#rakharo

[sunny12th]

it's such a trip to remember dany's bloodriders are all teen boys. "of an age with her." rakharo only just starts getting facial hair in adwd. dany's og squad is just a bunch of skinny teenagers plus one pervy old man.

[stormborns]

GAME OF THRONES 2.01, The North Remembers

[rainhadaenerys]

Daenerys covers for the A Clash of Kings comics

1) Cover for Issue #7 by Mike Miller

2) Cover for Issue #7 by Mel Rubi

3) Cover for Issue #14 by Mike Miller

4) Cover for Issue #14 by Mel Rubi

5) Cover for Volume 2 Issue #4 by Mel Rubi

6) Cover for Volume 2 Issue #6 by Mike Miller

7) Cover for Volume 2 Issue #6 by Mel Rubi

8) Cover for Volume 2 Issue #11 by Mike Miller

9) Cover for Volume 2 Issue #11 by Mel Rubi

[twicelivedsummer]

finding/inventing Dothraki personalities: Rakharo

compilation ; Aggo ; Jhogo ; Rakharo ; Irri ; Jhiqui

I’m making a little series where I stare at everything the main Dothraki characters do and try to discern personality traits. The purpose of this is sort of “if you were to write a fanfic that actually fleshed out their characters, what’s a starting point? what is there, that we might not destroy in trying to build something larger?” It is not to claim that GRRM, um, wrote these characters well. But I do dislike rounding down to zero when it’s not literally zero.

For example, Rakharo. I have adopted Rakharo as my favourite of Dany’s bloodriders, and the reason is literally these three lines:

"An hour past midnight should be time enough." "Yes, Khaleesi," said Rakharo. "Time for what?" [belwas] "Why that one, Khaleesi?" Rakharo demanded of her. "He is fat and stupid." "I will not march." "What will you do then, Khaleesi?" asked Rakharo.

They all disagree with her at various times, but Rakharo here is going a step past that to question her: ask why would you choose this, what do your decisions mean? It’s like a first step to learning from her, and on toward thinking for himself. (NB: this does not happen.)

"You are khaleesi," Rakharo said, taking the arakh. "I shall ride at your side to Vaes Dothrak beneath the Mother of Mountains, and keep you safe from harm until you take your place with the crones of the dosh khaleen. No more can I promise."

When Daenerys asks them to become her bloodriders, Jhogo and Aggo just answer the question; Rakharo thinks past that and presents a sort-of compromise: well, here’s what I can do.

Dany gave him charge of a dozen of her strongest men, and set them to pulling up the plaza to get to the earth beneath. ... Given seed, they could make the plaza bloom.

Agriculture is not a traditional occupation of Dothraki men, so arguably she assigned this task to Rakharo’s leadership because he was least likely to balk at breaking tradition for the sake of long-term benefits

"We have seen only the parts of Qarth that Pyat Pree wished us to see," she went on. "Rakharo, go forth and look on the rest, and tell me what you find. Take good men with you—and women, to go places where men are forbidden." "As you say, I do, blood of my blood," said Rakharo.

[waggles hand] it’s, um, it’s being tasked with questioning prepackaged narratives, and, also involving women, in, so, that's,why she delegated this to him not Aggo or Jhogo?

Another lost a hand to Rakharo's arakh and rode off reeling and spurting blood. ... When Rakharo put an arrow through his mouth, the slaves holding his sedan chair broke and ran,

Rakharo switched weapons in the middle of their battle to adapt his tactics to the situation, this is normal IRL but I literally got out my paper copy of Storm to check it wasn't meant to be Aggo lol.

"When cowards hide behind great walls, it is they who are defeated, Khaleesi," Ko Jhogo said. Her other bloodriders concurred. "Blood of my blood," said Rakharo, "when cowards hide and burn the food and fodder, great khals must seek for braver foes. This is known."

Deeply splitting hairs here, but he does give more considerations than Jhogo? The food's important.

When Drogo’s khalasar dissolves, Rakharo describes the events to Daenerys and then adds “It is the right of the strong to take from the weak”: a typical Dothraki opinion, but it's expressed as a slightly more abstract or philosophical stance. (Contrast Jhogo, who puts it as "A khal who cannot ride is no khal" which contains the same idea but keeps to concrete actions.)

She might have struck downriver for the ports at Meereen and Yunkai and Astapor, but Rakharo warned her that Pono's khalasar had ridden that way, driving thousands of captives before them to sell in the flesh marts that festered like open sores on the shores of Slaver's Bay.

Riders have been seen beyond the Skahazadhan. Dothraki scouts, Rakharo says, with a khalasar behind them.

He can even geography/political analysis, sort of? If I were fanficcing I would have him do more of this and get better at it over time. For example, were I also not changing their weapons, I would have him ponder the length of the supply chains involved in mining and refining the metal ores to make the iconic Dothraki arakh. GRRM... never discusses how they make those and also never suggests why Rakharo gets it.

