🧙 The Tragedy of Prince Lucerys Velaryon

Spoilers for House of the Dragon
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When Vhagar devoured Prince Lucerys Velaryon over Shipbreaker Bay in House of the Dragon episode 10, who was truly at fault for it? Aemond One-Eye who lost control of his dragon? Vhagar for being a bit hungry and cranky for having fire breathed on her? Borros Baratheon for throwing Lucerys back into the storm? Queen Rhaenyra for giving Luke a bad mission? Or someone else? In this video I take a deep dive into these questions and try to pull out the truth at the center of this scene that guaranteed that the dragons will be dancing over the skies of Westeros.
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Art Credits:
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Music Credit:
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Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
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00:00 Whoops, dragon
00:44 Summary of Whoopsie
04:12 What did Borros Say?
06:40 Lucerys the Strong
09:04 Granny Vhagar
13:06 Stormlands, boring
20:53 The Okay Council of 101
27:49 Orys and Aegon
36:48 Future Plans
42:26 Cool stuff for you
#GameOfThrones #houseofthedragon #hotd #asoiaf

[@JoeMagician]

At my threadless shop joemagician.threadless.com/, from now until 11/22 there's $15 t-shirts on sale and free shipping on orders over $99. AND from 11/22 to 12/4 there will be Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales running with $12.50 tees and sales on everything else. A great time to pick up some Joe Magical merch on the cheap. May be doing some giveaways in the future for it as well from the next video WHICH WILL NOT TAKE A YEAR TO RELEASE THIS TIME.

[@c.w.simpsonproductions1230]

Ever since I was a kid, time and time again my mother would tell me "Never, ever, assume anything." Rhaenyra's mistake was assuming that Boros would be easy to persuade and sending Lucerys as a messenger, despite him being a second son and no diplomatic training. It should have been Rhaenys who was sent.

[@Isuream6331]

You hit the nail on the head. In the book, sending Jace and Luke was justified by it being a sign of their Targeryan lineage, as “only Targeryans ride dragons”, but they only really needed to send Jace out as he is the heir. Sending Luke was an unnecessary risk that shows Rhaenyra has a degree of overconfidence when it comes to the allegiance of the lords.

[@BRANDONMUNROMUSIC]

Great point!

[@dromankass8655]

@@Isuream6331​. very good point. that's the whole idea of having an 'heir' and a 'spare' - so that if something befalls one, you've still got a back-up. So it was very poor planning to send them both out as messengers when you should have kept one safe at home.

[@maxfederman9291]

Should have at least sent Baela with him. Doubt it would have made a difference though

[@MomoAfterDark]

@@Isuream6331rhaenyra simply didn’t know WTF she was talking about or what she was doing

[@QuinnTheGM]

The change to make this accidental, at least in my mind, sets Aemond up to be the most interesting character in Season 2. My guess is that he'll try to embrace this image of a villain that Luke's death has given him, only to struggle with guilt behind closed doors. Can't wait for next summer!

[@JoeMagician]

I did skip over Aemond's role intentionally in this one, I'm gonna be coming back around to his dragon-y mistake in a separate video. For sure, he's gonna wear this proudly in public and suffer in silence as he often does. Perhaps that's what he bonds with Alys over...

[@user-zb3ds9zf1q]

​@@JoeMagician Aemond was going to cripple him and this is not an incident. He will not suffer from what he did. People romanticize him too much because actor “hot”. But Aemond's real face is not something pleasant.

[@danika9411]

​@@user-zb3ds9zf1q Book Aemond, I agree. Show Aemond is very different though. There is a leak for season 2, beginning of Episode 1 potential spoiler!!! Aemond is at the beach with Vhagar. He talks to her and tells her that he doesn't blame her, that Alicent is still mad at him and that Otto refuses to talk to him. Spoiler End It's not much. But it could be true. If it is, then he seems to be bothered and does blame himself. I'm interested what they will do with him.

[@t-rexcellentreviews1663]

@@danika9411I mean, I don’t really see how he can blame the dragon, he was the one who was in control of the situation.

[@detestor420]

@@t-rexcellentreviews1663no. They weren’t in control on their dragons. Their dragons controlled them. Without dragons they would of been one of the extinct houses from Valaryria. They were a minor house who became a ruling house because of THE dragons. : “The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion. They're a power man should never have trifled with.” - and in this situation Arryx had enraged Vhaegar so she made a meal out of him. They are NOT in control. Some source material will do you good.

[@aaroncohen2700]

This makes it clear why so many of the Houses in the North still respect Ned Stark personally even though he’s been dead for so long. Especially the Mountain Clans who he went out of his way to visit. They’re probably not even considered true lords by the other northern houses but by visiting their liege lord affirms their position to themselves and to others. They’ll never be treated like anything but lords by their fellow vassals as lesser treatment would incur chastisement from the Starks. If the Starks neglected them they might’ve slowly turned out like the Vale savages.

