Laena Velaryon

Years later, after Laena has married Daemon and mothered their twins, Laena tries to get Daemon to move back to Westeros. Their family lives in Pentos, and Laena still wears styles emulating her mother's first design, but now in more gold than teal. She still needs all the pearls and giant gemstones of course, an icon wherever she goes.

My friend and I have talked a few times about how the show has such interesting characters who are absolutely squashed by the time-skip pacing of the first season. Laena is this amazing Dragonrider, has three fantastic actresses portraying her...and the narrative kills her off so fast we've got whiplash. The narrative is so keen on squeezing 20 years of backstory into 10 episodes to set up S2 that Laena is killed off almost immediately (very violently and tragically by the way) so that Daemon and Rhaenyra can finally get married. I would say Harwin Strong suffers a similarly foot-note style death, because the love interests are disposable. The show skips years and years over and over again to catch the "plot" relevant details of only a handful of character's lives so the majority of the cast practically live off screen and die when the history books says it was time for the main characters to be single again. Sorry for the tangent, RIP Laena.

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Alicent isn't a kidnapped maiden locked in a tower guarded by dragons. She keeps herself in there, demands the (girl) dragons join her in there, and wages war against said dragons when they don't come into a tower where they don't even FIT.

NOW THEY SEE YOU AS YOU ARE.

One interesting thing I’ve observed is how alike the fates of Rhaena (Queen in the West and the East), Rhaenys (the Queen who never was) and Rhaenyra (the half-year Queen) are.

All three of these women were brought down by the cruel patriarchal system of Westeros.

But notice how adored and respected Rhaena and Rhaenys are by people in this fandom (as well as in Westeros history), compared to Rhaenyra.

Why?

Because Rhaena and Rhaenys sat back and never “dared” to do anything about the injustice they endured.

Rhaenyra did.

And for that, the maesters of the Citadel, who are not only upholders of the patriarchal system but also Hightower lickspittles, did not hesitate to attack her and spew lies about her. And most of these lies concerned her personal life.

Constant talk about her weight, even though the usurping king and his queen consort were both overweight from birth. Constant talk about her children’s parentage, even though there was never any actual proof of what her first three sons looked like and whether or not they inherited Baratheon and/or Arryn genes. Constant talk about how her husband was “unfaithful” (once again, without any proof).

As such, anything bad written about Rhaenyra Targaryen is hard to accept as fact.

"I remember collecting shells on this beach as a child. I had one made into a brooch for my mother."

- "I remember my sister following you everywhere, like a puppy."

Shout out to the post-Dance Hightowers who did not even attempted to free Alicent from her imprisonment. They really said "Thanks, but you can keep her. Good luck with her, tho!" 😬

The Dance of the Dragons is not to be read as a single story, it’s the climax of a long history of Targaryen women being usurped. Rhaenyra herself is the 3rd Targaryen woman who’s first syllable of her name starts with “Rhae-” who is usurped.

Rhaena the Black Bride has trueborn children & yet she still gets usurped by her own brother. Rhaenys the Queen Who Never Was has trueborn children & she still gets usurped by her own grandfather, uncle and cousin. Rhaenyra having bastards is a non factor in this story, especially since no one cares about the rumors besides the Green faction.

Rhaenyra would still have gotten usurped even with trueborn children. And again it’s also why GRRM makes her the first woman fighting back her usurpation meanwhile the two other usurped Rhaes- accept it.

The fact that Rhaenicent shippers want to inflict even more gendered abuse (on top of her usurpation) on Rhaenyra, on the sole basis of how she chooses to exercise her sexual autonomy when it’s something that GRRM himself doesn’t do is crazy. Aegon II and Aemond insult her of every misogynistic slurs known and unknown to humankind, kill her and her children … but she should be the better siblings to these tyrannical & genocidal rapists ? Like wow.

Green stans, neutrals and Team smallfolk love to say the war was about "monarchy bad" instead of what is actually about, misogyny. They love to blame Rhaenyra for everything and anything, but absolve their male favs + Alicent. It's willful ignorance mixed with internalised misogyny, because otherwise they would have to admit they are wrong.

I saw TG's comments about Viserys "deserving the humiliation of dragging himself to the throne" in episode 8 and…

Guys, seriously? Did we see the same episode 8? Was it humiliation? I know some people have the idea that Viserys is the worst evil, who brutally abused, oppressed, terrorized and made poor, innocent Alicent's life a living hell, but trying to turn everything into a "deserved punishment" for him is ridiculous. If Viserys had a scene that showed his true strength, this was it. Watch any reaction to watching this episode, even from a Burlington bar or anyone else, and you'll see that no normal viewer would perceive it as a humiliation for the characters.

It's a minutes-long scene of a sick man walking to his chair, and watching it gives me goosebumps. Because Viserys showed that he still has enough of a dragon in him to literally rise himself from the grave and go defend his decision and his right, his heiress, against the gang of hyenas and vultures that turned out to be part of his family. It amuses me that the TGs see this as a humiliation for Viserys, yet wish Aegon had the exact same scene. Only better, because he is better ;P

King Viserys of House Targaryen, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, and the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.

(Gif belongs to @anyataylorjoy)

Team black and Team green: *wanting house Martell to join them on their side to fight*

Prince Qoren Martell:

The non existent issue of Jace’s ascension causing a war is funny because it’s not supported by the text at all. All sources praise Jace and Manderly/Stark/Baratheon ask for a marriage to Luke/Joffrey/Jace’s child. Daeron II is officially listed as “possibly a bastard” in the line of succession, yet he’s still remembered as “the good” and loved by the kingdom. They simply dgaf.

Why would Rhaenyra admit her first three sons are not legitimate if they were born with the last name Velaryon and nobody but the Greens cared about their parentage ? Who do the Greens think they are to dictate what the heir to the throne should do, the king ??

simply put: Otto, and subsequently Alicent, thought they were the power and were very comfortable to unofficially rule in place of a sicken Viserys and then through Aegon II. due to the Hightowers’ close ties with Old Town and the Faith the narrative itself takes a more green leaning approach, Maestor Gyldayn is very obvious in his green preference in Fire and Blood, but unfortuantly for them they can’t erase or manipulate everything!

Siblings Targaryen 💚🖤❤️🐉

Baela Targaryen

Young/child Baela. Daughter of Daemon and Laena Velaryon, rider of the dragon Moondancer. Baela is our "tomboy" of this show, she takes after Daemon's recklessness and is a direct contrast to her younger twin sister. I wanted to draw Baela in her dragon-riding outfit, but to have references to her mother and grandmother's fashion. The diagonal lines, the sea shell inspired gem and the wave motifs.

I am the artist! Do not post without permission & credit! Thank you! Come visit me over on: instagram, tiktok or check out my coloring book available now \ („• ֊ •„) /

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My favourite part about the narrative around Matilda that GRRM chose to base Rhaenyra's on, is how she bided her time until Stephen's administrative mismanagement turned enough sentiment against him, and basically crossed to England shouting, "I'm really good at administration!"

Anyways, that's why you'll never convince me of those headcanons that aren't even really supported in Fire and Blood that Rhaenyra was incompetent or unprepared to assume normal Crown duties.

Also:

From the same volume that writes about her "imperious temper" plunging the nation into war:

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But back to my favourite part:

THOMAS B. COSTAIN: PLANTAGENETS — THE PAGEANT OF ENGLAND (Vol. 1)

He didn't lie.

I shouldn't have to say it, but Rhaenyra should not be held responsible for the actions and consequences of the grown ass men around her.

