What if...

[Wmarshal]

He would have been Aerys the first come again, allowing others to do his ruling. His entire life was a show of letting others do his duty. KWB, ruling dragonstone, anything during the defiance, he was a lazy fool. He only joined the war when his father told him to.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

That is all solid your-opinion-only. Every mention of Rhaegar in the books is fond besides Bobby. we cannot just completely dismiss the entire text because we choose to not like someone.

Fond of Rhaegar? Maybe. But please, tell me how that relates to Rhaegar's competence.

Excuse me even Ned said he woudln't want to fight Barristen even in his old age. He was a bad ass. He took his oath seriously and as a member of the kingsguard you are to obey

Bad ass in a fight? Certainly. Intelligent? Those two traits are not linked at all.

By the way, that last sentence alludes to the Nuremberg defense.

Worse than Joffs?

Woah.

You just shattered my brain, Bright Blue Eyes.

;)

Meh, just including the grown-ups.

Barry served Rhaegar and his family all of Rhaegar's life, yet in his fising for tales of Rhaegr mentioned nothing of note.

Do you remember the Tourney of Harrenhal or Robert's Rebellion? Rhaegar didn't do much, but what he did caused disaster and it was visible from Aegon's time.

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

He wasn't the only one. For what we know, all of the KG witnessed similar things. The only one saying "erm... guys, shouldn't we be doing something???" was Jaime, the one who now has dreams of them saying he betrayed his oath. To be a knight and a men of the KG isn't just obeying the King, it does have a religious component and betraying the oath and the King also means betraying your god and beliefs.

On the topic of Rhaegar, I don't think he could have been a bad King. Maybe not the best King but definitely a solid one after Aerys's instability. Depending on the causes of Aerys' death, he could have faced one and many civil uprisings.

Now, I see many confuse Rhaegar the Prince with Rhaegar the (future) King. Being a prince didn't really asked much of him except learning how to rule and fight, which he did at some point. Even as a child, Aerys wasn't much to force him to be a warrior when he first preferred his books. The fact that he enjoyed music, liked to be alone or investigated about the prophecy makes no real difference on his skills as a ruler. It's like saying that because you liked to party in college you're automatically meant to be a terrible professional.

First off love your profile pic.

Secondly all of this is correct. I actually think the fact that he was both book smart and a fierce warrior would have made him more than qualified to be king. You just have to take Harrenhall out of the equation.

[Wmarshal]

He wasn't the only one. For what we know, all of the KG witnessed similar things. The only one saying "erm... guys, shouldn't we be doing something???" was Jaime, the one who now has dreams of them saying he betrayed his oath. To be a knight and a men of the KG isn't just obeying the King, it does have a religious component and betraying the oath and the King also means betraying your god and beliefs.

On the topic of Rhaegar, I don't think he could have been a bad King. Maybe not the best King but definitely a solid one after Aerys's instability. Depending on the causes of Aerys' death, he could have faced one and many civil uprisings.

Now, I see many confuse Rhaegar the Prince with Rhaegar the (future) King. Being a prince didn't really asked much of him except learning how to rule and fight, which he did at some point. Even as a child, Aerys wasn't much to force him to be a warrior when he first preferred his books. The fact that he enjoyed music, liked to be alone or investigated about the prophecy makes no real difference on his skills as a ruler. It's like saying that because you liked to party in college you're automatically meant to be a terrible professional.

To allow rape is to be a coward, and no god would want a knight to save Aerys for his crimes.

Rhaegar had duties and did not live up to them, as lord of DS it was his duty to rule it, as a knight it was his duty to protect Elia and his family.

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

Bad ass in a fight? Certainly. Intelligent? Those two traits are not linked at all.

By the way, that last sentence alludes to the Nuremberg defense.

Where in the books does it say he actually witnessed the murder of Elia and her children? He was at the battle of the trident and severely wounded and tended to by Robert's men. So how could he do anything?

[Wmarshal]

Fond of Rhaegar? Maybe. But please, tell me how that relates to Rhaegar's competence.

Bad ass in a fight? Certainly. Intelligent? Those two traits are not linked at all.

By the way, that last sentence alludes to the Nuremberg defense.

Meh, just including the grown-ups.

Do you remember the Tourney of Harrenhal or Robert's Rebellion? Rhaegar didn't do much, but what he did caused disaster and it was visible from Aegon's time.

You do realize I was backing you up right?

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

“

“Prince Rhaegar had two children,” Ser Barristan told him. “Rhaenys was a little girl, Aegon a babe in arms. When Tywin Lannister took King’s Landing, his men killed both of them. He served the bloody bodies up in crimson cloaks, a gift for the new king.” And what did Robert say when he saw them? Did he smile? Barristan Selmy had been badly wounded on the Trident, so he had been spared the sight of Lord Tywin’s gift, but oft he wondered. If I had seen him smile over the red ruins of Rhaegar’s children, no army on this earth could have stopped me from killing him. “I will not suffer the murder of children. Accept that, or I’ll have no part of this.”^[12]

”

– Barristan's thoughts

[Wmarshal]

Where in the books does it say he actually witnessed the murder of Elia and her children? He was at the battle of the trident and severely wounded and tended to by Robert's men. So how could he do anything?

He did not protect the innocent, Rhaella or kept true to his monarchy, the Targ Baretheon team switch

[Wmarshal]

“ “Prince Rhaegar had two children,” Ser Barristan told him. “Rhaenys was a little girl, Aegon a babe in arms. When Tywin Lannister took King’s Landing, his men killed both of them. He served the bloody bodies up in crimson cloaks, a gift for the new king.” And what did Robert say when he saw them? Did he smile? Barristan Selmy had been badly wounded on the Trident, so he had been spared the sight of Lord Tywin’s gift, but oft he wondered. If I had seen him smile over the red ruins of Rhaegar’s children, no army on this earth could have stopped me from killing him. “I will not suffer the murder of children. Accept that, or I’ll have no part of this.”^[12] ”

– Barristan's thoughts

Did he attack Gregor or Tywin?

