the urge to make a fanvid of merlin and alicent hightower parallels is strong...
THE VISION IS SO STRONG like obviously thereās significant differences between the two, Alicent as a woman within a highly restrictive society where she is considered property to her father, husband and son, where whilst Merlin has his own struggles with autonomy as a servant and under the ever-looming presence and threat of destiny which interferes in his life specifically, itās still not *that*. However thereās so much overlap between their main conflicts that puts them in not dissimilar positions; both of them are people who are increasingly subsumed within these larger social structures whilst the others around them are unable to understand their positions, and then dedicate themselves to the kingdom and duty (Alicent asking āwhere is duty? Where is sacrifice?ā Vs Merlin replying to Gaius that ā(the young boy he met all those years ago) he grew up and learned the meaning of dutyā, Alicent telling Cole, butchering this line but that she āhad to believe decency and justice will prevail and win out in the endā whilst Merlin reassures Finna it wonāt always be this way) to make something of their extremely difficult positions (and resenting and lashing out at Rhaenyra and Mordred respectively because they threaten everything theyāve worked towards, their frustration at Arthur and Viserys for dismissing them), in hope that their sacrifice and misery will amount to something only for it to not happen!!! Itās so seriousā¦..