[@JoeMagician]

Exactly, two hundred years later the northerners still talk about the time Queen Alysanne visited the north on her dragon. It turns a contract and transactional relationship into something personal, something real. That's how you build loyalty that endures adversity, and it's for sure something Viserys and his children lack.

[@azankhan88]

​@@JoeMagicianA personal example my mother's grand mother from her mother's side shook hands with Rajiv Gandhi( became PM later) the son of then Prime minister and grandson of India's first prime minister once. He died in 1991 she kept voting for the party till 2022 when after which she passed.

[@lllinai]

I also never understood why Lucerys was sent instead of Rhaenys. He was a child, and she was kin. He was brave tho, not wanting to disappoint his mother.

[@midnightmadness6344]

Because Rhaenyra underestimates people she hasn’t spoken with in years. She incorrectly assumes the Baratheons can be called to heel at a moments notice. It’s very clear she never expected this to be anything more than essentially a trip to the local quicky mart for half gallon of milk.

[@madelinekimbro2440]

She hasn't fully realized that people are dishonorable and do not adhere to their word. She was naive thinking that he would be a stand-up guy and honor the oath that was taken.

[@midnightmadness6344]

@@madelinekimbro2440 she knows people are dishonorable I mean she had her uncle disappear her husband so she could remarry, don’t infantilize her. The issue here is that she doesn’t know Lord Borros at all because she doesn’t take the time to know or meet her subjects. She accurately describes his father Boremund when briefing Luke about Borros, but has no idea who Borros is as a person and certainly didn’t know he was illiterate and got annoyed when his Maesters had to read for him. She, just like her father, is a bad ruler, content to sit in her impressive castle and only speaking to her subjects when they come to her.

[@SpiritStoneWarrior94-yx3gs]

I mean it's very clearly mentioned even in this video...... Rhaenys was to stay at Dragonstone, incase the Greens attempted a sneak attack. They didn't know Vhaegar would be at Storm's End, otherwise she wouldnt have sent Luc there.

[@m.williams4971]

Because technically, he was a prince(assuming she's recognized as queen). Rhaenys was technically Lady of Driftmark, nothing more.

[@thechairman74]

It's extremely interesting to see how Martin has set up the whole Dance of the Dragons scenario to happen just so. He wrote everything in such a way so that if we look closely enough we'll be able to tease out the subtle reasons and causes for why everything happened in the way it did.

[@sydnitheromantictaylor112]

So true 😂, I've always thought it was dumb how all of rhaenyra's sons by harwin died, not because they died bit how they died. Rhaenyra sending lucerys to storms end by himself, Jacerys dragon getting shot out of the sky when the dragonseeds on their dragons didn't get shot down, the joffrey thinking he could ride his mother's dragon

[@lauriane2784]

​@@sydnitheromantictaylor112spoilers alerte bro, not everyone read the books 😅😭

[@stanzkrilla]

Well said!

[@thechairman74]

@@lauriane2784 Yeah I read the ASOIAF books after the show, but now I've read Fire and Blood before the show, so I know what you mean.

[@thechairman74]

@@sydnitheromantictaylor112 I mean, obviously, Martin wrote everything so that it would setup Rhaenyra's downfall, but it didn't come out of nowhere. He carefully laid the seeds from the beginning, with frequent succession issues going back to Aegon himself with Aenys and Maegor, then later with Jaeherys not having a direct heir.

[@jlshel42]

I feel foolish for never thinking of the Baratheons as a Valyrian house like the others. Felt they had “gone native” by becoming the new Stormlords and sliding in as Westerosi.

[@JoeMagician]

They did that over time for sure. Just this early on in the Targaryen dynasty, the open secret of the Baratheons being a bastard Targaryen house is much more a thing. By the time we get to Robert, they've pretty much let that one go.

[@dktro8831]

​@@JoeMagicianthat is true, but something else to remember is that Robert and his brothers are the grandsons of a Targaryen grandmother.

[@m.williams4971]

In reality, they are no different from the many lines of off-shot bastards produced by Targaryens. As a matter of fact, they are amongst the youngest, if not the youngest great house in Westeros. They are not dragon-riders, but had a bastard a long time ago take them to the status of great house. They have no business considering themselves equivalent, nor do they even have a history of descendents of kings or any distant history, anywhere.

[@jlshel42]

@@m.williams4971 So far though (unless new books tell us), there’s been no real signs of the houses under Baratheton being disloyal or rebellious. I think that’s due to their early ties to the Targs, who specialize in roasted rebels back then, as well as Orys Baratheon beefing with the Dornish soon after the Conquest. The latter point may have convinced some lords that since they shared the same enemies, they could tolerate the Baratheons and later like them for their leadership and their usually charming personalities.

