]

Aegon II Targaryen & Alicent Hightower + Maegor Targaryen & Visenya Targaryen - Parallels

House of the Dragon, Fire & Blood / George R.R. Martin, HotDS1Script provided by @darksvster

[velaryoncoffee]

There's something so interesting about the timing of Book!Helaegon's children's birth that says so much with so little.

They had Jaehaera and Jaehaerys within a year of their wedding. This means they were very sexually active together around this time! You could argue it's done out of duty, sure, but Aegon reads like someone very prone to his whims and emotions, much like in the show. This might mean they were/grew passionate for each other around this time or maybe before?

Perhaps the anticipation of their wedding made them spend more time with each other, initially out of obligation, and later from fondness. Or maybe the interest they had in each other compounded over the years, like a subtle slow burn that erupted on their wedding as they realised they were bonded for life, not only in blood but also by the law of the land.

However, my favourite detail has to be the timing of Maegor's birth.

You're telling me that Helaena gave birth 9 months after Jace asked to dance with her at Viserys's family dinner? The one that had Aegon so pissed?

The possessiveness is real. You know the sex that night was wild.

Aegon will not share his beloved sister with anyone. And he'll fuck a son into her womb on their marriage bed for all to see.

If Helaena's defense of Aegon's seat on the Throne is anything to go by, she might be defensive and fond of him just the same. She doesn't come off as someone with any sense of political ambition to ascend as the Queen whatsoever; if anything she asked Blood and Cheese to take her life instead of her children's. From where I stand all she wanted was to live happily with her family, and her husband having his birth right (as contentious as it may be) was included in that vision.

Again, you could interpret any of this in many ways, in bad faith especially. Aegon could be misusing his power as a husband to impose himself on her, and her sense of responsibility, passivity and sensitive nature could have led her to go along with whichever wishes he could have had.

However I personally don't believe that was GRRM's thought process as he wrote those pages. The show depicted Aegon doing many terrible things and it tainted his already flawed character beyond even what the show writers intended. Also Alicent would never allow any harm to come to her little girl. Of that, I am 100% sure.

[mejcinta]

"In the world, we must defend our own."

When it comes to his family's welfare, Aegon stands on business. 😤

[beetleonbike]

Everyone who romanticizes Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen needs to pay more attention on their next rewatch.

Deamon only showed interest after Aemma (Rhaenyra's mother) died. During the first meeting after this event, he wasn't present in the room, but he was listening to their council meeting where they discussed the next in line for the throne. After hearing about Rhaenyra being the (possible) successor, he got infatuated with her. He didn't enjoy the celebration he was having, and you can tell that he was stuck in his own head, observing and planning.

He only wants her for the crown. Any innocent moment between them, such as the necklace scene, will be fabricated from his side after learning she will be queen. His every move has intention, and I feel this fandom underestimates him to a criminal extent.

That is also why he got violent after Aegon got the crown. She was no longer useful to him the way she was before. She couldn't give him what he wanted.

[rynnthefangirl]

The show is honestly setting up Criston’s death scene SO WELL.

His whole character arc is centered around him running away from his shame and dishonor, in ways that destroy and hurt others.

He soiled his white cloak by sleeping with Rhaenyra? Well clearly she is a seductive spider and the bitch must pay.

He bullies and hurts children of the royal family? Well they are bastards born to a spoiled c*nt, clearly they deserve it.

He let Prince Jaehaerys be murdered because he was too busy sleeping with Alicent? Blame Erykk, project his anger onto him, send him on a suicide mission in a desperate attempt to DO something and feel better about his enormous failure.

Criston is constantly breaking oaths, constantly acting with dishonor, constantly putting himself and his emotions first, even at the expense of those he is supposed to defend. His is a completely disgrace to knighthood, and he knows this. He knows it, but he hides from it, lashes out at others, projects, hurts, hates, destroys.

