mouthporn.net
#hotd – @arabian-bloodstream on Tumblr
Avatar

arabian_bloodstream

@arabian-bloodstream / arabian-bloodstream.tumblr.com

AdamDriver. MatthewGrayGubler. MaisieWilliams. DemiLovato. KellyClarkson. HOTD/GOT. SW. TVD. ST:SNW Gendrya. Reylo. Delena. Daemrya. Caryl. AryaStark. RhaenryaTargaryen. DaenerysTargaryen
PostsLikes
Avatar

HOTD S2 Finale-I Haz Thoughts

Thoughts on the finale. Just gonna bullet-point this bad boy. It's still long.

  • I loved every Daemon scene. Period. Love his friendship with goth girl Alys. (Soooo glad they didn't ruin it by throwing needless sexually-tinged stuffies in there, yay!)
  • Loved the vision so much. So cool. Beautifully directed, beautifully shot. Bloodraven! DANY!! THE Prince(ss) That Was Promised!! YAAASS! Rhaenyra on the throne! Woohoo!
  • Boo to Lord Alfred! I was rooting for you! We were ALL ROOTING FOR YOU! I thought he was the one lord who was true and faithful to Rhaenyra, but nooooooo! He betrayed Rhaenyra so easily. For shame. I loved the look Daemon gave him. It was easy enough to read his thoughts with it, but I understood why Ser Simon didn't understand. Good thing too though cuz reached out to Rhae-rhae and got her to Harrenhal.
  • Oh, Ser Simon Strong, I love you so. He continued to be the scene-stealer of the season. All the way to the end. Please tell me you all noticed him behind Rhaenyra when the army was shouting and cheering "For the Queen!" He was smiling and clapping like 'OK, this is good then, yay!'
  • Speaking of… loved the Daemon/Rhaenyra scene. Caraxes reacting to Syrax. Rhaenyra walking in, the soldiers parting as Daemon walked toward her. Their discussion in Valyrian, and then kneeling before her. The hand holding, the near-forehead bump. The little tease. All of it. Good stuff. Buuut, I'm not going to lie. It could have been better… or at least we could have had more. They haven't seen in each other in months. WE haven't seen them together all season, and their only full-fledged scene was their fight in episode three. That we didn't get another scene between the two was some pretty wild bullpucky.
  • Loved the (ONE) Baela/Jace scene. Woulda been nice to actually, finally get a kiss there. Psst, btw, Jace, you were pouting.
  • All the time spent on the triarchy, I just… why was this introduced now? In the finale? I mean, like why? Every time we went back to them, I was like… really? You're wasting time on this here? Now? In the finale?
  • The pacing was really bad, like REALLY bad. Let's go back to the triarchy scenes. You had Tyland and Captain lady fighting in the mud, goes on seemingly forever, and THEN about 15 seconds of Rhaena once again running across the Vale, and THEN we go back to Tyland and Captain lady now eating dinner. I mean, for real? What kind of scripting/pacing is that? So bad. There was no graceful connective tissue between so many of the scenes.
  • Speaking of more bad pacing… Rhaenyra is with Daemon at Harrenhal. And then the next scene she's back at Dragonstone talking to Mysaria, like… what? It's just bad. Sigh. I did, however, like the conversation between Rhaenyra and Mysaria. I like that Rhaenyra is still thinking of the people. She doesn't want to unnecessarily kill.

With that said, I understand why Emma thought it best that Rhaenyra and Mysaria just kiss instead of the baiting. It made sense in that scene. Rhaenyra was frustrated with Daemon. He'd left her for so long. The show did a TERRIBLE job in showing just how long it'd been -- but it had been months. She was angry and alone and when Daemon left her frustrated, angry and alone, when he abandoned her, she turned to the arms of another (Criston, Harwin). So, yes, she kissed Mysaria. It made sense. It was all about Daemon. HOWEVER, the problem with that is no other adjustments were made. The following episode 2.07, and this one which featured scenes between the two showed no sign at all that something had happened. If there had been a smirk at the beginning of their scene in 2.07, a look of 'well, that happened, moving on,' just something. But, alas, nothing.

I suppose one could then tie it to that, well, then the kiss was that after all… nothing.

  • Huzzah! Criston Cole was not my most hated character in this episode! Congrats to him. I'd say self-awareness becomes him, but his desires leading him astray doesn't excuse the shit-way he talks about Rhaenyra and blames her for his own failings. He still sucks. Whatever, I still didn't loathe him the mostest. Nopers. That role went to Aemond. Gosh, I despise him. He's just so awful. Burning a whole Castle and its peeps because he was thwarted. Being verbally and physically abusive to the sweet Haelena (whom Rhaenyra continues to be so awesome about). Ugh, he's awful.
  • The wandering of Rhaena on the Vale snippets was just not well done. Especially the bit near the stream. So, she's clearly desperate for water. Yet, she only notices it when she's like two feet away from it, and she runs like to only a certain section of it that's farther away from her? It was very weird blocking. I expect better from Geeta Patel. She's directed some of my favorite episodes.
  • I guess the Rhaenyra and Alicent scene was good; I am just so tired of them shoving those two down my throats that I just can't. I think I'll enjoy it better when I binge both seasons. The final two shots paralleling Rhaenyra being locked up as behind the grate while Alicent was free was a good one except for one thing. Rhaenyra has always been JUST AS LOCKED UP as Alicent but only in different ways. It's only stupid Alicent (and stupid green fans) that have been unable to see that. Rhaenyra was not able to marry the man she truly wanted for years. Rhaenyra was punished and hated (and still is) for being female. Rhaenyra ONLY had her crown stolen because she was a woman. Baela told Jace true, there have been other crown princes who were bastards but no one said a word. Jace is only talked about because his parent is a female.
  • Ulf is funny, but ooh, he got on my last nerve. That is your queen, dumbfuck! What a rude oaf, he is. You're sitting at the table of the freaking queen!! Still, Jace could have handled him with more grace putting him in his place.
  • I felt for Alun, but my goodness, their story is soooo boring. The women + Addam are the only interesting part of this family.
  • There was just too, too much going on in this finale. Which makes sense. They had enough going on for at least, oh, I don't know, one or two more episodes. Rhaena (as always) got shortchanged. The triarchy story was just thrown in to this final episode and was a big ole WTF? Jace and Baela (as always) got shortchanged.
  • The ending with all the different peeps getting ready for war, ooh, blue dragon we don't know! (Yes, I know it's Dareon's) was all cool and everything, but yeah, it just didn't really get me hepped up. Honestly, minus the Daemon vision, Daemon/Rhaenyra scene, I just was like, a'right dawg. Last week's episode was so much better. The ending of last week's episode was fist bump YEAH! I mean, imagine if we'd had the Daemon vision scene, Daemon/Alfred, Rhaenyra receiving raven, and Daemon/Rhaenyra scenes included in that episode and THAT was the season finale. What an ending THAT would have been. Daemon and Rhaenyra reunited. Rhaenyra has her army. Ending the show on Rhaenyra and all those dragons. That would have been HELL YEAH!

