i do not like the dany and rhaenyra stans that hate on sansa and alicent for "bowing down to the patriarchy" and "not stopping their oppression". dany goes through a traumatic marriage at thirteen in which she is regularly raped to the point of contemplating suicide. she forces herself to love her husband and make him love her to spare herself more abuse. she then gets pregnant with his child and goes through a horrific birthing and loses her baby at only fourteen. this whole situation is very, very common for women in their society. the only difference is that daenerys gains three dragons at the end. they empower her and help her move forward to claim her 'birthright'. let's looks at sansa in comparison. she is sold off as a child bride at twelve years old. her betrothed arranges for her to be publicly stripped and beaten. she is then married to the son of the man that killed her brother. her new husband sexually assaults her on her wedding night, but does not rape her. pretty much every man that she encounters tries to sexually harass and assault her. she escapes her marriage and is now being groomed by her mothers childhood friend. she knows that his feelings and actions towards her are wrong, but he's all she has. sansa has to use "a womans courtesy and grace" to get herself out of potentially harmful situations. we also see this with dany's 'seduction' of drogo. the only difference is that sansa is never given dragons to protect herself like daenerys is. she still has to rely on herself. people call rhaeneryas dragon moments 'badass' and put alicent down for sticking to the patriarchy. alicent sticks up for herself by calmly telling her husband that he can take her daughter away from her when she is cold and dead in her grave. that is the only thing she can do in that situation, and its a a risky thing to say to her groomer, abuser and husband (who is also the king) but she still does it to protect her daughter. when alicent is feeling lost, she prays to the mother. when rhaenerya is feeling lost, she rides syrax. alicent and sansa (and even cersei) are not afforded with magic and fantasy to escape their abuse, they have to do the best they can with what little power the average noble woman is given in their society.
It irks me when people claim that having dragons protected Daenerys or Rhaenyra. Having dragons did not stop Viserys from forcing her to marry Laenor despite her protests and pleas. This is literally how fire & blood describes it.
And though His Grace reasoned with her, pleaded with her, shouted at her, and called her an ungrateful daughter, no words of his could budge herβ¦until the king brought up the question of succession. What a king had done, a king could undo, Viserys pointed out. She would wed as he commanded, or he would make her half-brother Aegon his heir in place of her. At this the princessβs will gave way. Septon Eustace says she fell at her fatherβs knees and begged for his forgiveness, Mushroom that she spat in her fatherβs face, but both agree that in the end she consented to be married.
Having a dragon does not protect her from Criston Cole as noted by her own stepmother; it does not stop him from cleaving to her stepmother when he is rejected by her.
βThough many lords and knights sought her favor, the princess had eyes only for Ser Criston Cole, the young champion of the Kingsguard and her constant companion. βSer Criston protects the princess from her enemies, but who protects the princess from Ser Criston?β
It does not stop Alicent (and her supporters) from spreading rumours about the legitimacy of her sons.
βThese feelings were not shared by his queen. βDo keep trying,β Queen Alicent told Ser Laenor, according to Mushroom, βsoon or late, you may get one who looks like you.β
Having Syrax does not stop Alicent from demanding the eye of her five-year-old son.
βQueen Alicent demanded that one of Lucerys Velaryonβs eyes should be put out, for the eye he had cost Aemond. Princess Rhaenyra would have none of that, but insisted that Prince Aemond should be questioned βsharplyβ until he revealed where he had heard her sons called βStrongs.β
Having Syrax does not protect her from usurpation or keep her from miscarrying Visenya.
βQueen Alicent went at once to the kingβs bedchamber, accompanied by Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Once they had confirmed that Viserys was dead, Her Grace ordered his room sealed and placed under guard. The serving man who had found the kingβs body was taken into custody, to make certain he did not spread the taleβ
βGathering in the queenβs chambers as the body of her lord husband grew cold above were Queen Alicent herself; her father, Ser Otto Hightower, Hand of the King; Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; Grand Maester Orwyle; Lord Lyman Beesbury, master of coin, a man of eighty; Ser Tyland Lannister, master of ships, brother to the Lord of Casterly Rock; Larys Strong, called Larys Clubfoot, Lord of Harrenhal, master of whisperers; and Lord Jasper Wylde, called Ironrod, master of laws. Grand Maester Munken dubs this gathering βthe green councilβ in his True Telling.β
βOn Dragonstone, no cheers were heard. Instead, screams echoed through the halls and stairwells of Sea Dragon Tower, down from the queenβs apartments where Rhaenyra Targaryen strained and shuddered in her third day of labor. The child had not been due for another turn of the moon, but the tidings from Kingβs Landing had driven the princess into a black fury, and her rage seemed to bring on the birth, as if the babe inside her were angry too, and fighting to get out. β
So what oppression does having a dragon protect Rhaenyra from? How did Syrax protect Rhaenyra from having to marry Laenor? How did Syrax protect her from Daemon and Criston? How did having Syrax keep her children safe? She is forced into a marriage she does not want and made to find an alternative to bear her sons. Rhaenyra might've loved Harwin Strong because she bore him three children, but having a secret relationship with him was definitely not what she would've chosen for herself.
In Daenerys' case, having three dragons does not stop Jorah from assaulting her and he was there when she hatched them.
βIt was a long kiss, though how long Dany could not have said. When it ended, Ser Jorah let go of her, and she took a quick step backward. βYouβ¦you should not haveβ¦β
I should not have waited so long,β he finished for her. βI should have kissed you in Qarth, in Vaes Tolorru. I should have kissed you in the red waste, every night and every day. You were made to be kissed, often and well.β His eyes were on her breasts.