He is going to struggle with his shame the whole series, and eventually will find himself in a situation where he cannot win. The winter wolves force will outmatch his own, it is a battle that they are doomed to lose, and his men are going to be massacred. And Criston, at long last, will step up. He will offer to fight and die on behalf of his men, to take on four enemies by himself in an epic duel worthy of a knight of the Kingsguard. This is his redemption, he may have lived a life without honor, but he can still die with it. He will make his grand declaration, challenging Roddy the Ruin, Criston stands tall as he feels a fierce sense of pride and determination—

Only to be struck down by an arrow, and die without another word. Because that’s not how honor works. You cannot spend your entire life being a selfish monster, and then wipe the slate clean with one grand gesture. Criston will die as he lived- a pathetic failure. There will be no songs sung about him.

[vinnianlovesdinosaurs]

House of The Dragon Hot Take #11

House Targaryen is an allegory for colonization. From the very start of their line they have taken things that aren't theirs. Whether it be people, land, kingdoms, and lives. Until Aegon I, Visenya, and Rhaenys came around and waged war against everyone in Old Valyria and the neighboring kingdoms, House Targaryen really wasn't all that important. They weren't even the most powerful house in the kingdom because it wasn't their kingdom until they tore it away from the rulers and killed the people who disagreed. Same with what they did with Dorne for years. House Targaryen is full of colonizers, blood purists, and terrorists of all kinds. While this is not me saying I hate every Targaryen character, I am saying that it's important to know that they are a realistic representation of colonization because:

They came in > They stole the land and the throne > They killed the people that disagreed or tried to defend themselves > Their families took over until their house finally died out.

[lavenoon]

He finds himself reaching for a different kind of flame, nowadays

hey hey @naffeclipse, would you like some bloodstain fool in this trying time?

og detective au by sunnys-aesthetic

also bonus Eclipse-less version under the cut

[sansa286]

F&B Propaganda: Paternity Disputes (or Lack Thereof)

Something that's always confused me when reading Fire & Blood is why some characters have their paternity placed under scrutiny due to a lack of resemblance to one parent, while others are given a pass. These are some thoughts and analysis I had on the subject.

So, we all know F&B is a pseudo-history book written from a plethora of unreliable pseudo-sources, some of whom very well may be telling the truth, other's who are fibbing a bit (or a lot), and the rest that told flat-out lies and regurgitated gossip. Therefore, certain inconsistencies, like paternity debates, are not showing that GRRM is an inconsistent writer, but rather him pointing out the blatant favoritism and narrative spinning that happens when history is written. Simply put: unless/until we get the events of F&B written in an ASOIAF style multi-POV structure, most of the stuff in F&B is meant to be taken with a grain of salt, some grains bigger than others. For example: Visenya being "jealous" of Rhaenys over Aegon preferring her romantically is clearly out-of-character, but treated as legit because Visenya is not a well-liked person in the grand-scheme of Westerosi history and culture. Therefore, painting her as envious is a way to spin her as "bitter" and "unlikable," when she more than likely just had a lot of ambition, and/or did what she thought was right for the Targaryen cause (flawed those actions may be).

We all know Rhaenyra was the subject of side-eyes over her three eldest sons, Jacaerys Velaryon, Lucerys Velaryon, and Joffrey Velaryon, who are officially recorded as sons of Laenor Velaryon; however, it's widely believed (and canon in the show) that they are biologically the sons of Harwin Strong, who Rhaenyra had an affair with because Laenor was gay and their attempts to conceive children were not successful. The reason in-universe people believed (both in the books and the show) that they were Harwin's is due to their dark hair and eyes (Harwin has green eyes in the show, but in the books it's inferred that they're brown like the Velaryon boys'.)

However, the Velaryon boys are not the only ones who don't share the same coloring as their parents (or the parents on paper). There are actually two others that come before them in the Targaryen bloodline that share that in common, however their paternity is never called into question. They are Alysanne and her daughter, Alyssa.

