This Is So Perfect

No matter how good your actors are, they can only do so much if the script you are giving them is nonsensical. You can have characters who are conflicted and make wrong choices based on their situation. But Alicent giving up Aegon like that, as if her getting in front of Meleys to protect her family wasn't a pivotal point for her in showing her choice to Rhaenys last season? Rhaenyra too shouldn't have even given Alicent the time of day when she already tried and did basically the same as her but got told it was "too late" and an invasion of King's Landing is inevitable at this point. I know they shared a relationship together and do think that even if it was long ago, it still can determine how they interact with each other, but even that being the case, sometimes you need to prioritize some things over others. I don't doubt that Alicent cared about Rhaenyra, but that didn't stop her from advancing her own interests with her family. I don't doubt that Rhaenyra cared about Alicent, but she still put herself and her family first by leaving King's Landing and pretty much never visiting again, even when her father was there wasting away. That's what makes them interesting. The conflict within themselves and choosing one thing over the other. That even if it hurts, some things just turn sour.

Not even mentioning that since it's obvious that Rhaenyra will take the city, this whole interaction could have happened then and with bigger stakes, like Alicent begging for her life and Rhaenyra having to make the choice of whether she dies or is imprisoned or something. 

This whole scene gives me the impression that they wanted a dramatic and emotional scene for the end of the season so they came up with this.

We have successfully delivered the come to our lord's kingdom 🙏🙏🙏🙏

kingdom cum delivery

The sweetest hansry fanart

The worst part is that they think that by doing this it will make her a "deeper character". Sorry no, it does the opposite, it takes away from her agency, from the trauma she expirienced and how she had to adapt to that kind of society and become an enforcer of said system. Now it's just "good" or "bad".

"History will paint you a villain"

Fourth wall breaking to make us believe what they're putting in Rhaenyra's mouth.

Alicent went to Rhaenyra's wedding wearing the colors her House use for war, which created the Green and Black teams. She knew what she was doing.

Alicent was the only one who actively hated Rhaenyra's children to be bastards. Corlys and Rhaenys didn't really care, Rhaenyra's own husband didn't care, Viserys was totally happily in denial. Cole hated it, but his opinion doesn't matter.

Alicent made it a big deal, raised Aegon to be scared of Rhaenyra when he had no true animosity towards his sister before. And telling her son to spare Rhaenyra after years of telling him he was a challenge for her and would die if she becomes queen, was silly.

She helped put Aegon on the throne, and when learnt she was wrong to do so, started to show disdain for him that led Aegon to take his dragon to battle and get burnt.

Then, at his weakest state, she accepted Rhaenyra's deal that includes the murder of her son. The very son who did not want to be king in the first place. Just so she could run away with Helaena and her daughter. She is literally fleeing what she helped causing. She could protect Helaena and Jaehaera and stay in KL to be by her sons' sides and accepts the same sentence she put on them. But no, she still wants a way out of this mess.

So, the writers telling us, through Rhaenyra of all people, "Alicent is a only a victim of patriarchy and will be paint as a villain" is so stupid. Yes, she is a victim. But it doesn't justify all she did. In season two, she marvels at how messed up her boys are, when all their life they heard her complain about Rhaenyra and her bastard children, how Aemond lost an eye and how Lucaerys should have lost his too, that Rhaenyra will murder Aegon in cold blood when she becomes queen (before he usurped her).

So, yes, she is a villain and history will rightfully paint her as such. That doesn't make her a bad character, nor does it mean all victims become villains in turn; Rhaenys is a victim of patriarchy too, Rhaenyra and her mum, the servant girl who Aegon sexually assaulted, all the women of the story are victims of that.

Knowing how dora looked like, jean having a blond wig does something to me

"Mourning someone who isn't dead"

So Viktor can see the arcane, interact with it

But that is just one side of it

There's a message hidden within the pattern

And it's the void.

And that's what Jayce is able to see through

The other side of that coin

I swear this face he makes...

i'm so sorry i had to

I see the vision...

His noble arse is truly thankful 😏😏😏😏 (and double at that considering what happened in the first game, protecting that noble arse alone is a fulltime job)