The Sea Snake's Proposal

[The Bard of Banefort]

After capturing King's Landing during the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra sat the Iron Throne, Alicent Hightower was imprisoned, Criston Cole was dead, and Aegon was on the run. While planning their next move, Corlys Velaryon favored a less severe approach:

Quote

"He urged the queen to offer pardons to Lords Baratheon, Hightower, and Lannister if they would bend their knees, swear fealty, and offer hostages to the Iron Throne. The Sea Snake proposed to let the Faith take charge of Queen Alicent and Queen Helaena, so that they might spend the remainder of their lives in prayer and contemplation. Helaena's daughter, Jaehaera, could be made his own ward, and in due time married to Prince Aegon the Younger, binding the two halves of House Targaryen together once again. "And what of my half brothers?" Rhaenyra demanded, when the Sea Snake put this plan before her. "What of this false king Aegon, and the kinslayer Aemond? Would you have me pardon them as well, them who stole my throne and slew my sons?"

"Spare them, and send them to the Wall," Lord Corlys answered. "Let them take the black and live out their lives as men of the Night's Watch, bound by sacred vows."

 As we know, Rhaenyra rejected this proposal and sought to put an end to her half-brothers and their claim to the Iron Throne. My question is, how do you think the Dance would have been altered had Rhaenyra taken this approach? Would the greens accept these terms? Would clemency have put an end to the war, or merely forestalled it for a little while longer? I'm interested in hearing your opinions on this. 

[Lord Lannister]

It seems unlikely the Greens would've accepted such terms. Too much blood had been shed by this time. Aegon II was already injured and going mad, Aemond wasn't one to give in to reason. It's possible the lesser houses could abandon the Greens if Rhaenyra looked to be the winner, but her position was never overwhelming and betraying someone who has dragons at their beck and call is just asking for fire and blood. Even if they all did summarily abandon Aegon, who's going to force his family into submission? It would just be a different Dance to the same tune in the end, I'd think.

[Dorian Martell's son]

3 hours ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

After capturing King's Landing during the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra sat the Iron Throne, Alicent Hightower was imprisoned, Criston Cole was dead, and Aegon was on the run. While planning their next move, Corlys Velaryon favored a less severe approach:

 As we know, Rhaenyra rejected this proposal and sought to put an end to her half-brothers and their claim to the Iron Throne. My question is, how do you think the Dance would have been altered had Rhaenyra taken this approach? Would the greens accept these terms? Would clemency have put an end to the war, or merely forestalled it for a little while longer? I'm interested in hearing your opinions on this. 

Nothing would have changed. 

[Shouldve Taken The Black]

12 hours ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

After capturing King's Landing during the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra sat the Iron Throne, Alicent Hightower was imprisoned, Criston Cole was dead, and Aegon was on the run. While planning their next move, Corlys Velaryon favored a less severe approach:

 As we know, Rhaenyra rejected this proposal and sought to put an end to her half-brothers and their claim to the Iron Throne. My question is, how do you think the Dance would have been altered had Rhaenyra taken this approach? Would the greens accept these terms? Would clemency have put an end to the war, or merely forestalled it for a little while longer? I'm interested in hearing your opinions on this. 

The general suggestion of clemency for Aegon's supporters, mercy for the queens, and uniting the two competing branches in marriage, all make perfect sense to me; at least at the point where they are victorious (which they hadn't reached at that time).

However, sending Aegon and his brothers to the wall would be madness in my opinion. They would remain a constant threat. I don't know if they would have kept their word after taking the black, but I sincerely doubt it, and she would be living in constant fear of them reigniting the civil war. Particularly if they continued to be dragonriders. 

My advice would have been to continue fighting against those who continue to support Aegon's claim, offer generous terms to those who give up.

However, the Green Targaryen brothers would have to go.

[Vaedys Targaryen]

1 hour ago, Shouldve Taken The Black said:

The general suggestion of clemency for Aegon's supporters, mercy for the queens, and uniting the two competing branches in marriage, all make perfect sense to me; at least at the point where they are victorious (which they hadn't reached at that time).

However, sending Aegon and his brothers to the wall would be madness in my opinion. They would remain a constant threat. I don't know if they would have kept their word after taking the black, but I sincerely doubt it, and she would be living in constant fear of them reigniting the civil war. Particularly if they continued to be dragonriders. 

My advice would have been to continue fighting against those who continue to support Aegon's claim, offer generous terms to those who give up.

However, the Green Targaryen brothers would have to go.

Took the words straight out of my mouth; having Aegon III marry Jaehaera and unite the two branches by marriage and eventually by (closer) blood would give many of the Greens a good opening to go to the Blacks, which would take away much of Alicent and Helaena's support and could prevent them from being future threats, all the while showing the realm that Rhaenyra is reasonable and can be merciful.

But Aegon II and Aemond would have to go, for reasons you stated.

[The Bard of Banefort]

4 hours ago, Shouldve Taken The Black said:

The general suggestion of clemency for Aegon's supporters, mercy for the queens, and uniting the two competing branches in marriage, all make perfect sense to me; at least at the point where they are victorious (which they hadn't reached at that time).

However, sending Aegon and his brothers to the wall would be madness in my opinion. They would remain a constant threat. I don't know if they would have kept their word after taking the black, but I sincerely doubt it, and she would be living in constant fear of them reigniting the civil war. Particularly if they continued to be dragonriders. 

My advice would have been to continue fighting against those who continue to support Aegon's claim, offer generous terms to those who give up.

However, the Green Targaryen brothers would have to go.

This sounds similar to Tywin/Robert's approach following the Rebellion: get rid of rival claimants but grant clemency to houses that bend the knee. 

The biggest complication for this would be Daeron, the only one of the Green sons who isn't portrayed as reprehensible. Rhaenyra would have likely had to execute him along with his brothers, but it would certainly come across as more morally ambiguous than with Aegon and Aemond. 

[Skahaz mo Kandaq]

18 hours ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

After capturing King's Landing during the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenyra sat the Iron Throne, Alicent Hightower was imprisoned, Criston Cole was dead, and Aegon was on the run. While planning their next move, Corlys Velaryon favored a less severe approach:

 As we know, Rhaenyra rejected this proposal and sought to put an end to her half-brothers and their claim to the Iron Throne. My question is, how do you think the Dance would have been altered had Rhaenyra taken this approach? Would the greens accept these terms? Would clemency have put an end to the war, or merely forestalled it for a little while longer? I'm interested in hearing your opinions on this. 

 

18 hours ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

"Spare them, and send them to the Wall," Lord Corlys answered. "Let them take the black and live out their lives as men of the Night's Watch, bound by sacred vows."

This is conceptually a sound plan.  However, a lot can happen between KL and the Wall.  The boys aren't bound by sacred vows until after they've said their oaths.  A lot can happen before then.  

[Ckram]

10 hours ago, Skahaz mo Kandaq said:

The boys aren't bound by sacred vows until after they've said their oaths

And what about Vhagar (and Sunfyre)? NW vows doesn't break dragon's bond (I guess...).

I imagine the Wall woud also provide Aegon and Aemond with an new army and a strategic position to attack Starks and Manderlys, both Rhaenyra's allies.

[Shouldve Taken The Black]

16 hours ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

The biggest complication for this would be Daeron, the only one of the Green sons who isn't portrayed as reprehensible. Rhaenyra would have likely had to execute him along with his brothers, but it would certainly come across as more morally ambiguous than with Aegon and Aemond. 

Yeah, he would have to go. They're not being killed for being baddies, but because of their rival claim.