keeping up with the baratheons very special gay pride episode. joffrey starts getting manicures and cersei is like “my beautiful boy..... my beautiful gay son” even though joffrey is like mother im not a fucking f****t. cersei is like My Poor Gay Son.. we must make this house welcoming for my beautiful gay son.... and robert’s like well he can be gay so long as he isn’t a fairy about it. and joffrey is like if you call me gay one more time mother i’ll kms and take you with me and she’s like oh.... my wonderful gay son...

cersei actually reaches out to renly for literally the first time in the entire time they’ve known each other and is like dearest brother.... as a homosexual yourself how can i support my gay son... and renly is trying so hard not to lose it. telling her to do stuff he knows joffrey will hate, like “you should take him to the theatre” “you should redecorate his room” “you should set him up with your frenemies’ gay sons”. she’s like thank you dearest brother... and also your boyfriend is too effete tell him to take the pronouns and gay flag out of his thrist trap instagram bio it makes me uncomfortable....

episode midpoint is joffrey sitting cersei down and she thinks it’s like that scene in love simon where the mom’s like “you can exhale now simon” but joffrey’s like mother i am not joking if you keep thinking i’m gay i’ll run away from home and live in the wilderness (as if he’d ever). and she’s like oh my darling son is it robert? is robert too homophobic? you know he opposes gay marriage for political purposes... and joffrey finally loses it and runs away but he wouldn’t be seen dead homeless so he just runs off to live with grandpa tywin in their ancestral castle and he’s like uhhh im slumming it -_-

and he tells tywin whats going on and tywin’s like dont worry boy i know you’re not some degenerate. your mother’s just projecting her insanity on you wouldnt be a queer would you? would you joffrey? and tyrion who is there for the drama and laughs is like Ok I Understand Why Joffrey Is So Insane.

episode ends with everyone agreeing not to call joffrey gay and we should respect straight people who seem gay but arent but the post credits scene is myrcella being like “look joffrey for real im not calling you gay but if you WERE gay just know i would still think you’re cringe but not for being gay just for being the worst” and joffrey’s like seven hells if i could send an assassin to kill you i would i am NOT gay and then smash cut to him on his phone scrolling through loras’ thirst trap instagram

I was on a Aria fan blog because I hate myself and wanted to see what they were posting (the Sansa obsession is real like every other post was literally just made to hate on Sansa to uplift Aria) when I saw a few posts about Elia and, I shit you not, this person was arguing that Elia and Ratgar were totally chill with each other and PolITiCal ParTnErS and Elia totally knew about him crowing L/yanna as QLB and supported it because Elia must have thought it was unfair L/yanna couldn't participate in the tourney cause she was a woman (which lmaooo). I just.....I mean....wow. Never thought I lived to see the day people try to Cool Girl-ify Elia but here we are. They weirdly claim it's because they don't want her to be seen as a "victim" so instead they're......depicting her as a doormat with no self-respect who would be fine with her husband's nasty behavior and being humiliated up and down because I guess that's better???? They also argued that Jon would in no way be a threat to Aegon or Rhaenys' places in the line of succession so Elia would be chill about that too (which again lmaooooo). I am amused at the lack of any and all critical thinking, media literacy, or reading comprehension skills but am also flabbergasted and want to start swinging.

Hey.

The people who seriously believe Elia would have defended Rhaegar's completely inane actions are very young or very dumb.

"All the smiles died." There is literally nothing, not a whisper, ZILCH that Elia knew what was going to happen at that tourney or that she approved it. Wasn't there an artwork that was commissioned by George where he approved of the artist's depiction of Elia sitting stiffly in the stands while Rhaegar pissed off the North, Stormlands, & Dorne? Unless they think she was pretending?

And that's such a nonsensical argument for Elia being OK with it. To be blunt, Lyanna not being able to participate openly wasn't Elia's problem. Lyanna not being able to participate openly is not justification for Rhaegar to publicly insult his wife like that - because that is exactly what it would have looked like to outsiders. Not to mention the offence to Lyanna - its kind of a wonder that Rickard didn't rush the wedding after so he could see Lyanna safely wed & have the protection of the title 'Lady Baratheon', but he was probably afraid of particular rumors starting if she fell pregnant too quickly. Ugh...

If I was Elia I would not breathe easy unless I knew that Jon Snow was

a) fostered away from court with people that were unfailingly loyal to me. And unfailingly kind as well. Being smart doesn't require being a monster *cough* Tywin

b) entered the Night's Watch or the Faith when he came of age. Is it fair? Not really- but it's a kinder fate than the one Rhaenys got.

But yeah the people who cry over how its wrong to accept that Elia was a victim dress it up as empowerment, when really it's all just about protecting Rhaegar. If Elia was in on it, then Rhaegar can't be the villain! Are they going to argue next that Aerys was justified in murdering Brandon & Rickard the way he did because he actually knew of Rhaegar's plans & that it was super importance he impregnante the teenage girl he kidnapped/ran off with? Be for real.

Anyway I would just avoid those blogs or be like me, get yourself blocked by them as many as you can looool

This text is still one of the greatest piece I’ve ever read on this site. How are you worshipping male characters such as Walter White, Tywin, Jaime, or Stannis, but end up hating Cersei, Sansa, and Catelyn ?

“This kind of reaction is not uncommon, for Skyler in particular and for women – often wives – on top-drawer TV dramas in general. Characters like Skyler become targets of vituperation unimaginable to their male counterparts, most of whom engage in vastly more destructive and immoral behavior every episode. By failing to indulge every whim of the the male antiheroes around whom their shows are built, the women become obstacles to those men getting exactly what they want when they want it at all times, which is the core fantasy of antihero fiction. Cold cunning, ruthlessness, rage, self-interest, a propensity for physical violence – we gender these unheroic characteristics as male, and celebrate them; passivity, bitterness, grief, emotional enmeshment, a knack for attacking and deflating egos – we gender these unheroic characteristics as female, and loathe them. Skyler White, Betty Francis, Megan Draper, Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Cersei Lannister, Carmela Soprano: On the sole count of “being women,” Fan Court finds you guilty as charged.”

The source is a 2012 Rolling Stone Breaking Bad recap, and apparently the author inspired a lot of chatter in the fandom with his takes (I avoided all fan/professional content while watching so I have no idea what his thoughts were like on any other aspect of the story/fandom), but that really is a great assessment of the fandom's reaction to certain characters!

It's fascinating that he pinpointed those characteristics so accurately. This part, "ruthlessness, rage, self-interest, a propensity for physical violence – we gender these unheroic characteristics as male, and celebrate them" -- explains why no matter what Dany did she was celebrated, while Sansa was condemned, well shit, he called that too, in her interaction with Jon she showed, "a knack for attacking and deflating egos." He wrote that years before s6, but people raged about Sansa "undermining" Jon and hated the way she spoke to Dany in s8, kept bitching about it even after Dany burned KL.

I don't think it's that surprising for fans to connect with the "victim" in a scenario, and the more verbal character might seem like the aggressor even if their words are in reaction to a horrible decision/inciting action of the other character, so I actually can see how fans slip into sympathizing with Jon over Sansa (or any of those men over the female counterpart) because the fans aren't grasping the context for the verbalization of disagreement/grievances. In some instances, the fault is with the writer who is (perhaps unknowingly, due to their own acceptance of the ok crimes/not ok crimes) guiding the audience to sympathize with one character over the other. I certainly felt that GoT was not that sympathetic to Sansa in the later seasons when she was dealing with Jon or Tyrion, so there were all sorts of mixed messages or outright, offensive messages like "but why wouldn't Sansa want to be with nice guy Tyrion who she was forced to marry as a child bride? Like, why would she object? What could the reason be????" But Breaking Bad seemed to be very clear eyed about who Walter was, and I think it was the audience who fucked up there all on their own.

That was such an interesting read. I’ll have to look up more of that writer’s work. Thank you for sending it, anon!

