#fr? good and bad? on asoiaf?

[mhsdatgo]

Always hated the way according to TB I'm supposed, as a woman, to root for Rhaenyra "Mary Sue" Targaryen because she's a Valyrian woman and can't do no wrong. Otherwise I'm framed as a misogynist, an enabler, a rape apologist, every name in the book. As if this isn't the same girl who coerced her bodyguard because her erectile disfunction uncle didn't wanna bang her after leaving her in a brothel, naked and on plain sight for any kind of perverted brute. As if this isn't the same girl who weaponized both her and her best friend's trauma to twist a truth about something she very willingly did that could've had her disowned if her father was anyone else other than the weak ass neglectful rapist pedo father she had instead.

This is the same girl who ignored and mistreated Alicent when all she did was convince Viserys to allow her privileges she never had, like choosing a husband. Like it or not, it was Alicent the one who gave gave and gave, and Rhaenyra the one who took took and took and even MOCKED, time and time again. The same girl who acted like a victim when the girl she called her literal best friend (only when it benefitted her) was getting maritally R*PED in the next room by her crusty ass father. She never tried connecting with her siblings because they were Alicent's children. Not because their minds were poisoned, not because they were apparently bitter towards her. Because they weren't her mother's children. Same as Viserys. Guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

I'm supposed to root for a woman who doesn't do one single thing for the claim she feels so entitled to (who was purely based on Viserys' grief and guilt for Aemma)? I'm supposed to root for a woman who brings back to the line of succession the same man everyone wanted far from the line of succession? I'm supposed to root for the woman who wants to be the exception, not give possibilities to other women like an ACTUAL feminist does? She usurps her stepdaughters' claims in favor of her obviously bastard children, and no, betrothing the fpur of them isn't the same. If they die, the girls' claim dies with them, and guess what, exactly that happened.

No, I will not root for the woman who wanted a teenager's head because she was black and because she couldn't cope with the fact that "hEr pRiNcE" didn't love her, only what her title could offer. Or the woman who put a price on a 6yo's and a 2yo's head simply because they were her brother's children, thereby proving what Criston said about what was needed for Jace to raise to power after his mother. She even denied the request of multiple older daughters/sisters who rightfully wanted to lead their houses, with the excuse that the relam would be far too 'imbalanced'. Girl, are you that dense? There's the smallfolk getting eaten and burned and taxes by your dragon and your entire family fighting wars and dying left and right and you think two women ruling their houses will destabilize the realm?

Rhaenyra is many things, but feminist is not among them, no matter how much you cry and whine about it. Yes, I'm aware that no woman in asoiaf or f&b can be described as feminist. But the convinction (and delusion) that Rhaenyra is, without a shadow of doubt, is mindblowing. She's arguably worse than any of said women combined.

No, I don't feel represented or uplifted by a tyrant, classist, racist, hypocritical, spoiled kinslayer with god complex because she's albino and has a pet dragon as spoiled and as useless as her. Sorry not sorry.

#team green #anti team black #anti rhaenyra targaryen #anti rhaenyra stans #anti team black stans #anti daemon targaryen #anti anyone from team black except maybe for joffrey #no I'm not counting the Velaryons' #because they ain't Rhaenyra's emotional support #cry about it #and anti Hotd writers cause... #fr? good and bad? on asoiaf? #pro team green #pro alicent hightower

[horizon-verizon]

It's so funny when people say that the book is not the source material or the original storyline but the series exist thanks to that book bc none of those writer could come up with names like Rhaenyra or Viserys be fr.

I think people say that the book is full of unreliable sources and is written by an unreliable narrator.

Which is true, but they make as if the narrator is totally incorrect or everything they say is false and so it relies on the HotD writers to “reveal” the truth. As if these writers are the unequivocal experts and truthtellers. However there are multiple instances where they have proven they do have not thought deeply enough about this fictional universe to make the situations that they do.

But this idea that the book is totally unreliable/false and we need to just trust the is self contradictory. 

