Katasha

Free 🇵🇸

[katshuya]

Let's talk about the Tragedy pass syndrome and false sisterhood that this fandom loves to weaponize.

We start with the first one. I said it before and I'm gonna say it again. Someone can be complex and a bad father, husband at the same time.

Yes, I'm talking about Rhaegar as ever because these oh so balanced takes are getting too much. They are actually rooted in soft bias toward a romanticized male character, so let's call it as it is. An aesthetic apologia for a man who made destructive choices. They use flowery words and vague “complexity” to silence justified criticism of Rhaegar.

The silly "people either makes him a vaillian or a lovestruck prince and that's just not what George wants! He is complex!!"

"I'm not a pro or anti Rhaegar I'm just saying he is not that bad. He was under pressure and the mad king. Obviously it would end up like this!"

as in to say "Hey I still recognize all the horrible cruel things he did but it ruins his attractiveness so let’s focus more on the good things he did like being soft and pretty sad boy harp as if it makes what he did less horrible."

It's actually a soft subtle romanticism that tries to hide under "Balanced takes".

We’re saying the uncomfortable truth: he had power. He had options. He had sense. And he used them selfishly and stupidly. I don't care what George thinks he is doing. His concept of "grey characters" is messed up.

He wasn’t misunderstood. He was underjudged.

Being complex ≠ being absolved

Yes, someone can be tragic, nuanced, and still an utter failure as a partner, father, or leader. Rhaegar wasn’t a cartoon villain, but he was still a man who kept abandoning his wife and humilating her a time after another and then left her in a ver OBVIOUS dangerous situation with their children. Dragonstone was one of the most exposed places to his mad father and we don't know if he very very very idiotically thought it was safe because he was just incapable and dumb or if he just disappeared. Of course your mad father would turn to your wife to ask your place.

Let's not forget that after all the humiliation he gave her, he was also a man who used Elia till she could give him no more of what he needed then he left her for another. And right then and there they think she would be so fine with him having a lover because she is Dornish just like that and she didn't love him. At that certain time after he was finished with her! She would think at this time "Since I don't love you go ahead and take a lover and it would be best if you take the betrithed one of your cousin". He literally impregnated her during or immediately after her recovery because he had to! He must do it now he has to have his prophcey child!

That’s not misunderstood. That’s perfectly understood. We know enough and yet people like to act it's such a hard to figure situation. What people call “nuance” is often just a tool to deflect from the moral weight of those decisions.

His tragedy doesn't make him exceptional. It makes him part of the world George built. A world where trauma is common and morality is tested, not handed out as absolution for pretty men with purple eyes.

So yes, he was tragic. But so were the people he burned on his way to destiny. And they didn’t get to walk away from the consequences. Neither should he.

Then we have the famous false sisterhood that shields one on the expanse of another: "Stop pitting Elia and Lyanna against each other!"

Both-sides-ism, but make it feel progressive. This tries to look feminist on the surface, but underneath it’s a plea to stop holding Lyanna accountable. It acts like people are inventing a rivalry out of petty shipping, when in truth, the narrative itself pits these women against one another through Rhaegar’s betrayal. It ignores that Elia’s defenders are responding to injustice, not indulging in “infighting.”

Most Elia's fans don't ship elia with Rhaegar for the sake of shipping, so no, they don't participate in "shipping wars"

They don't care about Rhaegar as a man, unlike the Rhaelya shippers, but that Elia was his wife and that should have weight.

[atreeinthemoonlight]

What duty? Rhaegar was not burdened by duty, he was burdened by prophecy and chose to follow it at the cost of his actual responsibilities as a prince, a husband, and a father. He didn’t struggle to uphold those roles, and he didn’t hesitate when abandoning them. He left Elia and their children behind without explanation, disappeared from public life during a political crisis, and never took steps to protect or defend the family he left vulnerable (Leaving them “safe” is not.) He never expressed regret. He didn’t write to Elia. He didn’t defend her. He didn’t justify his absence. He doesn’t act like someone torn between two paths, he acts like someone who made a decision and committed to it. The entire “tragedy” framing only works if you grant Rhaegar a sense of duty he never actually demonstrated, and then excuse his abandonment by imagining he felt bad about it somewhere off-screen. But the text gives us none of that. He wasn’t burdened by duty. He walked away from it. Again: what duty? His duty as a prince, a husband, and a father? He never cared enough to uphold his duty.

For privileged men, “duty” is just a disguised form of power, and their so-called tragedy is nothing more than melodrama — a bowl of brown soup would be enough to cure it.

