#WHO WANTS TO FORCE HER TO MARRY HIM

[alicentes]

All I want from s2 Alicent is for her to be like “you know what, fuck it. I want power for myself and my children because I damn well suffered enough years of hell for it.”

#this is how i wanted it to go when V died but instead she supported aegon bc she thought it was what her rapey husband wanted? #let her snap let her gain the upper hand with the men in her life (same goes for nyra i wanna see them snap) #alicent hightower #hotd #house of the dragon #also she was married off to an old man to give him an heir and instead she got discarded along with the children she was forced to have #and left to raise them alone with no plan for their future or safety and on bad terms w the actual heir who has no attachment to them #meaning their lives are at threat and alicent herself has no power to protect them #they are her children and responsibility no matter how they turned out (aegon) or how she may not have wanted to be a mother or knew how to

[brookheimer]

okay. i need to rewatch the episode probably but i think my current feeling is that i like most of it a lot (rome, ken, the siblings not getting ceo, etc), think the tom ceo makes sense from a logical/character perspective but not sure how i feel about it from a broader more thematic lens (altho i'm leaning towards fine with it), and am very mixed on shiv's ending because i think it's well-conceived and meaningful from a broader thematic lens (shiv becomes her mother, the cycle always repeats, etc) but doesn't quite make sense to me from a logical/character one -- it could've worked, it could've worked brilliantly, but it was far too rushed and forced. it makes sense as an ending for shiv, but not her next step. i'm largely talking about her decision to return to tom, not her decision to vote against kendall (which i think should've been executed better and given more space but can understand given her character, mostly). i'm fine with it as an ending for shiv, but what i'm struggling to stomach is the way it played out -- it didn't feel like a choice the shiv we know would've made. it's an ending that makes sense thematically and for her character arc, but not a decision that makes sense for her character at present. that's kinda where i'm at right now

#long shiv post talking ab this upcoming lol #bc so far i haven't seen like any shiv takes i've actually agreed with #it's either entirely anti ending or pro ending #whereas like. to me the ending works as an ending for the character. it's tragic dark devastating but it works and works well #but shiv making that choice does not make sense for where she is right now. it was rushed writing that forced an ending on her #that would be a satisfying ending but not a satisfying character choice and thus NOT a super satisfying ending #could've been EXTREMELY satisfying. but shiv wasn't there yet. her fatal flaw is blowing up good situations when she feels she's being #disrespected -- she's respect > power when it comes down to it #even tho she thinks she wants power more she NEEDS respect and is unable to stay quiet or make the smart choice in the face of disrespect #or men thinking they're superior etcetcetc. so her making a choice that allots her power (wife of CEO) but is the singular least respecting #outcome imaginable (meekly returning to your husband who betrayed you and stole the job you've been fighting for your entire life right out #of your grasp alongside your closest ally/flirt guyfriend who tapped him to do it explicitly to fuck you over because you're a pregnant #woman and thus inferior to the man who inseminated you -- and EVERYONE KNOWS ALL OF THIS! everyone knows you're the daughter of #the previous CEO and on two separate instances were meant to be CEO and now the weak man you married publicly betrayed you TWICE #but you still meekly return to him and place your hand in his and have his baby like the good pawn you are...) #that does not make sense for shiv. if we saw some development on the power > respect front or had a few more scenes or episodes developing #shiv as someone who would choose to become her mother (powerful and rich yet a disrespected pawn) over literally anything else #given her fundamental fear of being disrespected than maybe this would've made sense. it could be a great meaningful devastating ending #but it's one that just does not track for shiv as we know her right now. #ok tags got long as always sorry LOL i'm gonna write a longer thing explaining my hashtag thoughts bc i haven't seen much i agreed w on thi #front yet oops. ok bye 4 now tee hee #succession #succession spoilers #casey shut the fuck up about shiv roy

[gojuo]

Proshippers be funny af. GoT opening sequence is nothing like hotd so that comparison they pulled up is false and desperate.

