#both of them stuck on what home means to them. for viserys a crown and his mother. for dany the house with the red door. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

targaryenrealnessdarling · 13 days

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Blood of My Blood

Summary: Stuck between duty and passion, she is given no choice but to yield to the game Aemond wishes to play | Words: 4.1k~ | Warnings: a lot of talk of illegitimacy, hatefucking, dubcon, incest (character is implied to have strong features), p in v sex, baby trapping, forced marriage

Can be read as a stand-alone or as a part two for The Blood is Rare!

His fingers tightened around her arm, the pressure a mix of anger and possessiveness. He forcefully ushered her across the threshold of the chambers she once called home, back when she resided there alongside the Hightower children. The worn flagstones caused her feet to stumble, while her forearm throbbed with bruises from his grip. She shot him a glance filled with both hurt and fury.

“You cannot treat me like this,” she spat viciously.

Aemond merely stepped back, his expression unyielding. "You are to be my wife. I'll treat you as I please."

Before she could reach the double doors, they slammed shut, brass fixtures rattling as Aemond hastened to secure her inside. Despite her feeble attempts to push back against the doors, her fists bruised from the effort, he locked her in without hesitation.

“They will come for me!” she screamed in protest, “unlock this, at once!”

Locked within the confines of the chamber, her heart pounded with a mixture of fear and defiance. She paced the room, her mind racing with thoughts of escape and retribution. Outside, the distant echoes of footsteps and murmured voices hinted at the presence of guards or servants, but she knew she couldn't rely on them for help.

King Viserys was dead. And Alicent Hightower planted her son on her mother’s throne.

As the hours dragged on, her frustration grew with each passing moment. She tried every possible means of escape, but the sturdy oak doors remained firmly shut, sealing her fate within the chamber. Her mind raced with thoughts of her family, of the kingdom thrown into turmoil by the sudden death of King Viserys. And now, with Aemond's revelation of his family's plan to anoint Aegon on the morrow, she realised the true extent of the danger she faced.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing outside her prison. The door creaked open, and Aemond stepped into the room, his expression unreadable. She studied his face, and saw he looked slightly withered and tired, covered with a mask of coldness.

"We have much to discuss," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "But first, you must understand the gravity of the situation."

She eyed him warily, her heart pounding in her chest. "What do you mean?"

"Aegon will be crowned tomorrow," he explained, his tone solemn. "And my family has plans for us as well."

Her stomach churned with dread as she listened to his words. "What plans?"

"A marriage," he said simply, his gaze unwavering. "In the traditions of our ancestors, to solidify our alliance and secure our place in the new realm."

Her mind reeled at the thought of marrying the man who had imprisoned her against her will. But she knew that in the game of thrones, alliances were forged with marriages as much as with swords.

A tension-laden silence filled the chamber, thick with unspoken words and unyielding resolve. her heart pounded in her chest as she weighed her options, acutely aware of the consequences of her decision. The memory of their clandestine tryst, a moment of forbidden passion she dared not admit she had enjoyed, lingered in the recesses of her mind, adding an unexpected layer of complexity to the situation.

"I will not be your pawn," she said, her voice trembling with defiance.

A flicker of anger flashed across Aemond's face, but it was quickly replaced by a cold mask of indifference.

"You have no choice," he said icily. "You will marry me, for the good of our families and the realm. Just as Daeron will wed a Baratheon girl, to secure-"

She shook her head stubbornly, her resolve hardening with each passing moment. "I will not be forced into a marriage I do not want."

Aemond's gaze narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "Do not be foolish, mandianna. You have a duty to your family, to the legacy of House Targaryen. You will marry me, and you will bear me heirs to secure our place in history."

But she refused to be swayed by his empty words. "I will not be your broodmare, and I will not be shackled to you for the rest of my days," she declared, her voice trembling with righteous indignation. "Not when you have already taken so much from me."

Aemond's expression darkened, his features contorted with anger. "Do not speak to me of what I have taken," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You gave yourself to me willingly, and now you will suffer the consequences."

She swallowed thickly, her pride blurring the edges of what she knew was the truth.

“He is no King of mine.”

A heavy silence settled over the chamber, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a shroud of defiance. Aemond's eye blazed with fury, his jaw clenched so tightly it seemed as if he might shatter his teeth with the force of his anger. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, the tension between them palpable. The threat of declaring treason hung heavy.

Finally, Aemond broke the silence, his voice cold and menacing. "You dare to defy me," he hissed, his words dripping with contempt. "You would betray your own blood, your own family, for the sake of your misguided principles?"

She met his gaze head-on, her chin lifted defiantly despite the tremble in her limbs. "I will not betray my mother," she declared, her voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at her insides. "You speak of blood after years of declaring me and my brothers alike your sole distaste.”

Aemond's nostrils flared with barely contained rage at her words, his eye narrowing into a slit as he took a step closer, his imposing figure casting a shadow over her. "Do not presume to lecture me on matters of blood," he seethed, his voice a low growl that reverberated through the chamber. "You may share the blood of House Targaryen, but you lack the fire that defines our lineage."

“Careful, Uncle,” she whispered, her voice tinged with fury, “I am as much Targaryen as you.”

A flicker of doubt crossed Aemond's features, his gaze faltering for a moment before hardening once more into a mask of disdain. "You may share the name, but you lack the strength and resolve to wield it," he sneered, his words like a lash that cut through the air between them. "You are nothing but a weak, insignificant girl who fancies herself a dragon."

Her jaw tightened at Aemond's cutting words, her resolve hardening as she refused to let his insults diminish her spirit. "Strength is not defined by the size of one's flames, Uncle," she retorted, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her.

Aemond's lip curled in a mixture of anger and begrudging admiration. Despite himself, he couldn't deny the fire that burned within her, the same fire that had characterised the Targaryen bloodline for generations. "You have spirit, I'll give you that," he conceded, his voice low and grudgingly impressed. "But spirit alone will not save you from the realities of this world."

She held his gaze, her breath coming in short, shallow bursts as she felt the tension between them crackle like lightning in the air. Despite their antagonistic exchange, there was an undeniable chemistry that simmered just beneath the surface, a primal attraction that neither of them could ignore.

As if sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Aemond took another step closer, his eye darkening with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "You may defy me, niece," he murmured, his voice husky with desire. "But deep down, you know that we are bound together by more than just blood and duty."

She felt her throat close up, her body betraying what she wanted him to believe about her. That she recoiled at the mere sight of him. That she could not bear to be within the same quarters. That she hated him.

And all of it was a lie.