[witchyhagz]

A royal portrait of House Targaryen ☀️ 🐉

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

artist: 28idle commissioned by @archamion and @chemtrailsoverthesun no reposts allowed

[atreeinthemoonlight]

"After Aegon’s birth, it is reasonable to infer that Elia was again in a state of physical vulnerability (likely confined to bed or at least severely limited)" GOD! I’ve seen insane takes on “Why didn’t Elia do anything to save herself and her children?” Or the classic “Rhaegar had a plan, Aerys ruined it.” Be fr!. Elia was placed in a situation deliberately designed to leave her powerless. Why is the burden on her to act, when the two men who actually held power, Aerys and Rhaegar, were the ones who created the situation to begin with? The people insist that Rhaegar and Lyanna’s choices were justified escapes. Let’s be clear: For whatever reason, Rhaegar chose to walk away from court, from his wife, and from his children. Lyanna chose to leave her family, disappear, and not tell anyone of her intentions. Elia had no such freedom. In Westeros, a woman’s mobility, decisions, and survival were mediated through male protection and support networks. Elia had none left. And yet somehow, the burden falls on her to act. The narrative expectation is that Elia (a woman isolated, physically compromised, and cut off from any institutional support) should’ve singlehandedly saved herself and her children. Meanwhile, Lyanna, the so-called “warrior princess," "the kotlt," is the one who needed saving. From her betrothed, from Aerys, or depending on which fan bullshit theory people are trying to spin to sanitize this dumbass romance. If Rhaegar had a plan, it clearly didn’t involve Elia or her children. After all, he left them under Aerys’s control. If that was his idea of a plan, it was either catastrophically negligent or cruelly selective.

They can’t criticize Elia’s inaction without slipping in a little praise for their fave as the ultimate self-rescuer, of course. When Lyanna stans say Lyanna just “saved herself,” what they really mean is she just simply nodded once and let everyone else clean up the mess for her. And just to contrast her with Elia — to hype up how “active” and “alive” Lyanna supposedly was — they’re willing to say absolutely anything, no matter how ridiculous.

No wonder they’re the fans of The Runaway King And Queen, I’m guessing their idea of “saving yourself and your children” pretty much just means running. “Why didn’t Elia save herself and her children?” Great question, maybe because not everyone gets a brooding prince and his Kingsguard dropped out of the sky to ask if she wants to run away with him? Funny how they never ask why Rhaella spent all those years quietly enduring Aerys’s abuse without “saving herself and her child,” huh? Elia and Rhaella were dealing with the real Aerys, not the watered-down version that Lyanna stans in their minds seems to imagine. Once the Mad King set his sights on you — tell me, how exactly were they supposed to “just run”? Maybe someone should remind the Rhaelya stans how their golden couple managed to escape in the first place, they ran before Aerys ever turned his attention to them. If it weren’t for Rhaella and Elia acting as human shields, would Rhaegar and Lyanna have had even a single year of peace in hiding? Not a chance.

As for the whole “Rhaegar had a plan, it was Aerys who ruined it” argument, all I can say is, thank the Seven he didn’t get his way. I’m so done with that broody, tight-lipped guy whose frown could kill a fly. You think he’s got everything under control, but in reality, he gets taken out by a hammer in one clean hit.

[atreeinthemoonlight]

The "Love is sweet, dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man’s nature” is often applied when justifying Rhaegar’s actions in contrast to Robert’s, as if Lyanna was oh so wise to avoid Robert, an abuser, a rapist, and agressive man and equally justified in choosing Rhaegar, who was somehow… better. How exactly is Rhaegar “the better man,” when his treatment of Elia carries its own thematic echoes of exploitation? Aegon’s conception occurred either while Elia was still recovering from a traumatic first birth or shortly after. There is a disregard for Elia’s body, well-being, and personhood. Whether she was pressured or simply unconsulted, George implies (red comet) that consent and care might not have been central, and Aegon’s birth appears tied to Rhaegar’s belief in prophecy and the need to fulfill a role through his offspring. So, Rhaegar the "alleged" rapist. Rhaegar publicly humiliated Elia at Harrenhal while she was either pregnant or had recently given birth to Rhaenys in front of the entire political elite. Elia was already operating in a politically unstable position: a Dornish woman in a court hostile to Dorne. So much for being “fond of her,” or "good friends". Not only was that stunt cruel, but it also weakened her political standing at court, both socially and institutionally. After Harrenhal, she could no longer rely on Rhaegar’s support to reinforce her authority. He failed to reaffirm her position or shield her from the fallout. So, Rhaegar the "alleged" neglectful husband. After Aegon’s birth, it is reasonable to infer that Elia was again in a state of physical vulnerability (likely confined to bed or at least severely limited) while caring for two very young children. At this point, Rhaegar removed himself from court entirely and later left with Lyanna. Without his presence or public endorsement, Elia's status as crown princess remained formal but lost its practical force. She had no legal right to relocate her children, no independent claim to resources, and no political allies in the capital. But yes, let’s applaud Rhaegar for “leaving her safe” (in the Red Keep or on Dragonstone), surrounded by servants, soldiers, and household staff loyal to the crown, not to her. She held no command, no military leverage, and no protection from Aerys. Rhaegar, like Robert, did not remain faithful. But because Lyanna is framed as more “legitimate” (the true love/chosen one), there’s often an assumption that had he lived, he would have remained loyal to her in a way he never was to Elia. As if abandoning your politically isolated, physically compromised wife and children is excusable, so long as it’s in pursuit of destiny. Because apparently, both were just trying to escape their own horrible political marriages, all in the name of love or shit. How, then, is Rhaegar the better man? Lyanna may have succeeded in avoiding one form of abuse, only to attach herself to another. From Elia’s treatment alone, there’s little reason to assume Lyanna would have been exempt from the same patterns of disregard, control, or instrumentalization.

