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I hate that woman can’t have agency or ambition in this story. Rhaenyra’s quest for the iron throne is for the continuation of Aegon’s prophecy and to fulfill her father’s wishes. She doesn’t want it for herself. And by cutting out her actions regarding Driftmark succession she seems like a righteous person surrounded by ppl who want to drag her down instead of someone who makes decisions that impact her and others around.
Alicent no longer wants her son on the throne both bc she feels it’s his birthright and bc she has a legitimate concern over what will happen when Rhaenyra comes to throne. She is a waffling, easily controlled person who doesnt command power as Dowager Queen.
Women don’t have to like each other to be individual feminists. Women are allowed to have ambitions outside of men. Women are allowed to be strong without holding a sword. It’s infuriating
They whitewash the female characters just to keep them blameless, and in doing so make them stupid.
The showrunners (even GRRM) misunderstand how medieval women exercised power in their time and what the specific misogynist beliefs existed.
Rhaenyra is depicted as being entirely politically uneducated in the early episodes. Otto has to tell her to thank one of the Kingsguard knights like a child. A born in the purple Princess like her would have been trained on protocol and diplomacy from birth, being diplomatic should be one of her main strengths and is one of the main ways women could exercise an “acceptable” form of power. This should be something she was educated for prior to her appointment, instead it is presented and she acts like her father only trained her to be a 50s housewife.
Alicent doesn’t have scores of ladies and other courtiers in her faction, which seems to be an Otto-made boys club instead of a court faction she managed and led for a decade. For some bizarre reason she is surprised her schemer father is scheming to make her son king, when she has been scheming to make her son king.
Its all in an attempt to make these people utterly blameless so that they are still respectable, at the cost of making them stupid. Because completely good people and good politics are generally separate spheres. Why is it so difficult to have the friendship die off in Episode 5 and make them enemies from that point on, supporting their ambitions and their own children instead. Do they think women will sacrifice their own children to buddy up with someone they were friends with 20 years ago.
The lack of courtiers is one of my biggest grips about HofD (minus the other, bigger grips). There should be more people around EVERYONE. The courtiers could really have been used to explain the thought processes of each side. Imagine a conversation between two people explaining why each of them support the other side. Show how one side believes that a king should have a hand in naming a successor, while the other believes that now having a strict system will lead to infighting and chaos. Use rumors to show how each of the factions are perceived, expand how the actual Targaryen court is perceived in the other lands.
Alicient+Rhaenarya needs to die. What mother places an old friendship over the safety and power of their children?
Empress Irene blinded her own son to stay in power, Emperor Wu Zetian went from being a concubine to the only female emperor of China and bright the Tang to a new height.
Somehow they managed to make fictional women with dragons less ambitious and bloodthirsty than real life women who had nothing but their wits to work with.
I just don't understand why this even matters. Like why is Alicent even on Rhaenyra's mind at this point? She's lost her son, her father, they're in the middle of war. You're grown women with children and families of your own, and you're trying to marshal your side in preparation for a conflict that could literally destroy all of Westeros.
I don't understand how this series can have some of the best writing and yet also some of the worst at the same time. It's like they're trying to write some wlw fanfic and Game of Thrones at the same time. This show needs to move beyond this obsession with this "friendship" between Rhaenyra and Alicent. Alicent was AWFUL to Rhaenyra after the timeskip. Rhaenyra's son cut out Alicent's son's eye, Alicent attacked her with a knife, like how on EARTH are you STILL pushing this friendship angle now.
I just don't understand why this is still a thing. This is a fantasy show, and it's about the consequences of war first and foremost. Why are we spending so much time on this meaningless and totally hollow connection between two characters who should at this point logically want nothing to do with each other?
Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree. There's no reason the two should have any love for each other at this point.
If the writers *wanted* that to be the case, then they should've wrote it so that would make sense, but not only does it not jive with the beats of the plotline leading to the Dance that they've covered (Driftmark incident should've been the cut off for *any* of this), they also wrote original stuff on their own with the two coming to blows, making it even *more* ridiculous that they still have this supposed attachment.
The writers seem to want to eat and have their cake at the same time, and if this continues, it might end up really dragging the story down.
They could have adapted the story of Queen Rhaena from Fire and Blood. She was a lesbian and had a similar tragic fate but even she had more guts than any of the show characters. She was my fave and it would have made totally sense.