She would not have given herself so freely to him in that darkened alcove if she truly loathed him. And yet her pride marred the truth.

“You will be my wife,” Aemond stated, his voice devoid of negotiation. It was a command, wrapped in the certainty of his position, a reflection of the harsh realities of their lineage and the role they played in the ongoing struggle for power.

Her reaction was a mix of defiance and disbelief. This was not the offer of a partner, but the demand of a prince used to being obeyed. Yet, even as the words hung in the air between them, she could not ignore the complex web of emotions that tied her to this man. There was no love in this arrangement, but there was something else—something harder to define.

“You speak of marriage as though it were another battle to be won. I am not spoils of war to be claimed.”

Aemond’s eye, ever so piercing, momentarily hardened, hinting at the turmoil beneath his princely facade. His hand flew out, gripping her jaw as he had done that steamy evening, clutching her skin in his long fingers - a warning.

“Come with me, willingly or not. It is your choice, niece.”

Her eyes locked onto his with a fierceness that could rival any dragon's gaze, attempting to sear his very soul with her stare. Yet, in defiance of the forceful hand upon her jaw, she wrenched herself free, her breathing heavy with indignation. The so-called choice he presented felt like a cruel jest, highlighting the absence of any real agency she possessed.

The machinations of the Greens had cornered her into this union with Aemond, rendering any thought of escape futile from the outset.

Their wedding was a somber affair, marked more by the exchange of solemn vows and cold, resentful looks than any semblance of joy or union. Throughout the ceremony, her thoughts wandered, detached from the grim proceedings. And when the final blessings were about to be pronounced, she turned abruptly, her last vestiges of defiance carrying her away to the solitude of her quarters.

The sense of betrayal that churned within her was overwhelming, a treachery not only to her mother's cause but to herself. The disappointment her family would feel loomed over her, a burden more oppressive than the iron crown could ever be.

Moreover, the realisation that this marriage was orchestrated merely to secure an heir, to bind her bloodline to Aemond's as a political safeguard against total war, was revolting.

Standing alone, she tried to steady her trembling hands by focusing on the wine cup she held, just as Aemond's footsteps halted behind her. She braced herself for an encounter she dreaded, yet his next words took her by surprise.

“I shall bid you goodnight,” he said simply.

She spun around, half-expecting to confront a man prepared to enforce his will regardless of her consent. Instead, she met his gaze and found something unexpected—a reflection of restraint and perhaps a hint of understanding.

In that moment, a complex array of emotions coursed through her, challenging her perceptions and forcing her to acknowledge the intricate layers of their predicament.

“I will not lay with you tonight. You do not wish it.”

Her guard, so meticulously maintained, began to falter at the honesty in his words. "And what of tomorrow?" she asked, a tinge of cynicism threading her question. "When the sun rises, will your sense of duty not dictate our interactions?”

"It likely will," he conceded, the corners of his mouth turning down in a grimace. "But tonight, you've had enough battles to face. I won't add to them."

The silence that fell between them was filled with a tentative understanding, a fragile thread connecting two individuals caught in the crossfire of political machinations and familial obligations.

Yet, she was acutely aware that Aemond was not a mere bystander in the unfolding of these events. And it would be a mistake for him to assume she would quietly acquiesce to their circumstances.

Throughout the following day, Aemond's absence hung over her like a shadow, his presence felt more in his lack than in actuality. The dread of uncertainty twisted in her stomach, her mind conjuring scenarios that left her restless and wide-eyed, staring at the chamber doors until the early hours. The knowledge of her new status as his wife did nothing to ease her apprehension. It only highlighted her vulnerability, the potential for him to assert his marital rights in a way that robbed her of any semblance of control.

Yet, despite her fears, Aemond remained absent, his intentions opaque, leaving her to grapple with the anxiety of anticipation alone. The silence of the night was broken only by the distant, powerful beats of Vhagar's wings, a sound that resonated with ominous foreboding. She watched from her window as the great dragon, with Aemond upon her back, vanished into the stormy clouds that brooded overhead.

When Aemond returned to their chambers, it was not the composed prince who entered but a man storming in, soaked to the bone, his demeanor radiating tight, barely controlled anger. The storm outside mirrored his internal tempest, the rain that clung to him a testament to the chaos that seemed to follow in his wake.

His sudden appearance in the dead of night, the way he moved with a predatory grace, charged the air with a palpable tension. She could see in his expression the fracture of a man who had lost control, his ego bruised by the events that had transpired, a dangerous edge to his anger that made her heart race.

In that moment, the dynamics of their relationship stood on a knife's edge, the events of the night poised to define the course of their future interactions. It was a test of wills, a confrontation between power and vulnerability, where the choices they made could either bridge the gap between them or widen it into an insurmountable chasm.

"Aemond," she began, her voice steady despite the fear that threatened to choke her words. "What has happened?"

He halted mid-pace, turning towards her. The flicker of the candles reflected off his wet face, casting shadows that made his expression all the more inscrutable. "The game has changed," he said through gritted teeth, his voice a low growl.

Her eyes traced his movements, every nerve alight.

“What game?” She dared to ask.

Aemond's gaze was steel, the kind that cut deeper than swords. "The game we're all pawns in—the game for the Iron Throne." His words were heavy, laden with a darkness that seemed to suck the warmth from the room.

“Aemond, tell me plainly. What have you done.”

Her voice was terse, but it trembled.

There was a hardness in his gaze, a glint of something fierce and unyielding.

"Luke," he finally uttered, his tone laden with a severity that chilled her to the bone.

In that instant, clarity and horror crashed over her like a wave. Luke was gone, his life extinguished in the brutal game of thrones that spared no one, not even the innocent. A gnawing question arose within her: Had her mother been informed, or was she, too, left in the dark until now?

The realisation that Aemond, now her husband, had been responsible for her brother's death sent a shiver of fear down her spine. The man standing before her, cloaked in shadows and rain, was no longer just the prince she had been bound to in a marriage of convenience. He was a killer, capable of extinguishing a life—a life she had cherished. Luke's laughter, his teasing smile, the memories they shared, all extinguished in a moment's violence. And if Luke, then why not her?

Aemond's demeanour shifted, perhaps sensing the change in her perception. "You fear me now," he stated, not a question but a flat acknowledgement.

She took a cautious step back, her mind racing. The man before her, powerful enough to command dragons and armies, had shown he did not shy away from kinslaying. "I believe I ought to" she countered, her voice a whisper of defiance.