Dany covered them with her hands, before her nipples could betray her. βIβ¦that was not fitting. I am your queen.β - Daenerys, ASOS
Having three dragons does not stop Prendahl na Ghezn from calling her a horse lord's whore.
βWhat you are,β said Prendahl na Ghezn, βis a horselordβs whore. When we break you, I will breed you to my stallion.β - Daenerys, ASOS
Having three dragons does not stop Mero from making crude sexual insinuations towards her.
βMero tossed down his wine straightaway, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and leered at Dany. βI believe I fucked your twin sister in a pleasure house back home. Or was it you?β
"I think not. I would remember a man of such magnificence, I have no doubt."
βYes, that is so. No woman has ever forgotten the Titanβs Bastard.β The Braavosi held out his cup to Jhiqui. βWhat say you take those clothes off and come sit on my lap? If you please me, I might bring the Second Sons over to your side.β - Daenerys, ASOS
Having three dragons does not stop Jorah the creep from trying to groom and isolate her.
βDaenerys, I am thrice your age,β Ser Jorah said. βI have seen how false men are. Very few are worthy of trust, and Daario Naharis is not one of them. Even his beard wears false colors.β
βThat angered her. βWhilst you have an honest beard, is that what you are telling me? You are the only man I should ever trust?β
βHe stiffened. βI did not say that.β
βShe bulled over him. βYou have been a better friend to me than any I have known, a better brother than Viserys ever was. You are the first of my Queensguard, the commander of my army, my most valued counselor, my good right hand. I honor and respect and cherish youβbut I do not desire you, Jorah Mormont, and I am weary of your trying to push every other man in the world away from me, so I must needs rely on you and you alone. It will not serve, and it will not make me love you any better.β - Daenerys, ASOS
Having three dragons does not stop slavers from killing freedmen when she is Queen of Mereen.
βStorms rage within the walls as well as without. More freedmen died last night, or so I have been told.β
βThree.β Saying it left a bitter taste in her mouth. βThe cowards broke in on some weavers, freedwomen who had done no harm to anyone. All they did was make beautiful things. I have a tapestry they gave me hanging over my bed. The Sons of the Harpy broke their loom and raped them before slitting their throats.β - Daenerys, ADWD
Having three dragons does not protect her from another marriage she does not want with a man she does not love.
βIt is, though, the queen thought, sadly. βHizdahrβs blood is ancient and noble. Our joining will join my freedmen to his people. When we become as one, so will our city.β
βYour Grace does not love the noble Hizdahr. This one thinks you would sooner have another for your husband.β
βI must not think of Daario today. βA queen loves where she must, not where she will.β Her appetite had left her. βTake this food away,β she told Missandei. βIt is time I bathed.β - Daenerys, ADWD
Having three dragons does not stop Reznak mo Reznak and Galazza Galare from trying to strip her naked to be inspected by Hizdahr's family.
βThe priestess and the seneschal were happy to see her garbed in a tokar, a proper Meereenese lady for once, but what they really wanted was to strip her bare. Daenerys heard them out, incredulous. When they were done, she said, βI have no wish to give offense, but I will not present myself naked to Hizdahrβs mother and sisters.β
βBut,β said Reznak mo Reznak, blinking, βbut you must, Your Worship. Before a marriage it is traditional for the women of the manβs house to examine the brideβs womb and, ah β¦ her female parts. To ascertain that they are well formed and, ahΒ β¦β
ββ¦ fertile,β finished Galazza Galare. βAn ancient ritual, Your Radiance. Three Graces shall be present to witness the examination and say the proper prayers.β - Daenerys, ADWD
Having three dragons does not stop the slavers from mocking her with the naked little girl at the top of the pyramid.
βIf it please you, Yurkhaz will be pleased to give us the singers, I do not doubt,β her noble husband said. βA gift to seal our peace, an ornament to our court.β
He will give us these castrati, Dany thought, and then he will march home and make some more. The world is full of boys.
The tumblers who came next failed to move her either, even when they formed a human pyramid nine levels high, with a naked little girl on top. Is that meant to represent my pyramid? the queen wondered. Is the girl on top meant to be me?β - Daenerys, ADWD
Having three dragons does not help when she is in bed with Hizdahr.
βI keep my promises,β he told her, as Irri and Jhiqui were robing them for bed. βYou wished for peace, and it is yours.β
βAnd you wished for blood, and soon enough I must give it to you, Dany thought, but what she said was, βI am grateful.β
βThe excitement of the day had inflamed her husbandβs passions. No sooner had her handmaids retired for the night than he tore the robe from her and tumbled her backwards into bed. Dany slid her arms around him and let him have his way. Drunk as he was, she knew he would not be inside her long.β - Daenerys, ADWD
What have Dany's children protected her from at this point in the story? How did Drogon, Rhaegal or Viserion protect her from having to marry Hizdahr? How did they protect her from Jorah? Does having three dragons protect her from being poisoned? Does having three dragons protect her from being mocked and spit on? Does it protect her from sexual violence?
Though she never wed, she had many offers, and several lovers through the years. Duels were fought over the right to sit beside her, men killed themselves after falling from her favor, poets outdid each other writing songs about her beauty.
One day I pray you love someone. I pray you love her so much, when you close your eyes, you see her face. I want that for you. I want you to know what itβs like to love someone, to truly love someone, before I take her from you.
tall, lean, and quick; like her father, prince daemon, baela was wild, willing, and fearless; considered more boyish than ladylike. she was quick to anger, and was known to be deliberately provocative at times.
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