[@perseusveil9376]

@@m.williams4971 They are no dragon riders but have the blood to try it - its just something Aegon, Maegor and Jaehaerys would've never allowed them and with every generation the blood keeps diluting. They literally descend from the Durrandons, a long ass line of Storm Kings native to Westeros. If anything they have more legitimacy and connection to Westeros than the Targaryens, who are descendants of some random political family of Valyria, who had no kings whatsover and actually descend from sheep herders. The only reason the Baratheons weren't more of a headache to the Targaryens is because they didn't want to, because they were loyal. Everytime a Baratheon tried to fuck things up and rebel the Targaryens had to concede something - like a princess to marry Lyonel Baratheon. The other time was, you know, Robert's Rebellion.

[@sblinder1978]

I really appreciate you laying out the subtext behind Borros' choice, it helps to show how Rhaenyra is not at this point in the story an astute politician. Too bad Viserys fumbled her education so badly. I thought having her present in the Small Council meetings was a good idea, if only he had thought to TEACH HER anything while they had the opportunity. Luke: Bye Mom, I'm gonna take the Firebird out for a spin, maybe get a bite.

[@Isuream6331]

Honestly, Viserys probably wasn’t taught much either. He just sort of… lucked into being king because he is a man

[@chiefpurrfect8389]

There isn't really a point in which Rhaenyra becomes an "astute" politician. Viserys f'd her over so much, passing down to her a messy, complex situation he created through his own ineptitude without even properly preparing her for it (and to be fair, Rhaenyra herself didn't make it easy either but she was a literal teenager).

[@alexmartin3143]

I dunno. Wasn’t Rhaenyra really close to Boros’ father? She was kind of rude when she left the bethrothel tour at his door step.

[@magister343]

If you can call it luck for him to be made a king when he really just wanted to be a historian. @@Isuream6331

[@joshuaadams6565]

He became the bite

[@user-zq1gs7nt5d]

I've always wondered about Baratheons claiming dragons...or rather not being allowed to. They had the blood, but not the legitimacy. And one can understand why Targaryens did this...imagine someone like Rogar Baratheon with a dragon. Rhaenys was a very senior member of the royal family, they weren't going to stop her children from claiming dragons.

[@JoeMagician]

For sure, understandable why they wouldn't let the Baratheons have dragons. But also doing that created problems for them down the road which lasted all the way until Robert smashed in Rhaegar's chest.

[@theadversary]

Enough talk, how do we get STANNIS one!

[@Isuream6331]

@@theadversary Oooooh, Stannis probably COULD claim one! His grandmother was Targaryan after all!

[@jlshel42]

@@Isuream6331I dunno, things didn’t go well with lil Proudwing, not sure if he could raise a dragon

[@matztz_4560]

​@@jlshel42Bro💀💀

[@RonnieFlare17]

I absolutely LOVE your analysis here with Lord Borros, House Baratheon, and the larger political history going on here. You do such a great job dissecting the implications and unspoken context going on. Just to play devil's advocate for a moment, as the Targaryens' main claim to power is control of the dragons, they would need to be careful about who they hand those out to. Not saying the Baratheons aren't right to be a ticked off about the Velaryons getting dragon riders in the family while they don't, just pointing out how you don't exactly go handing out living nuclear weapons to anyone with a blood claim. Additionally, I actually enjoyed the way Lucerys' death was changed from an intentional murder on Aemond's part to a reckless impulse that quickly spiraled out of his control. Demanding an eye is one thing--it's harsh and viscous but it's not completely unreasonable by the standards of justice in Westeros. (Remember this is a society where being caught stealing means cutting off someone's hand, rapers get their dicks cut off, etc.) Aemond is capable of being reckless and hot-headed but he's not an idiot. He'd just secured Storm's End for Aegon's cause. A roomful of witnesses saw Luc declare he was ONLY there as a messenger. As we saw with Catelyn Stark in Renly Baratheon's camp, envoys are expected a certain degree of courtesy and protection, even if they're from the opposing side. After all, how could terms ever be negotiated if messengers aren't promised some degree of safe conduct? Even if Luc is a bastard, he's still kin through Rhaenyra and kinslaying is a big no-no in Westeros. Aemond wanted revenge, but I doubt he WANTED to start a war, which Luc's death now makes certain. Side note, but if Team Black had leaned into the fact that Team Green just seemingly murdered an innocent prince on a diplomatic mission completely UNPROVOKED, making them usurpers AND kinslayers besides. There is no way for the Hightowers to make that look good. Everyone in Storm's End that day saw Aemond threaten Luc and run off after him. Even if they tell the truth and say it was an accident, very few, if anyone, is going to believe it. TBC I'm not saying it would have made a TON more lords flock to their banners but it would have given Rhaenyra's cause a clear moral high ground. The high ground they lost by...well. SPOILERS. Once again, great video!

[@m.williams4971]

Valeryons got dragons for one reason, a 'male' of theirs married a female Targaryen. The surname of the rider is the same as his/her father. Flip the sexes of Jocelyn (Baratheon) and Aemon Targaryen and viola! The Baratheon's have their first dragonrider. Details people.............. Baratheons are whiners. They're related to a historic house by a bastard, which does not afford any privileges of the great house. Granted, Orys earned them a region of Westeros and a banner, that's as good as it gets. This entire argument is silly!