He paused, and in that silence, the harsh reality of their situation seemed to settle around them like a cloak. As Aemond moved closer, intending to assert himself, she couldn't suppress the instinctual urge to retreat. The space between them, filled with the unsaid and the undone, seemed insurmountable.

She could not help the stark whimper that escaped her when his fingers formed a fist in her hair at the back of her head, pulling her unyielding face up to meet his, his angered breath spilling over her face.

“You believe I would harm you.”

How could she not? She thought. He had so often shown a calm, quiet anger. And unleashed it all within a short afternoon, with Luke's body somewhere at the bottom of the sea surrounding Storm’s End.

“You dare to question this when you have murdered my brother,” she spat back at him.

Jaw clenched, Aemond raised his other hand to his eye patch, quickly ripping it off to reveal to her what was beneath it. The angry red scar extended from his forehead to his cheek, jagged, clumsy. And where his eye would have been was raw, a bright sapphire sitting firmly within the socket, forboding.

Of course, she knew what Luke had done, but she had never seen him like this. Fear gripped at her skin, and a strange throbbing between her thighs at the way he looked over her like this. Thought she attempted to now show that on her face.

Her expression must have mirrored poor Luke's mere hours before, as her new husband gazed down at her, his demeanour terrifyingly calm.

“You defend your little bastard brother after how he has maimed me?”

“Aemond, please-” she pleaded, only moving away an inch before her husband tugged her back, tighter.

“Your brother was of no use to this realm. But you,” he spat, one hand tucking up her skirts and then meanly digging at her hips, “I need your sweet little cunt for my heirs, mandianna.”

She felt her mouth go dry, unable to say a thing. She whimpered again when he used his grip on her hair to turn her body around, keeping her back towards his chest, his fingers slipped along her jaw, as if to communicate that he could wrap them around her throat at any moment.

Aemond was sitting on a knife’s edge. And she dare not tilt him in any particular direction. Equally though, she dare not admit to herself that it was exciting in a most forbidden way.

“You are my wife,” he murmured quietly, sliding her small clothes down her thigh, flourishing with gooseflesh, “and who am I to deny her her duty?”

She suppressed a yelp when her hands lay flat on the table, her breasts pressed hard against the oak as she felt Aemond's rapidly growing harness at her backside where he was rucking up her skirts.

Though she tried to wriggle free of him, one hand at the nape of her neck with undeniable strength was all it took to remind her how much smaller she was than him. How difficult it would be to resist. Does she just go through with it? Let her Uncle, her brother's murderer, take her like a common whore whenever he wishes?

She could envisage no escape, and as ashamed as she was to admit it to herself, she could do nothing but submit. At least there would be some pleasure.

She jolted as his slender fingers parted her folds with a click of her essence coated his digits, dragging his touch from her opening to her overly-sensitive bud.

“See how wet you become for me still,” he murmured, pressing his chest against her back, broad body caging her in, “though I am the greatest sinner in the realm, your body still begs for it, sweet niece. What does that make you?”

“Kepus, please-”

“A traitor to your own kin?” He whispered, exhaling shakily when he nudged her legs apart an inch and slipped the fat head of his cock between her arousal-glistened folds, disappearing into her without effort.

Her lips parted, a quiet moan slipping past at being split onto his length. And though little time had passed since their first tryst, she still felt the sting and girth of him as if it were.

Aemond groaned deeply, at the feeling of her sucking him in so willingly, her walls greedily tightening around his length.

“Or loyal to your kinslaying husband?” He added huskily.

How was she to respond when the air was incessantly pushed right from her lungs at every snap of his hips? The table legs creaked against the floor and her breasts ached from being pressed down to the oak by the tight grip of his fingers around her nape.

She wanted to say that he was brutalising her, taking what he wanted with no care for her pleasure, but even that wouldn't be true. Aemond's rhythmic grunts came hot against her ear as he rutted into her, his hand kneading the flesh of her buttock in one hand, grasping tightly to allow himself deeper access to her.

She felt as if she was betraying herself, moaning the way she was. And Aemond certainly did not miss a thing.

“Stubborn little cunt - saying you don't want it but I can feel you begging for my seed -”

The mocking tone of his voice had her clench around him, humiliation clawing at her skin the more Aemond speared her onto his length in quick rhythmic movements. Her moisture coated his shaft, his pelvis painting the inside of her thighs with it in the heat of their passion.

Aemond looked down between them, his fingers leaving red marks on her buttock the more he gripped. Both hands drifted either side, pulling at her supple flesh to watch the way her cunt took him, his lips parted in appreciation of how he disappeared into her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling so boneless that she did not attempt to wiggle away when he was no longer holding her down. Instead her fingers curled over the table for stability in a desperate plea to ground herself from the hot, tight feeling building every time his cock hit her fleshy, wet end.

And just when she was getting used to the feeling, Aemond pulled her hips back to him, elevating her hips and slamming into her at an angle which brushed against that deep, sweet place inside her.

A tingly, warm sensation fluttered up her spine, “kepus-”

“-fucking say you want it-” he murmured between breaths, pulling her onto him quicker the close the became to completion.

She bit her lip, if anything, using the last bit of her power to not give him the satisfaction of thinking she did in fact want it. So she remained silent, which only made his thrusts more aggressive and assertive.

“-I’ll give you my seed, watch you grow fat with child - and just when you think it's over, I'll fuck another one into you-”

Her nails dug into the oak, scraping painfully, lips parted in a soundless scream as she felt that wave of warmth and bliss crest, unable to control the way she fluttered around him.

Aemond strained, words caught tightly in his throat as he spilled inside of her, pulling her hips flush to him as if to mold himself to her irreparably. She shamefully felt herself tremble, her release still sending dull shockwaves through her blood as Aemond remained seated firmly within her.

She thought of her family. And how they would come to hate her for what she had become, allowing the man who had killed her brother to take her like this. She surely thought they would no longer see her the same with Aemond's child in her belly and tied to him by marriage.

Tears threatened at her eyes, two feelings at war with one another, shame and pleasure.

She whimpered when Aemond pulled his softening cock from her, a rush of warm spend spilling down her thigh in a way that only exacerbated her humiliation.

“You will write to your mother and tell her of your loyalties.”

Aemond spoke so coldly in between soft pants, it was as if he was hardly the man she had known a few moments ago. It has always been like this. But in a way, it is what made him exciting. Unpredictability was as much exhilarating as it was terrifying.

A notion she held to as she glanced at him, his good eye hooded and blown wide and black with lust and the sapphire glinting in the orange glow of the room as if bloodthirsty.

