my sister was NOT feeling that shit, literally dissociating

Daemon to Rhaenyra: you were a child!

Me: *regina george voice* so you agree? You were attracted to her as a child?

oh i see the hotd fandom has quickly reached the levels of racism in the asoiaf fandom concerning non-white/non-valyrian characters; how majority fandom ships a problematic white couple at the expense of the poc around them and how it’s detrimental to the narrative. ah yes, i am familiar with your game…unfortunately

It’s the year of our lord 2023, and people are still acting as if a small, grossly insinuated single paragraph in f&b translates to rhaenicent’s story somehow being taken from laenyra (or whatever it’s called) and given to Alicent and Rhaenyra.

We can all agree to the notion that Laena, all of the black girls/women on the show really, got the short end of the stick. No need to dispute or argue that because it’s just a fact. So, don’t take this as me saying I didn’t want more laena. But the idea that Laena’s story would’ve been more fleshed out as the ‘third’ in a throuple with her first cousin and old ass second cousin is hilarious to me. As if the character development would come through her being in a relationship with the people that marry immediately after she tragically dies. Not seeing her claim vhagar, not finding out how she, grown up with two daughters of her own now, really felt about her parents pimping her out when she was 12, no real scenes between her and laenor as adults. Hell, not even just her and Rhaenyra as adults, since this is apparently about wlw representation that was ‘taken from them’. But her relationship with *checks notes* Rhaenyra and daemon.

Mind you, the people that say they care about laena and her lack of development are the same ones that were cheering about those leaks (which more than likely could’ve been fake knowing how much this fandom likes making shit for the sake of it) depicting daemon possibly cheating on laena with a man. Pushing aside the cheating/disrespecting his wife to call him a ‘bi icon’ lmao.

Oh and this isn’t even touching how people pretend to care about Baela and Rhaena. They are more worried about how that leads back to Daemon’s characterization than how those girls are surrounded by people who undermine their best interest at every turn

What r ur thoughts on daemon x rhaenyra relationship

Daemyra nation, rise up! For how much I shit on these two, you wouldn't realise I actually like them. I am not immune to Tik Tok edits with Unholy in the background. The chemistry between the actors draws you in, that's a given.

[I am not going to get into a heavy-handed disclaimer about this not being a healthy relationship, because that's just been dissected to death by now.]

I have to admit that Ryan Condal's declaration that Daemon was maybe in love with Viserys and wanted to be intricately connected to him explains so much about his character. But, at the same, it's so jarring to see how the majority of the audience insisted on perceiving him; the lady asking the question is a perfect example, she felt "betrayed" by the scene of Daemon choking Rhaenyra because she really wanted Daemon to have a heroic arc. But that's just not who he is a character and that's reflected both in his fucked-up relationship with Rhaenyra and in the way the audience insists on ascribing them a dynamic of wholesome domestic fluff that just isn't there.

I really find it very interesting how many genderbending questions this show indirectly poses about the characters. Would Rhaenyra have been much happier had she been born a boy and could have, therefore, married Alicent herself? Would Daemon have been happier born a girl and married to Viserys? It makes a lot of sense for someone so intent on cannibalizing Viserys to move on to the closest person with whom he could possibly recreate that, i.e. Viserys' own daughter.

In many ways, Rhaenyra truly is the wife Daemon always wanted - a perfect Targaryen princess with Targaryen parents & Valyrian looks, who could give him unmistakably Targaryen sons, place him in close proximity to the throne & forever connect him to Viserys. And, in many ways, Daemon is the husband Rhaenyra always wanted - a provocative, intoxicating bad boy that is such an arsehole to anyone BUT HER. He's a teenage fantasy. *cue Katy Perry's Teenage Dream playing in the background* I have no doubt that they're sexually attracted to each other. That they even get along fine on a day-by-day basis.

But I would like to challenge Daemyra citizens on the following points. Overall, I think Rhaenyra is a much better partner to Daemon than he is to her, because Daemon invariably seems to bail out on her whenever things get tough:

He abandons her in the brothel. I mean, kudos for deciding not to take her maidenhead after all, I suppose, but how in the world is she supposed to get back to the Red Keep? Does she even know the way? She could get both discovered and/or assaulted. Does Daemon think this a thrilling possibility somehow - of something happening to Rhaenyra, but him not being directly responsible? Or does he only think of himself in that moment and of his need to get away?