This was just, eh, OK. I dunno. This just didn't feel like a finale, although they tried it with the final scene with all the peeps marching and swelling music/vocalizing, but it just didn't hit for me. Maybe a rewatch will make me think differently. I dunno.

I guess just for funzies, I should take a bow. I maintained through most of the season that the Daemon arc was about figuring out that he was meant to be by Rhaenyra's side. Figure out his place, and be her loyal subject. She was his queen, and have no more doubts, and here we are. Yay!

#hotd s2#rhaenyra targaryen#daemon x rhaenrya#house of the dragon#hotd#daemyra
Avatar
reblogged
Avatar
luthien-under-bough

my meandering thoughts after ep7:

i think a lot of people are overlooking the importance of daemon's scenes in episode 7 in focusing so much on oscar tully. like ok sure it is objectively funny to see daemon be read for filth by a teenager, but this is not some meta punishment doled out by the writers because they hate his character - or even oscar "gagging" daemon. this is daemon directly responding to rhaenyra's accusation during their ep2 argument: "I think you used my words as an excuse to take your own revenge… to indulge the darkness you keep sheathed within you like a blade." Oscar's own words to willem blackwood call back to this: "it is true that he made clear his base desires, but you did not have to pursue such savagery. You did it… because you wanted to."

like yes, daemon is being humbled, but he is also specifically acting contrary to his own desires, and choosing to do what is necessary in service to rhaenyra's claim. it's obvious in the look he shares with ser simon, and in his shifting expression from anger to acceptance as he realizes he must do this to earn the crucial support of the riverlords. i do not think the daemon of episode 2/3 would have responded this way. he would have given into that impulse that's telling him to smack oscar around and burn the lot of them. he is putting aside what he would do, in favor of what rhaenyra needs him to do.

And the look on his face afterwards is full of horror - for the first time we really see him haunted by his own act of violence, when we've typically seem him remorseless or flippant (rhea royce, vaemond velaryon, the unnamed body they used for laenor's "death") if it advances his aims. this contrasts with rhaenyra in this same episode, where we see her really indulging in violence for the first time - she sacrifices the dragonseeds in pursuit of finding new dragonriders, which is also a repudiation of her and daemon's earlier argument, where he accused her of being too weak to spill blood to achieve greatness.

(literally everything they do ties back to one another, their influence on one another, and which parts of each other and viserys they choose to internalize and express - two halves of a whole, indeed - so it baffles me that most daemyras are unsatisfied with this storyline just because they aren't physically together, but that's a story for another post)

daemon's scene in the Harrenhal godswood leads directly into the vision with viserys, where he is confronted with the question of whether or not he still wants the crown (really, if he ever actually wanted it - or was it just a symbol of his brother's love, of recognition, of the ultimate tool to achieve power and respect in this world). he's just had to make a choice and take an action that conflicts with his own worldview, of what strength and loyalty means, of the acceptability to the ends justifying the means, of the ramifications of the collateral damage that such choices have - which is all tied into the true weight of bearing the crown. is he really cut out for this? i think it's clear the answer will be 'no' - and it will reaffirm his support for rhaenyra, at the same time her own journey has brought her to a place where she has found a way to wield her power and authority in a way that can be respected (and feared) and is independent of her reliance on daemon's martial prowess and masculinity.

if there's still any doubt that daemon's visions all have purpose and are moving him forward, i really don't know what to tell you. it's frustrating to see his arc reduced to "daemon is doing nothing all season" because most of it has been internal. both daemon and rhaenyra have grown from the accusations levied at one another in their argument, and i think are positioned well for a reunion that allows them to "finish their conversation" from a place where they are both more able to function within the parameters of their strange and unique relationship as sovereign/consort, husband/wife. uncle/niece, and even brother/sister (as their relationship to viserys is very much reminiscent of siblings competing for their father's love and attention). it's a very clear arc to me, and i am very excited to see how it all comes together in the finale (as well as how this sets the stage for future conflict between them).

(the " but in the book…" arguments about daemon at this point are also weak IMO, because daemon basically does nothing during this section in the book. and because the show has added different dimensions to his character that simply do not exist in the source material. his time in harrenhal is summed up in a couple of paragraphs. the riverlords all honor their oaths without conflict - and he fights in the battle of Stone Hedge, which you can mourn as an adaptational choice you do not agree with, but personally i think it's far less interesting than what we were given in the show.)

this is where i wish the fandom at large would give the writers a little more credit, and extend your faith a little further. sure there are some odd choices throughout, and yes they have taken adaptational liberties you may not agree with - but as we near the end of the season, the overall vision for daemon (and rhaenyra) is clearer, and i think it will be even more rewarding looking back on the season as a whole.

Avatar
arabian-bloodstream

Thank you, thank you. I just cannot anymore with the vaaaaast majority of commentary on this season. I just cannot.

