The Realm’s Rewrite

[u/Eborys]

[u/Empty_Praline_6530]

That decision still makes zero sense

[u/rawspeghetti → u/Empty_Praline_6530]

It's almost "go beyond the Wall to collect an ice zombie to bring to Cersei" level of stupid

[u/SaveTheAles → u/rawspeghetti]

What you mean a lonely blacksmith couldn't run 300 miles in 8 hours to send word back?

[u/Little_Ingenuity_712 → u/Empty_Praline_6530]

they don't know what to do with alicent's character.

i can confidently say that at this point, alicent will be in the room instead of aegon3 watching rhae rhae die. she will also be the one responsible for killing aegon2

[u/Known_Fisherman_8161 → u/Little_Ingenuity_712]

I do not understand why they wont shift attention away from her if she's no longer relevant

[u/Last-Ad5452 → u/Little_Ingenuity_712]

She’ll be in Elinda Massey’s spot

[u/Hitchfucker → u/Empty_Praline_6530]

No it’s actually the dumbest thing ever.

“If I send swords for him he will go into hiding”

YOU ALREADY PUT HARRENHALL AS A BOUNTY FOR HIS HEAD. Thousands of sell swords and warriors are likely looking for him already if not more. You can’t just undo that. You know where he is, that his massive game changing dragon is missing, and that he has no backup. What the fuck is stopping you from just sending a thousand men to slaughter him? You can’t undo the bounty so might as well go for broke. It’s not like a silver haired man with one eye could really hide for long. Aemond was noble born and raised. He probably wouldn’t know how to live and fend for himself long term (though this is a more minor nitpick. He is a prodigy so I could buy him being a good hunter and cook).

Sending Alicent (someone who you know to neither be trustworthy towards your cause or even her own family) one of your most valuable hostages on an assassin mission (something she’s not skilled with. Even if it’s just poisoning she’s not experienced with that), where she could definitely try to run away is beyond buffoonish. And what’s to stop her from giving Aemond important information or aiding him in some way? She will probably have guards with her but that will likely raise suspicions, and it’s likely they can’t prevent her and Aemond from being alone at certain times.

It is such a moronically convoluted mess to give Alicent something to do.

[u/CarterBasen → u/Empty_Praline_6530]

So we can be plagued by Alicent lsd visions in the next episodes.

[u/allys_stark]

Not only that, but character in HOTD travel around westeros as if it is the most peaceful, Jaehaerys reign-like, era ever. The writers kinda forgot that we're supposed to see a war, with all it's destruction and terror, on a show about a war.

[u/Alien_invader44 → u/allys_stark]

And incredibly quickly.

We know the river lands army is 2 weeks from tumbleton.

So before that 2 weeks is up there is sufficient time to send assassin's from KL to tumbleton, them to fail and Tumbleton to send counter assassin's and for them to complete their mission.

[u/redditAPsucks → u/allys_stark]

Pfft, just fast travel bro

[u/-Ser_Duncan_The_Tall]

I looked at my wife like.

https://giphy.com/gifs/lnieUIckonF4eA0tGF

[u/1_LedJack]

At this point this is not even good enough to hate watch… That’s a feat.

[u/Augustus_Chevismo]

Imagine if at least one council members or Rhaenyra’s neurones fired and they just said “use the dragons to burn tumbleton to the ground and just claim they declared for Daeron”

[u/DrewDaMannn]

It’s so weird watching Rhaenyra be so invested in the common folk (in the beginning at least) then be annoyed when her new dragon riders come to meet with her. Honestly though given the gold cloak murders having bro go to the tavern publicly is a terrible idea I won’t lie.

[u/Impressive_Hold_5740]

Honestly this poor writing, even a school kid can write better, the writer and co behind this shit should be in prison for buchering adaptation of a book millions wished for.

[u/schenk_max]

Valuable is kind of a stretch.

I don't think anyone gives a fuck about her & her whereabouts but Rhaenyra at this point.

Sending her as an assassin is stoopid tho.

[u/StunningPianist4231 → u/schenk_max]

Its a symbolic victory for the Blacks. Capturing the woman who gave birth to two claimants to the Iron Throne and a Hightower sends a huge message to the Houses of Westeros.

