Why Subtext Matters | Rhaenyra Targaryen & Alicent Hightower

[@fabiolaliano8620]

someone on youtube is finally making sense regarding this show

[@BannedFromTheaters]

It really is rough out there... 😔

[@buglamps1290]

Some of my favorite youtube commentators have been disappointingly obtuse *cough cough* hills alive 😒

[@terencesilva4499]

​@@BannedFromTheaters a really sad fact about Queen Alicent the color blue her comfort color if you will is actually her mother's house colors

[@ninreck5121]

100%

[@poisonharley]

I feel so seen right now. THANK YOU. HotD is a queer divorce drama (with dragons) and I love it so much. Your analysis has made me appreciate season 2 so much more and rejuvenated my excitement for season 3.

[@Loki-g3k]

Queer divorce drama 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@adambanoori7276]

YUPPPP EXACTLYYYYY

[@renan_niehaus]

MY GOD, what an amazing analysis!!!!!! I'm TRILLED!!!!! This fandom (and the community that evolves this media) is such a hell that I had to abandon Twitter and Reddit for good. I usually run from video essays about HOTD because of the fandom misery and unwillingness to accept the subtext, but I am glad that I watched this! You made an incredible work here, THANK U!!!

[@TastyPC]

"You decided to stay on the messy bitches train like the rest of us" I'm crying lol

[@reachelglasser544]

I'm only 16:13 and you just get it you get Alicent (she is one of the most interesting and introspective characters in my opinion) OMG THANK YOU!!! like i had to read and watch so many bad faith arguments about her.... so full of disdain and misunderstanding, this video feels like a breeze in hell, I will definitely use your amazing and emphatic video as a banner, thank you for showing empathy, analitical and critical thinking in the horrible space that is HOTD (and soiaf) fandom. You are loved, NEEDED, and appreciated

[@audrey.godwin]

this video is so incredibly written. I've been exhausted by the online discourse about this show, and it's refreshing to see someone use their damn head

[@Hannah-mu1uj]

This is fabulous. I will be sending this to everyone who asks me why I enjoyed this season going forward because you say it better than I can.

[@katie_fannin646]

20:11 "this is the face of a woman who secretly longs for death" 💀💀💀

[@Shiri_05]

It's actually amazing how I just watched this analysis (because i love gay angst, especially wlw), and watched Wicked, and looked for a gay analysis and then figuring out it's the same channel. Slay

[@BannedFromTheaters]

Hahaha! I have to ask, before you realized, did you think "Gosh, it's odd that the gay analysis video essay scene is pretty dominated by people with this particular accent" 🤔"Also I guess, animated/pixelart avatar standing in front of an old-school school board is really popular in this corner of the internet?", because that would be _hilarious_ 😆

[@Shiri_05]

@@BannedFromTheaters i actually realized it when i am already watching half of the Wicked video, when I checked on your channel because im like damn, this is really good, then found that rhaenicent video on top (and commented instantly). About the accent, I am used to hearing different accents when I listen to video essays like they're podcasts, which I actually did for this video ( I watched the Wicked video tho, not just listen to it), that's why I also did not realoze it sooner. Anyways, you're really good at what you do hahaha

[@emilybroderick2421]

I'm still holding out for dungeon sex next season, but even if we don't get it, rhaenicent remains the heart, soul, and point of the show. And that's pretty damn good to me.

[@jadeantunes]

Perfect analysis! Can't wait for season 3 to see more of alicent and rhaenyra's dynamics, now in the red keep

[@lumauro9125]

The thing about subtext is that it relies a lot on your experience to catch it. Growing up a queer girl myself, I instantly clocked their relationship as queer, but that wasn't the case for some of my straight friends. I had to point out certain things for them to see them in that light, which I agree is partly the intent of the kiss with mysaria. I LOVE that their story is entirely subtext. It's very compelling and makes for beautiful, tragic storytelling even if they are never explicit about it

[@iknowfacebutidontknowname5880]

THANK YOU, I absolutely love your analysis of Alicent! This video is such a breath of fresh air!