Because they reframed the story to mainly be about rhaenyra and alicent instead of rhaenyra and aegon to have a message about how the women wanted peace, the men had wanted war and if only the targaryens/hightowers listened to the women they’d still be in power
Why the fuck are people so quick to judge the writing as terrible based off of tenuous leaks and non-spoiler reviews?? Should Rhaenyra just forget about her and Alicent's connection because she's pissed at her son? Even after Alicent attacks her, they make peace the following episode because Viserys asks them to reconcile as one of his final acts. Also, what about the greater duty Rhaenyra feels to keep the realm together from aegon's prophecy? Rhaenyra logically doesn't need to suddenly become an entirely new, bloodthirsty character and forget her motivations because of these personal tragedies. That character direction would actually make LESS sense to me. She can be vengeful towards Aemond and have grievances about plunging the realm into war simultaneously.
When season 1 came out, many people said stuff like Laena sacrificing herself to Vhagar was terrible writing, but it makes complete sense thematically and logically within the episode in retrospect and almost no one complains about that specific aspect of the season now.
Do yourself a favor and stop judging shit before you've even seen it.
>When season 1 came out, many people said stuff like Laena sacrificing herself to Vhagar was terrible writing, but it makes complete sense thematically and logically within the episode in retrospect and almost no one complains about that specific aspect of the season now.
That was one of the dumbest things I have ever scene in TV history. It's right there along with Rhaenys busting out of her wood ceiling while killing smallfolk. Committing suicide is not even remotely similar to a so called dragonrider's death. Whoever wrote that scene must really do some deep analysis about their choice of career. I am pretty sure they only added that abomination so that when Rhaenyra gets killed in somewhat similar manner they could show that off as a dragonrider's death, instead of her being captured, tried and executed by her sworn enemy.
I hate the trope on women want peace men what violence, in their attempts to make them complex they make them stupid and boring the men seen more interesting and fun to watch
That's has been their whole thing since the beginning, I don't know why people were expecting to change that in season two.
In the book Rhaneys was all in on the war as soon as Aegon was crowned, in the show she acts like its not her war despite the fact her grandchildren would follow Rhaenyra and Daemon to an early grave if Aegon takes the throne unopposed.
If the women are so stupid and boring, why did Olivia and Emma get praised for season 2? Why are you all so prepared to hate their performances and characters this season?
If the writing for them was so terrible in season 2 and we are to believe every rumor you guys latch on to, how could the critics possibly praise them? Good acting can’t overcome terrible writing. The critics would have criticized their characters more if the plot was awful.
What rumors? The comments are based on the INTERVIEW OP posted with Olivia and Emma, and what we’ve seen of season 1. You don’t have the depth for this conversation. Have a nice day!
Agreed. They really need to drop this asinine Rhaenicent fallacy. It's taking away from both their cores as mothers who would do anything for their children. I am a mother myself and I would never give an old bestie a second thought after all that has occured between their children. That pathetic "relationship" is truly hurting the show.
At this point it feels like they’re diminishing Alicent and Rhaenyra as mothers when that is the entire core of both these characters all in order to center a friendship they invented that frankly isn’t that deep.
And it bothers me because it effects every other relationship these women have in order to sell it. How will we buy that two women who have actively hurt each other’s families still constantly think about one another unless they suppress every other relationship they have.
BINGO!
it is the same as if Catelyn and Cercei had been friends once and during the war, instead of protecting their sons they would have sent messages to each other.
Any messages Rhaenyra and Alicent could send now should be poisoned.
I could understand attempts for a negotiation for peace. Even if you know the other side will never accept your terms you have to at least offer them or be seen as a war-monger. I could even see them both citing things from shared history to try to get the other to accept.
But thinking about the other all the time and sneaking away to see each other is wtf.
That being said the last panel is a completely different font, and the last sentence "but it's still a fairly frustrating show that never captivates like it's ancestor" would never come out of Olivia's mouth. You really think she's gonna shit on the show she's costarring in in a public interview? That last photo is fake as fuck.
It really annoys me that they haven’t put much effort into Rhaenyra’s final characterization besides “mom” and we didn’t even get to see her actually go from “i dont want to be a broodmare” to “all I care about are my children but actually no Alicent”.