Because not only are most appearances, most dates, & characterizations are meant to be taken at face value (otherwise who can you make any sense of this book!), you can only “reveal” some the truths by either reading carefully & thoughfully or by scouring and analyzing the text that is given--which is Fire and Blood. And look to other sources for the Dance, weight its historical impact on the current ASoIaF characters, etc.

They take "unreliable" as "liar" or "100% incorrect" so that they can validate the choices of the HotD showrunners and writers choices and continue to feel that whatever they wrote for the characters supports a good feminist premise: women inherently just want peace but the men around them use them towards their own political purposes and violently try to enforce themselves on these helpless female victims.

Why this premise is bad in of itself (what it’s saying):

women are told to be incapable of political critique or wanting power just for power sake --> as if they are a different breed of human

because women are always pacifists, they are only given sympathy if they work to be pacifist

men are made to be inherent/inborn/”natural” aggressors --> it removes ideology, societal, and cultural conditioning for men

Rhaenys’ words to Corlys in episode 1: 

These knights are as green as summer grass. None have known real war. Their lords sent them to the tourney field with fists full of steel and balls full of seed, and we expect them to act with honor and grace. It's a marvel that war didn't break out at first blood. 

As if the idea that man must show their military and athletic prowess to be recognized as man has nothing to do with it.

Most of the ingenuity this shows gives is in its costumes more than its plot. And even then the costumes almost never makes sense.

#asoiaf asks to me #hotd critical #hotd comment #asoiaf #HotD misogyny #maester gyldayn #gyldayn #unreliable narrator #frame narrative

[15-lizards]

HELLO BESTIE HERE TO SEND ASKS!!! top five favourite asoiaf characters and why? or just five you like :)))

AHHH HEY THANK U🫶

Okay so in no particular order

-Davos: this is just my Guy. He’s such a genuinely good person, which we see so little of in the series, and so sensible too. It’s almost a relief when u see him among all the stupid bullshit. I love him I wish he was my dad I also wish he could fix Stannis. I think it would be cool if he could be happy, but that’s never gonna happen so I am content with him just being alive

-Dany: the babygirl of all babygirls. She can’t do any wrong I am her biggest defender. She’s been through so much it makes me sad but she proves she’s a good person and a good ruler time and time again. Gets way too much unnecessary hate like she isn’t a teenager trying to stop slavery and watch over three cities at once. I want to kiss her head and put her in therapy

-Robb: my Princess Diana. His honor got the best of him and that’s what makes his story so deliciously tragic. Another one of the rare good people in this story. He was just a teenager who lost his dad and wanted to get revenge like anyone else would but he also wanted to do right by his family and do everything in the most honorable way I love him so bad :(

-Brienne: she’s just like me fr like one of the characters I relate to a lot 💔 her hero’s journey has been so beautiful and the way GRMM flips the whole “knight and lady/beauty and the beast” story on its head with her and Jamie is so fucking good man. She is so similar to Sansa in that she has a good world view and wants life to be a fairytale even though she knows it’s not :( she is the best knight ever and deserves to be loved and honored and not treated like dog water thank you for coming to my Ted talk

Catelyn: she is so mother in the literal and figurative sense. I love how arya looks like Ned but acts like her and Sansa looks like her but acts like Ned! Cat is a fiery lady! She’s good and decent and loves her children but she’s never going to be docile. Her and Briennes interactions always make me tear up when you think about the different ways a woman can have strength and Cat has that motherly kind. And yes she hates Jon and makes stupid choices but I will never blame her bc that’s kinda on Ned and she also wants her kids back. Number one shooter for her always

Honorable Mentions

-Arya: SHES JUST A KID MAN :( I think she’s a fun little bad ass but I also want her to take her anger out in little league soccer rather than assassin training

-Bran: ALSO JUST A LITERAL CHILD lowkey fuck bloodraven for choosing this nine year old to be God but I digress. He’s suffered enough

-Tyrion: What a truly grey character. I fucking love reading him he’s so divisive. Watching him spiral into the darkness is kinda fun