me: i want helaegon to be the deconstruction of targaryen incest that examines the psychological horror of a forced marriage to one's own sibling in which the full family is already hanging by a thread in a treacherous situation since there is no other targ couple in the entirety of canon perfectly situated to explore and dissect this horrific aspect of targaryen culture

#them: i want an incestuous love triangle (that is not canon) because incestuous love triangles is interesting writing or something

#i cant believe there are asoiaf fans out there that seriously dont want the targ inc*st to be probed and taken apart and vivisected. likeee #the entire point of targ incst is that its a horror show. its wrong. it should be denounced by the narrative. helaegon is the perfect fit #for that exploration and condemnation. hightower mother. first non targ parent and queen. first targ son that is disowned and emasculated #which leads to aegon not wanting to be a part of targaryen culture. neurodivergent helaena who does not or cannot understand why aegon acts #like it. who doesnt understand whats wrong with her (theres nothing wrong with her). aegon who just wants to be a brother since he cant be #son nor an heir. but hes not allowed to bc the dad who disowned him forces him to partake in targ culture. the blurring lines between #brother and husband and sister and wife and the horror of it all. what is love? i love you bc you are my sister but i cant love you bc you #are my wife and bc you are my sister it is wrong. big bro and first son aegon who has nothing to his name wanting a good life for his sibs #since aemond and daeron are not first sons and will never be first sons they are not doomed like aegon the first son is #and helaena could have lived a happy life married to a good guy with an inheritence who can actually bring smt to the table (unlike disowne #aegon) and who is not related by blood to her somewhere far away from KL and all of its grief. but its never gonna happen now bc they are #targaryens and this is what targaryens do. and alicent watches on unable to stop it. unable to spare her children from this horror show #and then blood and cheese happens... #and what does helaemond bring to the table ? .... uhh incst love triangle i guess 😒🙄 #anti helaemond #helaegon #hotd critical #anonymous #answered

[itspileofgoodthings]

I know I’m talking to an empty theater here but the writing on that episode of Lark Rise to Candleford where Robert loses his tools (and so the means to feed his family) and is facing destitution and then runs into the young guy who’s in love with his daughter and then uses the moment not to take out all his angst and anger on Fisher but to ask him if he’s ready for all that marriage and staying and giving up his life on the road actually means thus forcing Fisher to admit that he isn’t ready for it—-

!!!!!!!!

#and it’s just so brilliant because we’ve watched Robert suffer so deeply the entire episode #because of how crushing the weight of parental responsibility and poverty can be!!! #and he sees this guy that loves his daughter but has no understanding of the life that that love could and should and will lead him to #if he chooses to stay. this guy who’s just living in the moment and in the feelings of the moment but whose love is not strong enough #to endure the sacrifice that would be required of. well. ordinary married life in a small town! #and Robert uses all his wisdom to force him to admit that he’s not ready for it and doesn’t want it #and then it gets even more brilliant! because after Fisher leaves and Laura is heartbroken and angry #he presents her with the same reality/question but from HER side #her being like ‘how dare you make him not stay’ and Robert being like ‘and did I force you not to go with him?’ #‘were YOU ready to give up your whole life and world for him? to make it work? or did you want your life AND him’ #it’s the have your cake and eat it too truth in this case. their lives didn’t fit together and their love was real in a way #but not real enough to weld their different lives together without both of them hating each other in the end #idk it’s just BRILLIANT and I love it so much #because it unfolds so truthfully and all of the pieces of the story fold into each other so that it a) hits exactly as hard as it should #and b) reveals the truths of things so clearly and so accurately #Robert is so annoying so much of the time but he was a fatherly icon in this ep #lark rise to candleford

[theirondragonrants]

It's Otto Hightower telling Viserys that Lord Corlys is "overreaching" by trying to make himself more than he is EVERY CHANCE HE GETS, and then he goes and PIMPS HIS DAUGHTER OUT TO VISERYS SO HE CAN OVERREACH AND MAKE HIMSELF MORE THAN HE IS.