Ok so I have this theories about stev and tywin in celeb au

I can imagine stevs only celebrity crush being tywin, and otto making fun of her. I also imagine her being the youngest female who won the PEGOT and all three of the triple crown acting (european,american,british) and having multiple interests, ex: like writing, directing, producing, designing, composing, singing, painting, dancing ( i can also see her pole dancing, ballet or aerial silk act), stunts, voice acting, cooking, baking, gardening and otto demeaning her and also being jealous. Tywin takes notice of her and also having a crush on her and always admiring her from afar, but then she becomes single again so tywin sees his chance. He somehow manages to secure a project with stev(their first) that requires intimate scene. Now the producers aren't sure that she will accept because it is known that she refuses all projects that require intimate scenes( otto demeaning her, and also cheating on her with almost every actress he had intimate scenes, then trying to excuse himself with it was only acting bullshit). So for stev intimacy becomes something sacred, however when she sees it's work with tywin she accepts to everyone surprise. After theire scene is shot, and they become friends, tywin's care for her makes her to have a break down and tells him about otto cheating and her view on intimacy. Tywin is outraged, but comforts her. So after theire first project is finished they both refuse to do any intimacy scenes with others so they have both intimacy doubles, as the directors and producers don't have any other option. On stev part it isn't something surprising, but on tywin's part is, as he didn't have any problem before, so fans start speculating. Then they see him always observing stev on the red carpet even before they are together, stev always glowing, blushing around him even if she tries to hide it. Fans start shipping them and when they find out they are together go wild. At that point is well known to anyone that the intimate scenes with others are with the body doubles. However because they hate to work apart they manage to be in some way or other in each other projects, they travel together everywhere and if one works then the other stays on location and cares for theire kids or vice versa. The fans love that theire family is always traveling and are together. The producers and directors always manage for them housing, because once when they were separate for a week they were both grouchy and grumpy as they can't stand to be apart, so it becomes something normal to see theire little family living on locations where they are making a project. The fans are loving it, however if the body double isn't available the director calls stev or tywin in, it depends who works, those times both of them are more than happy to film the scene. The fans and critics alike know when is the body double and when is tywin or stev doing the scenes, they are always waiting the behind the scenes footages. When the body double and the actor is doing the scene, tywin and stev are on a little date on set and being cute together, when stev and tywin do the scene together it is always hot, smouldering, sexy make out sessions. They are a lot of memes and gifs around the internet too. Also if stev tries something new, tywin is her biggest suporter and always brags proudly about her achievements, stev doing the same for him.

Sorry for being this long and about grammatical mistakes, english is my third language.

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH !! ❤️❤️❤️

third language!! That is stunning ! Don't be sorry 😍

Some of my favorite dynamics in asoiaf/got:

Tyrion & Varys- 'i want to drink myself to death' 'nope too bad gotta save the realm'

Daario & Jorah- 'im cooler and hotter than you in every way' 'shut up im already sad enough'

Arya & Sandor- 'i HATE you i will kill you DEAD' 'lol ok kid good for you'

(S3/asos) Jaime & Brienne- 'you're ugly and stupid and im going to flirt with you to get under your skin' 'shut the fuck up im literally dragging you around on a leash'

Tywin & Olenna- 'i am NOT even a little gay!!!' 'Whatever you say, but in that case you're the weird one."

Jaime & Bronn- 'i need your help' 'ok but I'm going to be insufferable the whole time. Also, im gonna hit you with your own fucking hand.'

Brienne & Pod- 'what the hell are you doing' 'mY bEst-'

Add your favorites!!

All the Harwin and Laena fans are ridiculous. How they ended up as stans of characters who was even barely written about is beyond me. They definitely just think that the actors portraying them in the show is hot and uses Rhaenyra as a self-insert for Harwin and Laena for Daemon. Honestly, they give this two way too much more importance than they actually were in the first place. The only relevance Harwin and Laena have is that they had children with Daemyra.

Hi there,

Let's try not to call anyone ridiculous for liking characters XD we can say they have bad taste but ridiculous no come on. We might not agree but to each their own and they have a right to like whatever character they want even if it is someone like Tywin's horse.

I agree that I also don't understand, especially Laena just because since 2019 the hype about her is absolutely blown out of proportion. If you read any meta about her you would be under the impression she's as developed as character as someone like Daemon or Rhaenyra, or even as her own parents. I have talked at lengths about why people like her but to sum it up it's a mixture of: no personality so perfect self-insert + seen as "less Targaryen" and thus more "pure and righteous" + who her parents are. Don't be mistaken though, show did nothing or almost nothing for Laena. If anything she is less popular now.

Harwin is another matter and he is 100% because of the show. Before I would count on the fingers of one hand anyone who gave half a f_ck about him. People would literally not acknowledge his existence. However, I have talked about this at length and the very vocal crowd that produced content, especially metas and fics, were very anti Targaryens - though they will act otherwise at times - or "neutrals". And this crowd not only loved Laena but also thought Criston was the version we were presented with in Feast (that is not the same as in The World of Ice and Fire/The Rogue Prince/The Princess and the Queen/Fire and Blood -> but you know whatever) and would LOVE to defend him, talk about "his side" of the story, and produce tons of content about him and Rhaenyra. I could say I was baffled, but that would be a lie because the same was done about Jorah and Dany 🤷🏽‍♀️ And again Rhaenyra and Daemon were never the Targaryens it was ok to like, unless it was because of how "dark they were", especially Rhaenyra who is a woman, so automatically darker you know.

Because of the above, however, I don't know... I don't mind Harwin fans that much. Maybe I was just not pestered by them as I was by Laena fans since 2018 where every time someone would post Daemyra content here they came with the:

"BuT yOu KnOW DAemON DidN'T LoVE RhaeNYRA RIGHT?! His TruE LoVe WaS LaeNA!"

The people I counted on my fingers who liked Harwin always acknowledged canon and the fact that at the end of the day it was Daemon Rhaenyra truly loved/was her endgame 🤷🏽‍♀️ I am aware that has changed because of redacted but my good people *big sigh* Prince Matt Daemon and Renada are NOT Daemon and Rhaenyra Targaryen. So if people hate Harlose Weak and want to pair him with the most unlikable character ever who goes by the name of Princess Renada Tedesco... sure go ahead.

Do I understand why anyone likes Harlose Weak? No. Do I understand how anyone can watch the show and not absolutely hate Rita and Carlos for wanting to pimp out their 12 year old child to a man who slaughtered his wife like a pig? Absolutely not. Do I understand why anyone mistakes show and books and insists on merging the two together? Also absolutely not. It takes some pathological levels of cognitive dissonance for that. Do the books make it painfully obvious Daemon was the man Rhaenyra always loved and wanted above all others? Also yes. Can people believe otherwise? Sure, free country.

Comments on House of the Dragon s01e07

Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen

They can't take eyes of each other. And about their sex scene, I like how all of the sex scenes of the show so far tell us something, its not there just to be pointless nudity, its there to tell us something and they also are beautifully shoted.

Rhaenyra is a better mother than Alicent will ever be. Mostly because Rhaenyra loves her kids and don't simple see them as objects to play in the game of thrones.

I loved Emma's single tear in the "now they see you as you are" moment. Earlier this episode Nyra stood by Alicent, saying she wouldn't go that far as kill someone and all and then boom. She realizes she was wrong and that's what the tear mean. In that moment she realizes that as much as she tried to keep things good and hold no hate for Alicent, Alicent hated her. Her childhood friend hated her simple because she didn't have any choice in her life so for her , the fact that Nyra could be living free and happy was the biggest affront ever.

Daemon stood by his Queen. I love how he stopped Sor Criston. And it's funny because only know the other kingsguard fellas hold him off, not when he was murdering Joffrey in the royal wedding....

The Kids

Rhaenyra sons love each other, while Alicent sons hate each other. If it wasn't for Alicent, the kids all would have been good friends and none of them would need to die.

I still don't get why Vhagar choosed Aemond, maybe because she thought he was brave enough but damn, she is so old that poor dragon started to get dumb. Aemond is a racism pig, I fucking hate him. Should have lost both eyes. Another character I will be happy to watch die but I didn't like how quick he turned into all that, I get that he my wanted to show off to Jace and Luke but Rhaela and Baela never did anything to him for him to treat them like that. Give someone's power and he will show who he really is.

Jace and Luke protecting their cousins. Such precious kids. I will cry so much when they die

The way Aegon was talking about Haelena, poor princess is there just to suffer

Alicent and Otto Hightower

It wasn't the House of the Dragon who would kill itself, but yes two assholes who seek power for themselves and let the world burn as result. When Alicent realize the shit she did, it is already too late and I'm so here for it.