-Jamie and Theon: war criminals? Yes. Silly little babygirls? Yes as well

-Barristan: cries

-Stannis: cries again

-Meera: she’s hauling ass trying to get Bran to that fuckass tree I respect her so much. She had to leave her family behind and go beyond the wall and her brothers gonna die I need a minute to compose myself

#thank u love for the ask :D #this was fun to do!! #asoiaf #game of thrones #asoiaf ask

[neonwizardheehee]

Wohiooo thank you for that tag @maschinen-mensch dw about not doing any tag thingys or so these aren't mandatory <3<3

what book are you currently reading? Around the world in 80 days! (also for christmas a friend gave away their asoiaf books and I'm so hyped to read them!!! they will be the first time i'll be reading long irl books in English :o very excited to see how it is hehehe)

what’s your favorite movie you saw in theaters this year? also going for 2022 here and it was for sure The Batman (but also special shoutout to Black Panther 2 bc it gave me Namor and finally some positive Marvel things again)

what do you usually wear? colours!!! oversized stuff!! (NYE I saw a Boy George in a 80s chart show and was like "he just looks like me fr" so now I'm braiding colours even into my hair hehehe

how tall are you? @ prev ohhhhhh you're taller than me!! not by much but still!! #short ppl gang

what’s your Star Sign? do you share a birthday with a celebrity or a historical event? Taurus eyyyy and I actually do bc I've got Robert Pattinson and Karl Marx :333 

do you go by your name or nickname? my name is too long to be used in a setting where i don't automatically freeze upon hearing it XD Getting names like "Neon" or "Wiz" for me here really warmed my heart <3<3 (and yes I might have screamed a bit too much but hey let me sound cool hehehe)

did you grow up to become what you wanted to be when you were a child? I always wanted to be an elf, but being a wizard suits me so much more!!! :D

are you in a relationship? if not who is your crush if you have one? didn't I got hurt enough when I cried today while listening to "I just wanna be loved" by Culture Club? XD

what’s something you’re good at vs something you’re bad at? good: planning, bad: working last minute

dogs or cats? neither but at least I don't jump onto tables anymore when I see a cat walking by

If you draw/write, or create in any way, what’s your favorite picture/favorite line/favorite etc. from something you created this year? oof I don't do art myself but I love looking at it <3

what’s something you would like to create content for? The Elven saga XDDD (it's a fantasy book series that I really love!)

what’s something you’re currently obsessed with? Boy George :3

What’s something you were excited about that turned out to be disappointing this year? (2022) an exhibition on trans history where it turned out I've already seen this exhibition a few years ago in a different city XDD

what’s a hidden talent of yours? During christmas my sis and I found out I'm really good at identifying the voices in Mario Kart w/o owning a Mario Kart game or playing often B)

are you religious? yes, I'm a protestant and since I've grown up in an atheist area i'm always happy and surprised when there are areas where you don't get funny looks bc you're religious (and also it baffles me even more when there are areas where it's the other way around bc you shouldn't force religion onto ppl!!) - and also I love talking about it bc it's always so fascinating to me :D

whats something you wish to have at this moment? for my thesis to either be finished or have more time to finish it bc I lost so much time for reasons beyond my control and now I'm crying T.T

(kyaa why did it have to end on such a sad note ksksk hopefully I have enough coke intus to not fall asleep on my thesis B) )

Tagging some ppl but it's not obligatory ofc <3 @shittyness @the3rddenialist @darksidelightside @sarahbordelonsblog @isadora-greenhall (not sure if anyone else likes doing these but if you do like them too pls tag me for i want to see yours too uwu)

#tagging game #ahh just thinking about the nicknames makes me smile XD

[wa-weirwood]

Asoiaf hot take list bc I have a lot!!

-Cersei was a more compelling character when she wasn’t a pov

-not everyone needs prophecies (valonqar is so unnecessary and kinda ruins Cersei and Tyrion dynamic imo)

-The Hound is just as much of a “le edgy cringe” character as Darkstar. Both are fun though and I like them a lot!

-I like Darkstar !

-Tyrion was never really a sympathetic character or one of the good guys—he didn’t “turn evil” after book 3 he was always like that !

