I don't ship Rhaenyra and Laena. And I can explain why, if you interested
I want to express my opinion about Rhaenyra's possible bisexuality and her romance with Laena. Usually I write in my posts that I do not exclude such a possibility since this theory is quite popular, and GRRM did not confirm or deny it, but still I do not believe in this relationship and I can explain why. If you ship Rhaenyra and Laena, please just stop reading this post. I just want to express my opinion, and not to start a conflict or heated debate in the comments and reblogs.
Let's start with the fact that GRRM gives quite clear hints about romances between characters. Littlefinger mentions Loras's appetite, which makes it difficult for him to marry, Aegon's son Daeron broke off his engagement for his lover, Sabitha Frey loved women, Jeyne Arryn too, Rhaena Targaryen was too attached to her ladies-in-waiting, which was considered inappropriate at court, Laenor spent all his time with handsome men and everyone knew about it.
On the other hand, it was never mentioned that Rhaenyra shared intimacy with any woman except Laena. It seems like the only one Rhaenyra was interested in was either Daemon (Eustace's version) or Criston (Mushroom's version). And note, Eustace did not miss a single opportunity to insult Rhaenyra. He commented on her first marriage, her appearance. Let me remind you that same-sex relationships were considered inappropriate at court, add to that Eustace, who hates Rhaenyra, but he does not say a word about Rhaenyra having feelings for any of her ladies-in-waiting. Mushroom is obsessed with sex. Wasn't he the one who gossiped about him having a group sex with Daemon and Rhaenyra, or that Rhaenyra was third in bed with Laenor and Qarl? But then again. Mushroom did not spread a single gossip about the sexual relations between Rhaenyra and Laena.
We know that Laena's younger brother, Laenor, did not hide his preferences and lived the way he wanted. It does not seem that Rhaenys and Corlys somehow limited their son or tried to make him what he wasn't. They even recognized their daughter-in-law's bastards as their grandchildren and did not put any pressure on Laenor. From this information, one might assume that they would have been equally understanding about their daughter, but Laena was not surrounded by one or more beautiful women, and there is no mention of Laena's closeness to any woman other than Rhaenyra.
We do have a reference to twelve-year-old Laena being more interested in dragon riding than boys, and not being upset that Viserys chose Alicent over her. But to me, that sounds more like a lack of ambition than a lack of interest in men. Laena must have been relieved to learn that at twelve, she would not have to marry a widower approaching his thirtieth birthday, and who had a daughter only four years younger than her would-be stepmother. Laena was only twelve, barely a child, a child who had tamed the largest and oldest dragon in the world. If I were Laena at the age of twelve, I too would prefer to spend my time in the company of a legendary dragon rather than a man. By the way, a small digression. It is quite interesting that before her death, Laena wanted to spend her last moments in the company of Vhagar, and not with her parents, brother, husband, Rhaenyra or daughters. It seems that this dragon really meant a lot to her.
Also, let's talk about this quote from the book:
"Whilst Princess Rhaenyra misliked her stepmother, Queen Alicent, she became fond and more than fond of her good-sister Lady Laena."
I think this sentence is the whole tricky part. Because each reader interprets these words in their own way. Personally, I interpret these words as Rhaenyra did not like her stepmother and there was obvious hostility between them, but at the same time she got along well with her good-sister. As a friend. Not as a lover.
People can love each other non-romantic. It really saddens me that people tend to sexualize friendships. Wouldn't it be cooler if Rhaenyra had a real friend, the older sister she never had, and not another lover? Wouldn't it be more interesting if Rhaenyra and Laena had a platonic, familial love without any sexual overtones? Considering Rhaenyra's difficult life and her sad end, I think she deserved a real best friend, not another lover.
Anyway, if GRRM confirms that Laenyra is a canon couple, I will immediately admit I was wrong. But for now, to me, Laenyra's sexual relationship and Rhaenyra's bisexuality are just a popular theory, not canon or proven fact.
Emma D’arcy talking about Daemyra’s reunion scene in Harrenhal:
They said that after reunion they are back in their erotic love language, at least Rhaenyra certainly is.
They loved how Rhaenyra threatened him not to leave her again and he was like “I couldn’t, I tried” but they also thought there should be more to it (one of us 😈)
They are very CuRioUs😏 to find out the how their relationship will move forward after this
making house hightowers color green in the show was actually such a good choice because yes these mfs are envious ! very much jealous of someone else's success, possessions, and opportunities lmfao
George: *literally models Arya, one of his favourite female characters, after the feminists he knew back in the 70s*
Some weirdo on reddit: "Here's how Arya is a 'nOt LiKe tHe oThEr gIrLs' type of character who DESPISES women and ALL GIRLY THINGS! *talks about the show Arya while mentioning book Arya*"
"It's no freak," Jon said calmly. "That's a direwolf. They grow larger than the other kind."
Theon Greyjoy said, "There's not been a direwolf sighted south of the Wall in two hundred years."
"I see one now," Jon replied. (Bran I, AGoT)
--
"This is no toy," he told her. "Be careful you don't cut yourself. The edges are sharp enough to shave with."
"Girls don't shave," Arya said.
"Maybe they should. Have you ever seen the septa's legs?" (Jon II, AGoT)
Tyrion sagged back to the ground with a grunt. "Don't help me, then. I'll sit right here until you leave."
Jon Snow stroked Ghost's thick white fur, smiling now. "Ask me nicely."
...
"Why did he attack me?" Tyrion asked with a sidelong glance at the direwolf. He wiped blood and dirt from his mouth with the back of his hand.
"Maybe he thought you were a grumkin." (Tyrion II, AGoT)
--
"You broke my wrist, bastard boy."
Jon lifted his eyes at the sullen voice. Grenn loomed over him, thick of neck and red of face, with three of his friends behind him. He knew Todder, a short ugly boy with an unpleasant voice. The recruits all called him Toad. The other two were the ones Yoren had brought north with them, Jon remembered, rapers taken down in the Fingers. He'd forgotten their names. He hardly ever spoke to them, if he could help it. They were brutes and bullies, without a thimble of honor between them.
Jon stood up. "I'll break the other one for you if you ask nicely."
...
"You make us look bad," complained Toad.
"You looked bad before I ever met you," Jon told him.
...
Alliser Thorne overheard him. "Lord Snow wants to take my place now." He sneered. "I'd have an easier time teaching a wolf to juggle than you will training this aurochs."
"I'll take that wager, Ser Alliser," Jon said. "I'd love to see Ghost juggle." (Jon III, AGoT)
--
Slynt slammed a fist on the table. "I heard you! Ser Alliser had your measure true enough, it seems. You lie through your bastard's teeth. Well, I will not suffer it. I will not! You might have fooled this crippled blacksmith, but not Janos Slynt! Oh, no. Janos Slynt does not swallow lies so easily. Did you think my skull was stuffed with cabbage?"
"I don't know what your skull is stuffed with. My lord." (Jon IX, ASoS)
--
Thorne was much the more clever of the two, Jon realized; this had his stink all over it. He was trapped. "I'll go," he said in a clipped, curt voice.
"M'lord," Janos Slynt reminded him. "You'll address me—"
"I'll go, my lord. But you are making a mistake, my lord. You are sending the wrong man, my lord. Just the sight of me is going to anger Mance. My lord would have a better chance of reaching terms if he sent—" (Jon X, ASoS)
--
"Words. Words are wind. Why do you think I abandoned Dragonstone and sailed to the Wall, Lord Snow?"
"I am no lord, sire. You came because we sent for you, I hope. Though I could not say why you took so long about it."
Surprisingly, Stannis smiled at that. (Jon XI, ASoS)
--
"What are you doing here, bastard?" Thorne asked.
"Bathing. But don't let me spoil your plotting." Jon climbed from the water, dried, dressed, and left them to conspire. (Jon XII, ASoS)
--
"Close the door, Sam." Faint scars still marked Jon's cheek, where an eagle had once tried to rip his eye out. "Did that wretch break the skin?"
Sam eased the books down and peeled off his glove. "He did." He felt faint. "I'm bleeding."
"We all shed our blood for the Watch. Wear thicker gloves." Jon shoved a chair toward him with a foot. (Samwell I, AFfC)
--
The red woman walked beside Jon down the steps. "His Grace is growing fond of you."
"I can tell. He only threatened to behead me twice." (Jon I, ADwD)
Alys Karstark leaned close to Jon. "Snow during a wedding means a cold marriage. My lady mother always said so."
He glanced at Queen Selyse. There must have been a blizzard the day she and Stannis wed. (Jon X, ADwD)
--
This is wrong, Jon thought. "Stop."
Emmett turned back, frowning. "My lord?"
"I will not hang him," said Jon. "Bring him here."
"Oh, Seven save us," he heard Bowen Marsh cry out.
The smile that Lord Janos Slynt smiled then had all the sweetness of rancid butter. Until Jon said, "Edd, fetch me a block," and unsheathed Longclaw. (Jon II, ADwD)
--
--
"You say these boys will serve as squires. Surely the lord commander does not mean they will be trained at arms?"
Jon's anger flared. "No, my lord, I mean to set them to sewing lacy smallclothes." (Jon XI, ADwD)
--
All your questions shall be answered. Look to the skies, Lord Snow. And when you have your answers, send to me. Winter is almost upon us now. I am your only hope."
"A fool's hope." Jon turned and left her.
...
"Dark wings, dark words," muttered Tormund. "Isn't that what you kneelers say?"
"We say, Bleed a cold but feast a fever too," Jon told him. "We say, Never drink with Dornishmen when the moon is full. We say a lot of things." (Jon XIII, ADwD)
"The Wall will stop them," Jon heard himself say. He turned and said it again, louder. "The Wall will stop them. The Wall defends itself." Hollow words, but he needed to say them, almost as much as his brothers needed to hear them. "Mance wants to unman us with his numbers. Does he think we're stupid?" He was shouting now, his leg forgotten, and every man was listening. "The chariots, the horsemen, all those fools on foot...what are they going to do to us up here? Any of you ever see a mammoth climb a wall?" He laughed, and Pyp and Owen and half a dozen more laughed with him. "They're nothing, they're less use than our straw brothers here, they can't reach us, they can't hurt us, and they don't frighten us, do they?"
"NO!" Grenn shouted.
"They're down there and we're up here," Jon said, "and so long as we hold the gate they cannot pass. They cannot pass!" They were all shouting then, roaring his own words back at him, waving swords and longbows in the air as their cheeks flushed red. Jon saw Kegs standing there with a warhorn slung beneath his arm. "Brother," he told him, "sound for battle." (Jon VIII, ASoS)
Still upset that they didn't let Jon have this kind of moment in the show. Instead they gave it to...Alliser...
He laughed, and Pyp and Owen and half a dozen more laughed with him.
I really wanna talk about this part for a bit. I believe it also has significance here, because:
[Joffrey] laughed...and when the king laughs, the court laughs with him. (Sansa IV, ASoS)
:)
My second one is this:
"The lord commander must pardon my bluntness, but I have no softer way to say this. What you propose is nothing less than treason. For eight thousand years the men of the Night's Watch have stood upon the Wall and fought these wildlings. Now you mean to let them pass, to shelter them in our castles, to feed them and clothe them and teach them how to fight. Lord Snow, must I remind you? You swore an oath."
"I know what I swore." Jon said the words. "I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. Were those the same words you said when you took your vows?"
"They were. As the lord commander knows."
"Are you certain that I have not forgotten some? The ones about the king and his laws, and how we must defend every foot of his land and cling to each ruined castle? How does that part go?" Jon waited for an answer. None came. "I am the shield that guards the realms of men. Those are the words. So tell me, my lord—what are these wildlings, if not men?"
Bowen Marsh opened his mouth. No words came out. A flush crept up his neck. (Jon XI, ADwD)
Jon has this way about him that really gets people to listen. They may not agree, but they listen, and he gets his points across succinctly.
I like a lot of Jon moments, but those two are certainly my favourites. I like who he is as a character. He's such an internal one, so much of what we know about him is because we have his POV, and I enjoy that. He's snarky, he's stubborn, he's fierce, he's an enigma. Pragmatic, straightforward, brave. (and abnormally strong but that's neither here nor there lol)
He's written incredibly well. Certainly my favourite overall in the series.
“The Night’s Watch takes no part in the wars of the Seven Kingdoms,” Jon reminded them when some semblance of quiet had returned. “It is not for us to oppose the Bastard of Bolton, to avenge Stannis Baratheon, to defend his widow and his daughter. This creature who makes cloaks from the skins of women has sworn to cut my heart out, and I mean to make him answer for those words … but I will not ask my brothers to forswear their vows.
“The Night’s Watch will make for Hardhome. I ride to Winterfell alone, unless …” Jon paused. “… is there any man here who will come stand with me?”
The roar was all he could have hoped for, the tumult so loud that the two old shields tumbled from the walls. Soren Shieldbreaker was on his feet, the Wanderer as well. Toregg the Tall, Brogg, Harle the Huntsman and Harle the Handsome both, Ygon Oldfather, Blind Doss, even the Great Walrus. I have my swords, thought Jon Snow, and we are coming for you, Bastard.
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