The fans keep reposting that quote over and over, trying to frame Lyanna as wise and clear-sighted beyond her years.Yet somehow they act like it only ever applied to Robert, never to any other man, especially not Rhaegar. Or maybe, in their eyes, it only applies to men, never to women, especially not Lyanna. I feel like I need to add another line: “Love is sweet, dearest Ned, but it cannot change a man’s nature.Love won’t make you a better person either, after all is said and done, you’re still exactly who you were, just as you’ve always been.”

So sad the judgment Lyanna cast on others in her youth was like a boomerang, years later, it came back and struck her square between the eyes. I wonder if, in the end, she ever truly saw the nature of Rhaegar — or her own.

[witchyhagz]

Elia, Rhaenys, and Rhaegar lounging in bed on Dragonstone.

—done by @adelikashere

[adelikashere]

☀️🪷

[novembermorgon]

rhaenys & balerion

[atreeinthemoonlight]

"Rhaegar never cheated on Elia until he met Lyanna" it's silly really because it gives Lyanna doesn't mind as long as she isn't the one cheated on. She can dislike the possibility of Robert cheating on her even when she doesn't love him but somehow they think "he never cheated until he met Lyanna" means he is just that high value man that never cheats. But he did. He cheated and didn't stop there. He Humiliated elia repeatedly and then endangered her. And literally paved the way for her cruel death with their children.

Like how many times I've heard from the children born out of affairs and cheating "my dad was so loyal and that what my mother loved about him. He never hurt or cheated on his ex wife until he met my mother and he loves his children with her. I mean yes she was hurt but my father was in love" like do you hear yourself? This is admission not a defense.

I feel like those stans — how do I put this — they play both Lyanna and her child.

Those children’s mothers follow the exact same behavior pattern as Lyanna, or at least the version of her that fans ship and self-insert into. To them, only a married man who had never cheated before could be seen as the ultimate symbol of loyalty. Is there anyone more perfectly suited to be their husband — to be the father of their children — than him? They understood something the ex-wife never did: that showing up early isn’t as important as showing up at the right time, and that it’s far easier to enjoy the shade than to plant the tree. Why spend years helping a boy grow into a man, when you can simply choose one someone else already raised? Let the other women do the work,they just showed up to pick the fruit.What a powerful proof: a story that supposedly showcases both their irresistible charm and his flawless character in one neat package. And to top it all off, they even congratulates herself on what an excellent picker they are.

And then the fans go and cast themselves as Lyanna’s child too. They’re perfectly like those children who desperate to scrub away their parents’ sins, because deep down, they’re really just trying to cleanse their own. At most, they might accept that their origin lies in an extramarital relationship, but emotionally, they reject the idea that it was anything less than a deep, profound, and meaningful love. They need it to have been serious, not a mistake or a whim.

That habit of taking what isn’t yours — coveting someone else’s happiness — must run in the blood. Always looking for shortcuts, always ready to swap out the old for something shinier, always replacing instead of building.Whoever they set their sights on is just plain unlucky,all because their life was too happy. At this point, all I can do is chant “evil spirits, begone” and hope for the best.

[mairoon]

Would you draw Elia again? You draw her so well.

ofcccc 💖

[lunarprincessanni]

@eliaweek

Day 4

Motherhood

Elia and little Aegon.

[archamion]

Elia | Elia Week 2025 | Free day

[witchyhagz]

Day 07 | Free Day | Elia Week 2025 ☀️

Elia Sand and her namesake Elia Martell. This commission was done by giogiove.

[lunarprincessanni]

@eliaweek

Still catching up

Day 2

Elia in King’s Landing.

I think she was the happiest in her chamber’s balcony. Looking at the water in the bay and feeling the breeze.

[witchyhagz]

"Princess Elia was a good woman, Your Grace. She was kind and clever, with a gentle heart and a sweet wit."

Day 6 | Quotes | Elia Week 2025 ☀️

This absolutely stunning art was done by @amaati. I am so in love with her version of Elia and just knew I had to commission a piece from her for Elia Week! Amaati never fails to perfectly capture the delicate beauty of Elia and this piece right here is no exception!

[archamion]

“Princess Elia was a good woman, Your Grace. She was kind and clever, with a gentle heart and a sweet wit. I know the prince was very fond of her.”

Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell for Day 6 “Quotes” of Elia Week 2025

This gorgeous piece was drawn by the lovely and talented Karyn 🤍 thank you so much!

[novembermorgon]

rhaegar elia for @eliaweek :') no specific prompt i didnt have time unfortunately . hopefully next time!!