#i'm not gonna tag rhaenys simply because i don't want team black stans to be in my inbox

[ladymorghul]

Did you feel like that the people that survived rhaenys in the dragonpit will go back home and tell everyone else how their dowager queen, who is more like them in that she too doesn't have a dragon like all the special targs, stood her ground in face of what is basically a nuke and didn't move an inch? Basically i feel like this is how legends are made where people who are vastly weaker stared down a murdering monster and wins. I think optics wise rhaenys made a huge miscalculation. Also even if alicent was afraid I'm pretty sure the smallfolk will feel she is willing to stand up against a dragon and if they were not able to see the scene clearly (with all the chaos) still it shows alicent as a hero who didn't back down.

Basically i feel like they may feel as alicent is the queen they deserve. Also this staredown can easily spread to regions far from kingslanding and it feels like it would be a win for the greens what with rhaenys murdering a bunch of small folk for her moment.

yes, i do. i did not read the books but have seen a lot of people say that both alicent and helaena were loved by the people, and i can see how this can be part of it.

alicent, visbly not targaryen, not having a dragon, being reminded of rhaenys that her name is hightower, stood in front of meleys and basically said to rhaenys if you kill me son, i die too. and alicent was 100% ready to face death right there.

i don't know about anyone else, but if i was in that crowd and survived, i'd be traumatized, horrified and pissed. and to see a queen that i can relate to more do that for her children, stand up to a dragon, the very symbol of what kept targaryens in power for so long, i'd say that alicent was pretty brave and strong.

and we, the viewer, know alicent is not super chill with dragons.

i also think rhaenys made a mistake. how are you gonna save face when the people know you basically massacred a bunch of people to make a point? how will the rest of the people rally behind you? how is this the deed of those who say they supported viserys "the peaceful" the most?

let's be clear, for the smallfolk, they're never in the room where shit is discussed, and unless they know about things through people like mysaria, they never know it at all. most of them are probably hella confused as to why rhaenys did that, or believe she did it in the name of rhaenyra, which is... partially true.

and yeah, word spreads, quickly, we just don't know if we'll see people talk about it, if they’ll include this as part of the narrative.

the scene was badass to watch, and i like watching rhaenys because she's a strong woman (even when sometimes i criticize her choices), but obviously it's a massacre for the smallfolk.

though we both know there will be more of this from both sides i imagine. the smallfolk are really gonna be like this the whole series: