@horizon-verizon / horizon-verizon.tumblr.com
Portrait Commission❤️🐉
Baela the Brave and Jacaerys the Just; Lord and lady of the seven kingdoms❤️ I was asked to depict Baela and Jacaerys (had he survived) post dance of the dragons and had a lot of free rein so that was fun!
Referenced my lady jane, SapphireAndSage (Etsy) and EnchantedTudorRose (Etsy).
It’s the fact that Jace’s own real prominent memory of Alicent is when she tried to take his little brother’s eye out. For an act he committed (to save Jace mind you) and people were really acting like he doesn’t have a reason to question why his mother would stupidly sneak off to see her when he in fact has every right to ask for answers and right to believe going to her will accomplish nothing. Like it’s not even about the trauma Alicent caused Rhaenrya it’s also about the trauma Alicent caused Rhaenrya’s kids and the fact that they write Rhaenrya as not understanding that will always irk me. Book Rhaenrya’s true love was her kids and if anybody caused them harm it’s on sight forever, Show Rhaenrya legit has to reminded of her children’s trauma (her and Jaces argument in 2x07) and is shown to be annoyed majority of the time she had a conversation with her son.
Yeah that's valid.
"Mom why are you trying to make peace with the horrible woman who wanted to mutilate my 6yo brother when I was like 8 coz I still have vivid nightmares about her coming at us like a shrieking harpy with a knife" -> I would say it's because the authors are horrible shitty writers and TB's kids are all treated as an afterthought.
While we get to endure Aemond's misery and trauma and how he copes with it with a sex worker and excuse me what was the point of that scene (those scenes?) again? Like, yes, he was bullied (and still is by his owm brother, yes he lost an eye, yes his father cared less than his mom (from his perspective), it's all very traumatic but we literally get nothing equivalent for the other side. Rhaena and Baela know their mother committed suicide by dragon and the show is like:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think Rhaena has expressed anything about Luke dying? She might not have cared about him as a betrothed but she could have cared about him as a close family member still! But no instead most of them only seem mildly annoyed but aren't really grieving. Baela is angry at her dad too. That's about it? Even the impact of Rhaenys' death is quickly glossed over.
We do however need to know how sad Aegon is about losing his dick - oh and his dragon too I guess. That was incredibly important after all as GOT has taught us:
Didn’t finish her outfit [tis a stolen breastplate cause she would in fact steal one] but yeah a redraw of Baela the brave yall
BAELA’S ESCAPE Artwork by Diego Gisbert Llorens
Lord Thaddeus was well-liked and respected, and had fought for Queen Rhaenyra in the Dance. Also, the fact that all Lord Rowan’s offspring were male counted heavily in his favor; if he were to father a son with Lady Baela, Aegon III would have a clear successor. But he was also forty years Baela’s elder, bald and big-bellied.
Baela indignantly refused the match—and when the Hand had her confined to her rooms, she escaped by climbing out a window, swapping clothing with a washerwoman, and making her way to the docks, where a fisherman delivered her to Driftmark. A fortnight later, she and Lord Alyn Velaryon were wed.
TG can no longer hide that they are jealous of Daenaera, now the youngest on the island of imagination is that they want Jaehaera to be Baela's "protected" BE FOR REAL
The plot had been lost for some time, markedly for about as long as the main series became a show. It's a canon event.
Jaehaera & Aegon III is just a cope, if they just 'feel bad she died' they could have wanted some other peaceful life for her, but no they want her to be a mother (I've even seen some on Twitter ship her with Aemond's son) & continue the line. The reality is that both were depressed & traumatized, BUT even before B&C Jaehaera did not behave as babies do, her maids claim she has the mind of a 4 year old... so how is ever going to consent to any sexual relations? (we know in asoiaf many 'simple' women get taken advantage of).
Greens are just hypocrites. Crying all day long about bastards, but the only thing left of their line is alleged bastards (since GRRM killed even Gaemon). But sure they don't care about bloodlines. They also "hate house Targaryen", but their favorite Targaryens have the worst qualities house Targaryen has to offer.
They also hate Baela with a passion and make fun of her gettting cheated on, as is Helaena's entire character is not her husband cheating and disregard her. At least Baela lived a fulfilling life.
I write about how Jaehaera's condition isn't conducive to a life of possible multiple pregnancies, and not even one HERE.
Yes, and I'd just throw quick comebacks at them about them wanting a mentally disabled child to eventually become a baby-factory (now putting not just her mind but body at risk) and move on at this point.