Biblically accurate Alysanne Targaryen. "Her eyes were blue rather than purple, her hair a mass of honey-colored curls." - Fire & Blood (pg. 131, ch. "The Year of the Three Brides")

Alysanne is the fifthborn child and secondborn daughter of Aenys Targaryen and Alyssa Velaryon. Her older siblings were Aegon, Rhaena, Viserys, Jaehaerys (who she married), and Vaella (passed away in the crib). All of Aenys and Alyssa's children are inferred to have had stereotypically Valyrian features (silver hair and purple eyes); Rhaena is the only one we get a full description of outside of Jaehaerys and Alysanne, but if the others didn't look Valyrian, it definitely would've been noted in the book. Aenys and Alyssa are noted for both having Valyrian features (par. 3 here & F&B p. 127; Aenys weirdly enough never gets hair color mention, but if it were anything other than silver we'd know, but we'll get to Aenys in a minute). We're told explicitly Alysanne has a head full of honey colored curls and blue eyes. But this is never brought up as a point of contention or placed her paternity up for debate. It's just assumed that it's due to her maternal grandmother, Alarra Massey, being an Andal woman.

However, this assumption is never mentioned in F&B. Her features are just mentioned and that was it. The theory laid-out by fans is that her hair and eyes come from her grandmother, however, Alarra's looks are never detailed in F&B. We only know that she was considered very beautiful (p. 127); and there are plenty of people of Andal descent who do not have blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Her [Alyssa Targaryen] hair was a dirty blonde tangle with no hint of silver to evoke the dragonlords of old, and she had been born with mismatched eyes, one violet, the other a startling green." - Fire & Blood (pg. 287, ch. "The Long Reign-Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain")

Which brings me to her daughter, Alyssa Targaryen, who was also noted for having non-traditional Valyrian features (dirty blonde hair, green and purple heterochromia eyes). But Alyssa's paternity is also never brought up as possibly being anything other than what was recorded at her birth. (As for the show, Daemon's perspective on his mother is warped due to being knee-deep in the Targaryen sauce, so that's why I think his mother doesn't look like what she's supposed to in the show. If they ever do an adaptation of Jaehaerys' reign, I hope they don't throw a silver wig on her, but given what they did to Rhaenys who tf knows?) Interestingly, Alyssa is also described as long-faced, which is a trait associated with the Starks, and Alysanne was noted for being close to...Alaric Stark (I'll spare you that theory though.)

This is all fascinating with the knowledge of the dance being in the exact same book, because Rhaenyra has three dark haired and dark eyed boys and there's all of this speculation. Some may assume it's because both Rhaenyra and Laenor have silver hair and purple eyes, but so did Alysanne's parents, Aenys and Alyssa V. And like their great-great grandmother, Alysanne (if we're to believe she simply looks like her grandmother), Jace, Luke, and Joff also have a grandmother with non-Valyrian looks in Rhaenys, who in F&B had dark hair. There is no report of catching Rhaenyra and Harwin screwing around, jut observing the differences in looks of her children and Laenor. Surely, if we're to never assume that Alysanne is not a bastard because her grandmother (may have) had the same features/genes that simply skipped a generation, we could also do the same for them?

Sidebar: I am not saying that Alysanne is secretly a bastard or that the Velaryon boys' actually are trueborn, just that the reasons for this assumption are silly. If one kid is going to have their paternity scrutinized for not resembling their parents coloring-wise, then all kids who fall in that category should. That being said it is important to point out that it's not IMPOSSIBLE for Alysanne and the boys being/ not being a bastard to be true. It's been pointed out for years by the fandom that the people in ASOIAF don't understand genetics. The only reason Ned had a leg to stand on is because Cersei straight-up admitted to sleeping with Jaime, and letting him father her kids. Had Ned realistically went to Robert without Cersei's admission, and said that her children are not his because they have blonde hair and green eyes, he would be laughed at because a child resembling their mother and not their father is common. And on the off-chance that he does get some traction with it, well, not enough people would believe him, and Tywin would make a bigger example out of House Stark than he already has.

But again, secret-bastardy/secret-trueborness is not the point I'm trying to make. And if Alysanne were really a secret bastard, then, honestly, more power to her. She'd only become more iconic in my eyes.