#house of the dragon #your honor I hate him #I hate him so much #yes I know I said I hated alicent what of it #God when she looks at Rhaenyra before Viserys announces who he wants to marry #nervous and hyperventilating because she knows this is going to break them apart #that poor child being forced to marry a grown ass man all because her father has a younger son complex #I hate it all #fuck #alicent hightower #otto hightower #corlys velaryon #viserys i targaryen

[imaginarianisms]

thinking about how rhaena targaryen was denied her right to rule in her own right not simply because she was a woman although that played a large factor but specifically because she was a lesbian & quite literally everybody knew that & on TOP of that she's a dark skinned BLACK lesbian woman of color.

#out of the galaxy. || ooc. #& she initially said that jaehaerys should rule but like @ the time she literally JUST got out of a abusive marriage 2 maegor her OWN UNCLE #who he FORCED her to marry him & she's unwinding from all that trauma. but later she's like ''FUCK y'all that was MY throne'' #& not to mention jaehaerys & alyssane were far more palatable as a duaric (m/f) relationship to the realm than her rule as a lesbian would. #in her mind both in targaryen & even moreso velaryon tradition the eldest came first regardless of gender. #but like the more the targaryens & velaryons & celtigars started assimilating little by little it genuinely bothered her lmao #/ incest mention #/ abuse mention #/ lesbophobia #n e wayz lesbians of color can do w/e they want idc idc

[nerosdayinanime]

Sanemi & Giyuu were about 16-17 when they both individually went on an undercover mission in the Kaze no Kuni capital city, they henged/disguised as fake personas Kazura (vaguely derived from kaze, wind) and Nakuu ('to lose')

Kazura is supposed to be darker skinned + two-toned eyes like that of Kazan no Kuni descendants & is sensible and confident but lazy, Nakuu has a hairstyle + facial shape from Mizu no Kuni & an outgoing enthusiastic and pretty sly personality

Giyuu put some particular effort into his disguise and really got into the character he was playing up, he also had fun with it where he could- and thats how he met Kazura. i dont have or really want specifics of why where how or such bc it ruins the imaginative bit of it ig? but while they were on the mission they were meeting up, they both knew the other was disguised but neither pried about it. they fell in love a bit, however it means, but as Nakuu's namesake they were never going to last. it was a mission and when it was done they would leave for home and never meet again.

but then they did :)

at 19 sanemi and giyuu had a political marriage arranged(forced) by Kyogo being a greedy fuck and wanting more trade from the Tomioka, in both the Happy & Broken marriage paths giyuu's the one who notices sanemi acting the same way as kazura in some ways and realizes the two are one in the same. In the Happy marriage its a thought that brings a smile to his face and a jest about how they fell in love twice, in the Broken marriage its only twice the heartbreak after the apathy sanemi regards him with and the loneliness that consumes him

#kny clan au #kny clan au: arranged sanegiyu(Fluff) #kny clan au: arranged sanegiyuu(Angst) #Kazura & Nakuu #i like hurting giyuu<3 but i also want to be nice & im indecisive so Multiverse type shit like this happens #im trying to proper Write out the story i have but my skill isnt up to par with my vision. i'll post it anyway when im done tho bc i want t #Share the story and talk & think more about it bc its Fun #the idea for this actually came earlier before i thought of the arranged marriage bit- its the sngy mission meeting thing but changed #slightly with the timeline of the marriage(19) & sanemi murking kyogo(21) #in the orig they were older & i also didnt have the idea of major civilian cities/villages for the shinobi to do stuff in #also in the angst path sanemi isnt abusive like kyogo is hes just neglectful & since giyuu was essentially completely cut off from his #normal amount of casual affection and reassurances to Literally Nothing + the looming threat of kyogo's ire + different biology #he has no support aside from Nagisa(who is trying her damn best) and it wears on him mentally ykno? #then the one person he THOUGHT loved him turns out to actually not love *him* so it turns into a fantasy he desperately clings to. #just *someone* to love and support him for being *him* and not some character. #oh almost forgot to tag #sanegiyuu #also to be specific abt the arranged marriage part kyogo forced the tomioka's hand(marry or we decimate you & still get the trade routes<3) #but giyuu volunteered in place of tsutako. he wasnt against the idea of marrying but everyone was fearful of the shinazugawa's culture #and sent Nagisa with him as like. a helper. idk if it has a name. shes a beta well versed in medicine & secondary sex stuff so giyuu's not #COMPLETELY alone to deal with that surrounded by a bunch of people who know nothing about it. theyre formal with eachother as Tomiokas #but to the Shinazugawa they seem really close. mountain pass/southern culture is Very different. more communal and close-knit to #deal with the harsh environment of the mountains/cold