-Aegon is a way more interesting addition to the story if he is a real Targ

-Aeron is kind of a slept on POV character if we’re being fr he’s got some compelling stuff going on in his chapters and is often diminished to “iron islands camera”

-Stannis kind of sucks he just bitches and moans about fucking everything all the time and thinks he is entitled to everything and he would be a terrible king

-People always talk about the best players of the game but Varys is so obviously the only one that knows what is happening all the time, Littlefinger got so so lucky so many times it’s not even funny and Tyrion was a total amateur lmao Varys was running them all from the start like people forget he’s been in his position since Aerys somehow

-Oberyn Martell isn’t even that cool or good of a character. He had a few good scenes but doesn’t have a big amount of time on page and people only like him so much because of the show!

-I like Qarth!

-Benjen kind of sucks idc what his reasoning was even if he knew about R+L=J you would think he would want a better life for his sisters son than the Wall

-“bloodraven” being the explanation for so many things sucks and is lame

-Splitting Bran and Rickon took away huge interesting possibilities from keeping two Starks together and both going North, I think George just didn’t want to write about a toddler anymore

-Theon deserved what he got 🤷‍♂️

-Jaime and Brienne romance would be so fucking bad and ruin their dynamic. She’s 17 and he’s 33 like we are not realistically rooting for that right ?

-Lady Stoneheart is unnecessary! I don’t like it. She should have stayed dead‼️

-I don’t like Gravedigger theory I hope the Hound is just dead

#asoiaf #a song of ice and fire

[sheisbeautyweareworldass]

the way stark stans want to believe so bad that they have a relationship with ice the same way targs have with fire never fails to amuse me 😭😭😭

ice/wolfs don’t have the connection fire/dragons do, be fr ??? the starks are a magic family just like targs but they magic doesn’t lay in the ice (and ice in the asoiaf world doesn’t mean a good thing 😭😭😭 ice is a metaphor to the white walkers, grrm himself said so, trying to paint this idea that ‘ice and fire’ means ‘stark and targaryen blood’ is like. incredibly dumb)

[marinecorvid]

I posted 28,087 times in 2022

That's 18,442 more posts than 2021! (editor's note: holy shit)

213 posts created (1%)

27,874 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@bittenfingers13

@chaoticbooklesbian

@grumpytrans

@glo-13

@b3rgamot

I tagged 1,151 of my posts in 2022

#fav - 68 posts

#audio - 40 posts

#art - 39 posts

#obi wan kenobi - 24 posts

#pokemon - 22 posts

#my art - 21 posts

#obi wan kenobi spoilers - 21 posts

#queue - 20 posts

#pokemon ranger - 20 posts

#star wars - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i’m not perfect. why do i need to be beautiful. i’m tired of being strong. every day for the past year has been a ‘bad day’ this isn’t okay

I sent 1 gift in 2022

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

freedom of the skies - ramin djawadi

house of the dragon - s.1 e.1 - the heirs of the dragon

62 notes - Posted August 21, 2022

#4

okay. im gonna be honest, aemond n vhagar accidentally killing luke isnt what im most mad about. the whole hotd as a show is an adaption of fire and blood, a book that’s only a collection of historical, biased accounts as people who weren’t necessarily close to the main pieces but from an outsider’s perspective, so we’ll see things that clash with how history glamorizes/villainizes some people/events.

i think making alicent a more complex character beyond an evil stepmother was a good choice; the idea that aemond didn’t lose an eye bc luke went down to confront him to specifically kill him, but bc of an emotional scuffle that got out of hand. i’m not so keen on criston cole getting away with straight up murder with no visible repercussions every other episode, nor the kicking off of the usurper aegon plot bc of a misunderstanding via a dying viserys (i think that takes away a smidge too much of alicent’s agency), and i think rhaenys busting out of the dragonpit floor unharmed (tho yes, extremely cool) was bad writing.

