C.T. Phipps

I admit, this was my thought. Rhaenys: Step aside. Dragon Tender: Yes, holy one.

I believe this is essentially why Rhaenys is rolling her eyes with Alicent their entire conversation. If Alicent was smart, she would have married Aemond to one.

There's no reason for the doors not to be blocked for the Dragon Pit, necessitating this way.

You mean in the conversation where he's very obviously feeling Criston Cole out for killing/abandoning his brother? Where he cuts ONE WORD off from "I should be king"?

Yes, the ten or so people she didn't intend to kill? What about them?

The numbers keep going up huh. Thousands, hundreds. All from jumping up through the floor.

To get them out of the city. Because really they would have been killed because Robert was a monster.

Yes, Rhaenys killed them because she had to in order to escape. Killing the Hightowers would be because she wants to eliminate them as threats and probably start a war. She was held prisoner but no harm was done to her otherwise.

It wasn't a case of inexperience. It was a case of morality. He warned them because he didn't want to kill children.

Why would Ned Stark warn Cersei? And yet he did.

I mean, yes. It's a mistake that gets Rhaenys killed. I'm not sure why it being a mistake is....a mistake. She will regret not doing it.

Yes, this is very much a Green view.

I think thousands of people is a bit ridiculous. It was a couple of dozen of people caught up when she burst out and the primary thing people will remember is how it made Aegon look weak. It's not like she was going through the blast massacring everyone deliberately. It was just she smashed through the ground. Hell, some of the people might be alive with broken limbs.

No offense but this is actually why I don't think much of Marx's interpretation of Revolution because the same holds true in the 20th and 21st centuries. Revolutions can recruit the peasantry and working class but to be able to think about revolution, you need to be doing more than surviving and have enough of an education or acquaintance with rights to be pissed about them. Hence why Revolution was never of the agrarian class but born of the urban city or middle class even when lionizing the agarian class (like many Marxist revolts). Which to keep it Westerosi, the Smallfolk eventually revolt not because of the Smallfolk but because of the Clergy because the Clergy are an educated subclass of the peasantry and above them but not completely divorced from it like the nobility.

The people of King's Landing eventually turn against dragons and the lack of killing the Greens results in Rhaenys death. I'm not sure why people don't think this will have consequences.

Daeny's actions were nonsensical Jon's actions were nonsensical And the ending was nonsensical. Everyone's actions were nonsensical. Jon's actions are arguably questionable even under modern rules of warfare. But this is a well-trodden path.

Mysaria is a peasant so I'm not sure to unpack this. It's not like the lower classes didn't hate the nobility in the actual Middle Ages. Before the nobility got their grubby mitts on the legends, Robin Hood and other legendary outlaws were proper peasant heroes and not nobility. Everything we know about Medieval legends and folklore is they nodded their heads in public while knowing the nobility were assholes in charge by force of arms rather than divine right. Also speaking as an anarchist and anti-communist, Praise Wat Tyler as the true father of revolution. And the lesson we learned from him? Fuck kings. Their word is worthless. (An even older source is the good book itself where God points out how moronic the idea of kings is)

According to Medieval law, they did have it coming. The city refused to surrender, sought refuge with a usurper queen, and a bunch of other actions that make Jon's actions nonsensical. Especially as it was his sister's treason that started it.

I mean, Otto basically makes it clear to the Lord Commander that he's pardoned. Why he turns in his cloak.

Any of that logic would apply to Rhaenyra as well. Which means that she just believed Rhaenyra was THAT terrible of a person compared to her side. Which apparently the show wants her to believe.

I mean, Otto is actually fucking terrible at this. If not for Alicent carrying water for him, he never would have gotten close to being in a position of power again. He's too obvious in his scheming and too quick to violence. Larys and Alicent are both leagues above him.

Sadly, it makes Alicent look dumb because it means in 20 years, she's never considered that in all the time her father said that Rhaenyra was going to murder her children as a threat to their reign that it would never be a case of it being in the same in reverse. Are we really expected to believe Alicent was so dismissive of Rhaenyra's bastards, Daemon, and their trueborn children that she never believed they would not be a threat to Aegon II? It makes her look the fool.