And she should e be banish for treason for everything she did the this episode , her and Sor Criston. That's what any good king would have done

Alicent is still a young girl wanting to have a life of her own. But cannot because of her believes, her father believes. She really is just like those religious extremist who live in a world of paranoid and resentment

So, Team Green has racists, sexists, hypocrites and homophobics and they still think they are the right ones.

Criston Cole

Fuck him. Can't wait for him to die and I hope he's death is gonna be cathartic as Joffrey and Ramsay death was.

The Velaryons

Laena funeral was sad but would be heartbreaking if the show had given us time to actually bond with her character.

Laenor lost her sister , why can't people give him a break. At least he will leave freely and happy in Essos.

And I love how nobody cares about Rhaenyra's boys don't be Laenor's. They just accepted and love them no matter what.

Viserys Targaryen

No but why on earth he would wanted Otto back as Hand?

Finally Viserys did something other then die slowly. But I wish he would say to his Kingsguard "of Sor Criston touch his sword, kill him" when Criston shows to be ok with assaulting the heirs to the throne. This times is when I mis my Lannisters blonde bitches, Tywin would handle it

Ask game : 1,5,7

1. the character everyone gets wrong

Every time someone tries to tie canon characters in any way to the show counterparts an angel dies in Heaven. Which happens with... plenty of them, and it's probably one of the biggest source of getting most characters wrong. Not to be a snob, but watch something good for a change.

5. worst discord server and why

Not currently on discord, and I've seen some petty drama on some when I was. But what this question makes me think of is that one time I glimpsed a post in between folks who had an anti Targs discord or something like it, and other than the losercore of having a discord to be an anti in, there was some inside joke about being a "Tywin fucker" and I am just happy I would never be there.

7. what character did you begin to hate not because of canon but because how how the fandom acts about them?

Can't deal with a lot of characters that attract too obnoxious stanning, but it depends on how much I care on whether I take the "these people can pry them from my cold dead hands" or "not worth the trouble" stances. Jon catches shitty dudebro or shipping strays but he's in the first category and I'm pulling hard on my side of the rope. Characters like Sansa and Catelyn could be interesting in the complexity of being good aligning characters that are also meant to be critically appraised for gender and class scrutiny, and sometimes I attempt to touch them with a pole, but you dare even mention it and you get the "how dare you?" - not worth it ("Catelyn would be Leslie Knope if Martin let her HOW DARE YOU POINT OUT EDMURE CARES MORE" ok). I'm also trying to come back round to Dornish characters who unfortunately attract unsavoury crowds weaponising their ambiguous race for clout and online harassment apologia - the women in particular are worth it. I also used to love Brienne|Jaime|Braime but long story short here I wouldn't even care to get back. So not worth it.

it’s midnight and i’m back to desperately wishing for the fanfic that goes like:

you’re tywin lannisters fourth child that he had (somehow) (also you dont have a mom bc plot) and you’re already an old maid by the court’s standards (20-something *shock and horror*) so you’re being pressured to marry by your house. so when your nameday gets near there’s a big week-long ball and everyone in the seven kingdoms is invited and you’re supposed to find the most dynastically advantageous husband out of them all but you hate them all--- 

then dorne pops up (who the fuck thought they were actually going to accept the invitation. they didn’t even rsvp) and everyone’s like oooo drama and you and prince oberyn meet and like he’s cute or whatever but he’s also annoying and your families hate each other so you two HAVE to hate each other but oh no he’s hot oh no he’s nice oh no he’s a really good dad oh no he’s so sweet and protective to his paramour ellaria (also really nice and sweet and hot and a great mom -- also you respect her so much even though you’re a lady from literally The Worst noble family and she’s “just” a Sand and that makes you ~different~ so they both like and respect you more) and then slowly over the course of the weeklong festivities you get into more scenarios where you turn from butting heads into getting to know them both better and slowly start to fall for each of them ---

but twyin is just a cunt and he’s like “you’re not allowed to be seen with them because they have a bad reputation, also here’s your not friendly reminder that you have to get married, you old hag. and yeah i know i said i would let you pick your husband-” (bc you argued for it bc the patriarchy cannot get you down even in medieval times, you are a boss bitch lioness so these bitches can hear you rawr and thats why you won the argument with tywin - you’re just that amazing and stubborn) “-so i know i said i would let you pick but i picked for you, go accept his proposal now” and you’re like “oh my god my life is over and i can never be with these people i truly care about and they’ll never want me because our houses are ~eNeMiEs~” or whatever 

AND THEN the most shocking plot twist ever, prince oberyn likes you back and he’s like “nah fuck it. i’ll fight your dad, i’ll fight your brother, i’ll fight whoever the fuck this loser that thinks he’s gonna propose to you is. i’m fighting everybody, ok. what’s good?” 

so you’re like in the great hall and literally in the middle of getting proposed to (today is finally the last day of the ball and also your official nameday) and he’s just like “I OBJECT” or something andddddd then there’s like some arguing or whatever but then homie just looks at this dude you’re supposed to be marrying and is like “i’m entitled to a fair duel with you for her. soooo if you really like her that much duel me and draw my blood first” and whoever that punk is is STUCK okay because tywin is terrifying but so is DUELING THE RED VIPER so anyway that dude just gives up. he’s like “no thank you, i like living, you can have her” 

so, tywin is PISSED but what’s he gonna do? the man with the worst reputation at court just said he wants you and he’ll fight anybody about it. so now your reputation is kinda fucked by proxy and you don’t even care and you’re telling him in front of the whole court that you caught feelings too. what can tywin even do? he has to just accept it and try to leverage it later (that will not work, because he’s been abusive to you since you were a child and you’re finally with the one person who’s not afraid of him who is also a member of the one family he cannot touch). 

so you get to marry prince oberyn in the end and be with him and ellaria in dorne making love and having babies for forever YAY. 

also this is a blast from the past story so it’s before all the main events of the show. ellaria is pregnant in this and she’s just walking around looking like a goddess of fertility and beauty and flowers and love. actually as a matter of fact you spend the first few days wanting to punch oberyn but you and ellaria get along like you’ve known each other your whole lives and that drives him INSANE because at this point he’s still in denial that he likes your ass meanwhile you and the love of his life are just doing hot girl shit together. ellaria knows him well enough to know he likes you (beyond wanting to fuck you, which he absolutely does) and that he hasn’t realized it yet and she spends most of her time teasing him about it. 

so anyway, tywin also tries to be really mean to you about ellaria at some point in this story like trying to insinuate that you’ll never matter to oberyn bc of her or he’ll try to bargain with oberyn that he has to give ellaria up in order to marry you and the three of y’all are like “...HA HA. anyways soooo... back to doing whatever tf we want” and then y’all all live happily ever after. the end.

oh also there’s like some sort of gift giving ceremony at some point early in the week and prince oberyn gives you this young dornish stallion that hasn’t been broken yet (IT’S A METAPHOR). so everyone who is dornish laughs and is like “yeah exactly, give the lannisters an unbroken stallion that’s gonna try to kill whoever rides it. haha yes. that will send a Message” and everyone that’s not dornish is like “oop time to brutally abuse this animal and try to break it” but of course they’re all dummies and you know 1) you’re gonna make this horse Your Horse, and that 2) abusing it to break it will never work. but the not-dornish court people literally try to abuse your new horse right in front of you 

so you’re just like “i will literally stab anyone who touches my new horse” and everyone’s like *eyes emoji*, “wot,” but everyone leaves it alone and let’s you work with the horse while it tries to literally kill you. then over the course of the week while you’re falling in love with oberyn, the b-plot is that you’re slowly earning the trust of this horse that he gave you every day that you’re working with it and eventually by the morning of your nameday (just after tywin told you he picked you out a husband and you think you’re life is over) the horse finally likes you enough to let you ride it (which the dornish thought you never would be able to) without having to “break it” (as everyone else wanted you to). this fills you up with hope yknow bc you’re about to go accept this proposal you don’t want and you had almost lost hope but at the same time this spirited creature with almost as much stubbornness as you has finally let you in. and riding it feels like freedom and you’re kinda like “yknow what i’m always going to keep this horse with me to remind me to have an unbreakable spirit” so it’s actually very deep and meaningful okay bitch and you’re able to go into that court that morning with your head held high

SO THE HORSE METAPHOR: both you and the horse are unbroken by your evil awful family and also you slowly earned the horse’s trust and affection without forcing anything, keeping the horse unbroken, the same way you slowly earned prince oberyn’s (literal house words: unbowed, unbent, unbroken) trust and affection. so the narrative is kinda paralleled/foretold by what’s going on with the horse and both you and oberyn are represented by the horse in different ways. maybe the same morning the horse finally trusts you enough to let you ride it is the same morning oberyn realizes the full brunt of his feelings and decides to take action about it. maybe that’s too on the nose and i should stop with the horse metaphor.

also optional extra detail if you want: you’re different from the rest of your family because while they all have blond hair, you have a mane of black hair. symbolically and physically, you are the “black lioness” of the family (and the court may have nicknamed you as such). you are the one who is so wildly different from the rest and eventually leaves to find where you do belong because of it

And then I remember this fic only exists in my head and if i want to read i’m gonna have to WRITE. IT. ew.