#daemrya#daemon targaryen#rhaenyra targaryen#daemon x rhaenrya#hotd#house of the dragon#critical anaylsis ftw
Avatar

I love Jace, but he's being a stoopy-head. His father, Laenor, his grandsire, Corlys Velaryeon, his grandsire, THE KING, all confirmed him as legitimate. And when he takes the throne, he will be the king. King as in MALE, so no one will care anymore.

The issue was never him nor his brother's bastardy truly. It was that their mother, a female, was named the heir.

#rhaenyra targaryen#jacerys velaryon#misogyny#hotd#house of the dragon
Avatar
reblogged
Avatar
sankta-wraith

One thing I think is really important when it comes to understanding Daemon and Rhaenyra's relashionship is the fact that Daemon doesn't show his love through words, he does it through actions. Quite frankly I'm not sure he knows how to verbally express love. He can't support her emotionally, but he can still do ther things for her.I think this is shown really well in season 1 episode 10 and season 2 episode 1.

When Rhaenyra learns of her father's death and the Green's usurpation of her throne, she goes into premature labor almost imediatly, so there is no time for her to start planning her bid for the Iron Throne. Daemon takes the liberty of starting to plan the beginings of the war, and in doing so leaves Rhaenyre to endure childbirth alone. There is a very memorable scene in which Daemon schemes with Rhaenyra's small council at the Painted Table, whilst Rhaenyra screams in the background, even calling out for him at one point. Daemon makes no move to go to her and simply continues to plan a war, at least until Jace informs him that Rhaenyra doesn't want anything done until she is able to join them. Even then he does not join her. He goes to threaten two members of the Kingsguard with Caraxes, so as to ascertain that they will remain loyal to Rhaenyra. Now, when I first watched this scene, I, and probably everyone else, assumed that Daemon was taking the opportunity provided by Rhaenyra's premature labor to seize control and have the war start on his terms. Rhaenyra also seems to believe this, as when Jace inquires about Daemon's wherabouts she say "Off planning his war." However, upon rewatching that episode, I think that think that Daemon refusing to attend Rhaenyra in her labors and instead planning a war for her, is actually his way of trying to help her. Daemon is thinking that, while he does not know how to comfort her, and hold her hand, and help her through childbirth, he does know a thing or two about war. In his mind, he's essentially saying something along the lines of "I cannot help you there, so let me remain here where I am of use to you," because, as I said above, Daemon expresses love through his actions, not his words. I think at least part of him wants to be there fore Rhaenyra, but he just doesn't know what he can say or do that would help her, so he focuses on what he can do: getting the council together and etarting to plan, so that when Rhaenyra is comes back he can show her that he's done something of use.

Then, when the child is stillborn, Rhaenyra once again needs comfort and reassurance that Daemon just does not know how to give. There is a scene of them, standing in front of their daughters funeral pyre, and you can see him give this very concerned look, and kind of glance over like he wants to say something, but he doesn't, because he just does not know what he's supposed to say. Then Ser Erryk (or maybe Arryk, I can never remember,) arrives with the crown, and Daemon is relieved because he might not be able to offer her kind words, but he can be the one to put that crown on her head. A gesture that is even more meaningful if you consider how much he wants that crown. By being the one to physically place the crown on her head, he is telling her "I'm sorry that I can't be there for you, but I love you and I will support you." Then they go back to the war council, and Rhaenyra is asking about their numbers, and Daemon is the first one to speak. He starts talking almost before Rhaenyra finishes asking, he seems almost eager (even thought their numbers are nothing to be eager about,) because she's finally asking him for something he can give. This is his chance to show her that, even if he cannot be there for her emotionally, he can still do this. He can organize this war and help her win, and do damn good job of it. This is really how Daemon says "I love you."

Then fast forward to 2x01, and Luke is dead, and Rhaenyra once again needs a level of emotional support he's simply not equipped to give, only this time, there is nothing else he can do to help her. He tries to convince Rhaenys to fly to Kings Landing, but she refuses, so he can nothing except sit around, helplessly, while Rhaenyra mourns. Then she comes back, and he tries to be supportive, by asking if she "found what she needed," but she doesn't answer him. Instead, she declares that the "wants Aemond Targaryen." In Daemon's mind, she has essentially told him that to comfort her, he must have Aemond killed. So he uses his contacts in the City Watch to arrange it. I think one of the reasoms he gave Blood and Cheese such vague intructions as to what to do if they can't find Aemond, is becuase he needs something for Rhaenyra. He cant be helpless any more. (Note: I am in no way condoning Blood and Cheese, or saying that Daemon did the right thing. I am simply trying to understand him and his choices better. Please dont come after me.) But then it fails. Catastrophically. And not only Daemon failed to help Rhaenyra, he has made things much worse.

So he goes to Harrenhal to get the support of the river lords. But, so far, he has achieved next to nothing. (Obviosly he's been busy with the hauntings and home renovations.) But he will not admit to Rhaenyra that he's failing miserably, so he ignores her ravens and sends none of his own. (I don't believe any of the bullshit Ryan Condal is trying to spin about him betraying her.) Because he will not go back to Dragonstone empty handed. Because to Daemon, that would be like telling Rhaenyra he doesn't love her anymore.

Avatar
arabian-bloodstream

Oh, this is brilliant, and I love it so hard. Daemon and Rhaenyra deeply love each other, but I do think their communication skills when it comes to that damn crown are lacking.

#daemyra#daemon targeryan#rhaenyra x daemon#hotd#house of the dragon#rhaenyra targaryen
Avatar

OK, so, I've been reading a lot o' comments about how Rhaenyra is so different from Young!Rhaenyra, and things that Rhaenyra is doing now is so stupid and/or OOC. And I'm like, nuh uh! Like, no. What we've been seeing this season just follows the same exact pattern as Young!Rhaenyra. Let me elucidate:

Scenario 01: Dangerous situation, Rhaenyra wants to avoid bloodshed, menfolk tell her nope, nope, nopeity-nope!, Rhaenyra ignores them and runs off in secret to handle the situation herself. Why? Because she has a connection with this person. Even if they are not exactly on the best terms right now, there is still a connection between them bred over many years and she truly believes that she, and she alone, can get through to them and avoid bloodshed. So, she goes.

