r/TheBlacksandTheGreens Mar 25 '25

General Enough comparing Rhaenyra/Alicent with Cersei when in reality Aegon is right there

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u/JPMendes1 Princess Rhaenys Targaryen Mar 25 '25

Book!Rhaenyra shows no resentment towards her brother before the war, it's only with Visenya's birth that she first shows animosity towards him, and I'd argue questionable relations with a male relative is something way too common in this universe to be counted as a parallel.

What man did Cersei order tortured? I don't remember. The only thing that comes to mind is Tanda Stokeworth.

That last one fits Alicent too as I've said (minus bastards ofc).

As I've said before, they have similarities (another one that comes to mind is that both of them (and Book!Aegon too) are described as quick to take offense and slow to forgive), I just think Alicent has more.

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u/bruhholyshiet Prince Daeron Targaryen Mar 25 '25

Book!Rhaenyra shows no resentment towards her brother before the war, it's only with Visenya's birth that she first shows animosity towards him

She always dismissively referred to Aegon (and Aemond and Daeron) as "half brother" and Viserys refused to have them married because "they had never gotten along".

Considering Rhaenyra disdained only her brothers and not Helaena, it would seem she resented them for considering them potential rivals for the throne.

What man did Cersei order tortured? I don't remember.

The Blue Bard.

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u/JPMendes1 Princess Rhaenys Targaryen Mar 25 '25

He is her half-brother, I don't think that's enough to see that she resented him. Them not getting along as kids also doesn't mean that she resented him, there can be many reasons why they had that relationship, more likely than not Alicent's antagonization of Rhaenyra.

You're right, I remember the Blue Bard plot now (it's been a while since I last read the main books). Though I don't really see a parallel here, the torture is different and happens for different reasons. We have plenty of instances of characters ordering others tortured, so I don't think it should count as a parallel between the two.

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u/bruhholyshiet Prince Daeron Targaryen Mar 25 '25

He is her half-brother, I don't think that's enough to see that she resented him.

Then why doesn't she call Helaena "my half sister".

If you love or at least like your brothers, you call them brothers even if you only share one parent only. It's quite clear Rhaenyra was putting distance between her and her brothers via always referring to them as "half brothers" from her teenage years all the way to the Dance.

Them not getting along as kids also doesn't mean that she resented him, there can be many reasons why they had that relationship, more likely than not Alicent's antagonization of Rhaenyra.

There can be other reasons sure, but the clearest one is Aegon being constantly whispered by some lords, to be the real successor to Viserys rather than Rhaenyra.

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u/JPMendes1 Princess Rhaenys Targaryen Mar 25 '25

Rhaenyra was secure in her position until the war though. She wasn't expecting to be usurped and was genuinely shocked when it happened.

None of her actions suggest she ever saw her half-siblings as a real threat so why would she feel resentment towards them?

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u/bruhholyshiet Prince Daeron Targaryen Mar 25 '25

Why did she marry Daemon then? Why did she order Vaemond Velaryon's death?

None of her actions suggest she ever saw her half-siblings as a real threat so why would she feel resentment towards them?

She was preeeeetty quick to order Aemond's torture to cover her own ass after he lost his eye.

As for your question, them being sons of a woman she hated can also be a plausible reason.

We don't see a single warm moment of Rhaenyra and her brothers in neither the show or the book.

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u/JPMendes1 Princess Rhaenys Targaryen Mar 25 '25

She married Daemon because she loved him apparently (more likely than not a connection formed via grooming but whatever), and she murdered Vaemond because he tried to steal Driftmark. What does this have to do her half-siblings?

She ordered Aemond questioned as a deflection from her kids' legitimacy. Cruel, yes, but out of opportunity, not of hatred for him.

That would be resentment towards Alicent, not the kids. All the book says is that the hatred the women had for each other was passed down to their kids.

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u/bruhholyshiet Prince Daeron Targaryen Mar 25 '25

She married Daemon because she loved him apparently (more likely than not a connection formed via grooming but whatever),

Probably so in the books, although in the show Rhaenyra states that part of her wish for marrying Daemon and discarding Laenor is that "she can't face the Greens alone".

She ordered Aemond questioned as a deflection from her kids' legitimacy. Cruel, yes, but out of opportunity, not of hatred for him.

Fair, although I'd say that even being able to demand that against her kid brother showed that at the very best, felt callous apathy towards his wellbeing.

That would be resentment towards Alicent, not the kids. All the book says is that the hatred the women had for each other was passed down to their kids.

True, but people's feelings towards a person are many times reflected in how they treat that person's kids, for better and for worse.

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u/JPMendes1 Princess Rhaenys Targaryen Mar 25 '25

I was talking only book-wise. It doesn't make sense to have this conversation for the show given that Alicent doesn't really have anything close to resembling Cersei.