It amazes me when I see people trying to argue that Rhaenyra is somehow responsible for Criston Cole killing Joffrey. This argument that well if Rhaenyra hadn't have slept with Cole making him break his vows he wouldn't have been so distraught that he then killed Joffrey, as if Cole wasn't a full grown man capable of making his own decisions and choices, no it must be Rhaenyra's fault. Cole had more than enough opportunities to stop before sleeping with Rhaenyra and breaking his vows, did you see how complicated that armour was, it had to be removed piece by piece, this wasn't a rush of throwing off clothes caught in the heat of the moment, it took time and thought to remove his armour, he could have stopped it at any moment if he wanted to, it was clear that he didn't want to stop. There's also this argument that there was a power imbalance between them because Rhaenyra was a princess and so Cole might have felt like he couldn't say no. I might surprise some here by saying that actually I agree that there was a power imbalance between them because of Rhaenyra's station being higher than Criston's. There was another power imbalance in that Criston was a adult in his mid to late twenties by this point who had previous sexual experience and Rhaenyra was a 19 year old drunk virgin. A lot of relationships have some kind of power imbalance especially in a world based on a medieval time period, the important part is how they are portrayed, in this moment there was nothing to suggest that either Rhaenyra or Cole were using these power imbalances to manipulate the other into having sex with them. Rhaenyra did not order Cole to stay, Cole didn't attempt to seduce the less experienced Rhaenyra, it was made very clear that this was a consensual act between the two of them. As for Cole possibly feeling like he couldn't say no, well my answer to that is that he had no issue saying no to Alicent, the Queen, when she demanded he take a child's eye out, so that's kind of a moot argument. Point is just because Cole got upset and felt guilty about breaking his vows, just because he was hurt that Rhaenyra didn't want to give up literally everything to run off with him so that he could save himself from some of that guilt, doesn't mean that Cole's sins and crimes are now Rhaenyra's responsibility. If he couldn't handle the consequences of his actions then that is his problem not hers.

Another one I keep seeing Rhaenyra get blamed for is Otto getting fired. According to some people its Rhaenyra's fault because she lied about still being a virgin and poor Otto lost his job, as if Otto wasn't scheming and plotting the entire time he was hand of the king. Let's be real here, Otto got fired because his scheming caught up with him. Viserys had a moment of clarity and realised that Otto would always put the interests of his own house and blood above that of the King's, that's why he got fired. Just because Otto then told Alicent that it was Rhaenyra's fault doesn't mean you are supposed to take his words at face value, that was him plotting some more, it doesn't actually make it Rhaenyra's fault.

Call me crazy but sometimes I feel like antis can't find any legitimate reason to criticise Rhaenyra so instead they find ways to blame her for the actions of the other characters in the show instead, its nonsensical.

“The whole point of the story is that both Rhaenyra and Aegon were unfit to rule.”

Wrong.

The point of the story is that in a patriarchal society, women would get usurped regardless what they do, and what kind of people they are.

Rhaena (firstborn child of King Aenys)

Rhaenys (only child of Prince Aemon, eldest son and heir of King Jaehaerys I)

Rhaenyra (firstborn child of King Viserys I)

The Dance of the Dragons is about how Rhaenyra Targaryen was usurped by her evil and greedy stepmother in favor of her own son (the story was originally called “The Princess and the Queen”).

This is an absolute monarchy. More than half of the monarchs who sat that throne, were unfit to rule. Nobody cares about that.

It’s about who is the rightful ruler.

The rightful ruler was Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (just like Empress Matilda had been the rightful Queen of England).

And as a plus, out of all of King Viserys’ children, Rhaenyra is obviously the most qualified/most competent to sit the Iron Throne. There is no question about that.

The fact that there are female monarchs littered all throughout history in different countries and cultures who ruled as the highest power and yet TG fight tooth and nail for a younger male (who is not in the slightest fit to rule but he’s got a penis so who cares) to rule over his older sister (who is the legally named heir and has political experience) because ‘tradition’ and whatever else it is they cry about is still so wild to me.