How do you think the Unnamed Princess of Dorne would react to the current political events in Westeros?

In many ways, PoD wouldn't react too differently from Doran. Calling the banners and guarding the Prince's Pass when war broke out was smart. Like her sons, PoD would be very determined to avenge Elia (God, imagine the grief she would have suffered through and how much she would blame herself). Still, I think the one thing she would do differently is to look for alliances within Westeros, rather than betrothing Arianne to Viserys. While Doran's plan was sound, PoD is shown to be someone ambitious. After Tywin brusquely refused to betroth his twins to either Elia or Oberyn, PoD could have betrothed Elia to many bachelors in Westeros, some of whom her daughter met. Instead, she somehow got Aerys to betroth Elia to the crown prince.

Therefore, rather than aligning with the Targaryens, PoD would align with Westerosi lords. She has numerous grandchildren now so building alliances through marriage is possible. Plus, she's likely the Dornish ruler who sent an army to the Stepstones so she's shown to be more likely to engage in war than Doran (though he recognises that winning a war against the Lannister-Baratheon-Arryn-Tully-Stark alliance would be very detrimental to Dorne). I think as soon as the WoT5K happens, PoD would strike while the iron is hot to weaken and topple the Lannisters. This means, she would ally with Renly first (has massive support) and Stannis later when Renly is assassinated.

I also think if she does send Oberyn to King's Landing somehow, it would be to bring Sansa to Dorne.

And there was an empty cabin on our ship, a very nice cabin, such as might be kept for a person of high birth. As if it were intended that we take someone back to Sunspear. A young page, perhaps. Or a companion for Elia. 

Ultimately the key difference between PoD and Doran would be that PoD is not afraid to go for what she wants (within decorum). She still went to Casterly Rock after Joanna's death and outsmarted Tywin when it came to Elia's betrothal. Elia is her daughter and while she's Doran's sister, he has his own children and the children of the Water Garden to worry about.

PoD would be bolder and join the war earlier. Of course, this means that Aegon would get a spent Dornish force when he arrives but that's ok, people will still hate the Lannisters, there'll be plenty of support coming his way. On the plus side, Oberyn wouldn't die if PoD openly supports either of the Baratheon brothers.

Ok so I started watching Game of Thrones for the first time in my life 4 days ago and accidentally binged it here's my opinions on characters so far (finished s2) unfiltered by The Fandom

Ned - was a great man, I feel so complicated abt his relationship with Cat and his unknown relationship with Jon's mom cuz the way he gets a far away look when talking abt her to Robert makes it feel like he is either super guilty abt it or he cared for her much more than he ever cared for Cat. Bro was so dumb for trying to save Cersei and her bastard kids. Myrcella and Tommen seem nice enough but two nice incest babies doesn't make the one that's killing the entirety of Westeros any better

Cat - so cool love love love, I hate how she doesn't have much agency and when she does it's to release Jaime??? I should probably rewatch the episode tho bc I'm watching the show at work (13hr shifts so I walk away a lot without pausing and get spoiled before rewinding) bc i just dont understand her thought process. I feel so terrible that she doesn't even know if any of her kids besides Robb are alive but freeing Jaime is NOT gonna help imo

Robb - every time I look at him I think abt how similar he looks to Jon like they could be twins dude. He needs to quit having a relationship w that one nurse girl cuz this is war and the only thing that comes from showing the world that you love someone BEFORE YOU WIN is that they need to kill her. Idk how they're gonna do it but she's gonna die. But he's doing so well as the leader of winterfell and I love how Sean Bean lives on in the show and everything he did had meaning and his death wasn't for nothing. Anyways Robb's gonna be a great king but he's totally probably gonna get fucked over by David Bradley and/or his millions of kids

Jon - pretty boring storyline I'm sad to say. It feels soooo slow when he gets on screen. The baby thing was interesting and so is the Pale Man (I'm sure he has a scary name but I wasn't paying attention too well). He IS an interesting character at least his backstory I mean and in relation to Ned and Cat

Sansa - poor sweet girl I cry for her everytime she's on screen can't somebody save her she's like 13 Cersei let her freeeeee. Her actress is so good btw, I really didn't like how she had a crush on Joffrey so quickly but she paid for it when Lady died and continues to pay for having a silly innocent little school girl crush on the worst person to ever be born

Arya - her storyline is the most stressful, like she has a higher chance of dying than anyone else in her family. I do hope her and Gendry can be friends, he already seems like an older brother to her just like assassin guy

Bran & Rickon - I forgot rickon existed a lot. I actually forgot if Bran got his memory back, not like it matters since everyone knows Cersei and Jaime be fuckin. Anyways I'm sure Bran's gonna walk again due to magic or whatever idk why the First One girl is helping him instead of abandoning them too I got soooo stressed when I thought Bran and Rickon died that I didn't realize the farmers kids had died

Theon - rn I wanna shake him around cuz tf bro why would you burn and hang the dead bodies of ANYONE. I have a very black and white way of seeing things so I cannot ever forgive him for the kids sakes and a couple measly gold coins isn't gonna bring the kids back. I really don't care for him or his storyline anymore I thought he was funny with his "Oh I'm such an alpha male, women should fall at my feet cuz imma be king of the world!" Only to get thrown into reality when his sister has more of a right to the throne than he does

Robert - bro should've never gone hunting istg so much would've helped if he survived AND I THINK ACTUALLY THAT THAT OLD MAN DIDNT TREAT HIS WOUNDS SINCE HE PLEDGED AN OATHE TO TYWIN LANNISTER AND SOLD OUT ARYS ROBERT AND TYRION

Cersei - someone said she thinks in the BIG big picture and that doesn't make sense bc shes going out of her way to try and save Jaime from the Starks while trying to deny accusations of their incest. In a way her being such a terrible person makes me like Jaime because of the fact I doubt it was his idea to never interact with those kids. I keep forgetting their his kids too bc of the fact he's never around them or talks to them. Also her killing Jon Arryn was so stupid.

Joffrey - I saw a video on tiktok abt "the kind of person who watches the show from the wrong side" where the guy loves Joffrey and everything he does BEFORE I got to the part where he abused the two sex workers and ran away from a war he caused

Tyrion - he deserves happiness but Shae deserves to be free and now that Cersei is sus of her she's in so much danger. I don't think theyre gonna last and I'm gonna be so sad. I sincerely can't tell if Shae likes him or not and I feel like he's being suuuuper toxic by locking her up when he could've just let her be. When wartime came I was so impressed by him he was so cool. Truly one of the only good, if not THE best Lannister.