[@AaronJubelt]

Amazing Video! This deserves wayyyy more views :DD

[@BannedFromTheaters]

@@AaronJubelt Thanks! I hate call to actions, but feel free to get the word out and share it! 😉

[@Albitacrazy]

LOL. I rewatched Wicked recently and can't stop thinking, this is SO sapphic. I'm praying to get something with the movie

[@rhaelicent]

Ohmygod FINALLY says what I think exactly!!!! I don’t want/need them to be cannon and I think in some ways it’d take away from their tragedy because it doesn’t really make sense for the characters to be in a ..loving romantic relationship anymore I think. I could see maybe one tender kiss on the cheek or lips during an incredibly vulnerable moment in s3-4 slightly before ..uh someone dies or something OR one filled with hate and love at the same time that pains them both, that they’ve yearned for but that won’t change anything. My point is the kiss is optional and the relationship is a sure NO. And I’m cool with that since that’s what this story is about, as you said. Not being ABLE to ever get to that budding love they once shared and how that haunts them. How they slowly realise perhaps what it was but it’s too late and now they can do nothing about it. That’s a much better ending and story to me than the two of them running away to their happily ever after (I always have fix-it fics should I want to see that story be told).

[@sophssf]

This this this!! Omg so so good, you really went through it all, plus your editing was so funny and cool thx so much for sharing it!! People are not prepared for this ship, also the fact that they dont need a happy ending or be physically togethet for it to be true, and that their love is just bigger than this

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

I'm only at 18:07 into the video, and I already feel like....FINALLY someone else who saw what I saw when watching this tv series!!! I can not understand the people I've seen saying that Rhaenyra and Alicent did literally nothing all Season 2, and that their storylines didn't follow a logical arc / consistent throughline / whatever or allegedly didn't reach a season conclusion that stayed completely in character for each of them and made any sense. Looking forward to the rest of what this video has to say!!!!! (Hopefully I've not spoken too soon^-^) Lolll 😊💖

[@rociocarranza7836]

“It’s the heart of the show.” Yes!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

Even if the Rhaenyra and Alicent relationship WERE completely platonic, we need to stop acting as if only romantic or sexual relationships can be just as intimate or just as powerfully impactful/influential even if for completely different reasons. The show should be read pretty much the exact same way whether it's just a bestfriends-like-family-kinship gone sour or a first-love-that-almost-yet-never-was gone sour. And pretty much regardless of whether either one of them is or isn't an actual full on girl kisser. Lol

[@harrietomnishambles9771]

Finally someone speaking sense on this! The whole show is about their dynamic which I find endlessly interesting but I fear misogyny and homophobia gets in the way…

[@lonewizzy]

Their relationship is about yearning and limerence 💔😭💕

[@thelouisemonarchy5551]

The shift in fandom of thinking a ship has to be canon or that everyone needs to want it to be canon is weird, some of these people would die if they were in the middle the mess of crack ships in the mid 2010's when people were shipping characters from different shows and movies together. Anyway I don't even watch HOTD but I'm so here for the doomed yuri, I'm invested in these bitches, I'm seated for the drama. Alicent and Rhaenyra's relatinship is so messy, too bad they couldn't just get married and rule the kingdom together.

[@keroessa0146]

youre spitting facts omg i was giggling the whole eps

[@y.s.mnails7834]

I am first and mostly a fan of the book universe. But I appreciate every opinion and adaptation because it shows how immersive the world GRRM built is.

[@changingmind2522]

Great great great video. I love when people actually use the subtext that is there to do a justified analysis of this show. Alicent and Rhaenyra ARE the hearts of the show. Period.

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

2:55 - If you watch the after episode "inside look" or whatever they say pretty clearly that Daemon was supposed to have stopped because he literally couldn't get it up. But none of that was depicted particularly clearly on screen, despite an earlier scene having shown him having performance issues with someone else.😅🙃😐

[@katie_fannin646]

This is why I love Alicent's character so much. Her actions and reasonings do not progress in black and white. That is why subtext is so important. The subtext is CRITICAL for understanding the deeper reasonings of the main characters in HOTD. Every character is flawed. The queer dynamic between Rhaenyra and Alicent is so important in the context of the show. I love how you mentioned that a relationship does not have to be canon to exist. 42:14. The internet gets so pressed about whether something is canon or not, but it doesn't HAVE to be to play an essential role in the story.

