steelyis

Bastion! Bastion? I didn't see that one coming! And who knew Theo James could VA so well? Rogue is not playing around! I'd tell her to relax, but Trask invented Setinels to do precisely what they did on Genosha. Weapons of mass destruction rarely don't do the mass destruction part of the job title. Still, that was some cold beans of Rogue to drop Trask like that. That final scene with Bastion shaving Erik was very creepy. It gave Theon shaving Ramsay vibes.

Oh my god, I am in tears right now.

Right? She looks amazing in that TVA uniform, though. I thought reviewers were overly enthusiastic about Ke Huy Quan stealing every scene he's in because he's generally awesome and likable, but no. No, he did steal every scene he was in. And the easy chemistry between Hiddleston and Wilson as Loki and Mobius hasn't lost a step between seasons. I'm curious where the show goes from here in terms of stakes, but I'm all in for season 2.

This news breaks my heart. So few legends from GH's heyday are left now. What a terrible loss.

I know Kristie was problematic these last few years, but it hurts to lose her. I hope she didn't suffer before the end. I really do.

Forever my Batman.

I am so dating myself saying this, but: How could I have forgotten this crossover! I saw the movie the night it aired as a kid! Oh, dang! I really like SheDevil!

That was some A+++ 4th wall breaking awesomeness right there! And KEVIN with his robot hat was hilarious! "Oh, wait you are sitting?" OMG, KEV was so done with Jen! I officially ship Jen and Matt. I don't even care anymore! I want all the crossovers! Glad Emil wasn't part of Intelligencia and was only breaking parole for the money. Not exactly law-abiding of him, but better than being in cahoots with Todd. And I'm glad Wong busted him out of prison, too. Skaar! It's happening! Please, let there be a season two, KEVIN!

No. No.

IMO, it seems to me the PtB never intended to tell a story about two very, very flawed families murdering each other for power with anything resembling an even hand. Instead, they're doing the absolute worse thing they could do as storytellers: They are loudly proclaiming who their audience should care about and root for instead of letting the story and characters speak for themselves. And, IMO, Daeron's inclusion would have helped to balance things out, and made the show-runners biases less obvious.

Honestly, Daemon and Aemond probably look at each other and think: "I am you!" Ser, you are out of order! 🤣 Had fate not conspired, those two would be best buddies/friendenemies! 😆

Oh, he is definitely Daemon, the Next Generation alright!

Yoooooo! Too soon! 😆🤣☠️

If I didn't know better—and I do know better—I would swear Aemond is Daemon's kid. Those chins! Those psychopathic tendencies! 😆

Not gonna lie, as much as I dislike Viserys, that was grisly and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. RIP for real. The man can finally rest. Damn. "Nephews! Come to train?" Aemond! That's my boy right there!

Ned very nearly did it, and he was just a regent for five minutes. And, yeah, Viserys wouldn't do it, but he easily could, and no one in Westeros would question the why of it because everyone knows Rhaenyra's children are bastards. The same is unlikely to happen to someone like Alicent, Rob Stark, or Larys Strong, because everyone accepts they are legitimate, and it would take a lot of strong-arming to de-legitimize them. And everyone would still know the bastardization was bullshit. That wouldn't be the case with Rhaenyra's kids: Because everybody knows they are bastards. Look at Tywin with Tyrion: if he could have disowned and de-legitimize Tyrion as easily as Rhaenyra's kids can be de-legitimized, he absolutely would have done it day one. And, yes, Rhaenyra can legitimize her children, but she has to win first. But if she loses...? Heads, spikes, walls... If they're lucky. I thought it was very real. But there's no way I can convince you it was. Your mind is already made up, so there's no point in even trying.

But they are bastards though. That's the truth. And, yeah, they can claim they're legitimate all they want to, but the fact everyone knows they are not, means that legitimacy can be taken away at any moment. The difference exists for only as long as the realm accepts they are true born. And as we know, That, and misogyny.

They cannot legally inherit over their true born siblings. They can not legally become lords (without some royal decree). They are all born in dishonor. That is the same for all bastard, everywhere. There was reasonable doubt about Joffrey's legitimacy, which provides cover. There is none concerning Rhaenyra's children. None. Literally everyone knows they are bastards. Every. One. No moral outrage? Well, clearly Alicent's outrage means nothing to you. Because, boy, is she nettled! And I promise you plenty of others in this world are just as outraged as she is. I doubt it, but you're welcome to your opinion. But remember: Otto doesn't have the last word on the issue. He's a second son, and thus his brother has the final say. And we don't know much about his take on this situation yet.

