How do you think the HotD story would have changed if Corlys was successful in having Viserys marry Laena? Like she essentially replaces Alicent, has multiple children (at least some boys) ect. Her are my thoughts
Part of the rift between Rhaenyra and Alicent is the fact that Rhae feels betrayed by her closest childhood friend. She isnt that close to Laena, so maybe there would be less resentment there? Rhaenyra seems sad, but accepting when she believes Viserys will remarry to Laena, and only becomes more upset when he announced he would marry Alicent instead. Maybe she would be more willing to step down as heir to Laena’s kids?
Laena is also more strong-willed than Alicent, and has stronger political backing, so she would have more power to push her sons as Visery’s heirs, unlike Alicent, who is alone in KL and only starts gaining power when Otto comes back/Viserys gets sick/Larys joins her side
If Lanea married Viserys, maybe Corlys wouldnt feel the need to arrange a marriage between Laenor and Rhaenyra. In which case, who would Rhaenyra marry? I can see Daemon still murdering Rhea, so maybe he and Rhaenyra would elope as they did in canon, the only change being a few years earlier. How would a younger, healthier Viserys respond to this? (I’m certain at least some of the reasons that they didn’t get punished for that was because the Viserys was not well enough)
When it comes to the succession, I can see there still being a war. Rhaenyra+Daemon (the Blacks) vs the Velaryons(lets call them the Blues) The Blues would have the military firepower, as well as at least 3 grown dragons (Maelys, Vhagar and Seasmoke) while the Blacks have… considerably less firepower than they have in canon (much of their military strength id from the Velaryons) I think the Dance would be far less bloody and shorter in this scenario, but idk, what do you think?
this is a very late answer so please forgive me for that but i am also currently struggling with a huge schoolwork load
How do you think the HotD story would have changed if Corlys was successful in having Viserys marry Laena? Like she essentially replaces Alicent, has multiple children (at least some boys) ect. Her are my thoughts
i basically agree with your conclusion that the dance would just take place between different factions, like you said here:
When it comes to the succession, I can see there still being a war. Rhaenyra+Daemon (the Blacks) vs the Velaryons(lets call them the Blues) The Blues would have the military firepower, as well as at least 3 grown dragons (Maelys, Vhagar and Seasmoke) while the Blacks have… considerably less firepower than they have in canon (much of their military strength id from the Velaryons) I think the Dance would be far less bloody and shorter in this scenario, but idk, what do you think?
viserys remarrying and producing boy children was always the problem, it doesn't really matter who his wife is, specifically. because any brother weakens rhaenyra's claim, that's the crux of the issue.
Part of the rift between Rhaenyra and Alicent is the fact that Rhae feels betrayed by her closest childhood friend. She isnt that close to Laena, so maybe there would be less resentment there? Rhaenyra seems sad, but accepting when she believes Viserys will remarry to Laena, and only becomes more upset when he announced he would marry Alicent instead. Maybe she would be more willing to step down as heir to Laena’s kids?
i agree, i think that rhaenyra is so upset with alicent because she feels betrayed by her closest friend. on the one hand, she is not a fan of the idea of her father remarrying as we see in the balcony scene with rhaenys - she knows she is in danger of being replaced by a future brother. but she still clings to the idea that she will be queen. she tells rhaenys "i will create a new order". so i don't think she would just readily accept laena's kids shoving her down the line of succession without at least getting upset about it. she does accept the idea of laena becoming viserys' wife eventually but laena is also a 12-year-old girl; i think rhaenyra is more willing to understand that this is not laena's will. but alicent is her peer, so maybe she does feel politically-outmaneuvered by her friend and doesn't like it.
on the other hand, rhaenyra is upset because alicent wasn't straightforward about this and kept it from her. ofc, we, as the audience, know that alicent was in a shitty position and didn't really have a choice, but rhaenyra is a hurt teenage girl who just lost her mother and is now seeing her bff become the new queen. this rift between is completely understandable. and, yes, it's all viserys' fault. :))
Laena is also more strong-willed than Alicent, and has stronger political backing, so she would have more power to push her sons as Visery’s heirs, unlike Alicent, who is alone in KL and only starts gaining power when Otto comes back/Viserys gets sick/Larys joins her side
i don't know about this; it feels more like a fault in worldbuilding. the hightowers are also very rich and powerful, it really doesn't make much sense as to why alicent would be politically-isolated. sure, otto does get fired, but ormund, the head of her house, can always send her other relatives to KL to help her out? household staff, allies from the Reach, alicent's own brothers...... she is THEE queen, for goodness' sake, she shouldn't be all alone in the Red Keep. she should have her own private army like cersei has her own lannister soldiers who are sworn to her. hell, alicent and otto get pretty chummy with tyland, why aren't some of jason's many daughters her ladies-in-waiting, acting like her personal spies and gossip-mills? what about alicent's mother's house? she must have some cousins or aunts/uncles who can become part of her retinue in the capital, offer her emotional support and be confided in when needed. these people should be helping alicent scheme 24/7 & secure as many allies as possible for aegon when he becomes king
If Lanea married Viserys, maybe Corlys wouldnt feel the need to arrange a marriage between Laenor and Rhaenyra. In which case, who would Rhaenyra marry? I can see Daemon still murdering Rhea, so maybe he and Rhaenyra would elope as they did in canon, the only change being a few years earlier. How would a younger, healthier Viserys respond to this? (I’m certain at least some of the reasons that they didn’t get punished for that was because the Viserys was not well enough)
if laena married viserys, i think it's still possible for rhaenyra to marry laenor. all other issues aside, laenor is a really wise political choice for rhaenyra and this also definitely solves house targaryen's lingering problem of the velaryons becoming another dragon-riding house. now all the other non-targaryen dragon-riders would be absorbed back into the main branch.
that being said, daemon would still take his chance at marrying rhaenyra if such a possibility presented itself. i think viserys would deal with this issue just like he deals with all others, by avoiding conflict. rhaenyra and daemon would probably still spend their days in dragonstone. you are right in claiming that the blue faction would hold military advantage here, so, if daemyra want any chance at winning this succession war, they would need to engage in more politicking and find themselves more allies.
however, if rhaenyra stays married to laenor, perhaps a match could have been arranged between "their" children and laena's children. if laenor remains "alive", there is a greater chance that he might persuade the velaryons to accept this match, even if the strong boys are bastards, because the rest of the velaryons would have a vested interest in not breaking up their own family and warring against laenor. he could have been a key political player in smoothing things over and, without daemon's influence, i think it is possible for rhaenyra to even be swayed to relinquish the crown, if it came to that