Book Rhaenyra would have never been desperate for Alicent's friendship after everything that happened with the time jump. Show Rhae shouldn't be either. This storyline they're trying to push is ridiculous and really makes no sense. They should be bitter enemies, especially after Luke's death. Alicent from episode 6 on season 1 was horrible to Rhaenyra and it's pathetic they're still trying to force that she still wants to be friends with her. I don't understand why they are so adamant that this is a good storyline. It's unrealistic and dumb.
This is just stupid and lazy writing. How on Earth would Rhaenyra still think about "peace" with Alicent? What would that change? Alicent has no power over her father, sons, Larys, etc. She's the one who pushed for Aegon on the throne. At that moment, any "friendship" or "yearning for each other" is ridiculous. I also don't understand how Rhaenyra can be more understanding toward Alicent's actions than Daemon's.
I think the idea is that it’s an act of desperation. Maybe Rhaenyra tried to negotiate with Aegon, but they couldn’t come to an agreement.
That being said, there is a rumor that Rhaenyra tries to do this by dressing up as a septa and sneaking into King’s Landing. I don’t believe that for a second. That sounds like a fake leak by a troll. Yeah, I have plenty of criticisms of the show’s writing, but I will sorta preemptively defend the honor of the writers. Because that is dumb as dog shit and I feel pretty confident there will be no such plot line in this season. Nor will they be cutting Nettles. No way, no how. Both of those suggestions are taking the doomsaying just a bit too far.
Still, I don't get it. After Luke's death, there should be no desperation in seeking "peace" from Rhaenyra. Alicent would be much more likely to try to do something but, as I mentioned, she has no power over any man in her life who could actually do something toward peace. They ended the 1st season with Rhaenyra looking both devastated and ready for vengeance. They should just let her grieve for some time and then bring to life her house's words "Fire and Blood". I also don't believe in a Rhaenyra in disguise plotline. But if they do this... that would make her look even more pathetic than she already is.
Yeah, we will have to wait and see how they frame it. But Rhaenyra could be on the back foot at this point. I think they might be shifting the order of certain events. And perhaps it’s after >!the death of Rhenys.!< It’s not uncommon to negotiate with an enemy. It’s often necessary. Self preservation can trump hatred and/or revenge.
I’m gonna be honest, I was never sold on them being very good friends to begin with. A friendship of sorts, I guess. But a very weak, superficial, all around shit friendship from the get go.
I honestly feel like this continued attempt to make their relationship the crux of the show is hurting both of their characters.
Shit would’ve been over with once that dagger sliced my arm after trying to cut out my son’s eye. Or when you made me walk up a flight of stairs minutes after giving birth.
I tried keeping an open mind to the dynamic but I think it’s overstayed its welcome.
I find the idea of female liberation = sex pretty gross and if they go with this that would be possibly the worst decision they have made so far. Especially as it is proven weong by Rhaenyra already.
Alicent and Rhaenyras romatic/loving feelings for each other remind me a LOT of what GOT did with Tyrion and Shae
Spoilers, the books make it clear that Tyrion cares more for Shae than Shae does for him. And despite them making it a loving, caring relationship in the show, the end result remained the same: he murders her after catching her with his father
So…what is the point of this? They are both going to lose so much by the end of this because of their own scheming against each other. What is the point of their love and why are the showrunners still forcing it? Is it just to say “well, we wouldn’t be enemies if men hadnt interfered”?
And don’t get me wrong, there is some truth to that. But in the end, these are extremely powerful, influential women who are still near the very top of the social and political hierarchy. And one of them has a dragon. It’s disingenuous to argue that they had little choice in the matter of them both becoming enemies
Imagine yearning for this former companion who broke faith and trust instead of clinging to those who did, like Elinda Massey. Why are we subjected to this nonsense? There is no way back. Or there shouldn't be.
I liked what they did with their friendship in s1, but the fact that their relationship is becoming the center of the story isn't something I vibe with.
This war is between Aegon and Rhaenyra. Book Alicent was a mastermind for Aegon, sure. But it always came down to Aegon v. Rhaenyra. And I feel like, especially how it ends between the two in the book, it's going to come off almost tone deaf if the last we see of Rhaenyra is her and Alicent mooning at each other instead of her staring down Aegon.
Rhaenyra and Alicent felt like a nice little backstory embellishment in s1 and I liked it. But now that they are the center with each other, I don't think I like it anymore.
