Jaehaerys Tyrell

I guess now that we’ve met Barba Bolton it looks like the Boltons aren’t operating a one heir per generation system, unless Barba became the Lady of the Dreadfort and Roose is able to give birth. I also think it’s more likely Brandon Ice-Eyes had a Bolton mother if there is any connection there at all.

I don’t think it likely that Prince Nymor sent his heir to King’s Landing with a threat. You’ve just given Aegon the best possible hostage. The most reasonable thing I’ve seen (I don’t remember who theorised it) was that the letter was from Rhaenys, who had been gravely injured but treated well at Hellholt. The Dornish may have sent Rhaenys’s body on a boat to Dragonstone and Aegon went to see it. I’m not totally convinced but it’s the only explanation I can believe that would explain Prince Nymor risking sending his heir and Aegon flying to Dragonstone and later agreeing to peace.

We don’t know that greyscale is a magical disease. Garin’s Curse could easily be a legend created to explain its existence.

The books both give me an impression that there is something “special” about being a Stark or a Targaryen, yet seem intent also on dispelling that impression (Bael the Bard, the Strong Velaryons, etc.). I guess we’ll have to wait to see how it pans out because right now I’m not sure exactly how this “magic bloodline” thing is supposed to work.

As a biologist I find this whole topic slightly frustrating. With near-certainty you can be assured that literally every single established noble house is descended from every single other established noble house. It’s been 8,000 years. The nobility are a relatively small population, and however rare, cross-border marriages happened. The Targaryens, like all westerosi nobolity, have Stark blood and Qorgyle blood and Codd blood and whatever house you can think of, because it has been eight thousand years. I really take the thematic important of Rhaegar-Lyanna and the Song of Ice and Fire to be that this is the first direct union of a Stark and a Targaryen, which is far more reasonable.

Don’t forget the Qorgyles!

I think this is a little harsh. Nor is the United States the centre of the world. I didn't find him dislikeable at all. He seems like an interesting person, and I'm concerned that you can have so much hate for a sixteen year old who lived through the deaths of most his family and who saw his mother being eaten by a dragon.

This got me thinking of an oddity on the Stark family tree. Rickon Stark and Jeyne Manderly had two daughters, Serena Stark and Sansa Stark, who both married their uncles. Rickon predeceased Lord Cregan and Winterfell passed to Lord Cregan's second son, Jonnel Stark, who was married to his half-niece Sansa Stark. Surely the purpose of the marriage was to unite the claims of Rickon's daughter and brother. Except, Sansa Stark isn't Rickon's heir. She's his second daughter, so why would she marry the elder uncle and the heir to Winterfell? Her elder sister, Serena, being betrothed to Daeron I Targaryen would be an excellent explanation - Sansa gets Winterfell and Serena gets to be Queen. Only Daeron I dies and Serena finds herself with nothing, which will probably play into the She-Wolves of Winterfell conflict.

I wonder why the pact was never honoured? Cregan himself could’ve married Baela or Rhaena after the Dance, or a betrothal could’ve been secured between the eventual firstborn daughter of Aegon III and her Stark contemporary.

I had always assumed the Fossoways held the title Lord of Cider Hall due to their power, but it is possible they’re very prominent landed knights, like House Templeton in the Vale. It is interesting that the confirmed landed knights of New Barrel have secured such excellent marriages with the Tyrells and Hightowers. They must’ve risen high in the last century. But it should be noted that Lady Leonette’s branch is not mentioned - she may be of Cider Hall

I think the Dance of the Dragons can justify now noteworthy it is due to the large numbers of battles involving dragons, and the resulting deaths of so many dragons and Targaryens. It doesn’t need huge numbers of actual deaths in war to earn itself a reputation.

If she’s not been born she’s probably not married. Is Longbow Hall farther north than Raventree Hall?

Once Rhaenyra had had her first three sons, what choice did she have but to insist they were legitimate? Once she’d ascended the Iron Throne (if all had gone to plan) she could’ve admitted their parentage and legitimised them as her heirs anyway, but it would only serve to bring dishonour upon her, turn the realm against her, and weaken the stability of her rule and the rule of her successors. Most of the realm wouldn’t be all that familiar with Laenor and his supposed sons, and they’re no experts on genetics. The mere fact that the Strong-Velaryons are dragonriders would be enough for most to accept them as Rhaenyra’s heirs. I just don’t think Rhaenyra and Viserys had much choice other than to insist that Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey were legitimate. Are the royal family not considered above the law anyway? It was debatable as to whether Maegor came ahead of Rhaena in the line of succession, Jaehaerys I succeeded ahead of Aerea despite no known precedence of agnatic primogeniture, chose Baelon as his heir ahead of Rhaenys, and then opened up the possibility that Laenor could become his heir after all when he called the Great Council. The Targaryens don’t seem to know what they’re doing with the succession.

What choice did Rhaenyra have? Laenor was likely unwilling to consummate the match, and for all she knew he could’ve lived well beyond her childbearing years and left her without heirs, so why not have children by a man she loves? I also have no sympathy for Corlys’s Velaryon cousins. Their opposition to Lucerys inheriting Driftmark is understandable, but they fail to see that Lucerys is betrothed to Rhaena Targaryen, Corlys’s own legitimate grandchild. The other Velaryons are trying to steal Driftmark from Corlys’s own bloodline. And if Corlys and Laenor are both happy to accept Jace, Luke, and Joff as their heirs, there’s no legally or morally acceptable path to disinheriting them. I’m a firm supporter of Rhaenyra over Aegon II, but I think Aegon II was perfectly justified in doing this. These were people who attacked and killed five of the last surviving dragons. Dragons are fundamental to Targaryen power, the symbol of their dynasty, and beloved companions of their riders. Regardless of your opinion on dragons, (I’m divided), a Targaryen choosing to burn those involved in their massacre is absolutely understandable.

Euron and Victarion both need to be locked up, but Theon and Aeron could certainly benefit from some therapy, although not necessarily family therapy. The Baratheons, Martells, Starks and Tullys are good examples of families that could benefit from some family therapy, given their “reasonable” issues