[@victorc8855]

I like that the show puts somewhat of an emphasis on Rhaenyra being such a horrible politician by antagonizing every single noble house she interacts with prior to becoming queen. Though I feel they could've made the politics of it a bit more explicit in episode 9, for instance, by having Larys be master of whisperers like in the book and keeping the blood oath instead of going for that scene with rhaenys

[@stephenjenkins7971]

Most people didn't care because she was funny about it. But yes this was a critical reason as to why anyone was able to urusp her to begin with.

[@conqueringflower7466]

Another benefit of possibly sending Rhaenys, it was her loyalty the betrothals of Rhaenyra's two oldest sons bought. Only she could break or maintain those two pacts on the spot with minimal consultation without risking splitting the Black faction and lessened risk of futher insulting the Baratheons. Daemon and even Rhaenyra doing so could be really questionable. It would be Rhaenys giving up either her blood on the throne or Velaryon blood on the seat of Driftmark.

[@sydnitheromantictaylor112]

Rhaenyra definitely shouldve done royal progresses when she decided to live at dragonsyine and she should've had her older sons fostered in other kingdoms that way Jace and lucerys would've made friends in those kingdoms, that way those kingdoms would've automatically backed Rhaenyra, after all Robert baratheon andned stark became friends because they were fostered in the vale

[@Sheena000]

Absolutely. Or at the very least she could have tried having a relationship with her half siblings. She’d still go to dragonstone but would ask her dad to send each of her siblings over for a while. Viserys would have loved it so Alicent wouldn’t get a say. She could have made herself into their cool older sister who they could stay with when king’s landing was annoying. She understood the pressures of being a royal, she had dragons, her husband was cool, and she isn’t as overbearing as Alicent. Even if Alicent starts trying to turn them against her, I don’t think it would really work. Initially Aegon thinks he’s a bad brother for trying to take Rheanyras throne and that’s even with all of Alicents influence. Honestly civil war aside they all would have been so much better off. Helena gets a sister and a more chill environment. Someone would notice that Aegon is off early and maybe send him to go be a menace with Deamon. And Aemond gets a friend in Luke and a better role model in Jace. Maybe he bonds a dragon while on dragonstone. Aemond doesn’t develop a chip on his shoulder because an adult notices the kids bullying each other and actually intervenes.

[@m.williams4971]

Houses foster when there are no other ties to the house doing the hosting. It's 'one' of the ways to build an alliance. Taking a vow by predecessors should have done the same for those other houses, otherwise, what's the purpose? Why is it people keep ignoring this?

[@perseusveil9376]

She also should've asked for a loan to the Iron Bank after the war started. It was an option even for nomadic-poor-defeated Stannis, but its like she doesn't know how the world works at any point lol

[@cecosom609]

So happy that you’re back 😭❤️

[@JoeMagician]

Me too!

[@t-rexcellentreviews1663]

@@JoeMagicianindeed! welcome back mate!

[@joshbarrera8554]

Same

[@davidnkomo2176]

Great video I never thought of the baratheons being angry that they were denied their Valyrian (Targarygen) heritage and forced to adopt House Durrandon as a last resort

[@m.williams4971]

Um, what else does a bastard of a great house do? It was Orys's only play(to fight and take the banner, words and castle of a king). My goodness, should someone have put a dragon egg in his bastard crib? Where does it stop? Should all bastards in the history of Targeryen's have a right to dragons? Am I the only one not completely convinced by a good narration(which actually held little logic)?

[@JoeMagician]

@@m.williams4971 To clarify, I'm not saying that the Targaryens were wrong to hoard their dragons and legitimacy away from their cousins. There is a large degree of wisdom of not sharing around your greatest strength to everyone who could have it if your goal is to dominate. However that policy, whatever its wisdom, created resentment among the Baratheons. There's a cost to the Targaryen's self-preservation of the ability to ride dragons, especially after they loosened it for Rhaenys and Rhaenyra's children in the jealousy it created. Which is mostly what I'm examining in the video, the perspective of the Baratheons and Borros in particular rather than analyzing if it was overall a good policy. It can still be the correct decision to keep the dragons to themselves while also the Baratheons being upset by it, those aren't mutually exclusive.

[@lordbonney9779]

If I was Luke I’d see Vhagar and fly home. Syrax and Meleys are at Dragonstone and Caraxes is either at Harrenhall or Dragonstone. This means the Blacks can have their three largest dragons immediately pounce on Kings Landing at the start of the war whilst Aemond isn’t even there. This will lead to, most likely, Aegon’s capture and abdication. Even if it doesn’t, it looks really bad for the Greens, and the Royal Treasury wouldn’t have been quartered & spent by the Greens yet, so in addition to House Velaryon’s wealth, the Blacks would suddenly have a large economic advantage over the Greens.

