rot enjoyer

I was originally planning on doing a full character breakdown and analysis in one post, but writing this I realized it might be better to divide it by season. There's A LOT, so we're really going step by step. There will also be a mention of something from s2 at the end of this post, since it pertains to her entire character arc. Let's get to it!

Our introduction to Mysaria takes place in a brothel with Daemon. Though she's a little out of focus initially, she's rolling her eyes during the act, after which it's established through conversation that she and Daemon have known each other for a while. She's stroking his hair and stoking his ego, the dynamic is clear. The end of that first episode also gives us a small but genuine moment as Daemon introduces her to Caraxes: she approaches the dragons slowly, accompanied by guards - she's wary, but shows no fear outright, and this is shortly replaced by an unbridled display of fascination and joy. The scene also tells us the audience that Daemon loves her (or believes he does), which is further supported by his marriage announcement in the next episode.

Then we get the confrontation on the bridge of Dragonstone. Mysaria is listening in the background. At the mention of her made-up pregnancy, she turns and leaves without a word, showing that she had been unaware of the lie and, more importantly, that she won't stand for it. There is a line she won't cross even at the risk of displeasing Daemon. She's a little more tactful in showing her disapproval in their subsequent conversation. She tells Daemon "I came to you to be liberated from fear." This is such a deliberate choice of words. On the surface, she's just playing a "damsel in distress" for Daemon here. But also, "I came to you to be liberated from fear." She was proactive. She made choices to try to improve her circumstances.

She also says that "she long ago ensured she would never be threatened by childbirth", and we don't question it, as it sounds sensible given her profession (and it beautifully ties into the overarching theme of the first half of the season, with Aemma's story and Rhaenyra's fear of pregnancy). The how of "she ensured she'd never have children" doesn't have to be clarified; we are left to imagine the horror of the process and that's enough.

What do we have so far? A young woman who's led an immensely difficult life, who is smart and resourceful, a survivor, but also shows courage with a hint of principles.

Over the next few years, she starts dealing in secrets and selling information to Otto. She narcs on Daemon and Rhaenyra - is this vengeance for being used as Daemon's pawn, simple pragmatism (making a better life for herself), or both? The following morning, she's standing over Daemon and making it very clear that she's not a whore anymore, that she's risen above it. There's no pragmatism to it, it's pride plain and simple - she's telling her ex "see how far I've risen since our breakup". It implies that, even if she may not have loved Daemon, a part of her is very much looking for validation. It is not enough for her to wield power, she wants to be seen as worthy. I emphasize this now because of how it ties into Rhaenyra's own arc and their relationship in seasons 2 and 3.

And never is this pride more on display than in her meeting with Otto near the end of season 1, more than a decade later. At this point, Mysaria's been feeding him information for more than a decade as the White Worm. Getting directly involved in the usurpation of the throne is her biggest move to date and, having built her reputation, she is ready to step out of the shadows. She lords over Otto. "I could have squashed him [Aegon - Otto's intended king] as easily as a wasp on a fruit" and "There is no power but what the people allow you to take." And I speak for the people.

This scene introduces a new element as well, when she demands that the children's fighting pits be closed. She's deciding to use her influence to help the smallfolk. This is the big picture for her. She has a comfortable life now. She doesn't have to get involved in the game. In fact, getting involved in the game is extremely counterintuitive for someone looking only to survive and not have to be a whore to do it.

"For too long I sought to be someone of consequence", she tells Rhaenyra in early season 2. That begs the question: is her primary goal to help the people, or is helping the people just her way to "be someone of consequence"? We'll be returning to that question, since I think it's still very much up in the air.