So this begs the question: why are some people not speculated on for not resembling one or both parents coloring-wise while others aren't? It brings me back to the introduction: F&B is propaganda and certain pseudo-historical figures need to be portrayed in a certain light in order for the story they want to tell to be successful. This goes doubly-so for those that were close to Jaehaerys, and in this case: his mom (Alyssa V), his wife (Alysanne), and his daughter (Alyssa T).

Jaehaerys is considered the peak of the Targaryen dynasty and well liked by the establishment in Westeros (the Citadel, the Faith, various lords and ladies of the major houses). He is the Great Conciliator. Therefore, certain "creative liberties" being afoot is quite expected and this is not above the antics we see take place during his reign. Just look at how the true cause of Gael's death was covered up for years and the fishiness of Saera's disappearance and Viserra's death.

Alyssa V is considered a perfect mother, despite the less-than-stellar choices she made with her children outside of Jaehaerys. She's considered to be so great that the lords that sat the Small Council were able to put aside their misogyny and allow themselves to be ruled by a woman until Jaehaerys came of age. She is one of the main reasons Jaehaerys was able to take the Iron Throne in the first place. It would not go well if the man who was considered to be the greatest king of Westeros had a mother who may have cuckolded his father. Compare this to Aenys, who despite having Valyrian features had a one-off rumor about him being the secret bastard of Rhaenys the Conqueror and one of her male favorites mentioned in F&B; and this is 100% due to the fact that Aenys is considered by Westerosi historians to have been a weak and incompetent king. (Just think: if Aenys, who resembled his parents, had bastard rumors - do you seriously expect us to believe that neither Alysanne nor Alyssa ever had any?) "But, Jaehaerys is strong, brave, diplomatic, wise, etc... of course he comes from a mom who embodies Westerosi ideals to a tea. She even died trying to give her second husband more heirs despite her delicate age. Such a moral [debatable] man could only be born from a woman who was nothing but dutiful."

Alysanne is considered the perfect wife and queen consort, highly regarded for the active role she took during her husband's reign. She was intelligent, altruistic, birthed many children, and rode a dragon. She was so good at her job as queen she got several laws passed that now share her name. "Not only could such a woman not be born a bastard, but she in addition to being Jaehaerys' wife is also his sister, and could surely not be born from a woman who would ever risk bringing a bastard into this world."

And then, there's Alyssa T, the secondborn daughter and fifthborn child overall of both Alysanne and Jaehaerys, and was a wife to the highly regarded Baelon (also her brother), which means she was never going to be on the receiving end of those accusations. She even escapes having the usual witchcraft practitioner and/or lesbian/queer rumors that are usually thrown at women in Westeros who do not fit the traditional ideas of being a woman (even Visenya had those accusations). Her preferring boyish activities is never painted as a negative by the narrative unlike with other women in Westerosi culture. "Of course she's straight as an arrow and brags about how much sex she's having with her well-beloved and cherished-by-all brother-husband who was considered a peak heir and would neverrrrrr marry a bastard. Of course she thought most girls were idiots. Of course she brags about how many sons (never daughters) she's going to give her husband. Of course she does not care about anything outside of being a broodmare after being married like all good girls do. Bastard? Never. Two of her grandsons were kings we fondly remember. She is trueborn like her mother. She is Athena if she fucked."

But Jace, Luke, and Joff? Their mother was the first ever female heir apparent (not presumptive, apparent) to the Seven Kingdoms, and kept this status even after her father had three sons. She never apologized for this. And she entered a war over for her claim. "She wore a braid like that crazy warrior-witch Queen Visenya. She's breaking tradition by going ahead of her brothers in succession. She's bitchy sometimes. She's not thin like good women are supposed to be even after birthing several children. Speaking of children, yeah she did her duty and had many male heirs but some of them have dark hair and she's a whore, so they must be bastards. She's trying to take over a man's place. Of course she's evil and reveled in the deaths of her baby nephews. Of course she fucks outside of marriage. Honestly, I'd be more surprised if they weren't bastards!"

