Alicent is basically a completely different character as she has functionally no redeeming qualities in the source material. The only catch is I think they're doing a counterweight of having Larys Clubfoot be the more Obviously Evil among the Green ranks.
"All you Fascists bound to lose."I'll agree they gave Criston a good reason to be mad at Rhaenyra last episode, but he's not only being pissy about it ten(!) years later but also taking it out on the kids. Just asshole incel behavior.
Also, how did he not only keep his job but get promoted after committing open murder at a wedding while Harwin gets fired for beating him up in a courtyard, lol. I'm sure Alicent pulled some strings but it's pretty audacious.
Edited by Synchronicity on Sep 26th 2022 at 12:19:24 PM
The whole Cole situation was a fairly big logic leap on the show's part (for one the Velaryons would want his head in a silver platter given he disgraced their wedding and physically assaulted their male heir while in the process of actively murdering one of their retainers, and given Cole is a commoner he has no real political defense other than Alicent running interference). They use the timeskip as a sleight of hand to disguise how weird that is but it's still pretty glaring even so.
"All you Fascists bound to lose."Even in the previous episode Cole wanted to run away to make a “decent woman” out of Rhaenyra was motivated by some illogical belief that this would somehow restore HIS honor. Especially when he was not forced to having sex with Rhaenyra and gave in to temptation all on his own. It’s pretty clear that he was being selfish just like Rhaenyra was and was making it about him, and unlike her he doesn’t know that she actually does have some sense of duty she’s following.
Made even more tragic that the reason he loathes Rhaenyra now is the same reason he was ever on the Kingsguard in the first place, as she preferred a competent fighter for the Kingsguard over a political favor like Otto suggested.
Same for Alicent. The code of conduct or belief that they’re following duty is 100% right is even contrasted with how miserable and how very much she DOES NOT like her duty was convinced she must by her dad, how she wanted her dad to be Hand again because it benefits her, not the realm, or how Aegon masturbates over people as she believes herself to be on some righteous cause. Years of hate, desire, and even envy of Rhaenyra for not having to suffer in misery doing something she didn’t want are all motivations in regards to Rhaenyra.
It’s honestly sad. Her dad who gaslights her and convinces her to do these aweful things to herself to benefit their House, blaming her for him being kicked out as Hand when Otto set her up for said position in the first place and how lonely and miserable she was because of his actions, and now she repeats the cycle with her kids as the Greens repeatedly set in motion a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy to justify their actions.
Rhaenyra even gave a way out by offering a marriage between Jace and Halaena, but Alicent is too bitter and immediately dismissed it because of perceived slights when Rhaenyra was trying to find a way for common ground.
Edited by OmegaRadiance on Sep 26th 2022 at 2:32:53 AM
Every accusation by the GOP is ALWAYS a confession.turns out many princes and princesses may have fallen from that window
I like some noticed Jace first instinct when Harwin and Cole were fighting was to protect Luke. He even his arm in front of him to keep him away from it. And slapping his hand away from the burning hot dragon egg.
Edited by OmegaRadiance on Sep 30th 2022 at 8:38:06 AM
Every accusation by the GOP is ALWAYS a confession.The Greens were also Targs.
Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.which i don't really understand. The last decree Aegon made was that in the histories, Rhaenyra would only ever be referred to as Princess, never as Queen, with that title being reserved for his mother and his wife.
Say to the others who did not follow through You're still our brothers, and we will fight for youIt should be noted the official history paints both sides with more disgust and what would never have been written about reigning monarchs in our history. I think the implications being both were vilified for the destructiveness of the Dance.
But given this is Westeros, I have no belief they needed to subject either to Historical Villain Upgrade.
Edited by CharlesPhipps on Sep 27th 2022 at 9:41:44 AM
Author of The Rules of Supervillainy, Cthulhu Armageddon, and United States of Monsters.Does anyone know if the show has a kinkmeme (or a revived GOT one) yet? I am so disconnected from the fandom
.
I'm really liking it so far. I don't think it's painting the Blacks too unsympathetically. Last episode, Rhaenyra was trying to play peacekeeper with the marriage proposal (albeit with her back against a wall). Criston Cole bullied her kids and made Aegon and Aemond more aggressive toward Jace and Luke. Plus, Alicent has sided with a total psycho. Even with her horror at finding out what Larys did, she could've had him taken out but she didn't.
I was sad they took out the bit with Daemon hugging his daughters though. I wonder how much they are going to make him more sympathetic. I'm way too biased because he was my favorite character in F&B.
Edited by Phoenixflame on Sep 30th 2022 at 7:38:10 AM
That’s kind of the nature of things. Alicent wants to believe she’s doing what is for righteous reasons, but Larys actions and insinuation is that it’s only a lie she tells herself.
Much like she talks about honor and dignity when Cole called Rhaenyra a cunt in a spur of the moment, which is immediately followed by Aegon masturbating out of windows Homelander style and Alicent not addressing it at all. Or her failed attempts to gaslight and blame Jace and Luke for Aemond being bullied, when Jace is shown to look up to Aegon who also shows signs of caring about Jace, and is the one who sets up the bullying with the implication it isn’t the first time he’s done so.
Rhaenyras recklessness hasn’t helped of course, but it’s also clear that it’s left her a lot more mentally healthy than Alicent or Cole that she displays her love for her kids in a healthy manner. Even Cole and Harwin show this with the former being a bully of children out of spite for their mom, while the latter shows love for his kids.
Edit: I have not listened to it myself but Saponchik apparently cited this Phillip Larkin Poem on the podcast in reference to his weeks episode and how the kids were influenced:
- They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
- They may not mean to, but they do.
- They fill you with the faults they had
- And add some extra, just for you.
- But they were fucked up in their turn
- By fools in old-style hats and coats,
- Who half the time were soppy-stern
- And half at one another’s throats.
- Man hands on misery to man.
- It deepens like a coastal shelf.
- Get out as early as you can,
- And don’t have any kids yourself.
Edited by OmegaRadiance on Sep 30th 2022 at 9:53:52 AM
Every accusation by the GOP is ALWAYS a confession.Guys, have you seen the latest episode yet? It's insane that Rhaenyra and Daemon may have faked Leanor's death and finally married in front of their children (in a weird way).
Edited by Bubblepig on Oct 2nd 2022 at 8:37:01 AM
"CHICKEN JOCKEY!"Once again the only losers are the kids who are now poised to carry on their parents' grudges.
I do wonder about the death faking though. Like it's nice that the gays aren't buried, but Laenor has a whole dragon who should very well know he's alive?
Huh.
For all his hatred of Rhaenyra, Cole didn't move an inch when Alicent told him to cut out her son's eye. I bet even he was surprised he wasn't able to do it.
Though it may have been that he read the room and knew it was not a good idea to try and stab a child's eye out in front of an entire room of people.
One Strip! One Strip!The fact Alicent instantly threw the so called dignity she lived by for an eye for an eye took him by surprise I feel. Since it’s showing her true petty person she really is now.
After all this follows her keeping the fact she’s working with a kinslayer to herself, because she’s happy to break the rules of it benefits her.
Edited by OmegaRadiance on Oct 2nd 2022 at 9:59:21 AM
Every accusation by the GOP is ALWAYS a confession.
or how The Black Dude Dies First.

They are definitely portrayed much more sympathetically in the show.
Right now Aegon is shown getting along with Jace and Lucerys. They also went with the interpretation that he doesn’t actually want the crown.
Aemond is shown to be a sad kid that not even his brother likes and his younger nephews are also bullying him.
Alicent’s motivation is definitely resentment but she actually fears for her children as well and she actually had an honorable code of conduct. She’s just bitchy and petty. Also going by the leaks, she misunderstands Viserys’ final words and think he’s naming Aegon as heir in his final moments
Criston Cole really did sleep with Rhaenyra and he does feel somewhat sullied by her. Also he killed Joffrey out of blind rage rather than it being premeditated murder and he felt so awful about it, he tried to commit suicide.
Daemon is also less sympathetic because he did try to bone his teenage niece and he did murder his wife.
Also Corlys tried to marry his 12 year old daughter to a grown man because he was single and king.
They’re doing quite a bit in order to equalize the two sides rather than making it lopsided in the Black’s favor