“Down With The Monarchy”

The King’s Gambit chapter 3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64915102

Why did it have to be you chapter 10:

• The King’s Gambit •

King’s Gambit is one of the oldest known chess moves. White sacrifices a pawn on move two, in an attempt to eliminate black’s central pawn. It is played with the sole aim of achieving an all-out attack on the opponent’s monarch. If black, stupidly, tries to hold onto a pawn of their own, then white can develop rapidly, and aim for a devastating attack on the enemy.

Burnt and betrayed, Aegon’s only motivation is the survival of him and his daughter. Soon, however, that will change, for Essos remains the continent of magic. It thrives, and it gives, and perhaps it will make a weak drunk of a man into something much more. For that to happen, he will need to make a choice; give up

His trauma of watching his dad has turned into disgust at the very thought of being gay. We see how extreme his needs for a woman’s appearance has to be for him to admit attraction.

Then, we have Jules, who in season 1 is the most feminine character on the show. She checks of every point of his list, and we know he feels some sort of attraction toward her.

Could he be bisexual? Definitely, and I find that to be very much possible, but he is not gay. He is attracted to Jules, who is a woman.

He is scared, to the point of hurting himself and others, to admit that he could be even the smallest bit like his dad.

If I would go even further than that and armchair diagnose him, I would say he had HOCD. Which stands for Homosexual Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, where a person is essentially to afraid of being or becoming gay (even if that person never felt attracted to someone of the same sex before the intrusive thoughts developed) to the point that they could hurt themselves because of their thoughts, and have rigorous types of compulsions.

This type of OCD (it is not only about being gay, some are ex, deeply afraid that they are attracted to children, even though they are not) is not always consistent with compulsive behavior to the same degree as the more commonly known one.

It’s more consistent with isolation, hurting themselves and avoiding any type of contact with the object/s of the intrusive thoughts. As Nate does by absolutely refusing to look at another penis in the locker room, because he is simply so afraid that he will be attracted to the sight.

It is also worth nothing that he has very compulsive behavior, especially when it comes to his training, that is also rooted in his father.

Honestly, Nate Jacobs is an incredible character, and I’m tired of people being so blinded by their disgust at his actions to see how well developed he is, especially in season 1.

He is, in my opinion, one of the better representations of a character who went through sexual trauma and abuse as a child. This does not mean that he is a representation of every person that has been abused as a child, but he is a great example of how a person might become, especially if they are under control of the source of the abuse.

There are so many small things to notice as well. Like his apparent disgust at his mother, where a lot of people say it’s only misogyny. I do think that plays a part in him looking down on her, but not in his genuine resentment.

He think she is weak, and only goes along with what his father says.

Further on his mom, we see her explain how he was a sweet, and actually very empathetic as a child. Then, something changed, and even as a child that was seen clearly. A sudden change in behavior, in the way she tells us Nate did, is actually extremely common in abused children.

His reaction when he saw his dad on top of him in the mirror is also such a great scene, and telling of his mental state. He is so afraid of the thought of what his dad will do, or perhaps not even that, but so haunted by the memories that he is willing to put his well being at great risk through harm.

I also don’t think people understand the gravity of his reaction, and what it tells us about his relationship with his father.

What he did was so harmful he could have put his very life at risk. He is 6’5 and made of muscle, and used all his force to beat the back of his head to the floor, which could have become fatal. At the very least, a severe concussion.

What does Cal do? What does he do when his son puts his well-being, and even life at risk? He locks himself away and ignores it. A good parent would have called 911, and Nate, in my opinion, would have been admitted on a 72 hour hold due to putting his life at risk.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/60573379/chapters/165595198

Childbirth, Motherhood, and Dying

But it is now canon to me that Morghul is death, and Shyrkos is life.

Well then,

I suppose TB aren’t going to support characters like Dany or Stannis then. Not when Joffrey the Rightful is right there.

Based on what?

Tradition and precedent mayhaps?

Ned, after finishing.

Chapter 6: now you're here, and i don't feel a thing

At face value we are immediately told to not trust him, but at the same time we are told that the nobles look down on him so much that they openly discuss serious matters or secrets in front of him, because at the end of the day he isn’t a person to them.

In the very same way smallfolk aren’t people to them, and to me that connection becomes so immensely clear when Mushroom lets Joffrey get away on Syrax because “Mushroom had been told to hold his tongue” after Rhaenyra had called the starving smallfolk were “[they are] vermin. Drunks and fools and gutter rats”

Mushroom (a fool) then tells us that he warned her, that even though they were drunk and fools, a thousand rats can bring down a bear. At which he was then told to hold his tongue.

During the story, his love for Rhaenyra had been present in much of his testimony, except when he (who had been stated to be undermined by nobles) were de facto declared a useless fool by her.

Now, does this mean I think Mushroom is the actual true account of all things?

Not at all, but his account carries a lot more truth that people realize.

Things like when he said Dameon and Laena were to fly to Old Valyria, is clearly false, because no one could go there. But is is unlikely that they would tell him something of that nature, just to make fun of him? Well, that is more possible.

He is the only one openly declaring Rhaenyra’s first three children as bastards, though multiple accounts hinted at it.

His explanation of Daemon and Rhaenyra’s kissing games, that involved Mushroom and his apparently huge member. Was it true? Maybe, but not on the way most think.

We know Daemon had a preference for young girls, and he had little to no concern about their virtue. So the kissing games are somewhat possibly, but the threesome absolutely isn’t. Except, Mushroom never stated that he joined them, but that it involved him. Meaning?

I believe he stood there like a Peeping Tom.

Pretty much anything that happened at the green council is debatable if not straight up false, because he wasn’t there. And, I’m sorry, Ser Criston was the best warrior of his time and all, but he did not throw Beesbury out the window and hand him land bullseye on spikes. He just didn’t.

“The whore may die in childbirth” is also his account, when he wasn’t there, but it does sound like something Alicent could say.

Aegon’s two bastards born in 123 AC are also his account, when he wasn’t there (which contrary to popular belief, are nothing more than rumored bastards) and we have no knowledge of how that information would reach him. Of course, gossiping nobles and such is the most likely answer, if it’s true, but there are no real hint to where his account comes from.

He was in King’s Landing a few years later, but why two bastards born three years previously would still be talked about, I don’t know.

Addam and Alyn are Velaryon bastards, with debated paternity, and Mushroom is pretty much the only one saying “Dudes, it’s not the gay who fathered these two children”, that and actually giving a detailed view of their mother.

Do I think Corlys was one to go around blabbing about his affairs? No. At least not to other nobles, or people he viewed as important. Do I think he would be that careful around a fool like Mushroom? No.

Title: it’s time you and i had a little heart to heart

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63512446/chapters/162751885

Title: we met just the other day, i wanna hear you confess now.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63512446/chapters/163607830

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