He abandons her at the wedding brawl. She was just challenging him to abscond with her to Dragonstone and marry her. Wouldn't a commotion like this be the perfect opportunity to slip away? Why ditch her immediately and not even try to protect her at least? Isn't she the reason he came back from his exile in the first place?

He abandons her during the eye-gouging trial. Rhaenyra could have been in big trouble here and Daemon doesn't lift a finger to help her in any way. Even though he is one of the few people who could have actually had some input, considering his girls were also hurt. He could have diffused the situation or even backed her up a little - anything. I would have been terribly pissed with him if he simply materialized by my side after I'd have been cut with a knife & he just stood there smirking by the door. Even Matt Smith added that Daemon would have been happy just to see them all implode. The only explanation I can think of is that it's in Daemon's interest as well for the Strong boys to be called bastards, since he gets closer in the line of succession if they're disinherited.

He abandons her during her difficult labour and miscarriage. I understand he may have been triggered and I'm even willing to consider the deleted scenes with him mourning on the beach as proof that he was genuinely saddened by all this, but come on. Rhaenyra is crying out for him and he ignores her. He can hear her through the castle walls; it's cruel. At some point, you've got to man up and go to your screaming (and possibly dying) wife. Even Jace & Luke go and see her & they're teenagers! Even Viserys has the decency to stay in the birthing room with Aemma.*

The choking scene has been debated to death already.

There is, nevertheless, more to this. I'm not going to deny that he respects Rhaenyra, as much as he can respect anyone anyway. He gives her back the egg. He begrudgingly follows her lead on the bridge when they're facing Otto in the final episode. He moves to stop Ser Criston when he rushes to aid knifed-up Alicent. He crowns her. He cuts Vaemond's head in half - but is this just because he insulted Rhaenyra or was he just itching for violence and saw an opportunity?

I do feel like Rhaenyra has some terrible blind spots in relation to Daemon. The appeal of their relationship is that it's exciting and enticing and taboo, but, ultimately, it will break down because both of them have this idealized image of the other that neither lives up to. Rhaenyra thinks of herself as the perpetual exception for Daemon and, while I don't believe Daemon would ever truly give her up, he does seem the most comfortable recreating a dynamic in which he is the senior, worldly partner that can impress a young, guileless girl and be somewhat of a mentor to her (young!Rhaenyra, Nettles, even Mysaria was in an inferior social role). I don't think he knows how to handle a relationship of equals. He seems to struggle a lot with the idea of Rhaenyra topping the hierarchy.

*So many parallels with Viserys, actually. He stays with Aemma, holds her hand and even tries to comfort her, but decides to kill her for the baby anyway. Whereas Daemon doesn't go to Laena, but refuses to allow the surgeons to perform a cesarean on her. I feel like he would refuse it for Rhaenyra as well, but, then again, he prefers to keep away and not offer her any support.

I also wonder if Viserys doesn't mirror Daemon in his choice of bride, too. Daemon wants Rhaenyra as a way to always keep close to Viserys, but what if Viserys chose Alicent because she was Otto's daughter, as well? As a way of keeping close to his dear friend whom he cherished and respected. Isn't Viserys' fondness for his Hand another reason why Daemon has a bone to pick with Otto?

emma d'arcy you're so #real for saying this. THEY get it!

Bye I just saw someone who’s entire personality is shipping Rhaenyra and Daemon say that Rhaenicent is toxic

I’m actually losing my mind over here

.

Prince Daemon had at last returned to court. Wearing a crown and styling himself King of the Narrow Sea, he appeared unannounced in the skies above King’s Landing on his dragon, circling thrice above the tourney grounds … but when at last he came to earth, he knelt before his brother and offered up his crown as a token of his love and fealty. Viserys returned the crown and kissed Daemon on both cheeks, welcoming him home, and the lords and commons sent up a thunderous cheer as the sons of Prince Baelon Targaryen were reconciled. Amongst those cheering loudest was Princess Rhaenyra, who was thrilled at the return of her favorite uncle, and begged him to stay a while. Prince Daemon did remain at King’s Landing for half a year, and even resumed his seat on the small council, but neither age nor exile had changed his nature. Daemon soon took up again with old companions from the gold cloaks and returned to the establishments along the Street of Silk where he had been such a valued patron. Though he treated Queen Alicent with all the courtesy due her station, there was no warmth between them, and men said that the prince was notably cool toward her children, especially his nephews Aegon and Aemond, whose birth had pushed him still lower in the order of succession. Princess Rhaenyra was a different matter. Daemon spent long hours in her company, enthralling her with tales of his journeys and battles. He gave her pearls and silks and books and a jade tiara said once to have belonged to the Empress of Leng, read poems to her, dined with her, hawked with her, sailed with her, entertained her by making mock of the greens at court, the “lickspittles” fawning over Queen Alicent and her children. He praised her beauty, declaring her to be the fairest maid in all the Seven Kingdoms. Uncle and niece began to fly together almost daily, racing Syrax against Caraxes to Dragonstone and back.