The game had to be played. And if this was the way Aemond wanted to do it, then so be it.

General Taglist: @aemondsfavouritebastard @bellstwd @blairfox04 @buckybarnesb-tch @castellomargot @hb8301 @jamespotterismydaddy @mochi-rose @natty2017 @nenelysian @risefallrise @thelittleswanao3 @theoneeyedprince @thetrueblackheart @tsujifreya @urmomsgirlfriend1 @valeskafics @valleyof-goldenlilies

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nightqueendany · 5 years

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“No One Wants Daenerys for their Queen”

(Includes comparisons between Dany’s ‘Conquest’ of Westeros and The War of the Five Kings/Robert’s Rebellion)

Whenever I see this argument that “No one wants Daenerys in Westeros/for their Queen” and/or therefore she’s “invading” and “subjugating” people to her rule, I just have to laugh, for many reasons.

1) First and foremost, and most simply, Westeros is a monarchy, right? So the country at large never gets to choose its ruler. They’re stuck with whatever little twerp inherits the thrown from his father (or other family member should the current king not have a direct heir).

The only time Westeros has gotten to “choose” a leader has been in times of war and the high lords throw their support behind whomever they want on the throne more.

It’s happened in the past a few times and that’s exactly what is happening now. Parts of the country are happy/ambivalent about the Lannister regime (though not many). And parts of the country obviously aren’t.

And as Jorah told Daenerys back in S1 “The common people pray for rain, health, and a summer that never ends. They don’t care what games the high lords play.” - And if it doesn’t matter to the common folk who will sit on the Iron Throne in name, we have to think, who would be a better ruler for the common folk? And the answer is clearly Daenerys. She’s literally the only leader who genuinely cares for them.

2) So my second reason for laughing at the above claim is that, despite this belief by antis that Daenerys’ presence in Westeros is unwanted, that’s simply not true because she’s coming over with many allies already in Westeros and has had/has many advisors who are also Westerosi (Jorah, Tyrion, Barristan, Varys to a lesser extent - because he’s not Westerosi by birth but now calls it his home).

One of the ways people brush point 2 aside is people claiming Dany’s allies only support her because they hate Cersei: “Olenna is only siding with her because she’s angry Cersei killed her family.” “Ellaria is only siding with her because Oberyn died in trial-by-combat fighting Cersei’s champion.” “Yara and Theon are only siding with her because their mean old uncle stole Yara’s throne even though her people didn’t vote for her.”

However, to criticize the allies Dany has because of this, is fandom bias at it’s finest. Why? Glad you asked.

First off, Olenna Tyrell - the Tyrells had a tentative working relationship with the Lannisters that was pretty strained from the business with the High Sparrow but working nonetheless. Then Cersei blew up the Sept to kill the High Sparrow and Margaery and Mace and Loras. Olenna lost her entire family (or what of it has been shown on the show). So Olenna wants revenge against the monarch who killed her family.

What does this remind anyone of?? Oh!!! Right! Robert’s Rebellion!!! When a monarch (Aerys II) killed a high lord’s family (Ned’s father and brother, Rickard and Brandon Stark) with wildfire!!!!

Aerys II = Cersei.

Rickard and Brandon Stark (a father and son) = Mace and Loras (a father and son) + Margaery.

Death by wildfire/strangulation in the throne room = death by wildfire at the Great Sept of Baelor

So like Aerys, Cersei killed her “enemies” in the same manner Aerys killed his “enemies” AND smiled while she watched the Sept go up in green flames.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~CERSEI. IS. AERYS. TO. A. T.~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Now, Ned is not criticized for calling his banners and making alliances with other Kingdoms and Houses in order to overthrow a mad monarch who slaughtered his family.

And yet, Olenna is. Why? Ned lost his brother and father and his sister was missing. Olenna lost her son, grandson, and granddaughter. Yet it’s okay for Ned to rise up against Aerys but not for Olenna to rise up against Cersei? Keeping in mind, Cersei didn’t even know Olenna had been the one to poison Joffrey so Cersei had no reason to take action against the Tyrell’s other than that she didn’t like the fact that Margaery had influence over Tommen. But anyway, moving on...

Ellaria Sand likewise wants “justice” for her paramour Oberyn (and Elia and her children possibly too though it’s not mentioned). Robert Baratheon wanted “justice” for his betrothed, Lyanna’s supposed stolen virtue and to get her back and to kill Rhaegar.

**And if anyone tries to argue that the war wasn’t to overthrow Aerys II and it wasn’t about Brandon and Rickard Stark and instead was all about finding Lyanna and bringing her home safe - then boy, have I got a shit ton of receipts for you that you likely posted yourself arguing the opposite. When 7x07 aired, all the Targaryen antis were up in arms about Bran saying “Robert’s Rebellion was built on a lie,” going on and on in post after post that the war was really about ridding the country of the rule of the “mad and evil Targaryens” with what Aerys II had done to the Starks being the last straw.**

So while finding Lyanna was part of the reason, the Rebellion was also about revenge (for various people) and overthrowing a mad ruler.

Dany’s Conquest, for her allies, is about revenge and overthrowing a mad ruler. Dany’s arrival in Westeros is just convenient for them.

I’m sure if there had been some long lost Stark or Baratheon or other coming over to Westeros during the Rebellion with an unstoppable army, Ned and Robert would have aligned themselves with said person to get Aerys off the thrown, justice for Ned’s family, and to find Lyanna.

To Olenna and Ellaria, Daenerys is the one who will overthrow the rule of a Mad Queen - the Mad Queen who is responsible for the deaths of their family members.

Now for Yara and Theon, it’s not all about Yara getting the Salt Throne that Euron stole from her. It’s also about getting back the independence of the Iron Islands. Theon’s words, “We ask that you give them back,” are so powerful in that scene when he and Yara first meet Dany.

Now what does this remind people of? OH YEAH! The War of the Five Kings!

It’s not unlike Robb Stark seeking an alliance with Renly Baratheon. Robb was fighting for the freedom of the North and knew Renly would be a powerful ally. Renly would allow Robb to call himself King in the North but also asked for fealty and to support Renly’s claim to the Iron Throne. Daenerys agrees to support Yara’s claim to the Salt Throne as long as Yara agrees to support her own claim to the Iron Throne and that the Iron Islands will respect the integrity of the Seven Kingdoms - no raping and pillaging and stealing lands along the coast anymore.