[@DrGlynnWix]

Right on. Perhaps if they hadn't sent a 10 year old to do a strategist/politician's job, that might have been thought of.

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

@@DrGlynnWix I think he was 11

[@Margatatials]

Lets be real, Luc -a classic dark hair, dark eyed Targaryen Bastard- probably looks the spitting Image of Orys "definately not a secret Targaryen Bastard" Baratheon, and who would be more aware of that than the Baratheon's of Storm's End that probably have a painting or 2 of him hanging on the walls somewhere. Emphasising the fact that Luc is a bastard Also Rhaenyra was really on her worst behaviour during her grand Tour of Westeros, I doubt she left a wonderful impression following her time in Storm's End

[@mariavi33]

I still don't get why Rhaenys wasn't sent to negotiate with the Baratheons. The Arryns are probably the safest so Luke could have been sent there and Jace could have been sent to the Starks. This would also mean that Jace and Luke could have been flying together until Luke reached the Eyrie, which would have made the journey safer.

[@ccronk]

Daemon not using his “dead dragon lords” studies in Pentos to help acquire a dragon just sitting there riderless on Dragonstone for Raina is mind boggling?? She could have been riding Vermithor or Silverwing for as long as Aemond has had Vhagar?!! I mean really, they’re there in their backyard ffs

[@youngveteran6368]

If you pay attention to F&B it’s obvious that it’s not as thought out as the main book series. This question always pops up in my head, like Ik they live in a big castle but don’t they see and interact with each other off screen?? You’d think by this age daemon would’ve trained her and be by her side as she claims her own dragon but NOPE. See this thing has to happen later on in the story so if I write this logical thing that thing I want to happen later can’t happen. And that’s why rhaena hasn’t claimed a dragon by now

[@ccronk]

@@youngveteran6368 I’m not a book reader that’s how I like it, don’t judge😊… I know in the finale Daemon mentions unclaimed dragons and the camera goes to Rhaena… but I’m purely looking from a show perspective, and its clearly shown Daemon is prepping for war but not having his daughter riding a dragon is lazy by George and by extension the writers of the show… again, 6 years had passed and Daemon knew that war was afoot and Rhaena still dragonless just bizarre… sorry just realised I’m repeating myself lol grab another drink 🍺

[@zillagrilla315]

@@ccronk Daemon and Viserys were 16 or 17 when they claimed their dragons. Balerion and Carraxes. The reason why everyone was surprised by Aemond claiming Vhagar was because it was f#cking dangerous. Aemond got lucky by having Granny Vhagar being too tired and somewhat amused by Aemond to give him a shot. If Aemond tried to claim a younger dragon I doubt it would have worked.

[@ccronk]

@@zillagrilla315 so… what are you actually trying to say? V and D when they claimed their dragons weren’t in a luring conflict. I’m sayin war was imminent and Daemon had dragons on Dragonstone while Rhaena was still unable to claim any of them? Daemon seems to have read the dragon lord histories in Pentos hence his interaction with Vermithor… just don’t get why this 💩 wasn’t already sorted…

[@ccronk]

Just to add, was a little confusing why Vhagar was on Driftmark in the first place… she lost her rider so did Daemon just have a chat to her after Laena died?? 🤣🤔

[@Michael-bn1oi]

His mom really caused a lot of problems by being such a brat during the royal tour.

[@m.williams4971]

What royal tour?

[@Michael-bn1oi]

@@m.williams4971 The only one that heppens in the whole series. Obviously

[@t-rexcellentreviews1663]

Considering what we know Aemond will later do when he meets Alys Rivers at Harrenhal, I think it’s pretty safe to say that he had no real intention of honouring his marriage pact with Lord Orys.

[@bgm3460]

Aemond always wanted married his sister, time after know Alys Rivers, in middle times, specially in war times, very thing happend, his wife will die for a fever or in child birth an then he married with his widow sister, her brother almost died and the two children also can die in infancy, Alys could be his mistress

[@t-rexcellentreviews1663]

That is true, but that doesn’t change the fact that he quite publicly took a bastard women as his mistress, knowingly got her pregnant with his child, when he was already engaged to one of Lord Borros daughters, did he seriously think the Lord of Storm’s End wasn’t eventually going to find out about this very public affair and take issue with Aemond’s clear disrespect to his House?

[@JohnDoe-vw4zf]

​@t-rexcellentreviews1663 Was that offensive? I'm pretty sure every noble house in every period of time publicly had bastards from lords. It he fulfilled his engagement and brought dragons to the Baratheon house I think lord baratheon would be fine with the arrangements. I think the real issue would be him leaving his wife to make dragon riding kids with a witch in a rival kingdom.

[@Aaron_Guest]

​​@@t-rexcellentreviews1663That's not very unique. He could've still married the Baratheon girl.