Brienne of Tarth - 🫰🫂🤌🗣❤️‍🔥💏🧎💞🙇🫦💘💌💋🫶💝😘🤩🥰😍🤗😚 pls notice me and all I could do for you, Queen

when cersei says, "she had a warrior heart, but the gods in their blind malice had given her the feeble body of a woman"

i actually felt it. no not the way she does ofc since she is essentially an antagonistic character but more like, the comparisons she makes the way she hates her own sex and wants power how she assumes herself as tywins daughter and how jaime thinks she call herself tywin lannister with teats, all point to her major disgusting internal conflict. ofc when we later see walk of shame it was worse the comments thrown on her body. in first books when we never had her pov i thought she too would admire herself her beauty, however cersei, in all her honestly hates her female traits and doesn't flaunt her beauty like i always thought or got idea from in first books. she is very mean and dehumanising to women and sees them inferiorly, not to say she herself was treated with a lot of hatred and sexism and then sold to marry a man she doesn't desire who himself was brutal on her, however i think she would have never been personally happy with anyone. cersei sees the entire point of being woman to please men with what she tells sansa, and then to be used as woman too . she doesn't like or meets appreciates strong women she hasn't seen or met dany obv neither would she ever have pleasant thoughts about brienne and arya even, she comments sometimes how woman is pretty but she herself always reduces her worth and others to just a girl to be sold and mounted. ofc her internal conflict i find is v interesting and confusing at times. she hates women but also wants other to accept her everything her every cruel practices even perhaps as woman. she doesn't like being woman to please people at all, yet its so sad and helpless to see her try to tempt jaime or osney even later just so they could listen to her. she hates the rampant sexism and misogyny in westeros even exhibited by her brothers and father but she doesn't realise she is using the same notion and definitions of sexism people have about women to demean and hate woman around her. its like she hates men definitely but she hates doing effort herself too to be a same female figure or woman we see other asoiaf women exhibit or do.

i was wondering if her behaviour towards women themselves, how she sees them inferior even when the men around her aren't seeing them like this, but she sees women with sexist approach too she mentions about rape or septa being or longing for rape, she ridicules and discusses margaerys virginity so much, she talks about uncensored stuff to sansa lol, when she is young girl literally, points to the fact how blunt and hateful cersei is of herself but also of female definition. i think this has a lot to do with her maybe not having to experience a mothers love??? i never liked how she was always surrounded ironically by men around her. we never see major strong female lannister representation i just realised. we only see or hear about tywin who had brutal approach to westeros the, holier-than-thou approach. we see jaime who is prob not worse like tywin at all but he also constantly tries to berate and pass quite nauseating remarks for women and ill hold this opinion about him until i see him say sorry to brienne lol (not to mention he does not hate women as whole even as being a man), we see tyrion also not really ideal partner and excessively morally grey character although i have never or maybe remember sexist or extremely insensitive remarks about women by tyrion until we see him in adwd only blurting out pretty worse sentences and maybe acting same like his father, and then we just know kevan who always well * saw cersei as not so perfect person and is kind of weird to her or idk maybe i never liked that lad because he also kind of sexualised her in childhood as cersei says maybe that men never looked at her like they do at others and she was seen with different eyes, all this time i wonder kind of where was tywin though he could have given or taught her good wholehearted valuable values anyway my anti tywin agenda not here today*, and then we see lancel, well for all we know he slept with her too but its just weird again that she slept with him to get rid of her obnoxious husband and well, lancel doesn't really hurt her though or ever saw her like her brothers do, considering his religious changes. but all this time im wondering cersei kind of missed having any wholesome woman in her life as, friend or companion which contributes to her internalised misogyny even more (its like she is opposite of catelyn hundred percent but cat also has internalised misogyny and i realised she never had loving sister cousin friend or companion) maybe im not thinking right but doesn't it click to u all that they both esp cersei of course see women in diff colours and not like how arya dany sansa brienne see women, because they lacked any stronger female character to look upto too. cats treatment of jon which is separate thing was quite questionable and so how she feels weird too when she sees mya stone! but cat or cersei never both, confronted their husbands or told them anything or even discussed any issues with them (this is for cat esp when she should have been angry over ned for jon :/ but she changed her energy to jon) . and it makes me wonder its also because they both were raised in a v male dominated society with diff kinds of fathers, uncles and brothers, that cersei especially has diff notion to what a random woman outside castle would even look like or act like and that all of them aren't really linked to their virginity or marriages and babies. i dont think ofc she would have been different if she had wholesome female friend but she did or should have had someone as girl who had her back when she was growing up???

(btw this isn't pro cersei thing at all - i was kind of horrified by her analysis of women we get to see in affc and then the melara thing at her young age was well fked up also pinching tyrion when he was baby "until he cried" or calling him "little monster" or whatever shows infact how she is quite disdainful of men like tyrion too and not just women. i was wondering maybe her losing joanna maybe played significant role only that being said, she is biggest antiparallel to dany and catelyn! )

Ok so actually my biggest problem with the whole “Daenerys will burn KL” theory—not even the Mad Queen Dany theory, which is of course very sexist for obvious reasons, but just like, the idea that Dany will ~accidentally~ ignite the wildfire in the city, burning it all to the ground. That, at first, doesn’t sound that bad, but the longer I think about it the more I hate it because tbh it doesn’t do anything for her character? And also… that fate for her is just down right cruel.

Like, the most frequent argument I see on why this would be at all satisfactory for Dany’s arc is basically that it would be a sort of lesson for her about the dangers of unchecked power and the real threat the Dragons can pose on humans and that she shouldn’t use them to fight against other people. And that’s all well and good, excellent message… except that’s not something Dany’s ever really needed to learn? Not anymore that her fellow rulers, which I will touch on more detail later, but in general Dany has seen what the abuse of power can do. Starting with her conflicting feelings regarding Viserys and how she recognizes that even though he was her brother and she loved him, he also abused his power over her as her older brother, her only family and her king; she feels guilt about the atrocities Drogo committed to the lhazarene and tries to help them; she feels so much guilt about not handling things correctly in Astapor that she decides to throw away all her plans to go to Westeros and instead stays in Meereen.

And about not knowing the true danger that her dragons can pose? I mean, this is the same girl that literally agonizes across several of her ADWD chapters because Drogon killed a child, and then takes the extreme measure of caging Rhaegal and Viserion to prevent that from ever happening again. I think she’s at least a little bit aware that the dragons can be dangerous, thank you very much.

Ok so this got long...

Anyways, the only time Dany legit uses Drogon to harm someone and not just as bluff was at the house of the Undying, where she was being attacked, and in Astapor… and like, lmao, that asshole Kraznys mo Nakloz and the rest of his slaver buddies deserved it. Don’t at me. Also, Dany’s hardly the only one with a big magical and deadly beast at her disposal, why didn’t Robb had to go through some horrifying traumatic incident to learn he shouldn’t use Grey Wind in battle to tear his enemies’ throats. Bran will be learning about the dangers of abusing power, but that’s linked to his magic powers and an actual reprehensible thing he’s doing, not the use of his glorified prehistoric dog to kill, which he’s done, just like Robb. By all means let the narrative hold Dany accountable for her mistakes… but her actual mistakes and not shit she has no control over, because she doesn’t have much control over Drogon or the other dragons even though she’s trying to, and that’s very obvious in her last ADWD chapter where she’s delirious and Drogon could kill her at any moment, and she knows that.

The other big argument people make for Dany burning KL (even if it’s by accident!) is that it will teach her about the price of war, that someone as young as her shouldn’t be leading armies and conquering kingdoms, and that fighting for the Iron Throne is not a worthy cause, and I feel like that misses the actual point of her story by a mile. First of all because a) Dany is hardly the only teenage ruler in the story and b) this is a fantasy medieval story, a lot of the characters shouldn’t be doing the things they do, aaaand yet. Also speaking of other teenage rulers with far more power that they should have—Robb and Jon, being the biggest examples.

Granted, Robb and Jon aren’t exactly successful during their time as rulers, they’re literally betrayed and killed by their own men (even if Jon will technically come back for round 2 of bullshit he’s too tired for). But the moral of their stories is not that they lost because theirs was an unworthy cause and they were stupid kids wholly unprepared for their roles. And I actually partially agree! They are just kids, including Dany, and they shouldn’t be responsible for looking after so many others and going to battle, but their cause is still just and worthy, even with all the mistakes they make along the way. Robb didn’t loose because he was wrong in demanding justice for his family or trying to protect the riverlands from the Lannisters and their minions, he lost because Tywin Lannister was a giant coward who couldn’t take him out in a fair fight.

Likewise, it isn’t wrong of Jon to try to incorporate refugees from beyond the Wall into Westeros. He’s not too stupid and honorable to do politics like his father (how I hate when people insult Jon and Ned like that), and while he did some very obvious mistakes that inevitably ended in a coup and in him dying, this is more connected to his inability to let go of his ties with his family (mainly Arya or who he believes to be her), and in isolating himself from his friends and the people he could actually trust.