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Rhaegar had duties and did not live up to them, as lord of DS it was his duty to rule it, as a knight it was his duty to protect Elia and his family.

You're never going to let that go, isn't? Really, it's like beating a dead horse/dragon.

Tywin Lannister had duties to the Westerlands. He lived in KL.

Jon Arryn had duties to the Vale. He lived in KL.

Ned Stark had duties to the North. He lived in KL.

Robb Stark had duties tot he North. He went to war and left his brother instead.

Stannis was the lord of Dragonstone too. He lived in KL.

They had people to do it on their names when they weren't around. Whatever his reasons were to live in KL instead, that doesn't mean he didn't care about the place or the two or three people who lived there.

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

Did he attack Gregor or Tywin?

They had both left King's Landing by the time he made it back to King's Landing. What's done was done. Just like Oberyn didn't hunt down Tywin and kill him either

[Wmarshal]

You're never going to let that go, isn't? Really, it's like beating a dead horse/dragon.

Tywin Lannister had duties to the Westerlands. He lived in KL.

Jon Arryn had duties to the Vale. He lived in KL.

Ned Stark had duties to the North. He lived in KL.

Robb Stark had duties tot he North. He went to war and left his brother instead.

Stannis was the lord of Dragonstone too. He lived in KL.

They had people to do it on their names when they weren't around. Whatever his reasons were to live in KL instead, that doesn't mean he didn't care about the place or the two or three people who lived there.

Twyin was hand of the king

Jon was had of the king

Ned was had of the king

Robb was at war

Stannis was master of ships

Now, compared to Rhaegar's trips to Summerhall to make songs, you would say they had actual reason to be away from their lands no? Rhaegar had no other duties that outweighed his rule of the Narrow Sea lands. He left it to others.

[TheCrannogDweller]

He stood and watche when Aerys raped Rhaella, BBQing people and turned his cloack way too quickly. What it is to like?

He was mortally wounded fighting for Rhaegar. If it wasn't for Robert sending his personal maester to tend to his wounds, he would've died there. And you're calling that "turning his cloak way too quickly"? Seriously?

Just look at what he accomplished with a single action: His family loosing the throne and being almost entirely wiped out.

Nah, Robert's Rebellion is entirely on Aerys. It wasn't Rhaegar's fault that his father was mad enough to execute two Lords of Winterfell.

The notion that Lyanna's disappearance caused the war is convenient, but completely fallacious.

[Wmarshal]

They had both left King's Landing by the time he made it back to King's Landing. What's done was done. Just like Oberyn didn't hunt down Tywin and kill him either

Tywin was probably their for his own daughter's wedding and Gregor did return during the Hand's tourney.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Twyin was hand of the king

Jon was had of the king

Ned was had of the king

Robb was at war

Stannis was master of ships

And Rhaegar was the SON of the King, next to RULE the freaking Seven Kingdoms.

LALALALALLALALALA! I CANT HEAR YOU... LALALALALALAL A ♫

[Wmarshal]

And Rhaegar was the SON of the King, next to RULE the freaking Seven Kingdoms.

LALALALALLALALALA! I CANT HEAR YOU... LALALALALALAL A ♫

Which meant what? He aided in no ruling and spent his time traveling, what kept him from ruling is princely sit?

[Pod The Impaler]

I think Rhaegar would have been one of those Targaryens that's decent, but fairly obsessed with the occult / prophecy, and eventually would do some crazy shit in the name of "ultimate dragon destiny" or something; not something cruel but perhaps having it backfire horribly on him. Rhaegar was born in Summerhall, and even if one doesn't know for sure what took place there, you can see he's haunted by what happenned and what it meant. It was driving him to be what he was and do what he did, and I'm convinced his thing with Lyanna was a bit motivated by some kind of occult hubris.

[Jaqen H'Ghar Is The Doctor]

“ If you die before you say her name, ser, I will hunt you through all

seven hells.^[5] ”

– Prince Oberyn Martell whilst fighting Ser Gregor Clegane

one of my favorite quotes, tad off topic

[Wmarshal]

I think Rhaegar would have been one of those Targaryens that's decent, but fairly obsessed with the occult / prophecy, and eventually would do some crazy shit in the name of "ultimate dragon destiny" or something; not something cruel but perhaps having it backfire horribly on him. Rhaegar was born in Summerhall, and even if one doesn't know for sure what took place there, you can see he's haunted by what happenned and what it meant. It was driving him to be what he was and do what he did, and I'm convinced his thing with Lyanna was a bit motivated by some kind of occult hubris.

he wasn't born in Summerhall but during it.

[TheCrannogDweller]

Tywin was probably their for his own daughter's wedding and Gregor did return during the Hand's tourney.

Which is completely irrelevant because Oberyn wasn't in King's Landing at either of those occasions.

Which meant what? He aided in no ruling and spent his time traveling, what kept him from ruling is princely sit?

You might as well ask what the Crown Prince and Hand of the King Baelor Breakspear was doing at a tourney in the Reach.

The truth is that we have no idea how involved Rhaegar was in the ruling of the Realm - and the fact that he traveled doesn't mean that he wasn't involved at all.

I think Rhaegar would have been one of those Targaryens that's decent, but fairly obsessed with the occult / prophecy, and eventually would do some crazy shit in the name of "ultimate dragon destiny" or something.

So you think he would've been Aegon V come again. I think that sounds like a reasonable assumption.