The Rogue Prince, or, A King’s Brother × Fire and Blood (George R. R. Martin)

... whose birth had pushed him still lower in the order of succession...

... or perhaps he just didn't like the tools his sister-in-law popped up to replace his beloved niece with? It's not like Daemon showed some kind of political amibtion ever. He's attention whore, not powerhungry conspirator.

the show needs to explore how aegon and aemond being exposed to sexuality and sexually active at such a young age was likely traumatizing for them (something they unfortunately have in common with their elder sister)

tw, cw: sa, rape

yes!!!!

i really hope we see how aemond's rape (because that's what it was plain and simple) affected his own relationship with sex and intimacy. especially since we'll be seeing alys enter the picture as his lover. i hope that they'll be able to explore his views on sex outside of marital duty, and even explore if he has casual sex. as a young prince it's expected of him to be promiscuous in some ways but to me aemond doesn't seem the type. i think it'll be more interesting to make him overcompensate for his own lack of control during his first sexual act with him acting morally superior by not practicing sex outside of marriage (not even realizing that a big part of his lack of desire for it is the trauma he experienced as a child. a trauma that was never resolved)

when it comes to aegon it's clear as day that his experience with sex is so much different than aemond's. he was shown ogling the maids which could've been either just a boy discovering his sexuality or some sign of early hypersexuality. either way i get the feeling that his own early sexual encounters led to him becoming very sexually driven and deviant. which is exactly what makes him clearly not care that he raped a girl because it was just "a bit of fun" (a truly disgusting, inexcusable thing no matter what) not to mention the fact that he's the one who had to enter into a sexual relationship with his sister as a 14(?)yo.

i think that with the news of the actress who played the prostitute who took aemond's virginity coming back we'll definitely see some sort of resolution of that storyline. with aegon i feel like the best we can hope for is for the show to acknowledge his sexual trauma of having to sleep with his sister, but i wouldn't be holding onto too much hope when it comes to humanizing aegon.

(and don't even get me started on rhaenyra and how we're supposed to find her grooming sexually liberating. her being exposed to daemon's advances, from the dubious undertones of their interactions to blatant sexual interest, is nothing more than sexual trauma disguised as her being more free than other female characters. i think her relationship with harwin was fully consensual and, bastardy aside, probably very healthy too. but her groomer will never leave her, she'll always be under his influence because he made his sexual interest something normal and mundane. which is unfortunately why she can't escape him even as an adult, and worse, she doesn't want to because she doesn't know any better in a family that thrives on incest and abusing women for the happiness of their male family members)

If you consider viserys a creep, then I hope you realize Daemon is also one just slightly less so, laena was young when daemon married her and rhaenyra was even younger when to took her too a brothel and kissed her, plus he asked for her hand in marriage, he would have no problem sleeping with rhaenyra if viserys had agreed to marry them. Daemon just has pretty privilege, so people aren't willing to see that his more problematic than viserys

CW for CSA, grooming mentions

Okay so first of all, let me remind everyone that my posts that only talk about Viserys shouldn't be taken to mean anything about completely unrelated characters like Daemon. Now, this post isn't going to be an apology for Daemon, and it shouldn't be taken to excuse his actions. But I will be making the argument that what he's done isn't as bad as what Viserys has done.

In the books, Laena is twenty-three years old when she and Daemon meet for the first time and get married. There's still obviously an age gap, and I personally hate age gaps in real life, but Laena's very much a grown woman here, even by modern standards.