[@ninreck5121]

thank you, this was such a valid take!

[@RScholar]

Earned my enthusiastic subscription with all the unflinchingly rich interpretation, and the indescribably delightful Dutch accent is a heck of a bonus. ❤

[@noone9472]

Why does this only have 8k views

[@BannedFromTheaters]

tbf, this video is doing incredibly well for my channel (10x better in the first 7 days than all my other videos) and I already had to turn of notifications bc i found it too intense 😭

[@skeletonflower_]

This is the best analysis of Rhaenyra and Alicent that I've seen yet. I don't understand why the fandom has such a poor understanding of them. It's especially confusing to see the discussion about Rhaenyra. Somehow, they complain that Rhaenyra was whitewashed, but what I saw was a cult leader in making. The whole season was about how she was diving deeper and deeper into her own delusions and self-righteousness. Even when she went to meet Alicent to negotiate peace, she seemed more interested in Viserys's last words (= her right to the throne) than stopping the war. At the end of the season, she had convinced herself that she was chosen by gods to be the foretold queen who would save the world. If that's not dark, I don't know what is.

[@sheepsdog]

me when i have no understanding of anything:

[@hasna7542]

​@@sheepsdog​ this is so obviously what they're going for with rhaenyra's arc and even confirmed in interviews. maybe it's you who have no understanding of anything.

[@skeletonflower_]

@hasna7542 That commenter beautifully demonstrated my point 😂 I wasn't exaggerating at all.

[@sheepsdog]

@@hasna7542 yup! both you, op, and the showrunners have no understanding of the adaptation or the character archetype they’re meant to be adapting! exactly!! thank you for agreeing

[@sheepsdog]

@@skeletonflower_ i never said u were exaggerating i just said you don’t understand 😊

[@addygil5000]

I really liked this analysis of their relationship. Thank you for making this. The bit about Jaehaerys felt so good to hear. As well as acknowledging the tragic nature of the series. I agree with 95% of what you say here, but not caring about f&b is a very poor choice of words and made me want to type this out. GoT was successful when they cleaved most to the source material. As they continued to go further from source material, the worse it got. That is the worry I(f&b enjoyer) have. Book Alicent is fucking iconic and unless they do some wild shit, show Alicent is not going to be able to live up who she was in the book, and one of her finest hours is going to be completely gone, and her character for season 3 has to be completely changed. Alicent hightower in the show is a compelling character, but in s2 is a pretty terrible adaption.

[@BannedFromTheaters]

Thanks for your levelheaded comment! I wish this was the standard tone when people don't agree with something on the internet. 😉 Just to be clear, it's not that I don't care about Fire & Blood! What made me not want to read the book (yet) is the fandom... They tore HOTD to shreds and used F&B as a shield. Instead of what a fandom _should_ be (come together to enjoy the and exchange thoughts and ideas on the show/book/etc.), it felt like I entered a battlefield. And it wasn’t a “oh, I actually prefer this section as it's told in the book.” No. It was _timing_ the screen time of characters (???) and actively campaigning to have a writer and head creator _fired_ ! (???????) All while portraying GRRM like their god who could do no wrong uwu. This mentality didn't make me curious or encouraged me to read the book. It actively turned me off from reading it. It's a bit of a knee jerk reaction on my part, I fully admit it. Once the bad taste of the fandom has left my mouth, I definitely want to read the book! I’m certain I’ll like a lot of what the book is about and the world GRRM has crafted. I also understand your wariness, especially with GOT's history. Honestly, the last seasons of Game of Thrones _could_ have worked, as long as they had built up those narrative plot points properly within the show. But they didn't. They undermined characters' growth and journeys for cheap "plot twists". Booo! The reasons why I'm personally not too worried that HOTD will strain too far from the source material (and fall prone to a similar fate) are: - The absolute bad reception of the final season(s) of GOT. Let's not fool ourselves and think that didn't leave HBO execs and creators shaking in their boots. Sure, they made a lot of money, but it must KILL them that their Golden Child is now remembered with such disdain. - This is a prequel. Logistically, they cannot strain too far from the canon, because then the original show's lore no longer works. And you're fully in your right to prefer the book! It's always hard to trust someone you don't know with something you love. Especially when that trust has been broking before. Personally, I'm a big believer that adaptations deserve to breathe fresh air into the source material. That's a hot take for many, I am aware. Most people want faithful adaptations. But as a creator myself, I am curious how a different crew handles the same material. I love digging into the differences, go after the _why_ of a change and whether they still managed to tell a compelling story. This is what I do with Wicked (the other obsession I briefly mention in the video). The book and musical could not be more different from each other. Especially in tone. I love (& hate) both. They have both their strengths and weaknesses. But because of those massive differences, the fandom is overall pretty chill about different interpretations. As a fan creator you can just run with themes and character arcs of both sources and craft your own. It's wonderful! It's a sandbox I've been playing in for 8 years and do not plan on leaving soon. Even with the upcoming movie. Which I'm sure I'll love (& hate) and will have its strengths and weaknesses. So, honestly? Even if the next two seasons of HOTD stray from the book's canon, they still might do interesting stuff. Only time will tell! And hey, book!Alicent isn't going anywhere. 😉