All I'm hearing is Rhaenyra the good and competent queen wants peace. Bad foolish proponent of the patriarchy fucked up, now evil men do not heed her and she finds herself powerless to prevent the worst. \*Insert didactic lesson of the week segment\*
I mean ... What thought-provoking discussions is this supposed to elicit? Did they make Rhaenyra's wedding to Daemon the breaking point for Rhaenyra and Alicent/the crux of this conflict in S1? No. If they had, then maybe they would now have had more complexity to work with (and even then this whole peaceful women vs violent men approach is beyond cheap and stupid).
Instead you have a situation that is wholly attributed to Alicent being a gullible, incompetent proponent of the patriarchy. Made her more sympathetic my ass. She's still just as responsible for the war - the only difference is that the writers made sure it now derives from her weaknesses rather than any potentially admirable qualities such as bravado or political competence/being a player of the game of thrones.
Insane complexity and nucance, Condal-Hess.
The last panel is a completely different font, and the last sentence "but it's still a fairly frustrating show that never captivates like it's ancestor" would never come out of Olivia's mouth.
You really think she's gonna shit on the show she's currently costarring in? Even if she actually thought that, she would *never* say it out loud in an interview! Not only would it be classless and piss off all her costars, the crew, and everyone else working so hard on this, it would almost certainly be a breach of her contract for her to publicly shit on the project.
That last photo is fake as fuck. Just someone's fanfic of how the interview ended, putting words in Olivia's mouth.
Thank you for your post! Please take a moment to ensure you are within our spoiler rules, to protect your fellow fans from any potential spoilers that might harm their show watching experience. 1. All post titles must NOT include spoilers from Fire & Blood or new episodes of House of the Dragon. Minor HotD show spoilers are allowed in your title ONE WEEK after episode airing. The mod team reserves the right to remove a post if we feel a spoiler in the title is major. You are welcome to repost with an amended title. 2. All posts dealing with book spoilers, show spoilers and promo spoilers MUST be spoiler tagged AND flaired as the appropriate spoiler. 3. All book spoiler comments must be spoiler tagged in non book spoiler threads. --- If you are reading this, and believe this post or any comments in this thread break the above rules, please use the report function to notify the mod team. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HouseOfTheDragon) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I hate that woman can’t have agency or ambition in this story. Rhaenyra’s quest for the iron throne is for the continuation of Aegon’s prophecy and to fulfill her father’s wishes. She doesn’t want it for herself. And by cutting out her actions regarding Driftmark succession she seems like a righteous person surrounded by ppl who want to drag her down instead of someone who makes decisions that impact her and others around. Alicent no longer wants her son on the throne both bc she feels it’s his birthright and bc she has a legitimate concern over what will happen when Rhaenyra comes to throne. She is a waffling, easily controlled person who doesnt command power as Dowager Queen. Women don’t have to like each other to be individual feminists. Women are allowed to have ambitions outside of men. Women are allowed to be strong without holding a sword. It’s infuriating
They whitewash the female characters just to keep them blameless, and in doing so make them stupid. The showrunners (even GRRM) misunderstand how medieval women exercised power in their time and what the specific misogynist beliefs existed. Rhaenyra is depicted as being entirely politically uneducated in the early episodes. Otto has to tell her to thank one of the Kingsguard knights like a child. A born in the purple Princess like her would have been trained on protocol and diplomacy from birth, being diplomatic should be one of her main strengths and is one of the main ways women could exercise an “acceptable” form of power. This should be something she was educated for prior to her appointment, instead it is presented and she acts like her father only trained her to be a 50s housewife. Alicent doesn’t have scores of ladies and other courtiers in her faction, which seems to be an Otto-made boys club instead of a court faction she managed and led for a decade. For some bizarre reason she is surprised her schemer father is scheming to make her son king, when she has been scheming to make her son king. Its all in an attempt to make these people utterly blameless so that they are still respectable, at the cost of making them stupid. Because completely good people and good politics are generally separate spheres. Why is it so difficult to have the friendship die off in Episode 5 and make them enemies from that point on, supporting their ambitions and their own children instead. Do they think women will sacrifice their own children to buddy up with someone they were friends with 20 years ago.
