What absolutely kills me is that SJM wrote that Tamlin was actually right about literally everything and I'm STILL somehow supposed to believe that he isn't a "good guy" because SJM decided that consequences only exist for people she doesn't like.
Things Tamlin was right about:
1. The fact that Amarantha was bad news. Obviously this entire plot happened because SJM hadn't come up with the idea of Velaris yet but the fact that Tamlin was the only High Lord who didn't get his power immediately stolen by her is pretty telling. Like, didn't Rhysand and Amarantha face each other in the War!? If he's supposedly so clever, why did he not see the world's most obvious trap coming!? Poor Tamlin must have been at this gathering tearing his hair out: "Oh no! How could this have happened!? If only SOMEONE [me] could have warned literally all of you about this for years!?!?"
2. Being completely unable to protect Feyre while they were Under the Mountain. He gets a lot of shit for this in the fandom but Feyre is well established as a person who ignores rules and boundaries that don't suit her. Like Tamlin realizes she's in danger, and makes the choice to sacrifice himself to protect her - and sends her home, where her family has been restored to wealth via him donating his fortune. Feyre decides to go back and rescue him - in the place where he straight up told her that she should not go because he'd be completely powerless - and then later BLAMES him for not doing more to help her. Like girl - he told you this was the case, and you decided to go and save him anyway because you loved him! That was noble, and it wasn't wasted effort. But the fact that people shit on Tamlin in this situation leaves a pretty bad taste in my mouth.
3. Hybern invading Prythian. The whole Tamlin as a spy plot line actually proves how smart he is even though it is incredibly stupid in its execution. So we can assume that Amarantha was someone who was mildly important to the King, given that she was allowed to essentially conquer a whole country and not face any diplomatic consequences for it - but after Tamlin finally kills her, suddenly the King is veeerrry interested in war and the Wall. Soldiers are being sent into the Spring Court for war games and skirmishes - the fact that Feyre tries to participate in these skirmishes with powers she cannot control and the fact that she is still a huntress at this point, not a soldier is what leads to the whole Locked Inside the House debacle. Tamlin didn't know that this would cause Feyre to have a panic attack because they have wildly different triggers, and at this point, their sex life is the only functional part of their relationship because their emotional communication skills have absolutely flown the coop. More on this in point 5 but for now:
4. Rhysand kidnapping Feyre. At this point in ACOMAF, Tamlin has witnessed Feyre be tortured, killed, and resurrected, and he has also witnessed her be actively drugged and sexually assaulted by Rhysand, who is now forcing her to spend time with him for a week of every month. Later in this same book - at a point where Lucien is probably tracking her and trying to bring her home - Rhysand takes Feyre into the Court of Nightmares to be publicly groped and gawked at like a shiny new toy, as a show of force and superiority that only benefits himself. Literally what was Tamlin supposed to think in this situation. You know damn well he's going to hear about it later since the Court of Nightmares is established to be the Night Court's public facing persona. This is literally his worst nightmare coming true before his very eyes. Talk about a major trigger - are we supposed to be shocked and horrified when he gets pissed and doesn't sit stoically by and accept the new reality!?!? Rhysand is now continually publicly assaulting someone that Tamlin loved as a form of revenge against him. Rhysand later openly admits that he dressed Feyre up in revealing clothes that she was not comfortable in and paraded her around specifically because he knew it would make Tamlin angry. Like, no other reason! Just because he didnt like the fact that Tamlin built a real loving relationship with Feyre. Am I supposed to like Rhys after any of this? Vote now on your phones.
5. Fighting back against Hybern when the Archerons were Made. I find it extremely telling that in the scene where Elain and Nesta are made, Tamlin and Lucien are literally the only people in the room who fight back. As soon as Tamlin - who has at this point done some good diplomatic work and established a truce that gives him some moderate power alongside the King, and also gets his finace back after (and I cannot emphasize this enough) he believes that she's been kidnapped and violently assaulted - realizes that humans are about to be tossed into the Cauldron for a glorified experiment, he immediately forgoes the truce and attempts to physically attack the King. Lucien later manages to break free of his bindings with his Eleventh Hour Superpowers and moves to cover Elain with his jacket so that she'll be warmer and less exposed. Meanwhile, Feyre is sitting there crying while Rhysand holds her and Cassian and Mor are just standing around I guess?? Why am I supposed to vilify the only people who actually fought back and tried to protect innocent humans from being involved in Fae nonsense. Anyway.
6. "Do we fight Hybern now just to find ourselves with a High King and Queen of Prythian?" This post is long enough and I can't recommend reading Silver Flames to anyone by my fucking God if somehow Rhysand and Feyre make the other High Lord's bend the knee I am starting a riot and burning down Bloomsbury I am not joking.