*Side note: I think it’s funny how antis accuse Daenerys of knowing nothing about the Seven Kingdoms and yet in this scene, it seems she’s quite familiar with the ways of the Iron Islanders and their violent tendencies. I mean, did Tyrion really pull her aside moments before she was to meet the Greyjoys and tell her all about the hundreds and hundreds of years of the Greyjoys rebellious and brutal ways? Or perhaps is Daenerys is a little more knowledgeable about Westeros than the antis give her credit for? Hmm...*

So yes, Dany’s allies want something from her - assistance with revenge, independence - but it’s no different than what the Starks had done in both Robert’s Rebellion and the War of the Five Kings.

However, with Daenerys, antis accuse her allies of “not caring about the Seven Kingdoms” (as if every other war was because of the integrity of the Seven Kingdoms) and use this as a way to invalidate their reasons for aligning themselves with Daenerys, therefore invalidating the counterclaim - some people want Daenerys for their Queen.

But seriously? Robb flat out admits he doesn’t want the Iron Throne and doesn’t know what he’ll do once he kills Joffrey. He’s willing to leave another country completely leaderless for his revenge and his independence. And Ned? No one knew who would be King after Aerys II was dead. Jaime was asked who should be crowned and he said he didn’t care. Many people thought Ned would be a better ruler but it was Robert who took the throne because he had the better claim having a Targaryen grandmother.

Olenna, Yara, and Ellaria, however, have someone in mind to rule them/ally with: Daenerys. Their plan isn’t just to seek revenge on Cersei/Euron and kill them. The second part of that plan is to install Dany on the Iron Throne.

Olenna and Ellaria wanted Daenerys for their Queen. And in the books, the Dornish support of a new Targaryen monarch is even more prominent as Doran had plotted to put first Viserys and then Daenerys on the Iron Throne with one of his children as the consort.

If Ned Stark and Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully can want Robert Baratheon as their King simply because they didn’t want Mad King Aerys II as their King, and that’s considered acceptable, why isn’t it acceptable for Olenna and Ellaria to want Daenerys as their Queen? Hmm??

Because for the last time, Daenerys is from Westeros. She grew up with stories of Westeros, she grew up speaking the main language of Westeros, she’s considered Westerosi by nearly everyone she meets in Essos, and she was born there.

So this idea that “no one wants Daenerys for their Queen”... 1) that’s not true and 2) Olenna, Yara Ellaria side with Daenerys because for the same reasons as what Starks did in previous wars. To claim their reasons for going to war are invalid but the Stark’s reasons were just is TOTALLY bias. Aerys II killed lords who displeased and disobeyed him in a cruel manner and laughed while it happened. Cersei did the same and made good on Aerys II plan to blow up [part of] King’s Landing with wildfire. Just because she started as an intriguing character and has had her own struggles, does not make her less of a villain than Aerys.

3) And my third reason for laughing at the claim that “No one wants Daenerys for their Queen” is because of this:

We speak of Rhaegar’s sister, born on Dragonstone before its fall. The one they called Daenerys.” “The Stormborn. I recall her now.” Mollander lifted his tankard high, sloshing the cider that remained. “Here’s to her!” He gulped, slammed his empty tankard down, belched, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Where’s Rosey? Our rightful queen deserves another round of cider, wouldn’t you say?”

Antis can rage all they want, the people are lifting their cups to their true queen whether they like it or not.

#Daenerys Targaryen #Daenerys Defense Squad #game of thrones #A Song of Ice and Fire #asoiaf #debunking anti myths

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turtle-paced · 6 years

Text

GoT Re-Watch: Fine-Toothed Comb Edition

Consider it a slightly early present for the holidays. Whichever holidays. Merriness and joy abound.

Hopefully after reading the recap, too.

7.02 - Stormborn

(2:10) We start this episode on a dark and stormy night that is so dark I can’t actually tell where we’re supposed to be. I can guess it, but I can’t see any of the hard work the set designers put in to make Dragonstone immediately visually distinctive.

(2:38) “Doesn’t feel like home.” A nice bit of characterisation there that I would have liked to see followed up on. Dany’s desire to find a home is one of her most deeply felt in the books - and one that could help provide a convincing emotional connection to Jon Snow.

(2:49) “Cersei controls fewer than half the Seven Kingdoms. The lords of Westeros despise her.” Something about blowing up the Sept of Baelor? Anyone? Common people in revolt due to the destruction of one of the holiest places in Westeros? No?

(3:27) Likewise, this is a good dilemma for Team Dany this season: can we conquer the Seven Kingdoms without turning it into a slaughterhouse? Unfortunately, since the showrunners have real trouble with writing military campaigns, this turns into a weird plot where Dany’s only choices are, apparently, burning things down indiscriminately, or laying siege to places (which is apparently bloodless and won’t make people angry with her). The idea of targeting corrupt Lannister leadership got lost somewhere between Meereen and Dragonstone.

(3:30) From this sentence to the next major plotting problem. “If the Great Houses support your claim against Cersei, the game is won. With the Tyrell army and the Dornish army on our side, we have powerful allies in the south.” In other words, this season opens with Cersei having angered everyone so much that nobody would reasonably support her, and puts Dany in a position to steamroll her plot. Even without the major rebellion that should have occurred. There’s obviously no dramatic tension to be had in that.

The showrunners, however, have a touch of tunnel vision regarding this plot. They want Lena Headey and Cersei as Queen for their villain, and the only way they seem to be able to think of progressing is with a direct and conventional Dany vs Cersei clash of armies, complete with jockeying for the support of major houses. A better way of progressing this plot, if they had to have it (and they shouldn’t, because Queen Cersei is terrible writing) would be Team Dany racing against time and Cersei as she started to tear as much as she could down before her inevitable defeat - if she can’t have Westeros, nobody can. Instead, what the showrunners do is march Dany’s armies face-first into a bunch of traps and materialise a bunch more support from Cersei out of seriously implausible places to get them back to rough parity of numbers.

(4:01) Another mixed feelings scene begins, as Dany and Varys hash out his actions and his loyalties with reference to history - and the books. It starts with the acknowledgement that Robert was a better king than Aerys, no question, and continues with Dany pointing out that Varys’ professed “I wanted a better monarch on the throne” doesn’t wash with his actions supporting Viserys.

(5:11) This conversation does miss the subtlety that (book!)Varys deliberately botched the assassination order Dany’s referring to, hiring a clumsy-ass assassin and probably tipping Jorah Mormont off as well, likely to provoke Drogo into crossing the Narrow Sea.