Dangerous situation =

- (S1) Dragonstone mini-armies facing off when Daemon stole Baelon's egg

- (S2) King's Landing under TargTower rule

Person she has connection with/not on best terms =

- (S1) Daemon

- (S2) Alicent

Was it stupid that she went into King's Landing to speak to Alicent? Yes! Could she have gotten herself killed? Yes! Against the counsel of all those around her? Yes. Did she not do the exact very thing in S1? Yes, yes, she did! It was a bold, reckless move. It paid off in S1. Had Alicent ANY power now, it *could* have paid off in S2. Unfortunately, for Rhaenyra, Alicent has zero, nada, zip power.

Scenario 02: Rhaenyra is abandoned by Daemon. She gets her groove on with someone else.

- (S1) Criston Cole, Harwin Strong

- (S2) Mysaria

Ya'll want Rhaenyra to act like Young!Rhaenyra, and yet when she does, you cry foul. Noooo! But, my Daemyra fam, THIS IS RHAENYRA. She's a royal who gets what she wants, and when she doesn't get it, she fills the void. It doesn't mean that she doesn't love Daemon with all of her heart. It means that she's not perfect. It means that she has lived a certain life, a certain way and right now she is frustrated beyond all measure because like when she felt suffocated when she was younger, she wants to break out, break free.

Daemon gave her a window briefly and then left her. Mysaria is giving her that window too, but Rhaenyra doesn't love her. She loves Daemon, so Mysaria is her Daemon-substitute. I've talked much of Daemon's journey/arc this season. Well, Rhaenyra has her own arc. She's been sitting around, suffocating, and waiting for Daemon to come home. Like she waited for him when she was young.

Well, maybe her journey is that this time she's not going to wait. She's going to break her pattern and go after him. Instead of replacing him, she's going to find him and put him in his place.

We'll see.

#rhaenyra targaryen#daemon x rhaenrya#daemyra#hotd#house of the dragon#daemon targeryan
Avatar

So, I read from an interview with Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria) that in the script there was just supposed to be a moment, a breath with Rhaenyra and Mysaria where it was obvious they were going to kiss and then they get interrupted but they don't, you know, {teeheehee} actually kiss. (That's me paraphrasing, mind you.) Emma D'Arcy stepped in and thought it would be better if the two did.

Aside from the obvious cut it out with the bullshit queerbaiting because this isn't about either character being queer. Mysaria is an opportunist who will fuck anyone to save her own skin and get ahead. And Rhaenyra is a sexual, passionate being and this moment was not about her being "queer." It was about her being lonely and vulnerable, and Mysaria was a warm body standing in for Daemon (just as Criston, and Harwin were, sorry to say, but true).

As for the in-story reason that Emma was right is because had it been kept as was in script it would have indeed been a moment. It would become a moment of yearning, longing between the two women, one that lingered in the air and created this deeper intimacy between them that became about the two of them that went beyond physicality. By making it physical, by making it a kiss, it made it exactly as what it was... which was Rhaenyra giving into her loneliness, her vulnerability, her missing Daemon.

So, yuppers, Emma was right. They know their character and what is best for the Daemyra love story. Keeping it as a "just a moment" would have diminished Daemyra. Since Daemon had abandoned her again, left Rhaenyra with no word for months, ignoring her ravens, she felt that she was once more alone and that they were, in her words, "over." So, Rhaenyra did what she had done when he abandoned her in the past: She turned to another momentarily to fill the hole he left in her.

#emma d'arcy#rhaenyra targaryen#daemyra#daemyra positivity#hotd#house of the dragon
Avatar
Anonymous asked:

i like your theory and it makes sense yo me but I honestly can’t imagine them ever writing jealous scored lover mysaria turns rheanyra against daemon just based on how they write female characters. not a single one is allowed to be a schemer or is whitewashed of major flaws or made into a victim. They’re going on in interviews about their pure beautiful connection and moment of honesty and seeing the fandom celebrating bi rheanyra. i don’t believe they’ll turn that into a dark jealousy plot for the sake of daemon/rheanyra

I disagree. I don't think that they have whitewashed Alicent. I don't believe they have whitewashed Rhaenyra. I believe they have given both layers and made them both more fascinating women, three-dimensional rather than the two who were written as evil harpies, madonnas or whores as seen by the men in their writings in F&B. (Still, don't like Alicent and I think she sucks royal monkey balls, but that's me. I'm allowed to have my opinion. And if you feel they've been whitewashed, well, we disagree. Fair enough.)

As for the fandom celebrating Rhaenyra's bisexuality. It's great that they find joy in that because the show is making it a natural part of the story. It's not THE story, though. And I hope they realize that. Rhaenyra being bisexual means nothing in this story. If anyone thinks that they aren't seeing the forest for the trees.

There is a story, an arc playing out here. It's not about Rhaenyra being a bisexual woman. It's about Rhaenyra being an isolated powerful woman who has been betrayed, who is angry and frustrated. And here is a person who is listening. Who respects her. Who is giving her physical companionship. And Rhaenyra is a passionate, sexual being and it just happened to be a woman who was there providing the solace, respect and warm body when her soulmate upped and took off.

Again. Damnit, Daemon!

#Rhaenyra Targaryen#Rhaenyra x Daemon#hotd 2x06#Daemon x Rhaenyra#house of the dragon#hotd
Avatar

HOTD - 2.06 "Smallfolk" I haz thoughts

A few quick thoughts about the episode… Heads-up, I will be vaguely referencing spoilers for Fire & Blood, so I want to give peeps a warning about that. I'm not going into any specifics, but I do mention something from that, so, yeah.