however, given grrm’s irl tendencies of being anti-monarchist and comparing the dragons to living nukes, as well as the books being far more mythical/fantastical/grudgingly positive with dany desperately striving to do good for people - and the tragic feel between alicent and rhaenyra, how they both wanted reconciliation towards the end, before the blood began to flow - i think it’s not a complete left turn out of nowhere to say yeah, one of the bloodiest wars in westerosi history was ultimately a conflict stemming from a handful of long-festering accidents between an emotionally and genetically unstable family with people constantly trying to manipulate them. i just wish they didn’t reduce so many turning points to accidents.

also, as displayed in both asoiaf and f&b, dragons don’t always listen to their riders, even when they’re so closely bonded to their human like w dany; arrax was still young and flighty (metaphorically) and vhagar was a battle dragon, of course she’s gonna hit back if she gets fire to the face

still worried abt the state of the writing for coming seasons 😬

72 notes - Posted October 21, 2022

#3

Fr tho “the quiet rapture” is a TERRIFYING but perfect name for a terrifying but inexplicable mass death. The world ends not with a bang but a whimper

127 notes - Posted August 15, 2022

#2

pov you just watched the leaked finale of hotd s1

175 notes - Posted October 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

up to the usual quality standards i see

649 notes - Posted November 18, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#FOUND IT

[exobrasiloficial]

I want an asoiaf anime so bad 😫😫😫😫 . Maybe by studio undotable or Wit studio. They have have done a good job

An asoiaf anime would save the world fr, that idea lives rent free in my mind. Imagine the character designs, the colors, the settings ugh. ALSO more dragons and direwolves scenes, everybody wins.

But it can't be half-assed bc if it came out looking like the berserk 2016 anime i'd kill myself

#anon #the castlevania art style would look so good for asoiaf

[gendryatrash]

To be honest, is Gendry really good enough for Arya?

A big fat YES, anon. I strongly believe so. Out of all the characters in asoiaf, I’d argue that Gendry is the perfect character for Arya Stark who isn’t her relative (Jon) lmao. In answering this, I’ll mostly refer to book!gendry since show!gendry is so different from him aside from the fact that they both love Arya. Nonetheless, despite all their differences, I still believe that Gendry himself in whatever life or medium his character is portrayed in truly deserves to be with Arya.

So here are the reasons why Gendry is ‘good enough’ for his lady:

In answering the question whether someone is good enough for a person, I think it’s important to first consider the character with whom they are being linked to. In this case, the character we’re analyzing is that of Arya and-

1. Arya Stark loves who she loves.

When it comes to building relationships, I believe that Arya is the kind of character that isn’t caught up with other people’s place in the social ladder or in social hierarchy in itself. Since I think that this is mostly the reason why people would believe they shouldn’t be together given that she’s obviously a lady and Gendry, aside from being an unrecognized bastard, is only a blacksmith (which isn’t bad in itself but is still considered lowborn). I strongly believe that Arya is not the kind of character to base her affections on people’s station in life since the text itself says that Arya befriends and protects people from all walks of life as she did with the butcher’s son Mycah to Weasel a young girl she had no responsibility of taking care of but did. In short, Arya Stark loves who she loves. It was never a question of who you are for her, she loves people for the reason of loving them. Arya’s heart and compassion for different people is seen in the books and I believe that this extends with who she might choose to end up with in the future. She already thinks highly of Gendry and actually considers him to be a friend and companion of hers that it really broke her heart when Gendry decided to stay with the Brotherhood Without Banners. Arya, in letting people into her life, would never let any social status stop her from admiring and choosing a person she already confides with and thinks highly of. 

Now onto more reasons why Gendry is awesome!

2. Gendry is literally a pure human bean 

Aside from the fact that Arya doesn’t give a damn about labels, Gendry himself as a character is one of the purest in the whole story. I mean, this dude who had zero idea about who Arya is, decided to help her protect herself from bullies that wanted to take advantage of a small and seemingly defenseless kid. He literally could’ve minded his own business because he seemed indifferent as fuck when he was first introduced through Ned’s pov but that wasn’t what happened here. Gendry was literally that supportive friend you have who coaches you where the next punch is coming from to help you protect yourself. From the get go, it’s established that Gendry and Arya are equals and it’s amazing (there’s more to this but i’ll shut up about this for now). Moreover, Gendry doesn’t want to hurt a single hair in Arya’s body whether accidental or not as seen in this passage: 

 “Want to fight?” she asked the Bull. She wanted to hit something. 