I’ve always thought that Dany and Jon share a parallel narrative within the story, so while Jon is struggling with that Dany is faced with similar problems. She cages her dragons, that to her represent the only family she has left, and she tries to compromise with the slavers, marry a man she doesn’t love, pretend she’s ok with reopening the fighting pit. While she tries her best to rule wisely in Meereen, it all comes at the cost of betraying herself and her beliefs, so it’s no surprise when it all crashes around her and she’s betrayed and nearly killed. Ironically, it is Drogon who comes to rescue her.

If they are monsters, so am I.—Daenerys II, ADWD.

This is hands down one of my favorite Dany quotes from the whole series, and I hate that it’s been given such a negative connotation in the fandom, when for me it represents Dany’s humanity and compassion at the fullest.

GRRM has a knack for humanizing the ‘monsters’ of his story, for showing the good in the outcasts and the ugly and the scary. He embraces their ‘otherness’ and makes them the heroes of his stories; Arya, Bran, Brienne, Dany, Tyrion, Jon, Theon and many others are all compared to monsters or beasts at one point or another in the books.

Dany sees herself in her dragons, literal monsters in every sense of the word. Later on she faces Drogon inside the pit, and in that moment you could say that she accepts that ‘monstrous’ part of her, and in doing so she’s saved from her fate of dying at the hands of the men who would crucify innocent children and gleefully profit off of the suffering of their fellow human beings while watching them fight each other to the death for their own amusement. Now tell me who’s the real monster in this situation.

But shortly before that happens, Dany is able to see the humanity in Tyrion, an outcast who has been branded as monstrous and unlovable due to his disability all his life, a man who has come to believe in his abusers’ rhetoric about him so strongly that he’s started to act cruel and detached. She saves his life. She sees value in his life when few others would, because she cares.

I’ve always find it funny that the “dragons plant no trees” is—another—example fans use to argue in favor of Dany’s descent into Darkness™ because the actual scene goes like this:

You are a queen, her bear said. In Westeros.

"It is such a long way," she complained. "I was tired, Jorah. I was weary of war. I wanted to rest, to laugh, to plant trees and see them grow. I am only a young girl."

No. You are the blood of the dragon. The whispering was growing fainter, as if Ser Jorah were falling farther behind. Dragons plant no trees. Remember that. Remember who you are, what you were made to be. Remember your words.—Daenerys X, ADWD.

Now am I the only one who finds it at least a bit relevant that it’s freaking Jorah Mormont aka Jorah the Enslaver whom Dany’s subconscious, at her literal lowest moment, utilizes to represent this particular thought, which btw I’ve always interpreted as Dany’s own self-loathing manifesting in her, and this is something she’s actually always struggled with—the idea that she’s not enough and she’s failing. Because above all things, even Westeros or the Iron Throne, what Dany wants is peace, she wants to plant trees.

When Dany made her descent, Reznak and Skahaz dropped to their knees. "Your Worship shines so brightly, you will blind every man who dares to look upon you," said Reznak. […] This match will save our city, you will see."

"So we pray. I want to plant my olive trees and see them fruit." Does it matter that Hizdahr's kisses do not please me? Peace will please me. Am I a queen or just a woman?—Daenerys VII, ADWD.

But of course the world doesn’t work like that, and so long as there’s Jorahs and Tywins and Eurons out there, men who would take the freedom of humans and submit them to their will, Dany can’t have the luxury of peace, just like Jon can’t have the luxury of belonging and family so long as there’s people still beyond the Wall who need his protection.

And I think that’s fine. It’s fine that Dany failed, it will help her develop as a character and realize that there’s no room to compromise with slavers, the metaphorical monsters of the story who do far more harm than the other more literal ‘monsters’ of the story. So that when she has to face down Euron Greyjoy—who btw, there’s a high chance he will end up stealing one of Dany’s dragons via Victarion using Dragonbinder… y’know, as in enslaving one of her children and using said dragon to inflict god knows what horrors, yet not many people ever consider this for some reason?—she will know. When she has to face down the Others, the magical ice fairies with no regard for human life, she will know.

That’s why I believe that it would make absolutely no sense for Dany to have to go through such a tragic and traumatic experience like burning a whole city even by pure accident, over something that’s either never been a problem with her character or she’s well into her way of learning anyways, so it would just feel repetitive. As I have pointed out, she’s already reached one of the lowest moments of her arc. Not saying there will be no other blows for her, and probably the destruction of KL will be one of them, and knowing Dany she will feel responsibility over it no matter what, but that doesn’t mean she has to be the culprit, intentional or otherwise.

I bet Genna wouldn't love Tywin too much if he gave her a husband who was like Robert Baratheon and forced her to marry (or maybe she would be OK with it if the guy is decent.) Kevan wouldn't love Tywin if Kevan was a dwarf and Tywin hated him for it. They are pretty terrible tbh but entertaining. I do wonder if Tywin ever gave his siblings any kind of affection.

I don't think he ever did give them affection, but the siblings were probably pretty functional as a family unit apart from Tywin, so they didn't need his affection. The way Tyrion and Jaime always think of their aunt and uncles you get the impression that everything was quite ordinary amongst the Lannisters whilst Tywin was away. But yeah, his siblings were never the ones to suffer for it when he was around (except in the sense that they felt overshadowed) so they just focus on his value as the protective patriarch and let the kids deal with the psychological shit lol

Thanks for the reply! I always seen that Ned didn't know Cat in the beginning of their marriage so he had no reason to trust her for keeping Jon parentage secret. But what about the rest of the time when he started loving her? He could silence her on asking if ashara was Jon mother using his power but don't trust her enough to share important information. If he trust his friend to keep it secret surely he could trust his wife who he claims to love knowing it's hurting her

(continuation of this convo)

I'm really glad you came back, anon, because I should have included this quote to defend Cat's honor, I just didn't think of it before posting:

When the last of Edmure's foot had shuffled under the portcullis, Brienne asked, "What shall we do now, my lady?"

"Our duty." Catelyn's face was drawn as she started across the yard. I have always done my duty, she thought. Perhaps that was why her lord father had always cherished her best of all his children. Her two older brothers had both died in infancy, so she had been son as well as daughter to Lord Hoster until Edmure was born. Then her mother had died and her father had told her that she must be the lady of Riverrun now, and she had done that too. And when Lord Hoster promised her to Brandon Stark, she had thanked him for making her such a splendid match.

I gave Brandon my favor to wear, and never comforted Petyr once after he was wounded, nor bid him farewell when Father sent him off. And when Brandon was murdered and Father told me I must wed his brother, I did so gladly, though I never saw Ned's face until our wedding day. I gave my maidenhood to this solemn stranger and sent him off to his war and his king and the woman who bore him his bastard, because I always did my duty. (ACOK, Catelyn VI)

First, holy shit. The way this passage makes me feel for her! But I think this shows how absurd it is to claim that if Ned told Cat the truth she would have turned around and told LF. She does her duty. Look at how loyal she was to Brandon, her betrothed, to the extent that she ignored LF, burned a letter he sent after Brandon’s death without reading it and didn’t see him until AGOT, and they're trying to argue after she marries Ned, after she has borne his heir, this self-described creature of duty, would up and run to LF in defiance of Ned? I don't think so. 

That's a better answer than my first one! Anyway, in response to this ask, I would say that there's the in-world explanation (the character's reason) and then the author's reasons. Ned was deeply disgusted and traumatized by the slaughter of Elia and her babies. Not only did he consider it morally abhorrent, it’s terrifying because of Jon’s identity. Ned’s fear isn’t a vague “I don’t know what will happen if my secret gets out” thing. It's active fear because he knows what will happen to Jon if it does. I guess if Robert were Ned-like, had punished Tywin for the atrocity, that could have changed things, but Robert not only didn't, he never moved on from his hatred of Rhaegar and Ned tells himself that Robert wouldn’t hurt him and then immediately reminds himself that “Fifteen years dead, yet Robert hates him as much as ever. It was a disturbing notion...” (AGOT, Eddard VIII). That’s clearly indicating that he isn’t sure Robert wouldn’t if he knew what Ned had done. Not only that, but all these years later, at the beginning of AGOT, Robert is worried about being overthrown and ok with the idea of killing teens to protect his claim. Ned's fears can't subside because Robert's hate and concerns haven't:

There are still those in the Seven Kingdoms who call me Usurper. Do you forget how many houses fought for Targaryen in the war? They bide their time for now, but give them half a chance, they will murder me in my bed, and my sons with me.