[@t-rexcellentreviews1663]

@@JohnDoe-vw4zf that’s true, lots of lords, kings and princes keep mistresses, but most of them understand that it is something you keep on the down low, unless your a truly shameless person like Aegon the Fourth, so yes, it was a clear sign of disrespect from Aemond, who made a marriage pact with one of the most powerful lords in the realm that his family claims to rightfully rule over by openly taking a bastard women from a supposedly traitorous house as his mistress and siring a child upon her when you are already engaged to that lords daughter as a major point of your alliance, which Aemond only agreed to get Borros on his family side for now, he had no real intention of actually going through with the match. Keep in mind that if the Greens won the war, it’s more than likely that not only Lord Borros, but Aemond’s mother and grandfather would have taken real issue with Aemond having a child with Alys, but then, keep in mind, for all of his loyalty to his mothers side of the family, Aemond is someone who operates under the mindset of as long as I have the largest dragon in Westeros under my command, I can do whatever I want without fear of consequences.

[@seastar4194]

Rhaenerya set up Luce to fail if not end up dead. Why would she send him out during the beginning of a war without any real protection. His dragon is so small its practically useless.

[@christianedwards6364]

I think she just really miscalculated. She expected a warm reception from family and sent a child to rubber stamp but it was really a diplomatic negotiation and like had nothing to barter. Plus no battles had happened yet so maybe there was hope that if didnt have to go to war yet. Also he was acting as an envoy. Aemond and vhagar being there is a clear threat as well.

[@RonnieFlare17]

To be fair up until now, everything had been done through envoys and messages. War wasn't a certainty at this point, with the hope being that if the Blacks or the Greens could garner enough political support from the great houses, the other side would back down. I would agree she set him up for failure though.

[@stephenjenkins7971]

She set him up for failure long before this, but her assumption that he would not be harmed was a decent one. She could not have predicted that Aemond of all people would be in Storm's End right next to Dragonstone, which was her seat of power.

[@Argos-xb8ek]

The sins of the father trope except now its the sins of the mother had Rhaenyra looked to forage stronger relations between certain powerful lords this could've been avoided.

[@MomoAfterDark]

Rhaenyra is a bad person and a bad leader

[@DannyMorrs]

Forge, not forage. You're building stronger relations, not finding them

[@walkingdeadbarbiedoll]

This video was amazingly done and has such strong points now I understand Boros's actions 😮

[@nykia31]

Poor Luc. Such a loyal, brave, strong boy.

[@GreyWasteTim]

"Generations of anger and resentment" so all it needed was a spark... Hey Gavrilo, isn't that the Archduke's motorcade coming down the street?

[@vibechecker3168]

House Baratheon and most of the old houses know what’s up with the Targaryens. Dragon war is a dreadful thing and can lead to the destruction of centuries of history and progress. I’m not surprised that many lords weren’t exactly thrilled to march their men and kin into dragon fire because they had pinky promised to help her.

[@m.williams4971]

'Pinky promised?' Looked like travel to Kings Landing, kneeling, then taking a vow before the present king. Didn't know that was equivalent to a 'pinky promise'. Do you even hear yourselves?

[@curtiswfranks]

It is great to see you back!

[@therexinator7139]

Great to see you back ❤

[@skelbc]

So glad you're back!

[@elisebrodeur-jacobs5215]

Its good to see a video from you after so long!

[@Sporking]

I am so glad to see you back making videos

[@sleepyj8848]

Good to see you back!

[@adamcain8949]

Love the LONG videos. Keep 'em coming!

[@ellecue]

Dang, only caught the last couple minutes of the premiere. So happy to see you back!

[@Shadowgaming771]

Yes! A Joe Magician video on my birthday! Great video, man.

[@billiramone]

Please keep uploading!! You've been missed

[@michaelwright3830]

Welcome back, bud. I've been checking for a post from your channel and I was glad to see one today.

[@foreverinflux]

Oh Joe, I've missed you so keen for new content ❤

[@roddammit5510]

Just made my day seeing a Joe Magician post!!

[@johnmontag]

Thank you for returning! Missed your videos. Hope you’re well

[@rolorobinson6318]

I was just watching his blood raven video so happy for new content!

[@theknightwhosmokedthelaugh7156]

good to have you back

[@goodman4966]

Very interesting and well-detailed video. great job

[@AmyCat71]

Raise the banners.... Joe Magician has returned!!

[@JsHolgersson]

MAGICAL! Great to have you back Matt! 🤍🔥

[@Filippo6264]

Finally you're back!

[@amandamonacoschaub8101]

Happy you’re back!!

[@joeantony5064]

This was so well done! Thank you for the context. Great job!

[@jsan3743]

I understand not wanting to do KZbin but you really are fantastic at it.

[@awhartig5847]

Small correction 10:19 Vhagar feels more like a _Murder She Wrote + Marlock_ fan than WoF

[@JoeMagician]

Damn you're right

[@houseofsledge6891]

So thrilled to see a new video from u. Thank u for what u do.