He blinked at her, startled. Strands of thick black hair, still wet from the bathhouse, fell across his deep blue eyes. 

“I’d hurt you.” 

“You would not.” 

“You don’t know how strong I am.”

“You don’t know how quick I am.” 

“You’re asking for it, Arry.” He drew Praed’s longsword. “This is cheap steel, but it’s a real sword.” Arya unsheathed Needle. “This is good steel, so it’s realer than yours.” 

The Bull shook his head. “Promise not to cry if I cut you?” 

“I’ll promise if you will.” (ACOK)

It’s adorable that despite his size and intimidating appearance, Gendry is such a softie who doesn’t want to hurt his friends even though it’s unintentional. And let’s also not forget that Gendry literally gets all flustered and dumb whenever girls are in the equation. Dude blushes just from the thought of girls and literally walks out when a girl shows interest. Like. What an adorable awkward Boy!! It’s real cute that Gendry is so innocent about sex and romantic relationships because in that way, his youth was highlighted. And paired with Arya who grew up with him in that same level of innocence, they make a hecking adorable example of literally childhood friends who could turn into so much more when they grow older.

3. Gendry is not only a skillful smith, he’s also a smart boy

Now let’s talk about how Gendry is good at his craft. It’s said in the books that he was still an apprentice to Tobho Mott when he was taken by the Night’s Watch to go to the wall. But even with this, Gendry clearly possess the skills and passion it takes to make a great smith and armorer in the future.

Almost shyly, the boy led them to his bench, and a steel helm shaped like a bull’s head, with two great curving horns. Ned turned the helm over in his hands. It was raw steel, unpolished but expertly shaped. “This is fine work. I would be pleased if you would let me buy it.” (GOT)

-

“I did my work, is all. Bellows and tongs and fetch and carry. I was s’posed to be an armorer, and one day Master Mott says I got to join the Night’s Watch, that’s all I know.” Then he’d go off to polish his helm. It was a beautiful helm, rounded and curved, with a slit visor and two great metal bull’s horns. Arya would watch him polish the metal with an oilcloth, shining it so bright you could see the flames of the cookfire reflected in the steel. Yet he never actually put it on his head. (ACOK)

-

As she passed the armory, Arya heard the ring of a hammer. A deep orange glow shone through the high windows. She climbed to the roof and peeked down. Gendry was beating out a breastplate. When he worked, nothing existed for him but metal, bellows, fire. The hammer was like part of his arm. She watched the play of muscles in his chest and listened to the steel music he made. He’s strong, she thought. (ACOK)

-

 Gendry was only spared because he’d admitted to forging the horned helm himself; smiths, even apprentice smiths, were too valuable to kill. (ACOK)

-

“Master Mott said it was time I made my first longsword. He gave me a sweet piece of steel, and I knew just how I wanted to shape the blade. Only Yoren came, and took me away for the Night’s Watch.” (ASOS)

-

 “I could shoe him for you,” said Gendry, all of a sudden. “I was only a ’prentice, but my master said my hand was made to hold a hammer. I can shoe horses, close up rents in mail, and beat the dents from plate. I bet I could make swords too.” (ASOS)

From this, we could see that it wasn’t only Arya who saw Gendry’s skill and passion for smithing. We get to see this sentiment repeated coming from different characters like Ned and Tobho Mott. 

And Yes, despite all the jokes about Gendry being a stupid bastard, he’s actually quite smart especially considering that he hasn’t really acquired formal education like one taught by maesters since he’s only a bastard boy. But looking at passages from the books, Gendry was the voice of reason in their gang and he actively joins in on conversations and adds his own input and suggestions.

