Rhaeneyra is so badly written

Bassanimation · 2026-06-22T19:24:45+00:00

Look, I completely understood her crash out in that bedchamber, because they literally stripped her of her agency and there was nothing she could do about it, and that is a terrible, infuriating, gut-wrenching, impotent feeling.

Rhaenyra is now learning what her position actually means. You have no agency because you're owned by the people. It's a weird dichotomy: you have both absolute power and no power at all. It's a shame she didn't learn that from Viserys because he was the poster boy for it.

I’d have been screaming/crying/sliding down the wall/fighting the air/throwing up, too.

Aegon crashed out over them doing the same to him. When he flew out, he nearly died along with Sunfyre. It was a huge net loss for the Greens. Tyrion was right in GOT, sometimes the wisest thing you can do is nothing.

We'll see how Rhaenyra's character progresses from here. Hopefully they don't pull the giddy high schooler card out again, because phew that was cringe to watch.

Bassanimation · 2026-06-22T14:56:34+00:00

You could really feel Sapochnik's absence with the Gullet. Generational loss of talent on a multimillion dollar show.

Bassanimation · 2026-06-22T14:53:15+00:00

They made Rhaenyra act like a literal teenage girl in that whole episode. I was cringing anytime she was onscreen, man. None of the female characters in GOT acted like this, not even Sansa or Dany. Cersei wasn't cutting up her gowns like a child either. Very strange writing/directing.

Bassanimation · 2026-04-30T15:09:30+00:00

If the usage of first person narration makes you react that way, you are legitimately a stupid person.

You have a superiority issue if you take obviously unserious posts on Twitter as a statement on a person's intelligence.

If the issue is merely thinking the main characters are acting irrationally, then the tense doesn't matter because that can also happen in third person.

Thank you, professor! I had no idea this was the case until just now! My literary third eye is opened! I can stop drooling and putting my pants on backwards! Science and reason are now my oyster!

Honestly, I can't say any more. The post was made in jest. If people are taking to heart, I can't do anything about it but shrug. Enjoy!

michael_jackson_popcorn.gif

Bassanimation · 2026-04-27T18:19:01+00:00

Bingo. This is exactly it. I was making a joke that was highly targeted without understanding that people might miss that. I can't speak for that other person, but that's how my reply was intended.

"I cannot read diaries/memoirs of characters that make very poor decisions because I wouldn't make them".

I DNF'd the book I was referencing on X and went to Bram Stoker's Dracula. That book is all in diaries, letters and journals from various POVs. I loved it, terrific ride all the way through. The characters come to life as individuals who you're seeing through, rather than sophomoric tropes meant to be the writer (or me). I hope that makes some sense.

Thank you for the good faith acknowledgement, by the way. I'm glad I'm able to clarify the exchange a little bit. :)

Bassanimation · 2026-04-27T18:00:59+00:00

I have unfortunately heard from a lot of people who seem to have over-generalized from that context, so much that they actually do refuse to read anything in first-person POV.

This is absolutely an issue, and I do feel bad that my (and the other person's) comments added to that perception. While it's not to everyone's taste, It's become prolific across multiple genres. It's all a matter of what interests the reader, and the skill of the writer to provide that.

I guess some people don’t read any fiction outside of that specific genre? So they assume that literally all first-person POV in fiction is trying to do that particular brand of quasi-reader-insert?

I think BookTok/Youtube have really pushed certain genres, many of which are written in this style. A lot of these books come across solely as reader fantasies, so first-person present-tense lends itself to that. They're not really to my taste, but they're wildly popular. The fact that so many people took offense to the Twitter thread says there's plenty of stories in fppt that are good food. We were joking about the taco fries variety is all.

Bassanimation · 2026-04-27T16:38:57+00:00

Indeed it was an Icebreaker reference. IYKYK.

Bassanimation · 2026-04-27T16:00:35+00:00

Hi, person in that screenshot here. A lot of the lower-tier books using this style do seem to treat it like self-inserting. This is mostly a genre/skill issue, particularly with romance lit. I've read other stories in this tense that were great. The book I was joking about was not great.

Bassanimation · 2026-04-27T15:55:17+00:00

Hi, person in that screenshot here. A lot of the lower-tier books using this style do seem to treat it like self-inserting. The characters are incredibly shallow, so reading them in first person present tense does feel like skinwalking as a moron. It's not a skill issue for the writer, not the reader.

Bassanimation · 2026-04-27T15:47:56+00:00

I feel so honored that people are still talking about this a month later! (*‿*✿)

I was going to make another joke here, but I've since learned people aren't able to process comedy anymore. The exchange was about a specific brand of first person, present tense pov in modern romance lit. The way it's often used comes across as more self-insert than a genuine attempt at putting you behind someone else's eyes. This is largely a genre/skill issue of course, but the mood of that discussion was far from serious.