And I've discussed before here that I very much DO think Daemon's treatment of younger Rhaenyra is problematic. As for adult Daemyra, there are a few things that I think are important here:

During the brothel scene, even though Rhaenyra is acting willing, Daemon doesn't have sex with her. Also, Rhaenyra is seventeen. Obviously we rightfully take issue with this, but by Westerosi standards she is technically capable of consent. Again, we know this shouldn't be the case and it doesn't excuse Daemon's actions, but it does provide context for them.

I could make a whole separate post about how Daemon's interest in Rhaenyra as a child wasn't about her, but was entirely about her being an extension of Viserys. Daemon doesn't genuinely want Rhaenyra when he proposes to wed her; he's feeling rejected by Viserys and is trying to get close to him in the only way he knows how.

Daemon then distances himself physically from Rhaenyra, and explicitly says this is because she was a "child," implying that he didn't feel it was right for them to have a relationship and felt that he needed to remove himself from the situation to allow her to grow by herself.

When Daemon and Rhaenyra DO start a relationship, it is when Rhaenyra is twenty-seven years old and unquestionably an adult. And it starts on Rhaenyra's terms. Now, this isn't fully okay, because we know that their dynamics when Rhaenyra was younger impact what she wants as an adult. But I do think this is still significant when comparing him to Viserys.

Finally, Daemon's relationship with Rhaenyra is about as healthy as a Targaryen relationship can get. Rhaenyra maintains the upper hand in every single scene with him-- even in the choking scene, she laughs in his face and he is ultimately rendered impotent in the face of her confidence. Daemon unquestioningly supports Rhaenyra's decision-making skills and her power as a ruler. When she asks him to do something, even if he clearly doesn't want to do it, he always backs down. Daemon obeys Rhaenyra at every turn, never the other way around.

Daemon's relationship with Rhaenyra is obviously still problematic, and Emma D'Arcy has said it counts as grooming, and I won't argue against this because I agree. I also don't think Daemyra should ever be used to excuse these dynamics in real life, ever. But it's not quite comparable to what Viserys did with Aemma and Alicent, for all the reasons outlined above.

TLDR: Viserys raped a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl, the latter of whom he saw as a daughter. His relationships with both of his wives involved mistreating them and sacrificing their physical safety, comfort, and wishes for his own whims.

Daemon had sex with a 23-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman, the latter of whom he saw as a niece. His consummated marriages were amicable and he always allowed his wives autonomy, even at the detriment of his own personal desires. You can see how these two things aren't 100% the same, yes?

Grooming is when someone builds a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them

Source ⬇️

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/types-of-abuse/grooming/#

Now knowing that and knowing what I know about the relationships of Daemon and Rhaenyra and Daemon and Nettles (+ the characterization of Daemon, Rhaenyra, and Nettles) I personally think there’s a clear example of which situation is Grooming and which isn’t.

There you have it folks. In case you need it spelled out for you. Which one sounds like the victim of grooming to you?

The woman who had a lover who did everything he could to make up for all her years of lacking the basic necessities and was willing to die for her?

Or the woman whose husband, a fully grown man who helped to change her diapers, coveted her title for years, finally married her after possibly killing her lover and first husband, and later abandons her to die alone after he realized said title did not mean much(especially without the actual woman he loved)?

If either Daemon or Viserys were born female they would have married. This is 100% true and cannot be disputed. Especially since their marriage would have been a way to strengthen the claim against Rhaenys. This thought probably passed through Daemons mind in his list for power. He craves Viserys attention and approval. He is so jealous of any favor shown by Viserys to another person.

Remember how Viserys told Dany that if she'd been born earlier than she could have married Rhaegar and the war wouldn't have happened, I wonder if Daemon had similar thoughts regarding Aemma and her failed pregnancies, considering his callous heir for a day comment.

He cant fuck Viserys or be fucked by him so his next best option is his daughter.

The breadcrumbs are all there to follow.

What you're saying is basic logic, of course. But I'm baffled as to how some people can accept Daemyra with all its flaws, yet somehow Viserys/Daemon is too much, like, brother/brother is where they decide to draw the line. That would be indecent and problematic. That needs to be debunked. 😅

I'm seeing people claim Daemon has been grooming Rhaenyra since she was a little girl both in the book and the show but that's not true? In the book he gets banished when she was 8 and doesn't return to King's Landing until she's 15. And in the show we have no idea what their relationship looked like pre episode 1 and it's implied he spends a lot of time away from court.