Look with your eyes, Arya wanted to shout at the men below. “Can’t they see we’re no lords or knights?” she whispered. “I don’t think they care, Arry,” Gendry whispered back. And she looked at Ser Amory’s face, the way Syrio had taught her to look, and she saw that he was right. (ACOK)

-

“They would have burned the lake if they could have,” Gendry had said,

and Arya knew he was right. (ACOK)

-

It was Gendry who thought of the lord’s towerhouse and the three that Yoren had sent to hold it. (ACOK)

-

“There’s nails,” Lommy pointed out. “And there’s trees all around. We could build us all boats.” Yoren spat. “You know anything ‘bout boat-building, dyer’s boy?” Lommy looked blank. “A raft,” suggested Gendry. “Anyone can build a raft, and long poles for pushing.” Yoren looked thoughtful. “Lake’s too deep to pole across, but if we stayed to the shallows near shore … it’d mean leaving the wagons. Might be that’s best. I’ll sleep on it.”  (ACOK)

-

Gendry wanted no part of any roads, and even Hot Pie and Lommy saw the sense in that. (ACOK)

-

 “The river bends and loops,” said Gendry. “This is just a shorter way, I bet. Some secret outlaw way. Lem and Tom and them have been living here for years.” That was true. Arya bit her lip. (ACOK)

-

“If there’s people, there’s food,” Hot Pie said, too loudly. Gendry was always telling him to be more quiet, but it never did any good. “Might be they’d give us some.” “Might be they’d kill us too,” Gendry said. (ACOK)

-

Gendry frowned. “Knights and lordlings, they take each other captive and pay ransoms, but they don’t care if the likes of you yield or not.”  (ACOK)

These are just some quotes showing us how street smart and perceptive Gendry is. And I really believe that if he was only given the chance to have proper education, he would have been knowledgeable about other subjects too since even without it, he’s already seen as someone with valid and reliable suggestions.

4. Gendry is honorable and loyal

Gendry is one of the few characters in the series who is actually honorable. Right from the start, he doesn’t see the point of changing who he is just for the sake of other people, be it noble or not. He lives and works for his own, not feeling the need to ever take advantage of someone just so he could feel better about himself. Before his and Arya’s path crossed, he worked peacefully and kept to himself, expecting others to do the same. To quote a scene i previously mentioned,

Ned turned the helm over in his hands. It was raw steel, unpolished but expertly shaped. “This is fine work. I would be pleased if you would let me buy it.” The boy snatched it out of his hands. “It’s not for sale.” Tobho Mott looked horror-struck. “Boy, this is the King’s Hand. If his lordship wants this helm, make him a gift of it. He honors you by asking.” “I made it for me,” the boy said stubbornly. “A hundred pardons, my lord,” his master said hurriedly to Ned. “The boy is crude as new steel, and like new steel would profit from some beating.” (GOT)

While Tobho Mott thought that it was rude of Gendry to act the way he did, personally I see this as Gendry being true to himself by being honest regardless of the social pressure he constantly face to bow down to nobility. 

Moreover, loyalty is another one of Gendry’s characteristics that makes him such a good partner for Arya. While his father, Robert, couldn’t keep his pants on for the life of him, Gendry couldn’t even handle being flirted by other girls. The only time we could see Gendry flirt with anyone openly and happily is with Arya.  He even fled the scene when Bella was tempting him back at the inn and this gets to show that Gendry is the exact opposite of Robert, implying that he would be a loyal partner even in the future. Additionally, he also shows his loyalty through his commitment to the masters he thought are fair starting from Tobho Mott and ultimately with the Brotherhood Without Banners.

A sword’s a sword, a helm’s a helm, and if you reach in the fire you get burned, no matter who you’re serving. Lucan’s a fair enough master. I’ll stay here.” (ACOK)

-

 “A smith can find a welcome most anywhere. A skilled armorer even more so. Why would you choose to stay with us?” Arya watched Gendry screw up his stupid face, thinking. “At the hollow hill, what you said about being King Robert’s men, and brothers, I liked that. I liked that you gave the Hound a trial. Lord Bolton just hanged folk or took off their heads, and Lord Tywin and Ser Amory were the same. I’d sooner smith for you.” (ASOS)

Later in ASOS, Gendry is shown to take account of the fairness of the brotherhood and it influences his decision a lot. Thinking that being with Arya while she’s highborn and he’s not to be too painful, he opted to serve for a cause he believes to be just. He seeks out honorable men and this mirrors how honorable he is too.