First, the Rhaenyra & Mysaria scene. My first reaction, uhm OK. My second, OK, this makes sense. Lemme break this down why I think it makes sense, why it didn't surprise me, why I thought the set-up has been building throughout (a) the series, (b) this season, (c) this episode, (d) this scene, and (e) the point of it moving forward -- note, this is the where the F&B spoilers come in.

(a) Mysaria was introduced as someone who mostly trusted Daemon. Who put her faith, more or less, in him even if she had one foot out the door and had her back-up plan ready to go. She also knew that Daemon had a soft spot for someone with silver hair (uh huh). Daemon didn't respect her, didn't listen to her, speak to her, treat her even remotely as an equal. However….

(b) Rhaenyra has been doing so. Rhaenyra has been fair. Rhaenyra has listened to her counsel. Rhaenyra has shown herself the opposite of Daemon. Mysaria can see why Daemon was so in love with Rhaenyra now. Mysaria is revealing herself to Rhaenyra, showing her vulnerability and trust because Rhaenyra has done the same to her. Showing her equality. And this companionship has been growing all season.

(c) In this episode in particular, we turn to Rhaenyra. She has been abandoned by Daemon again. She's heard no word from him. She's sent ravens. Nothing. She lost Rhaenys, her most stalwart supporter on the council. Because of Daemon going off and ignoring her, she had to send her second-most stalwart supporter, Lord Alfred, to go find out what is going on with Daemon. This leaves her with a bunch of men who don't respect her, don't listen to her, talk over her. Even Jace, though he loves her, he clearly doesn't think she can do it without Daemon. So, as she said, all she's hearing is Daemon, Daemon, Daemon

And Daemon, Daemon, Daemon flounced off and abandoned her! Well, the last time that Daemon flounced off, he was gone for ten years! That's why she told Mysaria, the ONLY person she can talk to about this because everyone else is telling her, well, you need Daemon!, that she has to do this on her own. Because, well, what if Daemon doesn't come back? She can't make plans for when he comes back if he doesn't because she doesn't know because Daemon isn't answering her texts! He has ghosted her.

Her feelings about Daemon were made abundantly clear in this episode. She told Mysaria that she and Daemon were over. Literally said those words.

Now, let us circle back to her big fight with Daemon the last time they spoke. She asked him if he was ready to accept her as his ruler and queen. He did not answer. In that fight, they were both playing the role of ruler/subject and lovers, and both roles ended without resolution and Rhaenyra has been left hanging waiting, waiting, waiting, unfulfilled. Now, here comes Mysaria, who was a courtesan. Who knows how to fulfill a role. Who knows that Rhaenyra is isolated, alone, missing her husband, angry with her husband, and frustrated beyond all measure.

And, I genuinely believe--could be wrong, but I think it's the case--that Mysaria meant what she said to Rhaenyra. She believes in her. She believes she should be queen. She believes in her. She believes that Rhaenyra cares for her and sees her as her equal, so when Rhaenyra, the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, took her in her arms in an embrace, Mysaria took it a deep further. She sniffed her neck, she made it sexual, and Rhaenyra, who we know in her youth had an affection for Allicent--she wanted to run away with her at one point, that was not said in jest--was affected.

Let us look at Rhaenyra in this moment, angry, frustrated, hurt, betrayed by her husband. She knows that there is the VERY real possibility that Daemon is raising a host in his OWN name, turning against her. More than that, she is alone, has been alone in that big empty bed. She and Daemon are a passionate couple, we know that about them (although, it would be nice to see more of it, ahem). How often have we seen Rhaenyra in that big empty bed on her side leaving his empty? They clearly sleep together in that bed. But he's gone and she has not had physical touch beyond that moment when Jace crumpled. Her son calls her "Your Grace." Everyone keeps their distance but for dressing her from her servants. Rhaenyra has been in isolation.

Thus this moment.

But what happens when Daemon comes back? When Daemon answers Rhaenyra's question with a resounding, definitive YES! I accept you as my queen and ruler! as I believe he will. When Daemon and Rhaenyra are once more on the same page. Ie., Daemon's arc. Well, that brings us to…

e) As (d) I'm hoping made clear, while I do think that Rhaenyra values Mysaria's counsel, physically, she is just a substitute for what she does not have right now which is her husband. Mysaria is just a warm body, and Rhaenyra gave in to that moment because she believes that Daemon and she are over. However, once the two are reunited again, Mysaria will be forgotten in a romantic/sexual fashion, I believe, and her counsel may be lessened as well. Likely because Daemon will be disparaging her at every turn.

And this is where Fire & Blood comes in. From what we know Mysaria whispers not so pleasant things about Daemon to Rhaenyra to fuel paranoia against him. My conjecture after this episode is that we now have our reason. It is one of two things. Either she wants to punish both Rhaenyra and Daemon, Daemon just because she hates him still, and Rhaenyra for not loving her/ignoring her. Or, she wants to keep the two at odds because it's only when they are at odds that she has Rhaenyra to herself. Either way, it makes sense.

Phew! Now a few other things…

  • I really hope that Alys doesn't betray Daemon or they don't turn their relationship into something sexual because I really like the idea of them as friends. I really do. Daemon needs a real friend. And as fucked up as his visions are, I genuinely think they are going to help him in the end.
  • Viserys! I was all… VISERYS! Daemon really needed to see his bro again. And I did enjoy those two scenes, I did. Paddy!!
  • You know, I still have zero sympathy for Alicent. Reaping the consequences of your actions there. Yup.
  • Seasmoke chasing down Addam was awesome. I yelped/laughed when he pounced.
  • I am sorry, but the disparity in screentime for the Greens vs the Blacks is ridiculous! The first half was heavy TG and light TB. Now we're in the second half and sure it's heavier TB, but we're STILL seeing TG on a decent scale. In the first half, Rhaenyra was barely seen while Alicent was all over. And whaddya know? We're finally getting more Rhaenyra, and, hmm, Alicent is still getting tons of screentime. Grrrr!!!
  • Gay Abandon. I just can't.

OK, I lied. They weren't quick.