TL;DR: F&B uses paternity debates as a way to attempt to delegitimize/sow doubt against people the narrators don't like, this only prove by how inconsistent one's potentially faulty paternity is evoked on the basis of looks and nothing else. The chances of any of your trueborn faves secretly being a bastard is never zero. Now, I kind of want Alysanne to be a secret bastard.

UPDATE Sept. 5, 2024: Edited for grammar, word-flow, and minor spelling mistakes.

[2rats1gogh]

although i REALLY like the cast of HotD I can’t help but criticize the fact that they all are a little off for their canonical ages.

And it creates A LOT of problems.

Whenever I look at Olivia as Alicent my brain just cannot comprehend the fact that she is supposed to be the mother of Aegon, Aemond and Helaena. She looks like their older sister. I get that they were trying to go for the effect that “she was too young when she had her children” which is valid but still, she looks five years older than them at best. She is supposed to be almost 20 YEARS older than Aemond, yet in some shots of them together he looks like he’s older than her. It just makes it not really believable.

Rhaenyra is also supposed to be much much older than her siblings, yet they all also look just like three years apart. They don’t look like a woman in her mid to late thirties fighting with a man in his early twenties which is what it should’ve been. It takes away the drama and puts them on the same level.

Ewan Mitchell is amazing as Aemond but he looks so so much older than the actor who plays Luke. During Storm’s End, like many people have said, it actually looks like a grown ass man chasing a small kid, when the characters are supposed to be like four to five years apart. Where Luke is believable as a 14 year old, Aemond absolutely does NOT look 19.

Rhaenyra and Daemon also look fairly the same age because obviously there was no Daemon recast. They did a good job to make Paddy (Viserys) age throughout the years, but they kinda forgot to make Daemon age as well. And therefore Matt Smith looks the exact same in ep 1 and in ep 10, even tho these two episodes are like AT LEAST 20 years apart?? Matt Smith was in his early forties when they were filming, but by the end of season 1 Daemon is literally supposed to be in his mid to late fifties. The fact that Emma and Matt look around the same age, maybe having a 5 year age gap max, makes many people forget that they are two fully different generations of people, being around 20 years apart in the show, and hypothetically could’ve been father and daughter.

And obviously Laena. Other people have already talked about this, but I also find it super weird that the show tried to convince us that Laena went from (1) to (2) in like, i don’t know, two years maybe? And then after a timeskip of only like one decade, she suddenly looks like she aged 20 years? The actress is literally older than Emma, and Laena is supposed to be younger than Rhaenyra.

It just doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t really have a problem with changing some of the characters’ ages, but you have to consider casting the right actors as well. They did a fairly good job when adapting Game of Thrones, because they kinda aged up everyone and kept the same actors without having any timeskips. The only exceptions are probably characters like Brienne, because although I LOVE Gwendoline Christie, Brienne should’ve been a literal teenager.

[pterodactylterrace]

Saera Targaryen was a certified badass. There, I said it.

After her world came crashing down and her doting father disowned her, did she meekly accept her fate? Fuck no!

She planned an escape, disguises and all, and almost succeeded. She was caught trying to claim a dragon without the king’s leave. She was caught and returned to the keep. Two weeks later she was sent away to train to become a silent sister. The female equivalent of joining the night’s watch.

Homegirl waited a year and a half for her chance to escape again. This time, there were no dragon keepers to prevent her escape. She took a ship across the narrow sea and prospered doing what she loved. Having sex.

Saera was cunning and patient. I believe she would have made for a wonderful mistress of whispers or even hand of the king. She showed she knows how to plan, and she is willing to play the long game until her opportunity arises. Had she been culled in her wild ways and taught to use her mind for the good of the realm, she would have been amazing. The only reason she got caught in the first place was because her mother was able to get the truth from her friends.

At sixteen Saera was able to escape the keep and make it to the dragon pit before being caught. Shortly after turning nineteen, she managed to escape Oldtown and made it all the way to Lys. She was misguided in her actions, but her mind was sharp and she wasn’t afraid to act. She wasn’t afraid to be who she wanted to be. She left a life of luxury at the keep, threw away any hope of reconciliation and just started a new life for herself with no one telling her what to do.

Legendary.