5. He respects Arya Stark. BIG TIME.

Right from ACOK, Gendry and Arya’s tandem was built on insulting each other but still listening to one another’s opinion. Now what I love the most about these two dorks is that deep down, they really do respect each other. Moreover, he does not only respect her by following what she says but he also shows it by keeping her secret safe and by protecting Arya in a way that doesn’t invalidate her skills. We could see this from the very moment they met after Arya whacked Hot Pie in the face for wanting to take Needle from her,

The Bull shouted, “Behind you,” and Arya spun. Hot Pie was on his knees, his fist closing around a big jagged rock. She let him throw it, ducking her head as it sailed past. Then she flew at him. He raised a hand and she hit it, and then his cheek, and then his knee. (ACOK)

Here’s more instances when Gendry protected Arya while acknowledging that Arya knows what she’s doing and he just wants to let her know that he’s there ready to kick some ass if ever she needs it

Broken Nose guffawed. The officer looked her up and down. “Put the blade away, little girl, no one wants to hurt you.

“I’m not a girl!” she yelled, furious. What was wrong with them? They rode all this way for her and here she was and they were just smiling at her. “I’m the one you want.” “He’s the one we want.” The officer jabbed his shortsword toward the Bull, who’d come forward to stand beside her, Praed’s cheap steel in his hand. (ACOK)

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Arya edged backward away from the wagon. When she felt the hand on her shoulder, she whirled, bringing up her stick sword again, but it was only the Bull. “What are you doing?” He raised his hands defensively. “Yoren said none of us should go near those three.” (ACOK)

-

“Lommy could steal, if it wasn’t for his leg,” said Hot Pie. “He was a thief in the city.” “A bad thief,” Arya said, “or he wouldn’t have got caught.” Gendry squinted up at the sun. “Evenfall will be the best time to sneak in. I’ll go scout come dark.” 

“No, I’ll go,” Arya said.“You’re too noisy.” 

Gendry got that look on his face. “We’ll both go.” 

“Arry should go,” said Lommy. “He’s sneakier than you are.” 

“We’ll both go, I said.” (ACOK)

I noticed how Gendry was literally Arya’s sidekick and I see that as him helping her protect herself because Gendry believes in Arya and he doesn’t see her as a fragile object that might easily break.

And lastly, Gendry not only respects Arya Stark’s skills and opinions. He respects her feelings too. And we clearly get to see this when he apologized to Arya for wanting to stay with the Brotherhood (even tho we all know he did that partly because of his belief that he’s way too lowborn for his milady),

 As Arya was cinching her saddle girth, Gendry came up to say that he was sorry. She put a foot in the stirrup and swung up into her saddle, so she could look down on him instead of up.You could have made swords at Riverrun for my brother , she thought, but what she said was, “If you want to be some stupid outlaw knight and get hanged, why should I care? I’ll be at Riverrun, ransomed, with my brother.” (ASOS)

The quotes i’ve included here have been quoted many times already and my answer is getting too long now but all I know is that Arya deserves someone who respects her, including all the skills, opinions, and feelings that she have. And I know for sure that Gendry is the kind of man to do so because he’s shown time and time again how much he respects his lady and everything about her. Gendry is a skilled smith, an honorable and loyal person, and most of all, he respects and cares for Arya Stark. And due to these reasons, Arya admires him and I believe that’s enough reason for me to think that Gendry indeed, deserves to be with his lady.

#gendry waters #gendry baratheon #i love gendry with my whole heart and id defend him to the ends of the world #a lot of the points i made here have already been made by countless metas before #and i think these points have already been raised by other metas before #because gendry really is all that in the books #he's amazing #maria.txt #asks #anon