[@christinestevenson4304]

I just found this video and channel! I subscribed in less than five. Minutes because she is hilarious!!! Loved this video!

[@BannedFromTheaters]

@@christinestevenson4304 thank you! Just so you know, I use they/them pronouns! 😉

[@ayanna6327]

As someone who loves Rhaenicent, thank you so much for giving such a succinct breakdown of their relationship and how it functions within the narrative. I was getting so sick and tired of the same copy-and-paste half baked takes all up and down anywhere HotD was being discussed. I will say though, as a resident softie, I would not be angry at all if we saw more explicit Rhaenicent in the show or a somewhat happy ending. That won't happen because like you said, their relationship is tragedy, but I wouldn't be mad at it either...👀

[@atelalafford4794]

love my toxic yuri obsession being catered to

[@jito7377]

I did not know I wanted an update of the former Queen. Even if I wondered, I did never research. Glad she is doing fine.

[@Byunerson]

I deeply resonate with the analyst. Especially, the bond between rhaenyra (“seemingly bi”) and alicent (straight), who are in a platonic relationship, but feel ever so deeply for each other. In my perspective the notion that friendships are less valued as romantic relationships feels like, in the show, they are forced to value their kin and duty before one another. That they are set on a path that isn’t viable for them to ever be together (platonically or romantically). You really said it right, that this is a tragedy 🎭

[@flayron5514]

I don't mind critics of the show, I'm not a big fan myself. But the fact that so few critics engage with the subtext or even just mention it, all the parallels when it's obviously here and taking it into account makes the narrative more clear.. maybe it sounds too fanficky/unserious for them but this time it's definitely a thing. Not even saying it's a good or bad thing but any critic that doesn't mention it fails its purpose.

[@BannedFromTheaters]

Yes! While I do like the show, I totally don't mind criticism of it either (by all means, HOTD isn't a perfect show). But at least be generous enough to engage with it on its own terms and try to understand what it IS trying to tell.😭 Like. Since when did not liking a show/story become the equivalent of a moral crusade?? It's totally fine if your opinion begins and ends with "oh yeah, not really my cup of tea" or "I actually find the book more engaging". You don't have to make a whole song and dance about it. Sometimes a story is just not for you... Disregarding the main (underlying) dynamic of the show is CRAZY and I found it shocking how commonly people in the fandom disregarded it anyway.

[@moiz85]

I'm a book fan too but I totally love your analysis

[@BannedFromTheaters]

@@moiz85 Por qué no los dos, right? 😉

[@stephanierose1]

thank you for not making another whinefest about s2 like the rest of this fandom! alicent’s arc is one of the best features of this show, and your work is fantastic!

[@forgotmyun]

Honestly the way Alicent was written, it makes so much sense for her endgame. My only problem is that I wish some of Alicent’s more indulgent behaviors (mostly her eating!!) should be Rhaenyra. Rhaenyra should’ve been on screen as much as possible with food in front of her, except the first episode maybe.