#rhaenyra targaryen#daemyra positivity#daemon x rhaenyra#daemyra#fire and blood spoilers#hotd#house of the dragon#daemon targaryen#f&b spoilers#mysaria
Avatar
Anonymous asked:

This was one of the best reviews I've seen so far on Daemyra and the last episode. And I hope you're right. Even though I'm really down after Ryan and Sara's interviews

Thank you.

Re: interviews with cast and crew, honestly, I generally ignore them for three reasons.

1.) THIS ONE MOST IMPORTANT <- They are marketing a product. And they aren't necessarily telling the truth. They want to keep ppl on their toes.

Example: The Vampire Diaries, an actor was literally giving an interview during the ep where his character has sexytiemes for the first times with another, and his comments made it sound like his partner was getting back together with her ex. Hah!

2.) We have to remember that they are giving interviews for the entire audience, not just Daemyra/Daemon fans. Also, keep in mind, they are not just writing the show about Daemyra/Daemon so when they write/speak it is about the entirety of the HOTD world.

3.) Every single cast/crew person has their personal POV that is going to bleed into their interviews after the fact. HOWEVER, even if Ryan is the exec producer, and Hess seems to be his righthand woman, they don't write every episode, or direct them, nor are they the actors therefore the lines, the choices made in direction, the nuance in style, in performance are not from them.

And the overall story--clear enough from Condal/Hess quotes about Daemyra--tells us that we're good.

#daemyra#daemon x rhaenyra#daemon targaryen#hotd#house of the dragon#daemyra positivity
Avatar
reblogged
Avatar
alicentwhore

Okay we’re all making jokes about Daemon’s little Oedipal episode but I do think it is a really good way to show just how the Targ incest-superiority-exceptionalism fucks everyone in this family up. You get taught literally from birth to find romantic and sexual intimacy in your familial relationships.

You’re Daemon. You’re a son so you ought to marry your sister. But you have no sister, only an older brother who REALLY ought to have a sister to marry. And this is how things must be. Your parents are brother and sister, THEIR parents are brother and sister. It must be brother and sister but you have no sister. Do you become the sister then? But you can’t, because that’s wrong too. You are a son, you must be a son and act as a son. And you should love your brother as only a brother. And this is how things must be. But how can you when you’ve been taught not to? How can you when you know if you had been a girl, you wouldn’t be allowed to just see him as a brother. He is your brother. You should have been his wife. But you never can be. And this is how things must be. You never knew your mother. But she is a woman and she is related to you. And haven’t you always been taught exactly what that means in this family? You’ve crossed so many boundaries but now suddenly there is a line. You don’t think you really want her in this way. But you never knew her and you don’t know how else to show love in this family. You don’t know how to love her as family in a life where family means lover. Except when it doesn’t. And gods forbid you cross that line and desire your family in a way that is suddenly wrong. This is how things must be.

Avatar
arabian-bloodstream

Yes, yes, yes! BRILLIANT TAKE ON THIS!

#daemon targaryen#hotd#house of the dragon#critical analysis ftw
Avatar
reblogged
Avatar
midlandslady

So let me say this:

Geeta Patel wrote season 1 episode 8. That was one of my fave episodes ever! Viserys wishing for one last dinner with the entire family (poor Daeron LOL), Viserys so weak and frail entering the throne room to defend his beloved daughter (*forever emotional*), Daemon running from his spot to help Viserys to get on the throne and putting the crown on his head was so beautiful, Daemon cutting Vaemond's head for calling Rhaenyra a whore (most sexy moment in the entire show), the dinner with the family when Viserys begged for them to put aside their hatred and resentment because he loved them all and wished for them to be happy after his death (cries).

Geeta Patel wrote season 2 episode 3. What did we get in episode 3? Young Rhaenyra calling Daemon as soon as he steps in Harrenhal, Daemon crying for seeing young Rhaenyra with baby Jaeherys (again one of my favourite scenes in the entire tv show), Daemon in front of the weirwood trees and Alys telling him he will die there (poetic foreshadowing), Rhaenyra trusting that Daemon will give them an army if they allow him more time. Rhaenyra talking to Alicent in the same spot where they used to be friends and console each other (beautiful parallel). This is what I remember from episode 3. Did something else happen? Probably, I don't remember. Not to say that I don't care because I don't hate the greens (just Criston Cole most days and Aemond although he also intrigues me). Even Aegon is a very pitiful person. I find the entire story very tragic. And this episode touched my heart.

What else is Geeta Patel going to write? Season 2 episode 8 (season finale!!!!) And you know what she said to the interviewer?

"The other thing I got to set up that of course will pay off later is Daemon arrives to Harrenhal, and this is a new chapter for Daemon. This is where he will shift. He will for the first time look within himself... Harrenhal is a metaphor for what's inside Daemon's heart. In Episode 2, Rhaenyra pushed him away, and Rhaenyra is the first person he's ever really let into his heart and let his guard down with, and when he did she hurt him in Episode 2. She basically told him he was worthless, and so now his armor is on as he enters Harrenhal, but truthfully within his heart, the armor is shattered. So that's where the setup starts, and it will keep evolving until we get to Episode 8."

What does this sound like to you? To me, it sounds like music to my ears. Daemon's arc will pay off later... as in he will become a better person? Recognize his mistakes? Understand that Rhaenyra was right and deserves better (arguably but I will get there in a later post) and reconcile with her? Oh my!

He let his guard down when he let Rhaenyra in his heart and she hurt him 🥺 (he deserved it, kind of, I don't know if he deserved to hear that at the time but he surely deserved to hear it at some point).

His armor is on when he enters Harrenhal but within his heart, the armor is shattered!!!! 😭*pain*

I have always said that Daemon is one of the people who feels more deeply everything but he wears an iron mask, he puts up walls so high and hides his feelings through violence so no one can see how much he is hurting on the inside. I relate with that and maybe that's why I always understood him, always tried to see him between the lines of what he says or how he acts.