[musical-chick-13]

.

#idk it's just really frustrating to think that people will ALWAYS make allowances for people they're romantically in love with but #not make those same allowances for someone else they otherwise care about. #that people will risk things for their partners that they wouldn't for their friends #that it's EXPECTED for you to prioritize your spouse/significant other/etc. at all times but prioritizing your friend(s) is rarely even #considered. and when you're like me and you LITERALLY CANNOT DO THIS SHIT BY YOURSELF... #like I know I go on and on about marrying some theoretical woman all the time (and my ongoing...whatever this is. with Musician Guy) #but genuinely I'm not even sure that I want that I think I just want someone who will fucking visit me in the hospital if I get into a car #crash or fix me soup when I'm sick. #like...yeah. in that one story I wrote I think I distilled it down: we all just want someone to hold us when we're sad #and it SUCKS that the only avenue we seem to be allowed to pursue that is through a romantic relationship #right now I have my dad but if something happens to him...I genuinely do not know what I'm going to do. I'll have nowhere to go #if something terrible happens. I'll have no one to help me be a person. and I just. like I really am going to just have to power through #the next 60 years on this fucking planet alone and by god I'll fucking do it but I wish I didn't have to!!!! #and I think this was why the loss of Her™ friendship (which was necessary. for both of us) was so acutely painful. because even after #she got married she WAS willing to prioritize me when things got bad enough. she DID genuinely care about me in a way I don't think #anyone ever has. and I just really don't think I'll ever find that ever again. and I can't go back and I don't WANT to be with her anymore #but it was this time of the year when she told me she was getting married way back when and my brain has kept that like the World's Worst #Anniversary and all of those terrible ugly feelings are coming back in full force and I HATE that I'm still unpacking this I. HATE. that #this not-even-relationship is STILL doing this to me #WHAT THE FUCK!!! IS UP WITH THAT!!!!!! #*sigh* okay for REAL I am logging off right now because I've already said Too Many Embarrassing Personal Things about myself today #and I do not want to put myself in a position to say anymore! #In the Vents #GOD this is so stupid IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEBODY DIED WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS

[iloveyouitisruiningmylife]

i hate the way he makes me fight for things i don't even believe in or want or like

#now he's not fucking booking the tickets because he's mad at sis for rejecting the ladka they went to see #fuck him it was literally a one week vacation and not a single days rest #and he's so fucking psychopathic god he told her to leave her job and stay here with him and see #as many guys until she finds the one she's 'compatible' with #bc that's why she rejected that guy bc they weren't compatible #he makes me sick god i want to run away #how can someone be so self centered self obsessed only care about yourself and not your fucking daughters? #i don't even want to go to that fuckass office or tuitions but i have to because HE FORCED ME TO DO THIS COURSE and now im close to #the finish line so i have to do it and it's literally impossible to live in this house and not be financially independent bc then #this fucking person who calls himself a dad will force u to marry someone you don't know #thank god sis has good job now i fully told her ki zyada natak kare toh plane book karo aur chale jao #ab nahi toh kab kyu sunna hai ye sab isliye puri life thodi na itni mehnat ki hai #khud incompatible insaan se shaadi kar ke ghut ghut ke jee rahe hai aur itni bhi decency nahi hai ki atleast mere bacche ke saath same fate #na ho #thak gayi hu ladke ab bas ghar jana hai aur nahi ho raha