If the beggar king crosses with a Dothraki horde at his back, the traitors will join him." (AGOT, Eddard II)

The situation hasn’t changed, the danger they’re all in if the truth comes out is still very much alive. Ned has no option to keep it secret from the person who was there with him when he found Lyanna, so it isn't a fair comparison to say "That guy knows, did he trust Cat less?" That guy knew before Ned even knew what to do. I would love to know if he advised Ned to take a different approach to hiding Jon’s identity or if they agreed this was the best idea/how all that went down, but by the time Cat found out, Ned had made his decision to claim Jon as his bastard. There was no retracting that lie. The choice was to involve her in treason or keep her in ignorance.

I really don't have a clear enough picture of pre canon dynamics to know what (beyond Jon's death) Robert would have demanded if the truth came out:

After the Battle of the Bells, when Aerys Targaryen had stripped him of his titles and sent him into exile in a mad fit of ingratitude and suspicion, the lands and lordship had remained within House Connington, passing to his cousin Ser Ronald, the man whom Jon had made his castellan when he went to King's Landing to attend Prince Rhaegar. Robert Baratheon had completed the destruction of the griffins after the war. Cousin Ronald was permitted to retain his castle and his head, but he lost his lordship, thereafter being merely the Knight of Griffin's Roost, and nine-tenths of his lands were taken from him and parceled out to neighbor lords who had supported Robert's claim.

(ADWD, The Griffin Reborn)

I think Robert would have overreacted and then regretted it, but what would the initial reaction be? What would the calmer final decision be? Would Ned have been sent to the Wall? Would Robb have been allowed to inherit? Would the treason have been too great, so personal, that Winterfell wasn’t passed on to his son? Would Robert have been in such a rage (or would someone have taken it upon themselves) that he would weed out future traitors by eliminating the next Stark generation? Idk any of that, but we do know Ned’s fears aren’t baseless.

These concerns Ned would have to impress upon Cat if he shared the truth with her. Jon’s identity becoming known isn’t an option. I'm not saying it's a kindness he didn't tell her the truth, I do wish she knew he never betrayed his vows to her and I think she would have offered him good advice, but that's a hellish life. Imagine reading Robert's arrival and visit had she known. Not knowing allows her peace of mind that she wouldn't have otherwise, and maybe that's what Ned told himself. After they came to love each other and trust each other, perhaps he thought that maintaining their workable status quo, however painful to Cat, was a better option than forcing her to live with the fear he had. 

That’s personal specualtion obviously, Martin’s canon explanation is this:

To her credit, Cersei did not look away. "He saw us. You love your children, do you not?"

Robert had asked him the very same question, the morning of the melee. He gave her the same answer. "With all my heart."

"No less do I love mine."

Ned thought, If it came to that, the life of some child I did not know, against Robb and Sansa and Arya and Bran and Rickon, what would I do? Even more so, what would Catelyn do, if it were Jon's life, against the children of her body? He did not know. He prayed he never would. (AGOT, Eddard XII)

I don't think there is any reason to believe that Cat would have revealed Ned's secret without cause. But, Ned's fear is that if there was a scenario in which sacrificing Jon would save her children, she would. I'm not sure what that scenario would be, but that seems to be the offered why. Knowing R+L=J, I think it makes more sense that this idea popped into Ned’s head (if he fears this now imagine how much more would he fear her actions if she knew Jon was Rhaegar’s son) It isn't about not trusting Cat though, Ned does. He expects her to not only help run the North while he is gone, but asks her to see to matters to prepare the North for war when she comes to KL. He isn’t that talkative, but the impression I had was that he trusted her with all things, except Jon’s identity. The author tells us (in retrospect we realize what this is about) that loving and trusting a person doesn’t mean you’ll tell them all your secrets:

The truth he sought might very well be waiting for him on the ancient island fortress of House Targaryen. 

And when you have it, what then? Some secrets are safer kept hidden. Some secrets are too dangerous to share, even with those you love and trust. Ned slid the dagger that Catelyn had brought him out of the sheath on his belt. The Imp's knife. Why would the dwarf want Bran dead? To silence him, surely. Another secret, or only a different strand of the same web? (AGOT, Eddard VIII)

It isn’t about not loving Cat, he clearly does. 

Ned kissed the tears from her eyes before they could fall. "Thank you, my lady," he whispered. "This is hard, I know." (AGOT, Catelun II)

He belonged in Winterfell. He belonged with Catelyn in her grief, and with Bran. (AGOT, Eddard II)

The new king would choose his own Hand. Ned would be free to go home. The thought of Winterfell brought a wan smile to his face. He wanted to hear Bran's laughter once more, to go hawking with Robb, to watch Rickon at play. He wanted to drift off to a dreamless sleep in his own bed with his arms wrapped tight around his lady, Catelyn. (AGOT, Eddard XIII)

It hurts so much, she thought. Our children, Ned, all our sweet babes. Rickon, Bran, Arya, Sansa, Robb . . . Robb . . . please, Ned, please, make it stop, make it stop hurting . . . The white tears and the red ones ran together until her face was torn and tattered, the face that Ned had loved.(ASOS, Catelyn VII)

Ned may not be forthcoming, but he is tender with Cat, concerned about her feelings, wants to comfort her, longs for her even after fifteen years of marriage, and I just include that last quote to point out, not only did he feel these things for her, Cat knew it. She knows he loves her. He wants to go home to her and lie in her arms and raise more children with her. If anything, he feels undeserving of her since she, like Winterfell, was meant for Brandon. It's simply fear that urges him to keep silent, fear of what love makes us capable of. Ned not telling Cat isn't the indictment of Cat people want to believe. It's fear of the consequences of what he did, and fear that comes from knowing what mothers do for love of their children. And, we see what Cat is willing to do for her children repeatedly throughout the story. Again, I'm not sure what the scenario would be that would ever require or allow the sacrifice of Jon for the Stark kids (that puzzles me), but that’s what Martin gave us as his explanation. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Another thing I neglected to say in my previous answer is that Ned keeping Jon in Winterfell wasn’t evidence of his total disregard for Cat’s feelings. Kinslaying is the worst thing you can do in their world but it happens, so Jon growing up amidst the Starks meant he not only knows they’re relatives, he loves them as his siblings. We see this play out in the books. Jon refuses over and over to take from his siblings, and yes, it’s his own principles that won’t allow him to, but if he didn’t grow up with Ned as a present father figure, if he didn’t view Robb as his best friend and feel totally accepted by Arya, his self-denial would be much harder to maintain. Ned knows loving siblings because they’re family even if you don’t have a close bond with them, and loving someone who isn’t as if they were (Robert) because you have a genuine bond, a shared history. I think he likely justified his decision to put Cat in that position as a necessary evil, not only to protect Jon (by claiming him as his son), but also to protect his own children, by not allowing the bitterness of being a bastard grow in Jon without the mitigating factor of loving his half-siblings. I really like Ned, so it’s definitely possible I’m being too sympathetic with his decisions, but considering the Targ history...I think it’s possible there was a thought process in his decision that was far more in-character than “idgaf.” Martin just can’t spell everything out directly without giving away his surprise.

And that brings us to the author’s purpose, and the real answer which is, Martin is preoccupied with writing conflict into relationships.The messier, the better. I think he always wants to find where love hurts and press his thumb on it. It crops up everywhere. I mention this a lot because fans (myself included) like to collect grievances for our favs and hate characters for their sake (which is fine/fun at times!), but I think we miss out on what Martin is doing if we go too far with it. Martin doesn’t want anything to be simple, so he tries to prevent relationships from being too easy/comfortable as part of it. Conflict to him doesn’t mean a character doesn’t love the other, it’s just how he chose to approach every aspect of this story. Also, writers have to guide the reader’s experience. They need to give us enough to ask the important question, and enough to misdirect us if they aren’t ready for us to guess the answer. Ned not telling anyone the truth means that in different POVs we’re getting different possible answers as to who Jon’s mother is, and Martin clearly wants to slowly unravel this mystery, so only having one POV character who knows the truth, and having him die in the first book, well, that allows him to do that. 