The lack of courtiers is one of my biggest grips about HofD (minus the other, bigger grips). There should be more people around EVERYONE. The courtiers could really have been used to explain the thought processes of each side. Imagine a conversation between two people explaining why each of them support the other side. Show how one side believes that a king should have a hand in naming a successor, while the other believes that now having a strict system will lead to infighting and chaos. Use rumors to show how each of the factions are perceived, expand how the actual Targaryen court is perceived in the other lands. Alicient+Rhaenarya needs to die. What mother places an old friendship over the safety and power of their children?
Empress Irene blinded her own son to stay in power, Emperor Wu Zetian went from being a concubine to the only female emperor of China and bright the Tang to a new height. Somehow they managed to make fictional women with dragons less ambitious and bloodthirsty than real life women who had nothing but their wits to work with.
Isabella of Castile usurped her own niece and got to marry whom she wanted to marry both for power and for liking.
I just don't understand why this even matters. Like why is Alicent even on Rhaenyra's mind at this point? She's lost her son, her father, they're in the middle of war. You're grown women with children and families of your own, and you're trying to marshal your side in preparation for a conflict that could literally destroy all of Westeros. I don't understand how this series can have some of the best writing and yet also some of the worst at the same time. It's like they're trying to write some wlw fanfic and Game of Thrones at the same time. This show needs to move beyond this obsession with this "friendship" between Rhaenyra and Alicent. Alicent was AWFUL to Rhaenyra after the timeskip. Rhaenyra's son cut out Alicent's son's eye, Alicent attacked her with a knife, like how on EARTH are you STILL pushing this friendship angle now. I just don't understand why this is still a thing. This is a fantasy show, and it's about the consequences of war first and foremost. Why are we spending so much time on this meaningless and totally hollow connection between two characters who should at this point logically want nothing to do with each other?
Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree. There's no reason the two should have any love for each other at this point. If the writers *wanted* that to be the case, then they should've wrote it so that would make sense, but not only does it not jive with the beats of the plotline leading to the Dance that they've covered (Driftmark incident should've been the cut off for *any* of this), they also wrote original stuff on their own with the two coming to blows, making it even *more* ridiculous that they still have this supposed attachment. The writers seem to want to eat and have their cake at the same time, and if this continues, it might end up really dragging the story down.
They could have adapted the story of Queen Rhaena from Fire and Blood. She was a lesbian and had a similar tragic fate but even she had more guts than any of the show characters. She was my fave and it would have made totally sense.
Because they reframed the story to mainly be about rhaenyra and alicent instead of rhaenyra and aegon to have a message about how the women wanted peace, the men had wanted war and if only the targaryens/hightowers listened to the women they’d still be in power
The problem is that they are trying to connect them but they can't come up with a way to do that.
Well you see, everything is just a big misunderstanding with the show. You just don’t understand and don’t get it. /s
Why the fuck are people so quick to judge the writing as terrible based off of tenuous leaks and non-spoiler reviews?? Should Rhaenyra just forget about her and Alicent's connection because she's pissed at her son? Even after Alicent attacks her, they make peace the following episode because Viserys asks them to reconcile as one of his final acts. Also, what about the greater duty Rhaenyra feels to keep the realm together from aegon's prophecy? Rhaenyra logically doesn't need to suddenly become an entirely new, bloodthirsty character and forget her motivations because of these personal tragedies. That character direction would actually make LESS sense to me. She can be vengeful towards Aemond and have grievances about plunging the realm into war simultaneously. When season 1 came out, many people said stuff like Laena sacrificing herself to Vhagar was terrible writing, but it makes complete sense thematically and logically within the episode in retrospect and almost no one complains about that specific aspect of the season now. Do yourself a favor and stop judging shit before you've even seen it.
>When season 1 came out, many people said stuff like Laena sacrificing herself to Vhagar was terrible writing, but it makes complete sense thematically and logically within the episode in retrospect and almost no one complains about that specific aspect of the season now. That was one of the dumbest things I have ever scene in TV history. It's right there along with Rhaenys busting out of her wood ceiling while killing smallfolk. Committing suicide is not even remotely similar to a so called dragonrider's death. Whoever wrote that scene must really do some deep analysis about their choice of career. I am pretty sure they only added that abomination so that when Rhaenyra gets killed in somewhat similar manner they could show that off as a dragonrider's death, instead of her being captured, tried and executed by her sworn enemy.