Baela and Moondancer, an old WIP from may but they liked it on Twitter so here it is
"There’s this troubling notion that strength and love are somehow incompatible—like Baela can’t have her agency if she’s with Jace. Why can’t Baela be both fierce and capable of love/be in love?" Yass! Oh my God!!! A better question would be why male characters are allowed the freedom to explore romantic connections, while female characters like Baela are viewed as impediments to a male protagonist's development. Why Jace is often perceived as deserving of a narrative filled with romantic intrigue, but only if he pursues relationships with his betrothal to Baela. While Baela's potential for romance is limited or viewed with skepticism, particularly if it involves Jace. I've seen posts suggesting that love might not even be on the cards for Jace and Baela since it’s an arranged marriage. I've seen TG posts suggesting Jace should just break off his betrothal to Baela, and I can’t help but wonder why on earth they’d want that. Jace isn’t going to abandon Baela, nor would she leave him; they are committed to each other. Why insist on the prevailing narrative confining Baela to a trope of independence devoid of romance? Or maybe they need an excuse to hate on Jace because they can't wrap their heads around the fact that he’s actually a noble, well-adjusted lad.
Anon refers to this post.
The previous anon was saying about Daenaera, Rhaena, and Baela were points about fans use the girls' ethnic heritages or racial profiles determine what sort of fates or overall arcs should look. Saying there's always a huge discrepancy between the Black women's and the white women's. It also was observing the three Black women (since this is the HotD fandom and not necessarily prior asoiaf fans) out of talking about a man's romantic experience with any of them, more their unique romance/intimacy-political arcs, at least with Daenaera and Baela. So, I don't think your first posed question is "better" so much as you going in a different direction and at the same destination.
Why Jace is often perceived as deserving of a narrative filled with romantic intrigue, but only if he pursues relationships with his betrothal to Baela. While Baela's potential for romance is limited or viewed with skepticism, particularly if it involves Jace.
I think some are so attracted to Jace or want to be something like a central character they wish for him to be with a girl who they can relate to...and white fans notoriously are the only or primary race who can't-won't "relate"/put themselves into characters of other races. Black women in the U.S. racial system's media are support groups or material for resources of energy, time, labor (manual, artistic, linguistically, etc.) or elsewise they are at the bottom of a hierarchy of desireablity. Desireability determines much of a woman's femininity and value.
Then there is a thing where they feel they need to "spice" Jace up for him to be "interesting", not really satisfied with him "just" being passionate in his service to Rhaenyra or his side of the family, esp if they really hate Rhaenyra and/or Daemon.
There is also, if they ship Jace with the non-existing Sara Snow, that they see a Black girl in the same class as this white boy, there has to be another sort of underclass girl getting a "prince", Jenny of Olstones style, maybe.
The ongoing argument about Aegon’s relationships—whether he should have remained with Jaehaera or Daenaera—mirrors discussions surrounding Jace’s potential pairings, particularly the belief that his story would be more 'interesting' if linked to a [x] white character rather than Baela. There’s this persistent notion that Aegon’s relationship with Jaehaera would somehow be deeper and more meaningful than his potential connection with Daenaera, which makes one wonder what people are really valuing here. It’s hard to ignore the subtle biases at play. What annoys me the most is the implication that Baela, who’s all about fierce independence and bravery, can’t have a romantic storyline without losing her edge. There’s this troubling notion that strength and love are somehow incompatible—like Baela can’t have her agency if she’s with Jace. Why can’t Baela be both fierce and capable of love/be in love? This same mindset applies to Rhaena as well. She’s only allowed to wield “respectable” forms of power—like her intelligence, ability to navigate political relationships, or role in scheming. But the moment she taps into the Targaryen legacy, like bonding with a dragon, people seem to lose interest in her character or condemn her, as if that somehow reduces her to being like any other Targaryen with a dragon. I would have liked to see a more compelling take on her. But when people start saying she should prove her worth in more "acceptable" ways and imply that embracing her heritage makes her less interesting—that’s where they lose me. Why should Rhaena have to distance herself from such a core part of her Targaryen identity to be seen as complex? Whether it’s the belief that Daenaera isn’t "deep" enough compared to Jaehaera because she doesn’t fit the tragic, tortured mold that people find so compelling in Jaehaera...that doesn’t make Daenaera less worthy or interesting. Why can’t Daenaera be both kind-hearted and compelling in her own right? Why can’t Baela have a love story without losing her strength? Why can’t Rhaena embrace her heritage and still be strong on her own? Why do these characters have to sacrifice one aspect for another?
this better not be lifted. Yes, it's that deep.
There’s this troubling notion that strength and love are somehow incompatible—like Baela can’t have her agency if she’s with Jace. Why can’t Baela be both fierce and capable of love/be in love?
---
But the moment she [Rhaena] taps into the Targaryen legacy, like bonding with a dragon, people seem to lose interest in her character or condemn her, as if that somehow reduces her to being like any other Targaryen with a dragon.[...]she should prove her worth in more "acceptable" ways and imply that embracing her heritage makes her less interesting[...]Why should Rhaena have to distance herself from such a core part of her Targaryen identity to be seen as complex?