Cat not knowing places the mystery front and center, right from the beginning. In Cat's chapter we're told to wonder, "Who is Jon's mother? Why is her identity a secret? Why is the truth something that terrifies Ned?" I mean, I read Ned scaring Cat into silence and got upset for her sake, but the author intended to tell us how terrified of the truth Ned is. In the same moment that we learn how he scared Cat we’re told that’s out of character for him. Why is he so desperate for no one to speak of Jon’s mother? <- that’s the question the author wants us asking, not “what’s wrong with Cat?” Nothing is wrong with Cat, but there are very real, dangerous consequences for Ned’s decision. Part of this world is that the characters’ lives depend on the whimsy of the ruler, and it’s frankly, a horror show. I really enjoy rationalizing character’s decisions, and I think there’s reason to believe the things I mentioned are Martin’s explanations, but I think the truth is, it’s more about what he wanted to tell us, and withhold from us, than anything else. 

"Everything alright Jon", said Yennefer.

"I have a backache, it's the fault of Robert Baratheon, Tywin Lannister and Eddard Stark", Yennefer nodded and kissed him, "yes."

The people in the Stormlands laughed aloud, "we hate Robert Baratheon."

Geralt, Sansa, Aegon, Robb, Rhaenys, Daenerys, Ciri and Yennefer: Unbeatable together, a force of nature vs. Robert Baratheon

Attack by Robert Baratheon on Jon and Geralt

"I kill you cruel witch and Dragonspawn. Come here mutant, I'll kill you! Come here Dragonspawn, I'll slaughter you", and Robert grabbed drunk a hammer.

"This is my wife and she has a name that's Yennefer, his name is Geralt and my name is Jon, you bunch of shit", shouted Jon. Geralt jumped up, "you want a fight with Jon and me asshole? Ok you will be a dead man, WARMONGER!"

Geralt and Jon drew their swords and came up to Robert. Jaime, Arthur, Cersei, Yennefer tried to hold Jon back and Ciri and Dany tried to stop Geralt, "what's going on, you two cruel wankers need the approval of your cruel whores first. I kill you all", Robert roared drunk and the people threw Robert off with dirt, "The people in the Stormlands must hate you very much."

Jon and Geralt pushed Arthur away and screamed at Robert, "say that again!"

Tywin glared at Robert, "madness and stupidity BASTARD!"

The swords sang metallic as Jon and Geralt drew their swords and approached Robert. Jon and Geralt crossed weapons with Robert, "We'll kill you MONSTER! Jon and I were trained to kill monsters, it doesn't hurt either BASTARD!"

Jon knocked the hammer out of Robert's hands with Longclaw and put the blade on his chest and Geralt put his sword on Robert's throat.

Tywin, Cersei, Rhaegar, Dany, Rhaella and Aerys stopped Geralt.

Arthur, Jaime, Yennefer, Eddard, Ciri, Lyanna and Elia stopped Jon, "Stop within these walls, he is not welcome and here once again uninvited. Forbearance; Before you chop off his head even though he deserves it, remember that Robert is just a child. Capture Robert, Arthur."

"Forbearance? This is an evil monster! Robert Baratheon belongs dead or behind bars. When you hand over a weapon to Robert Baratheon, he will become a war criminal", yelled Geralt and Jon. "Capture Robert Baratheon", said Sansa and Aegon to Arthur Dayne, Barristan Selmy and Gerold Hightower. Arthur, Barristan and Gerold grabbed Robert by the neck, "get over here boy!"

"My name is Yennefer! Yennefer! YENNEFER! I'M A SORCERESS! HIS NAME IS JON! JON! JON! The longer you claim that I am cruel, the more likely it is that you will drive me there", screamed Yennefer and the people laughed aloud over Robert, "You can try. You can kill Jon and me but you will never destroy us. When you strike us down we shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine and we come back and we'll tear your ears, eyes and tongue out, then you will wander deaf, dumb and blind through hell and all the cursed will say that is the monster of Storm's End. It takes strength to resist ice cold murder. A strength that you don't have. Only the weak embrace murder and violence. Slaughter us and be cursed until Judgment Day, you are no King of Jon and me! You are a monster! A real man doesn't make others cry. The heartless Bastard of Storm's End."

"You lack everything Robert Baratheon: empathy, understanding, humanity, love. What keeps you up? Violence against women right. You are not strong, you are a child, you're nothing colleague", Yennefer's dislike and hatred grew immeasurably.

"I'm not your colleague, I'm not a bastard! No! No! I'm good at putting bastards into stupid women. You might not care, cruel witch. I can put stupid bastards in you too. When I abuse you until you have manners and I hit you on the snout", roared Robert drunk.

Yennefer raged like an angry hurricane that Robert's knees were trembling, "first, this is my body! Second, I am married! Third, you have no right to my body! Fourth, you have no right to rebellion and war! Fifth, I dare to doubt that you could put children in me and when you have no idea about anything you should shut up! Why do you start feud; Bullshit and war, MONSTER? Aerys is no longer king and he loves Rhaella. Why do you think you have to discuss Lyanna, Elia, Cersei, Rhaegar, Jon or with me when we are right, Colleague Warmonger! My name is Yennefer and his name is Jon! And you can stay in Storm's End and stay away from the lives of others MONSTER! Dumbass! Don't be surprised if you're dead in the morning."

"Oh oh Monster", Cersei, Lyanna and Elia laughed loudly at him.

The noose tightens: The noose turns tight. Death comes dangerously close. An induced, approaching death for Robert Baratheon by Yennefer of Vengerberg. There would be no consequences when Robert Baratheon died in Storm's End

"I get my hands on each of you! I'll abuse you cruel witch, you will be a good submissive bitch, a whore who needs to be punched in the face", roared Robert drunk. Geralt, Dany, Ciri and Jon looked at Robert, "Nobody has dared to speak to Yennefer like this before."

Robert raised his fist and Yennefer used magic to push him against the stone wall, Yennefer put a magical stranglehold on Robert and he screamed in pain, "you apparently want to see your end! I'll show you the power, strength and force of the most powerful sorceress in all worlds. Scream louder so that Mya's mother hears you in death", and Yennefer pressed harder that Robert screamed, "you can kill Jon and me. But you will never destroy us! When you strike us down we shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. You think you are real Steel. Then Lyanna, Mya, Elia, Cersei, Ciri, Sansa, Rhaegar, Jon, Robb, Aegon, Rhaenys, Daenerys and I are Titanium. Beg me to spare your life usurper! Scream in pain! I'll show you what you do to women, should I abuse and rape you! Weep for your measly, stinking, whoring life! Come on hit me. Misogynist! I'll tear you into a thousand pieces monster when you call me cruel witch again! I can take your manhood away from you. All I have to do is snap my finger and your life will end here and now! You have new names: Monster and Bastard. Do manual labor, Bastard", the people laughed aloud.

Robert fell to the floor drunk and puked alcohol, "I am not a bastard! I hate you all, I'm gonna kill you all! I love to be a Killer and War criminal", the People laughed aloud over Robert.

Arya looked from one to the other, "So, Catelyn and Ashara have sex with Brandon and Eddard. Elia, Lyanna, Arthur and Rhaegar have sex with each other. Geralt and Dany have sex. Sansa and Aegon fuck each other. Jon and Yennefer bang each other and Rhaenys and Robb have sex. Cersei and Jaime have sex in Casterly Rock. Aerys and Rhaella fuck each other. And I fuck with Ciri and Gendry. Oh I forgot and the monster Robert Baratheon pukes alcohol in Storm's End he wants to kill us all or put a sack over our heads and lately whores don't even want to go to bed with him."

Catelyn, Arthur, Brandon, Ashara, Cersei, Jaime, Oberyn, Arya, Ciri, Gendry, Sansa, Geralt, Dany, Yennefer, Jon, Rhaenys, Robb, Eddard, Rhaegar, Elia and Lyanna laughed out loud. Catelyn groaned.

Four brothers and four sisters: I'm Titanium

You ask me where to begin. Am I so lost in my sin. You ask me where did I fall, I'll say I can't tell you when. But if my spirit is lost how will I find what is near. Don't question I'm not alone somehow I'll find my way home. My sun shall rise in the east so shall my heart be at peace and if you're asking me when, I'll say it starts at the end.

You know your will to be free is matched with love secretly and talk will alter your prayer, somehow you'll find you are there. Your friend is close by your side and speaks in far ancient tongue. A seasons wish will come true all seasons begin with you. Worlds we all come from, worlds we melt into one.