The Martells are a whole different animal than the breed you find south of Dorne. Their pride isn't of the same cloth as houses like the Tyrells or the Lannisters, and they have different concerns over all. Not to mention, women can rule with zero issues in Dorne, something the rest of the Seven Kingdoms absolutely loathes. And bastards are far more accepted, which most Westerosi also despise. And while some houses might look the other way, a lot of them won't. Unquestioned legitimacy is everything if one wants to secure their rule. Which means there can't be any easy options for your enemies to rally around should they turn against you, à la Robert Baratheon when he sat the throne after the Targs fell. That's also why Robert was so gung-ho to kill Viserys and Dany. There were many houses, years after the Rebellion, who still called him usurper and they were waiting to supplant him at the first opportunity. The same can easily happen to Rhaenyra's children and grandchildren. In fact, it would probably be even easier to oust her heirs since there's a butt load of candidates with Targ/Velaryon blood who can take their place.

But the laws, beliefs, and expectations are 100 percent the same. Bastards are not accepted, and no noble house in the time of the Dance or after Robert's Rebellion would accept their highborn sons and daughters being forced to marry even royal bastards. No decree by a king can change that. Catelyn Stark is hated to this day because of the stigma she placed on Jon. Cersei threatened to his face, Roberts own bastards after he talked about bringing them to the capital because it was an enormous insult to her and her house. The acceptance of bastards is not and will never be a thing. Bastards are considered evil, pure and simple, and have been since the Seven became the dominate religion in Westeros. You can't fanfiction that canon away no matter how hard you try. And the Hightowers aren't proud? Wow. Every old noble house is proud. Like really, really proud. Did we not witness a ten-year-old boy gut another boy after he called him a craven? Aren't there people in this very thread going on and on about how Aemond (talking shit) insulting the pride of Rhaenyra's kids, by calling them bastards I remind, rightfully earned him a punch, then a knife to the face? Wow, I know this is a no book only thread, but seriously, read. the. books! Because there's a lot of nuances in this show you're missing completely.

Oh, he could try to force the issue, but it would raise holy hell, guaranteed! It'd be like Robert forcing a marriage between Myrcella and Jon Snow without legitimizing him first, and even that wouldn't fly. Because Tywin "Rains of Castamere" Lannister would literally burn Westeros to the fucking ground before he allowed his family's name be sullied! And if you think the Hightowers aren't just as proud as the Lannisters, you've been watching another show that doesn't have Game of Thrones in its title.

It's not just Alicent's refusal that blocked the match, it's also the refusal of all of House Hightower, and the strict tradition set by the realm itself. The fact everybody knows Rhaenyra's children are illegitimate is what made the match a non-starter. Even a king dare not force a powerful house like the Hightowers to accept a match to one of their highborn daughters, a princess no less, to an obvious bastard. Setting such a precedent would be insane, and definitely start a revolt. Would marrying the two gain the Hightowers the power they seek? Yes, and they'd have jumped at the chance if people in fucking Essos didn't know the truth behind Rhaenyra's kids' paternity. That open secret by itself would cast doubt on their right to rule for generations! Not to mention the offer is plainly insulting to highborn Westerosi who are mad proud of their pure bloodlines that date back to yada, yada, yada... As for Ser Incel, that prick should be dead or at the Wall for the stunt he pulled. And I don't think it's a coincidence the show refuses to explain how he got away with it unscathed, and then rewarded arguably a better job.

This! And furthermore, everyone was under-reacting in that scene, because any broad response could be seen as a confession or a sign of guilt. Alicent losing her composure so badly is why she ultimately lost that confrontation. Her best move once it was clear no one was going to be punished on either side would be to get her kids out of there. There was no point in belaboring the issue. The die was cast the moment blood was shed, and Alicent needed to start planning for the worst.

Wow.

Did Aemond know that? Because it's very likely the ten-year-old didn't grasp the nuances of his older sister advocating he be tortured, possibly to death, and his father, the fucking wretch, not immediately saying, "Lol! No, we are not torturing my son! Sit down, Rhaenyra." But instead threatens to cut his son's tongue out if he says the truth again. And I thought talking shit meant getting hit? So words are just the wind only when Rhaenyra, a grown ass woman, says them, but when a little boy says something that's 100 percent true he's talking shit and deserves to lose an eye? Is that how it works?