(5:23) And back to the big problem with this conversation: the fact that it’s here in season seven, after Varys has been serving in Dany’s court for a season, after he went to Dorne on her behalf, and after they’ve been on a ship together for quite some in-verse time. True, it’s been Tyrion who dealt with him and Dany hasn’t had the opportunity until just this episode, but there’s no reason Dany had to have this conversation. (I see why the writers would want this, but it’s not absolutely necessary.) All those conversations with Tyrion, Missandei, and Grey Worm back in season six could have benefited immensely from tackling the subject of Varys’ loyalties and the consistency of his past actions, especially given what Varys says here about being sold as a slave, while at the same time forestalling what now looks like a conversation specifically written to address a plot hole. We’ll see a few others like that as the season progresses.

(6:45) “Swear this to me, Varys. If you ever think I’m failing the people, you will not conspire behind my back. You will look me in the eye and tell me how you think I’m failing them.” Another nice line that I would like to have seen followed up on. We get precious little idea of Dany’s vision for Westerosi rule this season, too caught up in getting her on the throne in the first place.

The books examined exactly this plotting problem - with Stannis. Dany this season reminds me quite a bit of ACoK!Stannis in some ways - the throne is mine by rights. All those who deny that are my foes. As book!Stannis’ storyline goes, he realises that he must behave in pursuing the throne as he intends to behave after gaining the throne. We’ve got this problem with Dany here right now. She’s stuck on ‘win the throne to save the kingdom’ and hasn’t moved onto ‘save the kingdom to win the throne’, and the writers don’t seem to be aware of this retread of book!Stannis’ arc.

(7:24) Suddenly, Melisandre.

(8:31) Suddenly, a mention of the Prince That Was Promised. Complete with the translation ambiguities.

(9:14) This is good too, as we get to see people learn and react to Jon Snow’s crowning.

(9:41) Aaaand this I don’t like. Melisandre builds up to her point. “As Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, he allowed the wildlings south of the Wall to protect them from grave danger. As King in the North, he has united those wildlings with the Northern houses, so together they may face their common enemy.” But instead of having Dany follow the flow of this conversation and ask “what common enemy?”, the writers have her say “he sounds like quite a man,” in a very hostile tone of voice. Because by the end of the season they’re going to be in love, dammit, and that means prioritising Jon over ice zombies.

(9:50) Thankfully, Melisandre’s not going to be diverted.

(10:00) Urrrrrgh. “And I am an excellent judge of character.” Characters shouldn’t just say this, not about themselves, not unless the point is to prove them wrong. As it is, Tyrion says this, but he’ll spend most of the season reading his siblings flat wrong to Dany’s great detriment, and never reflect on his ability to judge character.

(10:16) “The Lannisters murdered his father and conspired to murder his brother. Jon Snow has even more reason to hate Cersei than you do.” Huh. Could’ve sworn Cersei had little more to do with the Red Wedding than Tyrion himself did. By contrast, the point about Cersei’s actions against Ned back in s1 could have used a bit more emphasis, since while Cersei wasn’t the one who executed Ned, she did arrange for the slaughter of Ned’s household in King’s Landing. All people Jon knew.

Not mentioned: Jon’s age and questions of his marital status.

(10:41) Excellent showing of something Jon did early in AFFC - institute daily archery practice for everyone, over and above swordsmanship practice. Note the girl learning to shoot alongside the boys.

(10:56) And more good showing, including both parties being smart, as clearly both parties consider the possibility of a trap or forgery - Jon picking up on the authentication phrase first, as expected under the circumstances.

(11:04) Then Jon, without drama, says to Sansa, “You know him better than any of us. What do you think?” Zero drama. Completely matter-of-course. If there’s a good reason this sort of thing hasn’t been happening in previous episodes - I mean, besides ‘the plot would break’ - I’ve yet to see it. Note how in this small exchange their clear communication and ultimate disagreements don’t actually mean they have to be horrible to each other, or that one has to be totally right and the other totally wrong.

(11:41) Davos puts two and two together regarding dragons, fire, and their applications to wights. Poor Davos. This is such a downgrade.

(12:17) Here we see Cersei’s PR strategy. Hammer on the fact that Dany’s the ‘Mad King’s daughter,’ play on Westerosi racism, bring in fears of destruction of Westerosi society. Why, she might even blow up the Sept of Baelor!

(12:29) Cersei also brings the chauvinistic chivalric ‘they will hurt your women and children’ to the table. Which reminds me. Does anyone here have any objections to a woman ruling in her own right? Did the Walk of Shame affect anyone’s perceptions of Cersei?

(12:43) Continuing to remind people of the Mad King, who inflicted horrors on his people and who, surprisingly enough, people rebelled against.

Cersei as queen following her blowing up the Sept of Baelor is really, really terrible writing.

(12:59) Cersei swears to protect and defend. The argument I hear justifying the lack of rebellion against Cersei is that people are too terrified to do anything. But she’s not making threats. She’s not bringing up the the fact she blew up all her rivals. Partly that’s because her position’s too weak to make credible threats, and partly it’s because trying to make sense of this development is a lost freaking cause.

(13:21) Speaking of “too terrified,” Randyll Tarly’s got no problems stepping forward and saying “but dragons.”

(14:06) Here we finally get a mention from someone else (Randyll Tarly) that he knows what Cersei does to her enemies. But there’s not all that much fear here, nor any of the hatred that Tyrion swears exists. Cersei might as well have blown up the Sparrows, the Tyrells, and her own uncle in a random barn. Much like the Red Wedding, there’s a lack of appreciation for the broader social context this massacre took place in. Robb Stark did not trust unwisely - he put his faith in a convention that just about every person in Westeros would put their faith in, and that trust was betrayed. Likewise, Cersei didn’t just blow up a church, she blew up the church. The Westerosi Vatican. The destruction of the building and the symbolism matters - or it should.

(14:23) And a reference back to the specific battles in Robert’s Rebellion! We are drawing off book backstory today.

(14:29) “I want you to be my ranking general in the wars to come.” Should’ve set up a count for that phrase.

(14:56) Hey, Red Wedding reference!

(15:05) “You swore an oath to the crown as well, Lord Tarly.” Tarly didn’t swear to the crown in the abstract, he swore to the person wearing it. That is, Robert and descendants. Cersei has no legal ability in her own right to call those oaths in, and Tarly has no obligation to her as his queen at this point.

(15:51) And a rather pointed cut to Sam after Jaime says “I can think of no better man [for Warden of the South] than Randyll Tarly.”

(16:16) “Six months. Maybe fewer.” Yay, fewer! Second, yes, that’s how bad Jorah’s situation is. He’s terminal. No question. Because the infection has spread too far.