[llycaons]

oh my god I have this asoiaf character alignment chart youtube video up and they're talking about sansa and how she's not really in the position to be a moral actor and someone in the chat was like "she screwed over tyrion at the wedding!" like im sorry the 14 year old child hostage who's been terrorized and abused for months doesn't want to kneel to make the adult man who helped murder her family and who she is SUDDENLY BEING FORCED TO MARRY feel better about himself??? WOW yeah she's evil for SURE I hate asoiaf fans

#the host was like 'I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt to the child bride' but even if she was being mean to him. who cares #tyrion isn't the center of the universe and he holds enormous power over her in almost every single way. her resistance in any form #would be completely justified or at least understandable without labeling her as EVIL #ig you can argue she's self-centered but she's a child being abused with zero autonomy and she still saved the life of ser dontos #and extended compassion to sweetrobin. and even if not...can you blame her for trying to survive and being concerned about her own safety #and wanting to be treated well and wanting to go home? #and not catering to the feelings of. again. one of her captors who she is being forced to marry #they immediately recognized this pursuit was absurd btw. especially for a series with so many morally complex characters #but it's a 6 hr long video so its good bg noise #cor.txt

[quillkiller]

not me pulling out laura mulveys essay about visual pleasure and narrative cinema in the gc and going on about how women are always passive and men are always active in the narrative structure. we’re talking about lily evans btw! imagine having more of a buzzkill friend than me

#hey uhhh #did you know 🫣 #that women are only written to be mens driving force to create depth to his character #and that women are only empty vessels and one dimensional and don’t exist just to be hot and romantic and sacrificial #that women are only added to the narrative for visual pleasure and through her love she will change the mans motive and narrative structure #um did u know.. that it’s because men aren’t allowed to be passive #and uhhhhhhh women have to save them 🫣🫣 just by being beautiful and maternal and passive #and uhhhh 🙈🙈 she saves him from himself and becomes a better person because he loves a passive one-dimensional woman #who isn’t allowed to do anything else than be good besutiful hot sexy maternal soft and morally good❤️ #this is a hate post about certain lily ships where she changes the man shes shipped with bc she loves him❤️ and he loves her❤️ #no self critical thinking necessary when a womans love can change you<3 #also a hate post to her canon narrative where shes a dead married woman who saved her child with *checks notes* LOVE ????????? #jesus fucking christ #a good woman never resents what shes meant to want more than anything #a good husband who tries to save her and child she saves with the power of love #GET HER OUT!!!!!!!! GET MY GIRL OUT OF THERE!!!!!!! SHE DESERVES BETTER

[gatun-gatunesco]

#i went to a family party #all my cousins were there with they partners #even my brother that travel with us brings his partner #and of course they asked. how could they not? #i wanted to say half the truth to not fully lie by saying “oh she could not come” but they sure are hard to please with vage answers #and so i was forced to said “because she is my partner no longer” #the avalanche of questions was more of what i could handle emotionally and started crying #it has being a little more than a month since the separation and now all my cousins are saying “you will find someone else” #motherfucker i am grieving in here! my romantic relationship are long-term. there is not a way i can heal and forget in so little time #i wanted to marry her!!! for fuck sake #“she is going to regret and came back / in the future she may come back” #it was a one-side breakup. by her decision. and she had a crush who wanted to be intimate with #do you believe she will be back before doing something with him? i would not be so hopeful. I had rules to precisely avoid this #“you worth it” if i am. the ones i loved the most would not have left for someone else. it happend twice #i yearn for the day someone loves me and likes me for what i am without having eyes for anybody else. I know is possible because i do that #just want someone apply the same to me

[missmitchieg]

Sometimes I imagine Haley and Will bonding over hating their spouses jobs.