[@Albitacrazy]

"Are you people watcing the same show as I am?" It's a question I've done to myself soooo many time while reading some people complains and stupid tweets xD

[@ghostlypigeon6]

ok but the fact that both books were published in 1996??????? what was in the water that year omG

[@ghostlypigeon6]

also great video

[@BannedFromTheaters]

Right?! I was like 'wait didn't GOT first publish in the 90s? That's such a coincidence!' and then I looked up the actual date and was absolutely floored. 😆

[@mlemaire109]

It blows my mind when people go ☝️🤓 "uhm actually this didnt happen in the book" when Fire and Blood is literally 3 different people yapping about THEIR INTERPRETATION of what happened. Fire and Blood is like the amalgamation of gossip and rumors whereas as i see HotD as how things actually happened. Never meant to be identical to the ramblings of people like Mushroom 💀

[@ninreck5121]

I think more people need to watch the100, a show where you root for characters who become progressively worse, genocidal, delusional people, a show that has made me say many times "that's my emotional support terrorist / genocidal leader / cannibalist dictator" ABOUT THE MAIN CHARACTERS

[@Albitacrazy]

I love your humor and the memes xD

[@Loki-g3k]

Perhaps with this plot( Alicent and Rhaenyra story) we didn't dragon battles at all. In that way they could save the budget for at least 5 seasons. Not to mention casting young actors for the roles that eventually casted aside as side characters with minimal screen time.( Aegon, Aemond, Jace, Luke and daeron, helaena)

[@Megshroom]

This is my first video of yours that I've seen come across my fyp, and now Im hooked. I laughed so many times, the way you deliver your thoughts with a bit of snark is excellent. Ill definitely be watching more of your videos!

[@coney_island_queen]

The amount of hate that Alicent gets bc she is so misunderstood is insane.

[@riffshe20]

As someone who hasn't watched the show and having this video be the only storytelling, the subtext becomes my text so HA take that subtext deniers! Why watch this if I haven't watched the show? Simple. I see implication of gays, I click. It did not disappoint

[@jolinefields3460]

Thank you ❤🎉

[@ALtheuncommonicedragon8360]

1:30 Cause canon always outweighs coding when it comes to queer relationships. Like they do not need to be together happy & married but the aspects of their character should be a definitive thing that can be hand waved or denied as the actual substance & point of story. Rhaenyra is canonically queer now and I think it’s enough to have general audience reassess Rhaenyra’s dynamic with Alicent & levels there. Subtext is meaningful in certain ways but let’s not overhype it or romanticize it too deeply over actual canon rep please.

[@Albitacrazy]

Love this analysis, we need more videos like this. But did you have to use the person from twitter who ships Matt and Milly? and has really weird takes on incest? 😅 Seeing that name gave me war flashbacks

[@BannedFromTheaters]

Yes, I really had to, because I cite my sources. I saw that tweet too, and I partly read it as her pushing back against the sudden & massive response she got for that thread (3.5 million views is Intense!!). Just keep in mind that citing doesn't mean "I endorse everything this person stands for." It's just acknowledging where you got your information from. Also, if I can only cite people who are 100% Pure, I'd have nobody to cite. 😜

[@ParacelsusCaspari]

great video

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

39:44 - YES!! Just, so much, yes!!!!😊

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

46:24 - Still = ALL the Yes!!!💖 Thank You.

[@madokamagika6333]

But what about jahaerys? Hahahahaha😂😂😂

[@djadelaney]

yay 😊 yes. well put

[@ambre4144]

Personally regarding Jaehaerys, I didnt think too much of the « son for a son » comment Rhaenyra made because I interpreted it as one of Rhaenyra’s son (Lucerys) for one of Alicent’s (Aegon). Moreover in the driftmark episode, Alicent called for Viserys to defend Aemond « his blood » against Luke his grandson opposing the two with Aemon being the king’s blood and Lucerys not really? So from Rhaenyra’s pov Jaehaerys would count right?

[@Albitacrazy]

Almost half and hour to get to the queer xDD

[@MusingMoss]

jamming out to darude sandstorm with you lol thank you for this incredible video!