--- (Daenaera is obvious)
These are all pretty insightful, & all try to make the excuse & misnomer of "complexity" to deny each HotD-universed Black woman that would make her both power and something like love, self-affirmative or social. It's like they want Baela and Rhaena specifically to token strong-sex/love-less-black-women. what they really mean by "compelling" is "attractive" or "appealing", and Black women with graceful power/power-and-"soft" simply aren't as appealing as assigning that back to white/white-coded characters.
Aegon and Jaehaera would never be able to be "compelling" as an actual relationship, because they'd just try to stay out of each other's way; there can't be "complexity" if the characters don't interact often enough! but that doesn't matter, bc they also need the white girl to perform white-girl-suffering to fulfill that itch of self-indulgence.
Twin Princesses Rhaena (left) and Baela (right)
Is it just me or Nettles has the same personality as Baela and Alyssa?
Yes, this has been noted a lot in the fandom who bother to study Nettles and the possibility that she's Daemon's bio bastard daughter from his stint at the Stepstones. If she is, GRRM really did another thing right there, the continuity goes crazy AND it is like a clue towards a self-affirmation of Nettles def being his bio daughter.
Baela Targaryen portaits from my fic au "the Doom in Our Blood comes Back" on AO3
“Princess Rhaena and her twin sister, Princess Baela, became the darlings of the city overnight.”
long time no see everyone 🫶🏻 have been neglecting my tumblr for a while but i shall try to be active again 🖤
“Where is Sara Snow?” “Sara Snow is important!” Honestly, I can’t believe people are still going on about this character who got mentioned all of twice! And it’s usually the ones who claim to care about Baela’s characterization and that she "deserves better" or anti targs. They’re all about “do justice” for characters, but then push for this Sara and Jace angle, like it's meant to be the “Ice and Fire” love story. Let’s be real—Jace is nothing like Rhaegar. It’s just people desperately trying to shoehorn a parallel that isn’t there. Not every Targaryen needs some “forbidden love” subplot for their story to have weight. Jace and Baela’s relationship, with all its challenges and potential, is already compelling without needing some random character to stir the pot. Could it be better? Yeah, maybe. But adding an affair into the mix isn't the answer. There are already plenty of affairs and secret romances in the show, and throwing another one in doesn’t make the story any more compelling. Jace and Baela’s story has enough going on without needing a random fling with some barely-mentioned character. Their relationship is already complex, with all the tension of their family dynamics, expectations, and the looming war. What makes their story interesting isn’t some half-baked love triangle but how they navigate everything thrown at them. An affair doesn’t improve things; it just dilutes the narrative, especially when the show is already overflowing with secret liaisons and betrayals.
Also, Baela and Jace look very cute together...
Haven't seen anything abt Sara Snow or a revitalization of that, and I am glad. She doesn't exist and this is all so obviously just another way to try to diminish Baela in misogynoir.
They are really angry that a Black female character is not falling in line with their weird racial taxonomy and is rightfully claiming her place inside the sexy elite white magical dynasty that her father and maternal grandmother belonged to instead of being shuffled to the side like the rest of the Velaryons 🤷♀️ Because by their logic, Alicent’s dragon riding children should be more aligned with the Hightowers and Oldtown than the Targaryens irregardless of their personal character traits, goals, political ambitions etc.
They are still yapping about this, oh my god! Nothing else better to do, like read any of the books thus far or you know, F&B, the completed telling of what happens before and during the Dance!
They'll be angry at the Targtowers being called Targtower or if fine with it conceive it as them being a positive juxtaposition to their idea of what Targs are, but if they are upset abt it they will never carry over that logic over to a Black female scion of a Targaryen bc she apparently is not his heir...okay Aegon, Aemond, Helaena, Daeron were not Viserys' heirs either, so you arbitraily assign Targness to the people you simply wish to have power. thus you making Baela a Velaryon and Corlys' heir when even HE didn't want her for YEARS just shows your ass.
They want their cake and eat it too: Aegon is heir by right of being firstborn male but also the King's word isn't law. being a King has no special political meaning or privileges (why are the greens and green stans so adamant that the greens get the throne, then?!), or it never matters when these people in this society are deliberating succession rights...
They want to use "law of the land" or customs of the land or the habits and practices of the lords, but will blatantly ignore the very real historical events and patterns in Westeros negating their points. What exactly do you want to be, to?
Anti-monarchy and down with monarchy and all that comes with it, or reify it through supporting the most entitled males thus far in that history of the royal succession?!
Not very demure, not very mindful (just had to).