More than anything I want him to do the right, he doesn't need to be good, he can be flawed as we all are, but I want him to become a better man. His arc will keep evolving until episode 8 so we will see more hallucinations and more craziness but then one of these hallucinations will make him "shift" and I desperately want to see which one and how it happens.

I don't know if any of you watched Once Upon a Time but Emma and Killian were another of my 3 main OTPs and from the moment I saw Killian/ Hook I also envisioned the potential to be a great man. And I felt the same with Daemon from the first moment (of course it's GoT, so everything is more barbaric and ruthless but the essence is there).

Just please I hope he doesn't make more serious mistakes, so far he's not learning much with the visions, he is still committing war crimes to innocent people ("Do your worst, ser Willem." "Some things the crown should not be seen doing" - seriously? As if it won't backfire right away -_-), still clinging to the "I am the better fit to rule".

But these next 2 episodes will be crucial.

My last warning: Alys, stay away from him!

Avatar
arabian-bloodstream

YAAAS! This exactly what I was writing about in my post, The Object of My Ire, Take 2, and what @where-dreams-dwell wrote in Daemon Targaryen's Potential, 1/2 (I don't necessarily agree with the take in part 2, but to each their own. I think the methods the show has xhosen is working brilliantly and is the right one.)

https://www.tumblr.com/arabian-bloodstream/756113638556925952/the-object-of-your-ire-take-2?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/where-dreams-dwell/756172562737905664/daemon-targaryens-potential?source=share

#daemon x rhaenrya#daemon targaryen#daemyra#hotd#house of the dragon#hotd spoilers#f&b spoilers
Avatar

The Object of Your Ire, Take 2

OK, so I've been reading posts on HOTD this season but been quiet, but after this last episode, I had to come out of hiding, because, yeah, I just can't. I called this after season 1, and I think I'm pretty sure where we're headed now. I genuinely do not believe that Daemon is being written out of character, or that this is coming out of nowhere, or that this makes no sense, or that Daemyra are being destroyed. Truly, just be patient. I think we're gonna be good.

I wrote this on October 21, 2022: The Object of Your Ire

And, yeah, I was almost 99% right there, so I've got a pretty good read on the thought process they got going. So, here's my take.

First, let's assess the situation.

Viserys dies. The throne is usurped. Daemon wants to go to war. He has no problem crowning her because they are both fire and blood. However, like Viserys, Rhaenyra cautions temperance. Because of this, Daemon fears she is weak like his brother. Luke is killed and Rhaenyra is enraged, and Daemon thinks now she will be on the same page as him. They will go to war and wipe out the traitors. They will indeed burn together. Instead, due to the Jaehaerys "mistake," Rhaenyra is once more urging caution, and Daemon's not here for that. Rhaenyra finally calls him out on the fact that Viserys didn't trust him, and now she knows that she can't either, not in this very volatile climate.

Daemon is proud and stubborn, and just as he didn't believe that Viserys didn't trust him but it was rather a case of jealousy and his own ego at play cannot see that it truly was the fact that his own intemperate actions pushed Viserys, and now Rhaenyra to this point. So he storms off. Now, in Harrenhal, these visions he is having are bringing home his guilt, parallels to moments in his life with Rhaenyra that pertain to her as heir and him not.

1) The camera work when he "killed" young!Rhaenyra was identical to when Viserys had him on the floor in S1EP4 and Viserys told him he didn't want Rhaenyra he wanted the crown 2) Rhaenyra on the Iron Throne as he walked towards her paralleled when we first saw him and Rhaenyra in the first episode but it was Daemon on the throne 3) Young!Rhaenyra was wearing the same dress that Rhaenyra was wearing when she mentioned Aegon's prophecy to her, the same when he choked her

(Also, someone pointed out that in the actual scene in the 1st episode, Daemon and Rhaenyra spoke Valyrian to each other. In this haunting vision, only young!Rhaenyra is doing so. Daemon is speaking the Common Tongue. He does not want to engage in their "secret language" in this version of young!Rhaenyra because she is not the real Rhaenyra and he knows that.)

So, why? Why is he having these visions? And why did he have the vision of having sex with his mother? Because Daemon has deep-seated issues of guilt and ego, and mommy and daddy-issues. Because Daemon feels like he should have been the one on the throne. That HE was better than Viserys. That HE would have been a better king than Viserys. That he would have been the favored son. But remember… these aren't JUST Daemon's visions, he's also almost assuredly being slipped something from Alys Rivers to hallucinate things. So, there is that. Basically, we're having a deep character dive into Daemon to deal with his guilt over some of the fucked-up things he's done, his issues that are even too much for him, and Alys's woowooaaahh! is pushing that along its way.

Oh, and BTW, that woman in Daemon's hallucination wasn't ACTUALLY Alyssa Targaryen. So, people saying, oh noes, they've ruined Alyssa Targaryen, no, no, they have not. We haven't met the real Alyssa Targaryen. That was some fucked-up concoction of Daemon's deranged psyche, not the real woman. Not by a long shot. Daemon desperately misses his wife, but he messed that up, and can't admit that he messed up. He's not there yet. He can't admit that. He also can't admit that he would make a lousy king. Last we heard him say, he's still saying that he should be king, and Rhaenyra his queen, by his side. Ah, ah, ah, ah, but I think the reason for this arc is to deal with that once and for all….

And there's good news on that front.

I know I'm kinda all over the place here, and I apologize, but there's a crap-ton to unravel. Look, Daemon is a fucking mess. But the first two episodes set this up perfectly to get us where we are and lead us, I believe, to where I think we're going. I could be wrong, absolutely, but I really did nail the whole Daemon/Viserys/Rhaenyra lack of trust/heir messed up in the head thing. I really did. So, I'm kinda trusting my gut here.

So, first couple of episodes, Daemon is itching to do things his way. He can't as he's waiting for the queen's go-ahead, but she's off looking for proof of Luke's death. She finally comes back and gives him that go-ahead. YAY! He thinks, but then he makes a "mistake," and she tears into him, telling him some very hard truths that he is just not willing to hear. So he storms off on his dragon. That's our set-up.