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

24:21 - ALSO .. that poor unfortunate boy was not the son of a responsible party. She wasn't owed a grandson. She was owed a son. Even Daemon never asked for a grandson, he told them not to bother coming back unless they could get the job done, but unfortunately didn't count on their ability to misinterpret his indirect insinuations. It was Alicent and Alicent's sons Aemond and Aegon who were direct participants in the theft of the crown and the political and other machinations that ultimately resulted directly in the slaughter of Rhaenyra's son-Rhaenyra wants the actually responsible parties to be held accountable and to pay their blood debts, NOT some innocent child who had zero actual culpability in any of it. The death of Alicent's innocent grandson was senseless and did not payback what was owed-that was the whole reason why it was such a tragedy that Rhaenyra almost gave up fighting for the throne at all, until Alicent told her that essentially Viserys' dying words were actually a reinforcement of his desire to see Rhaenyra sit that throne which Alicent had unfortunately lacked the context to understand correctly (because she hadn't realized his dying words were made under the misbelief he was speaking to his daughter of an inside secret only Rhaenyra would have known about) rather than having been malice harbored like a dagger behind Alicent's back in secret even despite the public appearance of a prior reconciliation.

[@jaginaiaelectrizs6341]

25:27 - Rhaenyra's point is, likely, that he is basically saying that everyone opposing Rhaenyra's claim was RIGHT to do so and accusing HER of doing the same thing to him as others have previously done to her / saying that he too would have opposed her if they had been in any other positions than mother-son, rather than siding with HER and supporting her in fighting to upend and change other people's perspectives/standpoints. But, yeah, she possibly does also kinda believe the sovereign should be the sovereign without answering to advisors or councils or common people, because...otherwise..what is the point even of a sovereign at all?😅 😂😂 Elitist zealotry ripe for the budding, for sure.

[@PockyBoy9]

Fate of Rhaenyra and Alicent so bleak 😢

[@sierra750]

Very strange to admit you have never read Fire & Blood then claim that the writers are improving the original story or had to change it so that it would make sense with S1. The things that happen in Fire & Blood would still make sense with how they set up the show in S2 and would be far more interesting to watch, too. Like yes there are some homophobes out there who just complain about the queer subtext but my whole group of friends who watch this are queer (including myself) and did not like S2. The main problems of S2 have nothing to do with queer subtext and everything to do with bad pacing, poor character development and lack of logical payoff.

[@BannedFromTheaters]

First of all - and a shame I have to say it - but thank you for having a reasonably normal comment, despite disagreeing. 😅 To be clear, I never said the "HOTD writers are improving the original story" just that adaptations - in general - have the _ability_ to reflect upon the source material and _potentially_ improve it. That's definitely not what all adaptations do, and not what they do across the board, but what imo a great adaptation CAN do. And as a small example of a good change, I use the relationship between Rhaenyra and Alicent (and it being universally applauded in S1). You're well in your right not to like season 2. But I didn't spend 30 minutes close reading Alicent and Rhaenyra's character arcs for the hell of it. It was to show that, within the structure of the TV show, their character development was very much built up, did make sense, and had brought them to a logical point to where the season ended (despite it ending prematurely). We can talk about how some storylines didn't get as fleshed out as others. We can talk about how the writer's strike affected this season, especially with a lack of two whole episodes. (which show didn't get affected by the strike, tbh!) But see how that's a very different tone and different conversation than saying stuff like "this season had bad pacing". Okay... And...? That is not a full statement. _What_ was badly paced? Was it the dialogue? How the season was cut? Which scene was followed up by which? Was it the entire season or did it affect a particular storyline or episode or something else? Like... _Now_ we're getting somewhere. Now we're digging into the meat of it all! But that's not what I wanted to discuss in this video. That would be a whoooole other video! 😉 And to be clear, i never said that season 2 is good because of the queer subtext. That would be redundant. 😆 No. Just that to understand what _this_ version of the story - so not the book, but this particular streaming adaption - is trying to do, you must understand that the show has chosen to focus on the dynamic between Alicent and Rhaenyra. And that seems to be a point so many fans are hung up on. Some fans seem to be stuck in the loop that the "book is better and therefore the show sucks because it's not like the book." My underlying (subtextual - ha!) plea was to let go off that sentiment. That yes, you can love the book, and prefer it. But if you want to understand what the show is about, and why people like me find it so compelling, you must _first_ understand what the show is doing with its queer subtext - as that is the heart of the show.