But if we are making fanfic where Rakharo is the smarter more philosophical one, there's a good reason to keep him with the most iconically Dothraki weapon: because we shouldn't imply. ..thinking... is alien to the culture.

We should keep that Rakharo is successful and appealing as a Dothraki.

Quaro liked his sausage so well he decided to have another one, and Rakharo had to outdo him and eat three more, belching loudly.

Keep that he's also casually competitive and (??) one of the lads,

"You are too skinny for him," Jhiqui was saying. "You are almost a boy. Rakharo does not bed with boys. This is known." Irri bristled back. "It is known that you are almost a cow. Rakharo does not bed with cows." Rakharo had grown almost half a foot during his time away from Meereen and returned with arms and legs thick with muscle and four bells in his hair. He towered over Aggo and Jhogo now, as her handmaids had both noticed.

and attractive, by Dothraki standards. He’s not disqualified from that by “actually thinking about things”. I want to make him out to be strategic and philosophical in a Dothraki way, as part of their culture and not alien to it.

[lego-asoiaf-fan-minifigs]

Jhogo (left), Aggo (middle), and Rakharo (right), Dany's Dothraki bloodriders

Here's my LEGO adaptation of alexandrokayart's bloodriders fanart, linked below:

Jhogo

Aggo

Rakharo

[gotham-at-nightfall]

The Rebirth of Dragons!

When the fire died at last and the ground became cool enough to walk upon, Ser Jorah Mormont found her amidst the ashes, surrounded by blackened logs and bits of glowing ember and the burnt bones of man and woman and stallion. She was naked, covered with soot, her clothes turned to ash, her beautiful hair all crisped away … yet she was unhurt. The cream-and-gold dragon was suckling at her left breast, the green-and-bronze at the right. Her arms cradled them close. The black-and-scarlet beast was draped across her shoulders, its long sinuous neck coiled under her chin. When it saw Jorah, it raised its head and looked at him with eyes as red as coals. Wordless, the knight fell to his knees. The men of her khas came up behind him. Jhogo was the first to lay his arakh at her feet. “Blood of my blood,” he murmured, pushing his face to the smoking earth. “Blood of my blood,” she heard Aggo echo. “Blood of my blood,” Rakharo shouted. And after them came her handmaids, and then the others, all the Dothraki, men and women and children, and Dany had only to look at their eyes to know that they were hers now, today and tomorrow and forever, hers as they had never been Drogo’s. As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons. ~A Game of Thrones (Daenerys X)

By Hed-ush

[asoiafreadthru]

A Game of Thrones, Daenerys III

At the bottom of the ridge, the grasses rose around her, tall and supple.

Dany slowed to a trot and rode out onto the plain, losing herself in the green, blessedly alone.

In the khalasar she was never alone.

Khal Drogo came to her only after the sun went down, but her handmaids fed her and bathed her and slept by the door of her tent, Drogo’s bloodriders and the men of her khas were never far, and her brother was an unwelcome shadow, day and night.

Dany could hear him on the top of the ridge, his voice shrill with anger as he shouted at Ser Jorah.

[doloresrojo]

Remember on season 1 of GOT, when Dany ordered the khalasar to stop and Viserys took it personally, but before he could attack her, Rakharo chocked him with his whip???

How I wish someone had done that to Daemon.

[kaerinio]

please, dany is 100% the friend who, even if she isn't going out that night, will want to facetime with you to see your outfit and hype you up! 🥹 she is also 100% that friend who facetimes you while she's getting ready, so she can show you her outfit and makeup and accessories!

[yenneferdivengerberg]

"When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone."

"Stars don't fall for men. But the comet means one thing, boy. Dragons."

"No one ever looked for a girl..It was a prince that was promised, not a princess. Rhaegar, I thought … the smoke was from the fire that devoured Summerhall on the day of his birth, the salt from the tears shed for those who died. He shared my belief when he was young, but later he became persuaded that it was his own son who fulfilled the prophecy, for a comet had been seen above King’s Landing on the night Aegon was conceived, and Rhaegar Targaryen was certain the bleeding star had to be a comet. What fools we were, who thought ourselves so wise! The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female, Barth saw the truth of that, but now one and now the other, as changeable as flame. The language misled us all for a thousand years. Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke. The dragons prove it."