I wrote about the medieval ages of consent, ages of marriage, and how they can relate to thoughts of grooming in the universe of ASoiaF HERE.

You are correct, but it's after Daemon leaves KL in anger at Rhaenyra being named heir that he voluntarily leaves with Mysaria to Dragonstone ("A Question of Succession"):

It is when Viserys later hears that Daemon gave Mysaria an egg for their unborn child that Daemon is actually exiled ("A Question of Succession"):

Ultimately, I think that if the frame of mind for characters default to how little choice a lot really have in choice of partner (especially for women & girls) is going to affect how they think about childhood and be more open to those relationships we'd avoid, condemn, call the police for. In other words, before I hate Daemon for his maybe grooming maybe not grooming of anyone only-specificially-uniquely (for no other reason), it would behoove me to really think about HOW AND WHY he or any person can marry/fuck much younger people & get rid of that problem. Because that larger force is guiding these people's actions more than them thinking "this is a child, I love to fuck children, lemme fuck this child".

Rhaenyra was born in 97 A.C. and was proclaimed Viserys' heir at the age of 8 in 105 A.C., which also means Daemon left that 1st time in 105 A.C. Daemon did not come back to KL until 111 A.C., when she was 14-15 and she had decided to wear her red-black dress to unsubtly declare her opposition against Alicent and the greens. Daemon was not there often enough or around Rhaenyra enough to have that much of an influence before he came back. Again, for BEFORE.

He also did not begin to give her gifts and attention like what the text explicitly says he did after he came back, which implies EITHER that he didn't do that as often when she was younger OR if/when he did no one thought that it was a weird or suspicious bc family members gives gifts to each other.

The following is what he did after he came back, in terms of what would be identified as grooming and would alert many readers ("A Question of Succession"):

Intermission (ignore, this popped into my mind when I was thinking of my response)

Ironically, Rhaenyra's red-black dress moment almost matches and simultaneously contrasts with Jaehaerys' 14-15 yr old working harder to become a "better" king by working on his swordplay, fighting, bearing, etc. as a way to reduce and put to bed doubts over his leadership, referring to the medieval belief that a king must be not just physically able but also strong and good with a sword (hence the ableist rhetoric against Daeron II, no matter if he was disabled or not). It's not about truths so much as manipulating and controlling the image--Jaehaerys barely actually went to war during his entire reign. He did it once on his dragon with his sons, it was barely a battle AND he, as a male, is encouraged to learn swordplay (the avenue towards respect and trustworthiness on a ruler's capability in such a society) more than if he were a man, but his reign nor right to rule at that moment wasn't really as under attack much as when he was younger. And here Rhaenyra must form some sort of self-defense and advocacy, some show of strength both for herself and to put on for others. Without swordplay or participating in martial arts (things discouraged for women), she shows strength where she needs to--in court, through dress. Social "performance" can mean different things but stems from the ability to be what one uses to self-affirm/self-advocate, bc it's about controlling one's own image and having some sort of awareness of your relationship with those actors/people you need to control/manipulate/influence. And those we are able to look at a distance from as "children" are pushed into such positions bc of the society they live in. We can't refute its importance in social interactions and politics nor how those people we real, modern people call children have been involved with such practices as if they were adults--even nonsexually--in ASoIaF.

END of Intermission

Grooming can happen at any child age as long as it is an extended period of time because it needs constant reinforcement.

Viserys had been planning--with the council--for some time as to who 15-year-old Rhaenyra should marry. Only a little under a year after Daemon comes back. In 112 A.C.--again, she's 15 here--Daemon was exiled (again) AND she went on an unofficial tour to attract possible admirers & supporters on a semi-official "progress". So that the heir could also "know" her soon-to-be subjects and those subjects would be putting a face to the name of the woman they swore to protect and be loyal to ("A Question of Succession"):

Note how even after Daemon leaves, there is Mushroom's account of Viserys being very worried and angry over Daemon's words/actions AND Eustace's account of Viserys commanding both to never speak about whatever happened, later exiling Daemon. After this event, the court "returned to its customary tranquility" for at least a little under a year before he forced Rhaenyra to marry Laenor.

And it is after he does this that we have two other accounts of how exactly Rhaenyra and Criston finally separated.

And really, Viserys favored her marrying Laenor since a Velaryon alliance was perceived as necessary esp after he spurned a marriage w/Laena: ("A Question of Succession"):

This makes the tour even more likely a means for Rhaenyra to attract favors from her not-"suitors" to build her image, NOT to actually get a suitor to marry.