[@stanzkrilla]

Great video! Been itching for some HotD videos :)

[@bethfinne3260]

I truly enjoyed this breakdown from Boros' point of view. Happy you're back! 😊🎉

[@StartTheJoust]

Lovely stuff Joe as ever. Have been listening to your streams lately so felt like you weren’t away at all lol (and thanks to that Glidus guy on youtube now everytime Aemond one-eye pops on the screen i expect him to start speaking japanese, by the fucking gods)

[@andrewleavitt3136]

Whoa, you're finally back

[@equusquaggaquagga536]

Imagine a candidate running on a "you all Promised to vote for me 20 years ago" platform 🙄

[@ravensoath]

Glad you’re alive bro

[@pamjames9077]

Yay, I’m so happy you’re back🎉🎉🎉

[@colleens1107]

I literally tweeted out RUN LUKE RUN ala Obi Wan to Luke in Star Wars when I saw the dread chonk (my favorite nickname for granny Vhagar). He should have noped out of there and that’s the real tragedy. If he had been a few years older he would have had the maturity to realize OH NO This will not end well and just promptly leave in order to tell Mommy that the greens beat him to the Baratheons. But he was an eager to please 14 year old who wanted to prove himself to the mother he so admired and well…dead

[@TheAcharyaa]

I’m not normally one for these long lore videos but this was fantastic and I’m surprised I ended up watching the whole thing. I find fascinating the idea of Rhaenys going you Storms End though and her interaction with Aemond. Do you think Aemond would’ve still threatened her (not like Lucerys obviously but still at all)?

[@JoeMagician]

He may have tried, however it's likely the same as when he tried to step up to Daemon in the previous episode and backed down after seeing Daemon wasn't afraid of him. Rhaenys would be the same, and likely use her political skill and quick wit to make him look foolish for even trying. And Rhaenys obviously wouldn't be afraid of him either. Plus there's no real animosity between the two of them at this point like there is with Luke in particular. I'd be surprised if they had ever spoken to each other one on one. Would've most likely been a much more tame encounter, with Rhaenys either able to defuse or avoid that situation with Aemond and Borros.

[@m.williams4971]

He could have, but the swiftest dragon possibly in the history of Westeros dragons is none other than..........Meleys. Old Vhagar never would have gotten sight of her.

[@pauldaskal9510]

Great analysis Joe!! So glad you are back!!

[@joshbarrera8554]

I’m glad your back 🎉👍🏻

[@keepgrowing726]

Welcome back Ser Joe of House Magician 😀

[@surprisinglyblank2392]

Great video. You clearly and engagingly broke down this layered motivation.

[@JoeMagician]

I appreciate that!

[@charleswhite9242]

Been looking out for your new vid for a few months. Glad to have some good new content from the magician

[@JoeMagician]

More to come!

[@charleswhite9242]

@@JoeMagician awesome. Glad to have you back

[@kissedbyfirethepodcast]

So excited about this.

[@joewalker4710]

Really enjoyed this one 👍👍

[@Tankie69]

Missed you joe!!!!

[@jewsco]

Joe is back yay 😃

[@gracebarrett6064]

Yes I did enjoy this banger of a video thank you

[@InteracialCreations]

Joe is back!!!!!!! Yayyy! This was a great video. I talk within the community about how house Baratheon is a Vader house of house Targaryen like house blackfyre and for the most part house Velaryon.

[@AnnabelTheGoldsmith]

Weeheee great video dude 🤘

[@reddest-x]

HE'S BACK

[@lilchaos9212]

It also shows that Luke put his desire to make his mother proud and prove himself OVER avoiding possible conflict. No one would blame him for Vhagar and Aemond, both who are seriously aggressive and very well could've been assumed to have attacked Luke on sight, getting their first and him bailing. He is a child and was sent under the assumption that it was a safe location. Or, heck, even if he had left and waited until Vhagar and Aemond left would've been a safer move. But he put his mother's wishes and tried to appear 'brave' over his own safety and logic.

[@dendenne4856]

This is well explained, thanks for this video

[@JoeMagician]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bradwolf07]

Did George actually put a name to who Otto Hightower had a child with? I don't remember if he did or not. I've heard a theory that he had Alicent with one of the wild child daughters of the Old King (who then given gold and a ship to Essos). If true, it makes it an even deeper Family civil war. If true, the Mother of Alicent and the Grandmother of Rhenera (sorry for the spelling) were sisters and rivals that passed that onto their heirs.

[@JoeMagician]

No we don't know who his wife was. George often doesn't give the names of people in family trees if they don't show up on the page at all.