Alicent: I can overlook incest but I draw the line at foot fetishes. Septa: You can overlook the incest?

I fully believe Sam's history would call his father out as a traitor and a Lannister lickspittle. Sam isn't exactly going to forgive dear old dad in the histories.

https://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/2022/10/house-of-dragon-1x09-green-council.html HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 1x09 "THE GREEN COUNCIL" is easily the best of the episodes so far. I think this will be a controversial decision but it's how I feel. After a lot of issues with previous episodes, I think this masterfully builds on what has come before and sets up the conflict between the Blacks and the Greens that will hopefully begin next book. The premise is that King Viserys has finally died and Alicent believes that he named Aegon his heir on his deathbed. She proceeds to go to the Small Council and announce this stunning fact, only to find out they're already planning on naming Aegon the heir regardless of the king's wishes. Furthermore, they plan on killing Rhaenyra and her heirs (as well as Daemon) because this was always their plan. Alicent is appalled by this, which is kind of ridiculous because Otto has been stating that Rhaenyra would have to kill her children for Aegon's entire life. It apparently never occurred to Alicent in all this time that the reverse would be true. However, the wheels are already in motion for Aegon II's usurpation and begin with Ser Criston Cole murdering a member of the Small Council. The fact Aegon II is drunk in some brothel or child fighting pit (seriously, King's Landing is the Gotham City of fantasy settings) and can't be found is not enough to delay their treason. I'm going to state that I think all the people complaining about the Greens getting vilified and the Blacks getting whitewashed missed the point that this provides honest-to-God stakes for the conflict. Aegon II is utterly unworthy of the throne and someone who will only bring misery and death to those around him. The fact he's controlled by Otto and his deluded mother doesn't make it any better. It means that we actually care how this conflict ends and I think that's important for this kind of story. I really like how awful Otto is and he's not even competent at his scheming. One of the first things he does is start hanging Great Lords of the realm when they refuse to bend the knee. The Lannisters knew this was a mistake when they threw Ned in the dungeon and compelled his obedience through threats to his family. He's an obvious, foul, and unpleasant manipulator that only got as far as he did thanks to his daughter's better politicking. Hell, he's only Hand of the King because of her and Larys working together. The real MVP of this episode, though, is Princess Rhaenys. The Queen who Never was is being held under house arrest as they try to figure out if she supports Princess Rhanyra's claim or not. Rhaenyra really doesn't want to, suspecting her of killing Laenor, but the fact is that she's also betrothed her children to Rhaenyra's. There's also the fact that the Hightowers are scheming, grasping, and repulsive upstarts dancing on her cousin's grave. She gets both a silly and awesome scene at the end where I can only think, "You are going to regret not saying a single word here." I also liked the depiction of Aemond this episode as we find out he's an erudite, serious, and well-trained man ready to serve the kingdom. In other words, everything his brother is not. I think he even felt out Criston Cole over whether it would be justified to murder his brother but the traitor Kingsguardsman just sort of deliberately ignored it. One of the rare subtle scenes between both and I think worked really well. Some people are going to be obsessed with the whole "foot fetish" thing but I actually think it actually serves a useful in-story purpose. Alicent has cloaked herself in the "Madonna/Whore" complex with her serving as the holy good one to the evil sexualized Rhaenyra. The fact she's forced to somewhat prostitute herself to Larys to work against her own father is an important bit of characterization for showing she's not any better. Indeed, Rhaenys has her number that she doesn't want to break free but put a window in her prison. In conclusion, I really enjoyed this episode and think it may be my favorite all. The scheming and firm commitment to just what a scummy bunch of monsters the Greens are, finally gives us a reason to care that they be kept from the throne at all costs. We also get some solid politicking and brutal atrocities. If they can keep this up through the Dance then I'll be all over this series for years to come. 10/10