Then the next three episodes have been at first, he's working on getting the army for her, but then it starts to become about well, she's not doing this how I would, and I would be better so I should be the king and she can be my queen, so it should be my army, yeah, yeah, that's the ticket. Except it hasn't been as black and white as that because:

  • He's having all of these visions that are wrecking him, reminding him of how he was not the chosen heir at one point, it was Rhaenyra. (Natch, just like in the real world, Aegon/Alicent were getting that same dose of reality.)
  • He's stomping all over the Riverlands trying to force people to do his bidding as he would if he were king. First he tells the young Tully heir to kill his grandfather (nope, won't do, the kid loves his grandsire), then he threatens to kill the Brackens (or Blackwoods, I forget which, LOL) with dragonfire (nope, they'd rather die), then he's all do war crimes, but not in my name (they do the war crimes, under the Targ flag). In other words, Daemon does everything wrong. He kinda shows that Viserys was right.
  • We have that lovely final shot of him, head bent as he leans against the fireplace that flows directly into from the opposite side --> Rhaenyra leaning against the fireplace, head bent. SOULMATES!
  • Then she has her little talk with Lord Alfred, sending him to Harrenhal to find out what are Daemon's intentions. And there are three very interesting things of note in this scene. 1) That she knows Daemon well enough to know that he might be considering raising a host in his name. Yeah, it's awful of Daemon to even be considering that, but the fact that Rhaenyra knows him THAT WELL, yeah, you go, Rhae-rhae!, 2) Lord Alfred immediately was all like: "His intentions? But, but, but… Prince Daemon would never!" Loved that. Because you know it did not come from a place of Daemon Targaryen is just known for being SUCH a loyal guy, but rather because they know he loves his wife. Uh huh! And 3) Rhaenyra's message: That she wants to finish their conversation. Love, love, love that. Girl is like, babe, we gonna hash this out!
  • Furthermore, we also had Jace (sweet, beautiful, perfect Jace, Iluvusomuch!) having Daemon's back when talking to the Freys, but straight up just expecting Daemon to be there for Rhaenyra because that's just what's been up for so long, and then he cut himself off because of their, erm, "marital spat, but still, yeah, he just, that's his expectation about Daemon when it comes to Rhaenyra, and that just made my heart go SQUEE!
  • On another Jace note with regards to Daemon and the Riverlands, so ya got Daemon there failing spectacularly in his attempt to gain a host, while Jace--using tactics learned from his mother's school of politicking--got a big swath of Riverlands mileage they can use. So, Daemon's whole 'your way sucks, my way is better' isn't quite working which brings me back to eps 1-2 set-up, and what eps 3-5 have been doing for us.

Rhaenyra asked Daemon "Do you accept me as your queen and ruler?" We didn't get an answer. I believe--and I totes, totes could be wrong, but I believe that we are heading toward the moment when Daemon can answer Rhaenyra because he has exorcised enough of his demons that he can finally say yes. He can say yes because he realizes that his way isn't the way. That Viserys didn't trust him because of Daemon's actions, not because of jealousy on his brother's part. And that Rhaenyra following suit wasn't her lack of faith, but Daemon's lack of control. And that is his arc, gaining that realization, and that control, restoring her faith in him.

I think.

#daemon x rhaenyra#daemyra#daemon targaryen#hotd#rhaenyra targaryen#house of the dragon#i haz thoughts#daemyra positivity
Avatar

Me merrily going along and clicking "not interested in this post" on every one that pops up in my FOR YOU tag that bashes HOTD based on the fact that too many these days want instant gratification, their "team" catered to only, refuse to look at the big picture, and simply have no concept of how scenes, dialogue, moments connect to tell a good story. Frankly, it's embarrassing.

#hotd#house of the dragon#ok then#critical thinking in the arts
Avatar
reblogged
Avatar
theobjectofyourire

we NEED to talk about the way they're looking at each other

-They both bear such striking looks of victory. Ten years they've been separated, facing loss and loneliness and a persisting sense of something hollow without the other by their side.

-"I want Rhaenyra," Daemon told his brother, without fear of consequence. "I'll take her as she is," as if he'd want her any other way, "and wed her in the tradition of our house." He didn't care for the ceremony or pomp of Westeros. He didn't want to be wed in the light of the Seven, which undoubtedly felt like a falsehood. "I'll take her as she is." The weight of that admission cannot be overstated.

-From birth, Rhaenyra had tried to live up to the expectations and perceptions of others. For the good of the realm, for the benefit of her father, attempting to stay as true to herself as could while maneuvering a court that was rarely, if ever on her side.

-Daemon was the first to see her as she was, to encourage all that others had chastised, and to celebrate in her truth. "You abandoned me," she tells him, because it's true. He abandoned her to the wolves of King's Landing, of her father's court, without a true defender.

-But she was a child. And perhaps he had truly thought she would be better off without his influence.

-Nothing could be further from the truth.

-In this moment, in the wedding of their choosing, they both share looks not only of victory, but of admiration, love, pride, and above all, a primal possessiveness.

-After so many years of wanting, he is hers. She has taken her fate into her own hands and claimed the Rogue Prince as her husband and consort. The man who always loved her as she was. Who continues to love her as she is.

-He looks at her with a promise. She is his to protect. To defend. His little princess has grown into a fearsome dragon, one who takes what she wants. Never again will he allow anyone to attempt to dampen that fire. Never again will he abandon her.

-He is hers. She is his. And together they will take what is theirs, with fire and blood.

Avatar
arabian-bloodstream

I’M NOT CRYING! IT’S JUST RAINING ON MY FACE!!!!!!!!!!!!

#daemyra#daemon x rhaenyra#daemon targaryen#rhaenyra targaryen#this ship owns my soul#I love them I love them I love them#hotd#house of the dragon
You are using an unsupported browser and things might not work as intended. Please make sure you're using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
mouthporn.net