#criminal minds #''oh boo I hate when my FBI agent spouse has to go be an FBI agent'' #should've... probably... idk considered that before getting married... y'know like how Will asked if JJ wanted to break up and she said YES #hmm Haley & Will could've been a fun friendship #could've added some spice to their characters #maybe then Will and Haley wouldn't be Just There for me #as The Guy JJ Forced To Be Her Dirty Little Secret For A Year Like OMG Get Some Self Respect My Dude #& Hotch's Pretty Ex-Wife Who Hates His Job & Good On You Divorcing Him Because You Hate It So Much Like WOO Also Sorry You Got Offed #like oh my god she literally said she wanted to break up it could've just been over then & there because she realized she's actually in lov #with Spence and that adorable scene where lil Henry decided to dress as his favorite profiler for Halloween could've been ''I'm YOU dad'' I #seriously why did the writers Do That and make it weird like eww #wait #oh oops #Tag Rants With Mitchie

[imaginarianisms]

more asoiaf comparisons, parallels & antiparallels to the first dance of the dragons vs the second & final dance of the dragons (& possibly the sixth blackfyre rebellion): the blacks being daenerys i targaryen's supporters, the golds being aegon vi targaryen's supporters, tommen baratheon being a close equivalent to gaemon palehair & his mother essie & sylvenna sand which may be interpreted as a parallel with queen cersei lannister & taena merryweather of myr, trystane truefyre being a close equivalent to aegon/young griff & perkin being jon connington & the shepherd being the new high septon the high sparrow, dalton greyjoy being euron i greyjoy's ancestor & the latter surpassing him, alyn waters later alyn velaryon resembling aurane waters later aurane velaryon & finishing what their ancestors started. history repeats itself.

#out of the galaxy. || ooc. #LIKE!!!! LOOK AT THE PARALLELS BRUH #it kinda makes me wonder who the hightowers would support this time... #its literally so wild how history repeats itself #i think the lannisters would support aegon after he takes king's landing bc they're lowkey fucked either way. #cersei lannister's probably either in hiding at casterly rock or will end up as aegon's political prisoner. maybe jaime too idk. #i have no idea who would lead the lannisters on the side of the golds now that kevan's dead killed by varys tho... maybe genna lannister? #cersei jaime & tyrion's aunt? to parallel johanna lannister who attacked the ironborn like a boss bitch?? #i personally predict aegon'll marry sansa who would have the north the riverlands & the vale at her back—it'd be arranged by baelish & varys #i also think it's possible he'd take arianne martell as another wife to parallel aegon & his wives visenya & rhaenys. #so by taking sansa & arianne as his wives & queens both of whom are well beloved in their countries he'd restore honor to their houses. #bc aerys & later the baratheon dynasty was a terrible time for the starks & the martells so he brings the north & dorne back into the fold. #so by marrying sansa he honors & respects her given her past betrothal to joffrey & forced marriage to tyrion & mending what aerys did #particularly to her grandfather rickard stark & her uncle brandon stark & to her aunt lyanna stark. #& by marrying arianne he's restoring honor to house martell considering all the bs his mother elia martell experienced in king's landing. #(whether elia actually Is his mother or who he perceives her to be) & restoring the line of succession again in dornish hands #& they'd probably marry him on the condition that the northerners & dornish gets special rights & privileges that others don't. #& not to mention that the targaryens starks & martells have a common enemy. #polygamy's a big nono in the faith of the seven but that didn't stop aegon & his wives & im sure after everything w/ the faith rn?? #w/ cersei & the sparrows?? & considering aegon's actually a decent person & he'll be foreshadowed to be popular & loved?? #i don't think most would bat an eye tbh. i actually think daenerys would wanna talk to aegon first tho. #then everything & everyone around them goes to shit & they end up fighting bc like. daenerys wants SO BADLY to have a family. #so like i don't see her immediately perceiving aegon as a threat. #the starks & most of the north would prolly be wary of dany @ 1st due to aerys & having a MASSIVE army w/ three dragons until the long night #except for like. maybe jon. but anyway the martells could be slightly wary of dany bc of what happened with quentyn in meereen. #idk maybe there's a division in the north & dorne. i think sansa & arianne would actually get along personally. #anyway im presuming stannis is gonna be at the nightfort & i personally don't think he's ever gonna come south again. he'll die at the wall.