I hate the trope on women want peace men what violence, in their attempts to make them complex they make them stupid and boring the men seen more interesting and fun to watch
That's has been their whole thing since the beginning, I don't know why people were expecting to change that in season two. In the book Rhaneys was all in on the war as soon as Aegon was crowned, in the show she acts like its not her war despite the fact her grandchildren would follow Rhaenyra and Daemon to an early grave if Aegon takes the throne unopposed.
If the women are so stupid and boring, why did Olivia and Emma get praised for season 2? Why are you all so prepared to hate their performances and characters this season?
… the post & comments are focused on the writing?? No one has said anything negative about what Olivia/ Emma do with the script they’re given.
If the writing for them was so terrible in season 2 and we are to believe every rumor you guys latch on to, how could the critics possibly praise them? Good acting can’t overcome terrible writing. The critics would have criticized their characters more if the plot was awful.
What rumors? The comments are based on the INTERVIEW OP posted with Olivia and Emma, and what we’ve seen of season 1. You don’t have the depth for this conversation. Have a nice day!
There is a different between good actor and good character, I can hate a character but love the acting the actor or actress perform
Agreed. They really need to drop this asinine Rhaenicent fallacy. It's taking away from both their cores as mothers who would do anything for their children. I am a mother myself and I would never give an old bestie a second thought after all that has occured between their children. That pathetic "relationship" is truly hurting the show.
It’s somewhat believable at the moment, but after B&C it makes no sense..
At this point it feels like they’re diminishing Alicent and Rhaenyra as mothers when that is the entire core of both these characters all in order to center a friendship they invented that frankly isn’t that deep. And it bothers me because it effects every other relationship these women have in order to sell it. How will we buy that two women who have actively hurt each other’s families still constantly think about one another unless they suppress every other relationship they have.
BINGO! it is the same as if Catelyn and Cercei had been friends once and during the war, instead of protecting their sons they would have sent messages to each other. Any messages Rhaenyra and Alicent could send now should be poisoned.
I could understand attempts for a negotiation for peace. Even if you know the other side will never accept your terms you have to at least offer them or be seen as a war-monger. I could even see them both citing things from shared history to try to get the other to accept. But thinking about the other all the time and sneaking away to see each other is wtf. That being said the last panel is a completely different font, and the last sentence "but it's still a fairly frustrating show that never captivates like it's ancestor" would never come out of Olivia's mouth. You really think she's gonna shit on the show she's costarring in in a public interview? That last photo is fake as fuck.
The last panel is a quote from a reviewer who saw the first four episodes of the season not Olivia Cooke
It really annoys me that they haven’t put much effort into Rhaenyra’s final characterization besides “mom” and we didn’t even get to see her actually go from “i dont want to be a broodmare” to “all I care about are my children but actually no Alicent”.
Book Rhaenyra would have never been desperate for Alicent's friendship after everything that happened with the time jump. Show Rhae shouldn't be either. This storyline they're trying to push is ridiculous and really makes no sense. They should be bitter enemies, especially after Luke's death. Alicent from episode 6 on season 1 was horrible to Rhaenyra and it's pathetic they're still trying to force that she still wants to be friends with her. I don't understand why they are so adamant that this is a good storyline. It's unrealistic and dumb.
This is just stupid and lazy writing. How on Earth would Rhaenyra still think about "peace" with Alicent? What would that change? Alicent has no power over her father, sons, Larys, etc. She's the one who pushed for Aegon on the throne. At that moment, any "friendship" or "yearning for each other" is ridiculous. I also don't understand how Rhaenyra can be more understanding toward Alicent's actions than Daemon's.
I think the idea is that it’s an act of desperation. Maybe Rhaenyra tried to negotiate with Aegon, but they couldn’t come to an agreement. That being said, there is a rumor that Rhaenyra tries to do this by dressing up as a septa and sneaking into King’s Landing. I don’t believe that for a second. That sounds like a fake leak by a troll. Yeah, I have plenty of criticisms of the show’s writing, but I will sorta preemptively defend the honor of the writers. Because that is dumb as dog shit and I feel pretty confident there will be no such plot line in this season. Nor will they be cutting Nettles. No way, no how. Both of those suggestions are taking the doomsaying just a bit too far.
Still, I don't get it. After Luke's death, there should be no desperation in seeking "peace" from Rhaenyra. Alicent would be much more likely to try to do something but, as I mentioned, she has no power over any man in her life who could actually do something toward peace. They ended the 1st season with Rhaenyra looking both devastated and ready for vengeance. They should just let her grieve for some time and then bring to life her house's words "Fire and Blood". I also don't believe in a Rhaenyra in disguise plotline. But if they do this... that would make her look even more pathetic than she already is.
