#the problem isn't even that the character died it's that there's no ripple effect of the death

[meyerlansky]

also ftr. there's a difference between "i'm harassing the writers/directors/whoever over a decision i didn't like" [bad, fucking obviously] and "i don't think a show should be renewed after a weak season" [value-neutral whether other people agree or not]

[fallsekings]

OOC: After rewatching House of the Dragon last night I got to thinking about what a terrible society that environment is and how a majority of the characters are victims to this society. People can point to one character or the next on where to lay the blame, but in all honesty, it is mostly the patriarchal society that is at fault. And I know it's realistic but that's not the point. I think some people forget, when talking about the characters, what their society looks like and judge the characters based on modern day standards.

Viserys, he felt pressured to have a male heir, because of the society. This often left his eldest an only (at that time) daughter feeling inadequate, like her father couldn't love her as much as he would a son. This also hurt his wife Aemma, and it ultimately led to her death. And then he was pressured into remarrying, when he didn't want to, just to have a male heir. This made Alicent and her children suffer.

Otto Hightower, he was the second son born to his family, which meant that he would never have any inheritance, which compelled him to push his daughter towards Viserys... which ultimately gave Otto more power. It is clear he cares for his daughter, but he is also greedy for power after he was made to feel worthless for most of his life... like he would never be as good as the first son.

Aegon felt this too, after his dad ultimately picked Rhaenyra as his heir. Society told him that he was supposed to take the throne to be his as the first born son, and he felt that his dad didn't love or care for him because he never chose him, as if Viserys didn't believe in him and it caused him to act out like any angsty teenager with daddy issues.

Viserys isn't a perfect parent. I'd say he loved his children but he really doesn't know how to show it and he often sweeps a lot of problems under the rug because he's so freaking stressed and deep into depression that he doesn't want to deal with even more problems. I mean... the man lost 6 children, and his wife, and he blames himself for all of it and he gets leprosy and dies a slow and painful death while also dealing with problems in the kingdom. I mean it's enough for anyone to want to bury their head in the sand imo.

Also need to mention that Alicent knew that she would never be Aemma. She knew that Aemma was, as Viserys probably saw it, his soulmate. And Alicent didn't want to marry him anyways, but -stares at Otto-

But back to what we're talking about. The society is basically set up in such a way that the characters are often forced to make decisions they often don't want to make and it causes a ripple effect that causes everyone some heartache at the end of the day.