“When the fire died at last and the ground became cool enough to walk upon, Ser Jorah Mormont found her amidst the ashes, surrounded by blackened logs and bits of glowing ember and the burnt bones of man and woman and stallion. She was naked, covered with soot, her clothes turned to ash, her beautiful hair all crisped away… yet she was unhurt. The cream-and-gold dragon was suckling at her left breast, the green-and-bronze at the right. Her arms cradled them close. The black-and-scarlet beast was draped across her shoulders, its long sinuous neck coiled under her chin. When it saw Jorah, it raised its head and looked at him with eyes as red as coals. Wordless, the knight fell to his knees. The men of her khas came up behind him. Jhogo was the first to lay his arakh at her feet. “Blood of my Blood,” he murmured, pushing his face to the smoking earth. “Blood of my Blood,” she heard Aggo echo. “Blood of my Blood,” Rakharo shouted. And after them came her handmaids, and then the others, all the Dothraki, men and women and children, and Dany had only to look at their eyes to know that they were hers now, today and tomorrow and forever, hers as they had never been Drogo’s. As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons.”

[daenerystargaryensgirlfriend]

Daenerys book differences

{only the firsts three seasons}

In S1, we mostly see how badly Daenerys was treated by Viserys and then how, with Drogo's help, she proceeded to go against him and then become the mother of dragons. In the first book, we actually see how she herself started to outshine him; she started to grow as a leader and started to create her own circle of people. To give an example, there's this scene when she orders the khalasar to stay behind ("you're learning to talk like a queen," "not a queen, a khaleesi"), and Viserys gets mad at her (as usual). In the show, it's a man from the Khalasar who humiliates him and takes away his horse (Rakharo, if I remember correctly). In the book, it's Daenerys; she's the one who humiliates him using her dothraki knowledge. This shows not only that she was starting to defy her brother but also her leadership's growth.

Still in S1, in the last episode, there's the speech where she says, "And I swear to you, that all those that will harm you will die screaming." There's a similar speech in the book, but she says that all the men who raped a little girl will die screaming.

In s2, when she sends people away and she sees how her people are not doing well, she looks frightened, and she needs Jorah to tell her that "she needs to be their strength" (completely erasing her leadership moment). In the book, however, she already knows that she needs to be their strength and that she can show no weakness or fear.

Still in s2, when they arrive to Qarth, she just starts screaming in one of the seven that she will burn down cities and whatever ("we will lay waste on armys and burn cities to the ground"). Also when they enter and they don't agree to take her to Westeros, she gets mad again and looks childish. In the books, however, the seven let her stay in Qarth out of curiosity, and she's also the one to explain to Xaro how business works, showing her intelligence.

In S3, she wonders whether to buy the unsullied or not. In the book, she affirms that she wants people to follow her because they believe in her and not because they've been bought. Does that sound familiar to you? of course, because they gave that whole speech to Ser Barriston, again taking away her intelligence.

Also, with the second sons it's not Daario that guides her like it happens in the show. In the book, Daenerys is the one who plans the attack against Yunkai, giving them different information to trick them and getting the second sons drunk. Again, her intelligence and leadership were given to her male advisors.

[visenyaism]

18, 36, 39

18. A mystery you need solved NOW:

oh i absolutely need to know what happened to Aelora Targaryen to make her do all that. first incest marriage since aegon iv first female heir since rhaenyra kills her brother in an undescribed "grotesque accident" and then herself a year later after being attacked under mysterious circumstances at a masked ball? it's CRAZY

36. What’s something you wish GRRM handled better? (a character/theme/world building etc)

I think having a Dothraki POV or even just developing irri, jhiqui, and rakharo past being setpieces would do SO much for the series. Just comparing the way that the wildlings and nights watch boys are developed in Jon's story versus Dany's supporting cast makes it clear there is a huge orientalism problem and lack of regard for most of the non-Dany characters. Also, like half of all the women characters dying in childbed it was rough out there but it was not THAT prevalent. Have someone slip on a banana peel or have a piano fall on her head give us some variety.

39. Your Drunk History topic (a character/theory/event/etc)

@gay-olorin is probably the one who has seen me do this the most and irl it is usually us 2 drinks in queening about the life and times of brynden bloodraven kissinger rivers. If I got my own entire drunk history episode I would spend it doing the blackfyre rebellions with optional dumb shiera hightower, dragonseed danelle lothston, and challengers (2024) parallels tangents

[daenerys-stormborn]

TARGARYEN WEEK Day 4: Historical Event 

Wordless, the knight fell to his knees. The men of her khas came up behind him. Jhogo was the first to lay his arakh at her feet. "Blood of my blood," he murmured, pushing his face to the smoking earth. "Blood of my blood," she heard Aggo echo. "Blood of my blood," Rakharo shouted.

And after them came her handmaids, and then the others, all the Dothraki, men and women and children, and Dany had only to look at their eyes to know that they were hers now, today and tomorrow and forever, hers as they had never been Drogo's.

As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons.