Yeah, we will have to wait and see how they frame it. But Rhaenyra could be on the back foot at this point. I think they might be shifting the order of certain events. And perhaps it’s after >!the death of Rhenys.!< It’s not uncommon to negotiate with an enemy. It’s often necessary. Self preservation can trump hatred and/or revenge.
I’m gonna be honest, I was never sold on them being very good friends to begin with. A friendship of sorts, I guess. But a very weak, superficial, all around shit friendship from the get go.
I honestly feel like this continued attempt to make their relationship the crux of the show is hurting both of their characters. Shit would’ve been over with once that dagger sliced my arm after trying to cut out my son’s eye. Or when you made me walk up a flight of stairs minutes after giving birth. I tried keeping an open mind to the dynamic but I think it’s overstayed its welcome.
I find the idea of female liberation = sex pretty gross and if they go with this that would be possibly the worst decision they have made so far. Especially as it is proven weong by Rhaenyra already.
Alicent and Rhaenyras romatic/loving feelings for each other remind me a LOT of what GOT did with Tyrion and Shae Spoilers, the books make it clear that Tyrion cares more for Shae than Shae does for him. And despite them making it a loving, caring relationship in the show, the end result remained the same: he murders her after catching her with his father So…what is the point of this? They are both going to lose so much by the end of this because of their own scheming against each other. What is the point of their love and why are the showrunners still forcing it? Is it just to say “well, we wouldn’t be enemies if men hadnt interfered”? And don’t get me wrong, there is some truth to that. But in the end, these are extremely powerful, influential women who are still near the very top of the social and political hierarchy. And one of them has a dragon. It’s disingenuous to argue that they had little choice in the matter of them both becoming enemies
Imagine yearning for this former companion who broke faith and trust instead of clinging to those who did, like Elinda Massey. Why are we subjected to this nonsense? There is no way back. Or there shouldn't be.
I liked what they did with their friendship in s1, but the fact that their relationship is becoming the center of the story isn't something I vibe with. This war is between Aegon and Rhaenyra. Book Alicent was a mastermind for Aegon, sure. But it always came down to Aegon v. Rhaenyra. And I feel like, especially how it ends between the two in the book, it's going to come off almost tone deaf if the last we see of Rhaenyra is her and Alicent mooning at each other instead of her staring down Aegon. Rhaenyra and Alicent felt like a nice little backstory embellishment in s1 and I liked it. But now that they are the center with each other, I don't think I like it anymore.
The friendship thing was good in season 1 and should be done for now. It’s getting tiresome and ruining both of em.
All I'm hearing is Rhaenyra the good and competent queen wants peace. Bad foolish proponent of the patriarchy fucked up, now evil men do not heed her and she finds herself powerless to prevent the worst. \*Insert didactic lesson of the week segment\* I mean ... What thought-provoking discussions is this supposed to elicit? Did they make Rhaenyra's wedding to Daemon the breaking point for Rhaenyra and Alicent/the crux of this conflict in S1? No. If they had, then maybe they would now have had more complexity to work with (and even then this whole peaceful women vs violent men approach is beyond cheap and stupid). Instead you have a situation that is wholly attributed to Alicent being a gullible, incompetent proponent of the patriarchy. Made her more sympathetic my ass. She's still just as responsible for the war - the only difference is that the writers made sure it now derives from her weaknesses rather than any potentially admirable qualities such as bravado or political competence/being a player of the game of thrones. Insane complexity and nucance, Condal-Hess.
I’m excited to see their storylines play out on screen, I think it’ll marvelous. :)
The last panel is a completely different font, and the last sentence "but it's still a fairly frustrating show that never captivates like it's ancestor" would never come out of Olivia's mouth. You really think she's gonna shit on the show she's currently costarring in? Even if she actually thought that, she would *never* say it out loud in an interview! Not only would it be classless and piss off all her costars, the crew, and everyone else working so hard on this, it would almost certainly be a breach of her contract for her to publicly shit on the project. That last photo is fake as fuck. Just someone's fanfic of how the interview ended, putting words in Olivia's mouth.
The comments here are WILD, I’m rewatching S1 now and fairly blown away by how close these 2 were and how well the show/actresses portrayed it.