(17:01) It irks me greatly that Maester Broadbent is bringing up some valid points about Sam’s education level and about the differences between Shireen’s case and Jorah’s, but he’s wrong because he is a stuffy old maester and Sam’s a protagonist.

(18:13) And now the dragon skulls in the tunnels under the Red Keep. Cogman did some rereading before he wrote the script for this episode. I like it better for that!

(19:00) “Powerful, but not invincible.” Ah, foreshadowing.

(19:16) “If they can be wounded, they can be killed.” What tipped Qyburn off? The rows of dragon skulls surrounding them?

(19:37) Nice recall of the music playing when Cersei blew up the Sept of Baelor. Makes a change from Rains of Castamere.

(20:03) Military situation at present: Dany has the assets in place to take King’s Landing in a day of fighting. If Dany turns her dragons totally loose, however, there won’t be a King’s Landing afterwards.

(20:14) It’s nice to be reminded that Dany’s allies aren’t all friends, as Tyrion has a go at Ellaria for poisoning Myrcella.

(20:49) “I can’t remember a queen who was better loved than my granddaughter. The common people loved her. The nobles loved her. And what is left of her now?” In a better story with more consistent worldbuilding? Riots and revolts as the common people violently protest and the nobles refuse to swear to her murderer. Much like most of the book!North is set on opposing the Boltons out of love for the Starks. Ah, thematic differences. Here, nothing Margaery did mattered because she lost and got blown up.

(21:24) Such a bad plan. Sieges! That’s not attacking the capital at all! Not going to cause a bit of civilian suffering! (They even say at 21:28 that Cersei won’t have food for the people of the city.) Why aren’t any of you talking about Dany’s airpower and trying to find a way the dragons could make a more precise strike on the Red Keep?

(21:39) “Cersei will try to appeal to the lords of Westeros through their loyalty.” This 100% should not be possible after Cersei blew up a) a major religious institution and b) the well-loved Queen Margaery, and took the throne in her own right after her son’s suspicious death. Her actions show her to be exactly the sort of person that loyal people wouldn’t follow.

(22:01) We learn here that on top of that, these armies haven’t assembled, only their leaders, so Team Lannister can pick them off piece by piece.

(22:19) “For decades, House Lannister has been the true power in Westeros.” This is only minimally true. Very powerful, yes. Extraordinarily influential, yes, especially since they loaned the Crown so much money and had so many people around the king. But for most of the last twenty-five years, show-verse, the crown was a Baratheon one, and the realm was governed in practice by an Arryn with the assistance of another Baratheon. They did not have the power over Westeros that they wanted.

(22:34) We’re in another awkward worldbuilding situation here with Tyrion’s reveal that he’s going to split their forces and take Casterly Rock (and yes, Tyrion - Dany’s not talking for some reason, despite having more experience running military campaigns than he does, her particular strength being conquering cities). We’ve been told that a family’s home castle is a source of their political and financial might, both here and back in season three. We know this is a situation more consistent with the books’ worldbuilding. We have, however, been shown that losing a home castle doesn’t actuallly make that much difference - when Robb lost Winterfell, for instance, he didn’t immediately head back to retake it and punish the perpetrators, and was largely free to campaign in the south as soon as Roose Bolton told him Ramsay had retaken the place. Subsequently, most (not all) of the North’s complaints about his rule have focused on his marriage, rather than the loss of Winterfell. We will shortly be shown Jaime Lannister deciding to ditch Casterly Rock and its empty goldmines for basically no political loss.

The only thing that’s discernible here is that the writers wanted to hand Dany some devastating early losses in order to maintain the Lannisters as a threat.

(23:33) Ironically, I’m more interested in Olenna Tyrell here and now than I have been in several seasons, as her despair and bitterness drives her to give Dany some of her most militant advice.

(24:06) Scene begins here.

(24:14) We do not hear the door closing behind Missandei. She’s left it open.

(26:03) Grey Worm explains, clearly and concisely, the emotional barriers that hinder him in so much as saying goodbye to his girlfriend before he leaves for battle. Respectful handling of trauma? In Game of Thrones? Enjoy it while it lasts.

(26:46) Boobs: 1.

(26:55) Female butts: 1. I have the distinct suspicion that this is the view from the still-open door to Grey Worm’s room.

(27:08) Abs & pecs: 1. Mutual romance scene, mutual nudity. Much better than the usual for this show.

(27:59) Male butts: 1.

(28:53) Consensual sex: 1. A long scene, pushing towards five minutes, and probably just that bit too long for these characters’ relative lack of narrative importance. And it’s close to all we’ll see of them this season.

(28:54) Next scene begins here, with Archmaester Broadbent going on about meta in-jokes while ignoring Sam.

(29:54) And we get to the point of the scene here, a minute later. We didn’t see Sam researching ways to cure Jorah, we just hear “oh yeah I can totally cure Jorah now.” Continuing in the theme of ‘Sam has all the answers already and the stuffy, cowardly maesters just don’t get it.’

(30:08) Archmaester Broadbent tells Sam that his contracting greyscale is a real risk of the procedure he’s proposing.

(32:09) Abs & pecs: 2. This time, not meant to be sexy. More gruesome.

(32:54) And there we have it, folks! The cure for greyscale? SCRAPE IT OFF. I am not a medical doctor, but it doesn’t take an MD to discern that when the suggested treatment for spotting greyscale in the first joint of the finger is to cut off the entire hand and hope for the best, taking off that top layer then applying an ointment is not going to do the trick. Outside of some serious plot contrivance, that is.

There are also no risks involved with removing that much skin, apparently. Largest organ of the body. Yeah just cut off large chunks no harm done no risks of infection. Don’t even need milk of the poppy. Don’t even need to make sure that scalpel’s clean.

Nor does Sam take much in the way of precaution to prevent himself or others contracting the disease. Medical waste disposal? What is that?

(33:04) Sam starts cutting here.

(33:16) Sam re-emphasises to Jorah how painful this will be here.

(34:09) We cut away from Sam here. A useful and informative minute of infected skin, pus, and a man whimpering in pain.

So that was the greyscale plot, everyone! After a season and a half of suffering with an incurable illness, Jorah heads off to get treatment from another main character, and bam, disease gone. That was easy.

(34:35) Arya is overjoyed to see Hot Pie. Beside herself with glee at running into this old friend.

(36:03) “Heard she blew up the Great Sept. That would have been something to see.” So, random peasants (read: Hot Pie) know that Cersei blew up the Sept of Baelor. Also, they’re not scared of her, not outraged, nothing. Yep. Cersei sure did explode a holy place full of people. That is a thing that she did.