[chaoticnerdsstuff]

“Omg shauna doesn’t love jeff is canon, they said it an interview!”

Bestie I recommend a rewatch if you actually needed someone to confirm it outwardly.

#are we just forgetting the first season is her fucking someone so she can actually feel something remotely exciting #Jeff is a fucking down bad obviously who wouldn't but Shauna doesn't love him #Hell she doesn't love her own daughter #I'm pretty sure the marriage was the result of guilt and her living the life that Jackie would've had #I'm pretty sure her living as a housewife and marrying Jeff was supposed to be her way of doing penance #She probably thinks she deserves to be miserable and that Jackie would've wanted her to do so because as teenagers Jackie (unawarely) was tr #trying to make Shauna more like her #So Shauna is forcing herself to live in her version of Purgatory until she dies #Which is probably why she enjoys the thrill of taking a life because it's something she did before Jackie died and because it also comes wi- #with the chance of her dying #SHAUNA MEANS SO MUCH TO ME #Shes a little silly

[problemswithbooks]

Okay so I might catch some slack for this, but I feel like it is partially Alicent’s fault Aegon turned out the way he did and I am a little annoyed that some people act like she had nothing to do with it.

Of course Aegon raping Dyana was his own choice--Alicent didn’t make him do it. Nor is Aegon turning out be someone to make that choice solely Alicent’s fault, not at all. In fact I’d say the biggest contributing factor was probably just the world they live in. 

Westros is very sexist. Even in our modern world, rape culture exists and some women are seen as more acceptable targets then others. In Westros these things are ramped up to 11. It’s not surprising that a highly privileged young man would see a serving girl as free game without a second thought.

But that doesn’t mean his parents aren’t also partially to blame. Viserys is a terrible father to all of his kids from his second marriage. He doesn’t even acknowledge them at times. He wasn’t spending any time with them or giving them any life advice as they grew up. Kids aren’t dumb and it’s clear all of them know he doesn’t give a shit about them. Heck, Aegon looks genuinely scared of him when he’s being questioned about the rumors around Rhaenyra’s kids, which shows Aegon thought he and his other family members were in danger from Viserys if he said the wrong thing. You don’t get that kind of reaction without prior actions backing up that train of thought.

Viserys’s neglect is also one of the reasons why Alicent can treat Aegon the way she does. Alicent doesn’t really like him much, or in the very least not as much as her other kids. Part of that is because she knows their entire family’s lives could very well hinge on Aegon proving he’s a better option for Kingship then Rhaenyra. So she slaps him when he misbehaves and yells at him. She makes it very clear how much rests on his shoulders from a young age and Aegon doesn’t do well under that pressure, nor does he even want the thing she is pushing on him.

If Viserys had been a better husband and father to Alicent and their children, Alicent might have not thought her children were at risk, which would have stopped her from putting so much pressure and expectation on Aegon (that eventually led her to physically abusing him at times). Aegon might still have turned out to be a rapist due to the society he lives under and its lack of care for women, particularly those of lower classes, but in the very least good parenting might have given him a better resistance against those terrible ideas, or making such a horrible choice.  

#hotd #aegon ii targaryen #alicent hightower #viserys targaryen #I love alicent but she really didn't aegon well #and personally I find their dynamic fascinating #because i think it is a good example of how people who are abused can end up doing the same #to their own loved ones later on #Alicent was forced to marry Viserys because Otto's ambition #and Aegon is being forced into a similar thing he doesn't want because of his mother's fears #Alicent has made him feel as if he's not good enough to even earn her affection #and that he's worthless #which could lead to all his siblings and kids being killed #He's also made to marry his sister who he doesn't understand or like romantically #like Viserys during Aegon's name day celebration #Aegon seems to drink to drown out all that pressure and stress #which only makes him a worse person #and lead to Alicent being more disappointed and angry at him #which leads to more drinking and self loathing #it really is just a huge tragedy #because you can see how things could have been better but weren'tt