[@bradwolf07]

@@JoeMagician I didn't think so, thank you for enlightening me

[@FeZe1997]

BROOOOO you are alive

[@StephanieS56]

Was excited all day to watch this! Welcome back 🎉

[@I.AM.JUPITER]

Awesome video

[@ayiza8511]

They should have sent Rheanys she is kin and even Aemond would hesitate to kill her. Sending Luke was a mistake his birth is in question and he has no standing reputation and he really brings nothing to the table, the stags have always been impressed by strength and Luke scrabbling way from Aemond really sends a bad message. Rheanys could have reminded him about their blood connections and would not have flinched from Aemond either. Not sure even that would have swung the bratheons over the blacks since Rhaenyra really screwed herself politically, she was rude and dismissive when she was in their halls. and I dont think she has since came to visit or tried to get their loyalty

[@fredrichadzabe9351]

Welcome back

[@quarterbackin3262]

Thank you for that video I needed that! GOT for life lol….

[@iwearpants123]

Not now babe. Joe magician is back.

[@ryrynoel]

A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one!

[@SvenDzahov]

I love Joe magician sm

[@nataliesmyth9013]

Amasaszing, i think I’m going to watch it again.. and probably again tomorrow… weeeeee!!!!!

[@nataliesmyth9013]

I swear I typed amazing with all a’s, my autocorrect always changes aa to as 😢

[@BitterSteel69]

Joe’s back baybee let’s goooo can’t wait for season 2

[@user-ln7jw2qn6h]

Excellent return

[@JoeMagician]

Thank you kindly

[@user-ln7jw2qn6h]

@@JoeMagician excellent deep dive

[@donjR2300]

I think you’re misinterpreting how the Baratheons must feel about their legacy. It might be the case that a few of them do see themselves denied their heritage as descendants of dragon lords but I don’t think they see themselves as usurpers to the legacy of the Storm lords. They didn’t take the legacy of the Durrandons, they wed into* it. They are in all aspects a continuation and inheritor of the Durrandon legacy, Orys ensured that was the case as I’m sure Argella did. Sure during the younger days of their dynasty some probably saw themselves as also inheritors of the blood of the dragon, but their inheritance of the Durrandons legacy should not be seen as an adoption or usurpation, they ARE for all effects and purposes the Durrandons. I truly don’t think the Baratheons are so enthralled with their legacy as a bastard line of the dragon as has been presented. Sure some of them were grasping, and they were uniquely aware of their relation to the Targaryens, but they often were also very amicable and supporting of the Targaryens. They’re just mercurial by nature, George writes the houses with certain traits and the blood of Durrans Godsgrief is always characterized as wrathful and arrogant. It just seems to be a jump to claim a lot of that characterization has been some resentment from being founded by a bastard, surely Catelyn Stark would think so, but I think that misses the point of their familial nature of being ‘storms’.

[@JoeMagician]

I would say this early on with Aegon and Orys in living memory that feeling and denial of being Valyrians is far more pronounced than it would be later. I wouldn't underestimate how much the denial of identity and personal truth can linger like a poison in the soul, it's a very pronounced theme in the books from Jon to Tyrion to Samwell and etc. Jaehaerys commented that it was an open secret within their two families that they are kin. It just wasn't spoken about because of the obvious problems and resentments that created. Rogar, Borros' grandfather, especially didn't see himself as less than his cousins more as an equal and tried to acquire dragon riders by marrying Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon hoping for dragon lord children as well as the political benefits at court. By the time we get to the main series I agree the feelings of annoyance at coming from a bastard founder is greatly diminished and they pretty much have entirely embraced their Durrandon roots as their identity. I doubt Robert ever thought of himself as Valyrian. However, that core animosity never really went away, less being about bastards and more the idea that they are lesser than the Targaryens when the Baratheons know they are far closer to equals. .

[@ayiza8511]

yea I never got Cats problem Rickon and Brandon was assumed dead and if Robb died whiteout true born children who else would take winterfell? Jon would have been the only male whit Stark blood left, he would have been automatically a stark, bastards are often legitimized if there are no true borns left. it makes sense.

[@detestor420]

Great video

[@JoeMagician]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@YarPirates-vy7iv]

I am a wonderful viewer, thanks for reminding me!

[@rmarx1496]

Rhaenyra had every opportunity to prepare herself for the throne. She had known for years that she was the heir but failed to get her priorities in order. Jumping from one guy to the next, she put her own desires first to the point of being forced to marry Laenor in the end who wasn't interested in having sex with her leading to her bastards and disgrace among the realm. Then at the last minute, when the greens are about to take the throne, she decides to step up to the challenge. Too little, too late. She was still a likeable character and it's easy to sympathize with her but she made some bad decisions.

[@Traussio]

This video is so good, at least according to the maesters

[@ox8833]

STRONG MERCH!!!!! Hell yeah

[@BenConeybeare]

The Return of the King!

[@Krideezy]

Long time no see

[@magister343]

Let's not overlook that Jaehaerys had one more surviving son: Vaegon Targaryen. Of course, this Archmaester of the citadel had no interest in ruling or in being with a woman to produce any heirs of his own. Some say the Great Council was Vaegon's idea.

[@m.williams4971]

This is pertinent, how?

[@Bandersnatch41]

You forget In the book. Aemond was there for days getting chummy with Borros. Basically becoming the son he wished he had always had drinking and eating with the Baratheons.