(36:27) They’re calling it the Battle of the Bastards in-universe. Yes. Time to say something nice though - Maisie Williams’ acting! The scene calls for an emotional reaction and she gives it to us!

(37:20) Likewise, good use of the Winterfell leitmotif here as Arya sets off in the opposite direction to King’s Landing.

(39:02) Back to the usual form of Jon and Sansa not communicating because reasons. We’re also back in the thicket of the show wanting to have its political complexity cake and eat it too - Jon has to go to Dragonstone because the plot doesn’t work otherwise, but at the same time there are some clear reasons why going to Dragonstone is a bad idea and the smart characters should point them out.

(39:44) I say smart characters, but show!Sansa hasn’t worked out the core of Jon’s complaint about her actions last episode. Arguing in private = A-OK. Arguing in public = undermining. And once again she makes her objection an immediate personal attack: “Have you forgotten what happened to our grandfather?” The smart character!

Incidentally, the show will be forgetting what happened to Rickard Stark in a couple episodes’ time. For the record.

(40:12) Good touch having Royce stand up and object, as in the books, Aerys burned a Royce with Rickard and Brandon.

(41:30) “Daenerys is a queen. Only a king can convince her to help us.” This is all the more frustrating because the books establish a perfectly good reason why Jon would think going to Dany personally is the only way to convince her to help: his own lords would not accept a king who ordered compliance from a distance rather than showed them the respect of coming in person. Someone’s got to make the first move here, and it’s not as though it’s impossible for Jon to make the case that it has to be him.

Not mentioned: anything known about Dany’s age and marital status.

(41:52) No communication between Jon and Sansa, still no good reason. Would it have killed Jon to ask for a pre-meeting?

(42:37) Littlefinger’s first real action of the season, rehashing past character dynamics because they’ve been out of sight for several seasons now.

(43:27) So, Littlefinger brought the Vale to the North’s cause, and Jon hasn’t spoken to Littlefinger? Sadly plausible, given Jon’s track record with communication.

(43:40) Pretty pleased to see Littlefinger choke-slammed against a wall for creeping on Sansa though. Unfortunately, the subsequent threat may have been slightly blunted by Jon’s imminent departure from Winterfell. I am kind of wondering what Littlefinger hoped to get out of that conversation - the sheer joy of needling Jon Snow as once he needled Ned?

(46:26) After six seasons, we finally see Nymeria again! Finally, a direwolf! (Ghost is MIA again.) And she’s huge! And it’s thematically appropriate that they run into each other as Arya makes the decision to go North! Good signs, good signs -

(47:41) “That’s not you.” Damn. Thwarted. The showrunners are intent on not devoting CGI resources to Stark direwolves. The line’s also handled poorly - it’s supposed to be a callback to season one, apparently, where Arya tells Ned that a lady’s life is not for her. But in context of season seven? Nothing. No reason to suspect Arya’s referring to that line and that incident.

(48:19) We’re on the ocean with the Sand Snakes, continuing to remind everyone why they’re hated so much. Ah, sisterhood.

(48:46) Well, since the showrunners have established that both these women experience sexual attraction to women, why not stick them in a scene together and get them to flirt? They like women that way, so they have to like each other, right? That’s how it works, isn’t it?

Yeah, no.

(49:48) “A foreign invasion is underway.” You can’t see it, but I’m rolling my eyes real hard.

(49:58) I’ll only say this once. Thank goodness Euron’s here.

Oh yeah, spoiler alert, Euron’s here. His fleet was at least established to be near Dragonstone. So that’s something. It’s his good luck that he had a convenient fog bank to hide in and all Yara’s lookouts failed their spot checks.

(50:52) Euron’s descent to the deck of Yara’s ship, screaming, will never not be funny to me. Deaths: 1. Euron’s kill, via gangplank.

(50:56) Deaths: 2. Another kill for Euron.

(51:11-15) Deaths: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Last one was Theon’s kill.

(51:17) Deaths: 8. Yara’s kill.

(51:20) Deaths: 9. Yara’s second kill.

(51:26) Deaths: 10.

(51:31) Deaths: 11. Euron’s third kill.

(51:33) Deaths: 12, 13. Two more kills for Yara.

(51:37) Deaths: 14. Tyene’s kill.

(52:03) Deaths: 15. Yara’s kill again, bringing her to five.

(52:10) Deaths: 16.

(52:27) Deaths: 17. Yara’s sixth kill.

(52:33) Deaths: 18. Euron’s fourth kill.

(52:55) Deaths: 19. Tyene’s second kill.

(53:05) Deaths: 20. Euron kills Obara with her own spear.

(53:11) Deaths: 21. Nymeria’s first.

(53:30) Deaths: 22. Euron kills Nymeria with her own whip.

I find this pretty distasteful. The Sand Snakes were eminently hateable, but turning around and killing them off like this? “Ha, wow, those characters sure did suck!” Whose fault was that, writing staff? Whose fault was that? Also, it’s Euron proving his mettle not by mowing through mooks, but by mowing through named female characters, a fatal case of the Worf Effect striking them all at the same time. The Sand Snakes were brought back not because the showrunners had anything meaningful to say about them, but because the showrunners had something to prove about Euron.

(54:16) Deaths: 23. Euron’s seventh kill.

(54:23) Deaths: 24. Euron’s eighth kill.

(54:50) The guy Theon was fighting dematerialises when Euron calls for his attention.

(55:42) For a while there I hoped that this would be treated with respect. That Theon’s trauma not disappearing upon being given that ugly, ugly speech last season was in fact a sign of the writing staff acknowledging that mental illness and trauma aren’t that easily conquered, and that being triggered isn’t cowardice. Unfortunately, I was wrong, but we’ll get to that later.

(55:51) Speaking of distasteful, have a shot of the two dead Sand Snakes emphasising that they were killed with their own weapons. Not like we didn’t see that happen just two minutes ago.

I like the finish on the burning ships, though.

Game of Numbers S07E02

Deaths: 24. Euron killed eight people, including Obara and Nymeria. Yara killed six people. Tyene killed two, Nymeria and Theon one each.

Boobs: 1.

Abs & pecs: 2. One meant to be sexy.

Female butts: 1.

Male butts: 1.

The following set of stats please me.

Consensual sex: 1.

Rape: 0.

Paid sex acts: 0.

The first number is the highest.

#anti got #fine toothed comb edition #cw: violence #cw: rape mention #the most 'we did too read the books' episode of the season #season seven

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