[@sheepsdog]

so if ur whole argument is that hotd doesn’t have to follow anything about its source material (an opinion in which the literal author disagrees with) then what’s the point of ur video? most of the people upset about alicent and rhaenyras characterization are book readers who want them to have the same agency or atleast be as interesting as they were in the books. all of their choices make no sense within the world and laws of westeros. no mother will let her child be eaten by a dragon and then try to still make peace…get real. ur insinuating people are “upset” over rhaenicent because it’s gay is actually hilarious people are “upset” because it makes no sense. rhaesaria for example is not canon but it makes sense. they’ve been enemies longer than they have been friends. alicent and the greens and their hatred for rhaenyra inevitably leads to her child dying and her death. 54 houses backed rhaenyras claims while 28 backed aegons. the realm would’ve accepted her. the greens argument was that a sister cannot come before a brother NOT that a sister cannot rule. which is where the hypocrisy for how they’re treating alicent comes in. u can agree GOT changes make no sense but when it comes to hotd…? no? and jace IS a targaryen. targaryens don’t treat bastards the way that westerosi do! u would know this if u picked up a book…like omg and jace was the main one who was advocating for the dragonseeds 😭 alicent is not a key player that is the whole point all the agency she has is IMAGINARY. then calling rhaenyra delusional because she wants her birthright is misogynistic at best and stupid at least. rhaenyra does not think she’s tptwp she thinks her line will carry tptwp…which it does. i feel like u fundamentally misunderstand the world u claim u understand in favor of ur headcanons. which is another issue regarding the show and its adaptation of westerosi history, the history that makes the world compelling. the author himself said the SAME THING.

[@hasna7542]

@@sheepsdog 🥱

[@sheepsdog]

@@hasna7542 wow! i got u this upset u followed me comment to comment!! i’m honored. you don’t have anything of substance to say? no argument against any of the points i made? aw that’s okay! reading is hard and forming a rebuttal to truthful information is even harder. 😢

[@BannedFromTheaters]

@@sheepsdog Friend. Nobody is bothering to engage with you, because it’s not worth it. You clearly are not open to a calm and collected exchange of opinions. I’ve been weighing on whether to reply to your original comment, but ultimately decided it is _impressive_ how badly you’ve managed to represent my arguments and misunderstand my postion. It would take a novel to re-explain my positions. But if it didn’t take the first time, why would it take the second time? It’s not worth the effort. Also, your accusatory tone to me and other viewers has not gone unnoticed. This was the deciding factor to me for not engaging with you. Fire & Blood =/= House of the Dragon. This is a point you seem hung up on. And citing GRRM like some sort of magic trick isn’t going to work on me. I subscribe to Roland Barthes’ Death of the Author. In the 60s his work fundamentally shifted media theory and literary analysis. Before, people only looked at the author and their opinions and considered that the Only Correct Interpretation. Barthes compared this behavior as people looking at the author like a god. And to shift away from this, “god” must be killed. AKA: The Death of the Author. The text must be central. Not the author. And yet, almost 60 years later and fandom - in theory - being an ideal set of circumstance to prioritize text over the author, we’ve somehow regressed back to “word from god”. To speak plainly: whatever GRRM says outside his text, is just another opinion to me. It holds no more weight than random Joe over there. The quality of the analysis (and how well it reads and interprets the text) is what is valuable. No matter if it comes from “god” or a “street rat”. Not to mention, GRRM isn’t even the author of the show. The actors, directors, writers, set- & costume designers, editors and hundreds of people are! Creating film and TV takes a village. All these incredible talented people come together and craft a cohesive story. But somehow, that’s lost on you too. Anyway, I’ve already put in way more effort than I promised myself I would. You can prefer the book. I don’t care. But as long as you can’t engage with people without taunting and rage-baiting them, I will not further engage with you. And I encourage every other viewer to do the same.

[@hasna7542]

​@@BannedFromTheaters​ this commenter doesn't deserve even an ounce of thoughtful response, especially from you, but this is incredibly well said. it's so normal for adaptations to diverge from the source material and the original author's vision but some of these book purists act like the show killed their dog lol. wild! anyway, thank you for making this video! an oasis in the middle of so much bad faith discourse in this toxic fandom, truly. 🩵