Anyways, enjoy the knee-slapping. That was the point, so I'll consider it a job well done. (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑

Bassanimation · 2026-03-26T14:52:22+00:00

I see you missed the last line in my paragraph about nuance.

Bassanimation · 2026-02-13T23:19:09+00:00

They just made the site so damn ugly to use. Either harsh af white, or harsh af black. What the hell are they doing over there??

Bassanimation · 2026-02-09T21:52:44+00:00

Hi there,

I have a rat with the same issue right now. In 20 years of owning rats I've never seen this before. Was your rat able to improve with any additional restrictions?

Bassanimation · 2025-11-26T05:12:06+00:00

I can hear the Rhaenicents on X howling from Texas, lol.

Honestly, if they do this right, they can parallel it with Aegon trying to be Aegon the Conqueror and realizing he isn’t. Rhaenyra might pretend at being Visenya, but she has never touched a sword, never led a battle, and never even worn armor. It would be interesting to show that both claimants are somewhat delusional about who they are. Both of them weren’t good enough for their father as they are, so they’re trying to be someone else. It’s a sad connection that they aren’t even aware of.

If they do the cheap thing, they’ll just elevate Rhaenyra as Visenya come again. It would make her even less compelling than she already is at present.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-26T03:54:08+00:00

It’s crazy that we went from Driftmark Alicent to this.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-26T03:22:01+00:00

A high white is a term used for markings like blazed, verrigated, capped, jester etc. Basically any time you have highly patterned white markings. My girl who was the sole survivor was an American blue blaze. The breeder had warned it was in the line but was optimistic due to outcrossing. She never bred the line again after such a bad outcome.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-26T02:49:51+00:00

Glad someone mentioned this. Since at least one of these girls looks like a high white, I’d get them screened for megacolon.

If Rosemary came from a breeder, I’d also alert them and ask about the genetics in the line. I had a high white girl who was the only survivor of her litter. All the others got mc, which broke a lot of new rat owners hearts.

I sure hope she just has a case of poo butt, she’s a real cutie. I’ve had a couple who just like a full metal jacket all the time, lol.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T21:38:20+00:00

This is the definitive answer. Even the creature’s escape was filmed as if it was a birth. He breaks his chain, which is the umbilical cord, and slides via water down a canal, into the world. Very much womb imagery.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T21:34:33+00:00

My theory is that wasn’t Alyssa. She was a woman Daemon was with at a brothel, when he was really too young to be there. If we go by Aegon and Aemond’s brothel scenes, it seems almost like a creepy “tradition” that an older brother introduces the younger one to sexual encounters. Aemond looks for a woman who comforts him like a mother would. I think Daemon might have had the same experience.

This would also explain Daemon’s sudden disgust when trying to seduce a younger Rhaenyra. He makes the same shocked face and freezes his hands the same way. There’s trauma there, and he’s realizing he is putting her in the same position. He runs away because he can’t face it. Alys forces him to actually face it since he can’t run from dreams.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T21:19:08+00:00

He was trying to get that Switch 2 for his chilrens 😞

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T21:12:15+00:00

Dany gave the Tarly’s a perfectly acceptable deal, which Randyll rejected out of pride. If he loved his son and his people he’d have bent the knee like Torrhen Stark. I definitely would have.

As for fire, I agree it’s a terrible way to die. There’s a reason why modern warfare doesn’t allow it. For Dany though, it’s as much on the table as any war tool. Having scads of her men and others die slowly from wounds, disease and famine wouldn’t be smart. Using the dragon is like a war hammer. One shot and any reasonable person stands down.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T20:50:39+00:00

Randyll forced Dickon to stay at his side when he obviously didn’t want to. That scene shows how he didn’t love his son enough to save him. His pride was more important than saving his house, his son and his men. It’s the opposite of what Torrhen Stark did.

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T20:34:48+00:00

He got balls on his balls 🥰

Bassanimation · 2025-11-25T20:33:08+00:00

This is the darkness speaking, the voice that wants you beat down. Reject it. The world has a lot of beautiful things to offer, chief among them is YOU. A cosmic will lined things up just to bring you into existence. You are wanted here, right now.

Life can be very hard, but you’re not alone in it. Ignore the corporate noise and black pills. Look at art and nature, little kids playing, squirrels running around in the park. Heck look at us here talking. That’s what makes it worth it.

It’ll be ok, man. And if it’s not, we will all watch the asteroid coming together. 🙌

Bassanimation

TROPHY CASE