[atopvisenyashill]

"Daenerys has done a lot of wrongs" and said are killing slavers

thanks for this one actually because you gave me an excuse to talk about that for a bit.

now first of all - i find it very frustrating that when people say “this was wrong” everyone defaults to “why do you care about slavers” when usually, when i’m talking about things dany has done wrong, i’m talking about mirri maz durr, sacking astapor, sexually abusing irri, and taking a profit off slavery. mirri wasn’t a slaver, she was a slave, and she was blood sacrificed by dany. sacking a city, regardless of who is in that city, is always messy and bad - ask Cleos the Butcher and the people he rules over how they feel about the Sack. Ask the people of King's Landing how they feel about their houses being set on fire every few decades. Ask Missandei how she really feels watching the woman she put all her faith in take a cut off the selling of slaves. Hell, Dany knows that Irri does not want to have sex with her and is doing it because she feels "obligated" because she's a slave and Dany still uses her as a bed warmer and then bars her from expressing an interest in Rakharo because she doesn't believe Irri is ~worthy~ of Rakharo (worthy to fuck but not to love and don't I fucking know about attitudes like that coming from white straight girls lmao).

But let's move past all of that (you certainly seem uninterested in talking about the personhood of slaves like Missandei and Mirri after all, despite ostensibly defending them here) and dig into the crucifying of the Great Masters. In fact, let's turn to Dany's own thoughts over this, bolded part mine:

In the plaza before the Great Pyramid, the Meereenese huddled forlorn. The Great Masters had looked anything but great in the morning light. Stripped of their jewels and their fringed tokars, they were contemptible; a herd of old men with shriveled balls and spotted skin and young men with ridiculous hair. Their women were either soft and fleshy or as dry as old sticks, their face paint streaked by tears. “I want your leaders,” Dany told them. “Give them up, and the rest of you shall be spared.” “How many?” one old woman had asked, sobbing. “How many must you have to spare us?” “One hundred and sixty-three,” she answered. She had them nailed to wooden posts around the plaza, each man pointing at the next. The anger was fierce and hot inside her when she gave the command; it made her feel like an avenging dragon. But later, when she passed the men dying on the posts, when she heard their moans and smelled their bowels and blood… Dany put the glass aside, frowning. It was just. It was. I did it for the children.

Immediately after doing it, Dany regrets it. She recognizes she did it while angry and impassioned and reckless, and that the deaths were agonizing, that she did it not for the children but because she was angry and humiliated. This scene has never been as righteously clean morally than people would believe from the moment it was on page! She recognizes she did a fucked up thing but rationalizes it away because she can't admit she made a mistake. She reflects on it later again as she's ruling Meereen:

She had not forgotten the slave children nailed up along the road from Yunkai. They had numbered one hundred sixty-three, a child every mile, nailed to mileposts with one arm outstretched to point her way. After Meereen had fallen, Dany had nailed up a like number of Great Masters. Swarms of flies had attended their slow dying, and the stench had lingered long in the plaza. Yet some days she feared that she had not gone far enough. These Meereenese were a sly and stubborn people who resisted her at every turn. They had freed their slaves, yes … only to hire them back as servants at wages so meagre that most could scarce afford to eat. Those too old or young to be of use had been cast into the streets, along with the infirm and the crippled. And still the Great Masters gathered atop their lofty pyramids to complain of how the dragon queen had filled their noble city with hordes of unwashed beggars, thieves, and whores. To rule Meereen I must win the Meereenese, however much I may despise them.

She lets the bodies of the people she wants to rule rot, the smell lingering in the plaza for weeks, reminding the people she is trying to make peace with that she can and will viciously murder their families and gloat over their corpses and they cannot stop her. Then doesn't put in any rules about wages, anything to help the sick and disabled. She blames the Great Masters for working within the system they've had for generations despite yelling at them to get a new system and doing nothing to help them move to that new system. She judges them, she hates them, and she wonders why she has the Meereneese version of the KKK springing up afterwards. She is just as ineffective as Andrew Johnson is during Reconstruction, too focused on her own feelings to look objectively at what this destroyed city actually needs from her, instead judging them from her own lofty pyramid with her own slaves and her own superior culture and mopes about how much she wants the Seven Kingdoms.

SHE is the one who decided she was going to rule this place. But instead of focusing on reconciliation, she focuses in on revenge. And that is why she sets herself up to fail.

[twicelivedsummer]

Irri and Jhiqui poured wine. [...] “Blood of my blood,” said Rakharo, “when cowards hide and burn the food and fodder, great khals must seek for braver foes. This is known.” “It is known,” Jhiqui agreed, as she poured.

would that grrm ever wrote dothraki characters having distinctive opinions on anything, ever, but

Daenerys runs strategy meetings where the person pouring wine feels comfortable weighing in on strategy.

[reallyidk3]

Matthew Needham and Elyes Gabel in Casualty, House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. I don't see Larys Strong and Dothraki Rakharo being friends somehow 🤣.