There is an interesting phenomenon in Rhaenyra going on a tour other than just an heir meeting those she will rule. Twofold: one because she is a woman, and one because of herself and what happened/didn't happen w/Daemon:

she gets to present herself, be charming, and show off her physical beauty, dragon, and clothes as a sort of "treasure" and show why she's called the "Realm's Delight" to make a very feminine-but-desirable picture to her subjects (female paragon of beauty to match the image of a ruler being the "supreme" example of the aristocracy) -> a crossover of sexual desire and the motivation to be loyal to her as a subject when a woman being a ruler is an uncomfortable notion

the idea being to "bait" others in her tour: why would she present herself in such a way if not for marriage prospects, or at least if she "likes" someone she sees, the lords/sons can make a case for their devotion to her; making her visit these lords and their sons is not an event that happens for women and girls and many would feel as if it were some sort of suitor-progress -> thereby, as she's presenting herself as if she were marriageable (a sort of business as usual) and emphasizing her virginity and sexual "purity", she could also be getting ahead of any possible rumors of her lost virginity for the sake of her reputation and future with Laenor.

Of course, we'd have to have evidence of supporting materials that indicate the possibility of Viserys or any of his council being actually this forward-thinking. But that tour really came in handy for Rhaenyra. The timing...

Anyway, yeah, all this indicates that it isn't enough for us to see Daemon give Rhaenyra gifts and pay special attention to her when she's already in a situation where the "childhood" we recognize in her does not have the same meaning as "childhood" for any person in some medieval societies, even with people trying to get their kids married with as little age gaps and as older as possible in noble circles. It certainly shows how sexual purity for girls makes men automatically/likelier and more often seekers of young girls for sexual partners bc it makes a prize/attraction of youth in women/girls more than boys. But we'd have to destroy the entire system and world and/or convert it to a more modern world (doesn't have to be the digital age specifically)--and that's not happening anytime soon within the timeline of Rhaenyra's period.

So the question after identifying Daemon as a groomer is what takes away with that information? Other than hating Daemon--which is your prerogative--in the context of examining the text &SOCIETY, how does it serve us to understand Rhaenyra's story in-text when she must learn/build strength in a world where she must marry and have sexual relations much younger than how we'd want her for her to even gain power (other than explaining how ludicrous that she and all women here are in this)?

la pheacinne states:

All I said is that it doesn't matter in the context of the story because all women got married in their teen years. All. All mariages, all classic love stories basically have a grooming element, and it's so generalised that it looses its value as a point of criticism. Yes, technically, if you sterilise the context and isolate the facts, it could be considered "grooming", yes technically there is a power imbalance, obviously, it's just that these points cannot constitute a valid criticism for the character because in the context of the story, they lose their meaning. They cannot be used as a proof that the character is bad or immoral or a pedophile. [...] The problem with the word "grooming" is that it's not a neutral word. It's a word with a very heavy meaning, that frames an individual who has a perverse, unnatural sexual desire for children whereas the society this individual lives in has decided (fortunately) that these children are not to be considered in a sexual way. So this individual breaks a fundamental moral code of the society they live in, and they do it so skillfully that they go the extra mile as to manipulate their way into basically, committing the crime that constitutes child sex abuse. It is a crime punished by law. You go to prison for it. Everybody knows it is perverse, unnatural behaviour, everybody tries to protect their children from it, and children themselves have a certain knowledge that it is NOT ok for an adult to approach them that way.

AND HERE:

Well GRRM is creepy with age differences, that is a fact. I'm ok if you adress this as a meta commentary. What I mean by a meta commentary here is a commentary on the choices of the author himself and whether these choices are wise/unwise, or if there is a pattern that should be adressed. All of this can be discussed in a meta commentary. Dead Ladies Club was one for example, in a different subject though.

About Daemyra ship:

- What people essentially find attractive here is power dynamics kink and hot actors with charged chemistry.

- Yes, in real life it would be 100% grooming and not okay in the slightest.

- Rhaenyra has been given a lot of agency and initiative of pursuit in the show to offset the grooming dynamic which would not happen in real life but can be done in fiction.

- Milly is in her 20s irl and it shows.

- Whoever wants to kinkshame my power dynamics besties, show me your ao3 history first.