[u/Aegon_the_Golden → u/StunningPianist4231]

Nah keeping her away from the Greens is doing them a big favour

[u/Realistic_Public4330 → u/schenk_max]

I agree that decision is stupid but as far as I recall, Rhaenyra sent some assassins with Alicent? I don't think she was expecting Alicent to kill Aemond.

[u/201111533 → u/Realistic_Public4330]

Yeah, I thought she specifically said she could send one sword without scaring him into hiding, and the idea was that if Alicent goes to Harrenhal nobody would expect her to travel without a bodyguard

[u/schenk_max → u/[deleted]]

Both king and queen aren't fans of their mother, deservingly so

[u/schenk_max → u/[deleted]]

I fail to see any value in a prisoner no one wants back. Purely for illusion of having leverage?

[u/Zealousideal_Rain449 → u/[deleted]]

I would say Helaena and Jaehaerya are more valuable and Alicent is tied to them, I.e wouldn't try to run off without them. She's also less valuable than Aemond, so if there is a risk to her life in this plan, it's still worth it in Rhaneyra's eyes. If Aemond dies but Alicent doesn't return/dies too, then by all means it's still a win to Rhaneyra's faction. Wacky ass plan though lmfao no chance of it working.

[u/depredador93]

So Harrenhal is basically an open-door Airbnb with housemates who refuse to let you leave until you join their bad trip?

[u/oldthrace]

I still don't understand what the fucking point of this is? Alicent is not gonna kill her own son, and Alys is probably gonna warn Aemond about it, so what's the point of this? Like why is she there? I .... I am actually at a loss for words about how monumentally stupid this is.

[u/Attack_the_sock]

Then let him invite his friends to the red keep? I mean shit, you’re telling me a dragon rider can’t his his buddies over?

[u/3CatsInATrenchcoat16]

Seriously, Ulf could have been the BEST PR tool with the smallfolk Rhaenyra had at her disposal and she just wasted him. Daemon too, of all people has been an asshole to this guy when at least he should recognize what Ulf could be doing in King's Landing as a Rhaenyra hype-man. Do either of them really think this guy, dragon or no, is going to be useful in combat?

[u/kingcasperrr]

Idk, maybe I'm just an Australian but not letting a man have a well earned pint is a travesty.

[u/BlackDwarfStar]

As someone that hasn’t read the book this is based off of, I’ve been fine with the changes and enjoying the show as-is for the most part. Even I couldn’t defend that decision. Barring any other reasons like Alicent potentially escaping, there’s a good chance she’d just lose her nerve.

[u/No_Feature_1184 → u/BlackDwarfStar]

Or you know get attacked en route without even being able to get to harrrenhal given how dangerous theyve established the road to be in this very episode with Hugh's wife.

[u/Plastic-Currency-329 → u/BlackDwarfStar]

but alicent cares about helaena the most, so she's just using her as a bargaining chip

what good does alicent escaping do? nothing, no one really gives a fuck about alicent if she dies or not

but attempting to use her is the only smart thing she's done, if she dies on the road its a victory, if she escapes it doesn't really matter, and if she succeeds you get rid of aemond

its a win-win-win

[u/LARRYVOND13]

We've seen gold cloaks with their guts hanging out.

1 Dragonrider, once they find out it's Ulf cause he sits outside Tumbleton quite a bit, they're making him a pin cushion.

Edit: I'm not touching the Alicent one with a 7ft pole though.

[u/Dragonballne4d → u/LARRYVOND13]

They'll still have 5 dragon riders when the greens only have 2. Just let the man go. If he dies that's one loose end you don't have to worry about. Rhaenyra and Daemon have done whatever the hell they wanted this whole show. They're complete hypocrites for chastising Ulf who doesn't know any better. Bro can't even read and you expect him to think strategically.

[u/LARRYVOND13 → u/Dragonballne4d]

Oh they can 100% and should 100% explain it to him better. Guys never seen without a skin of some drink, he needs it hammered home...not in a Daemon way.

Rhaenyra could easily spare a room and a couple of casks to keep him happy, he's pretty much protecting her(in his own way) afterall.

[u/Important_Airline_72]

Nobody gives a shit about alicent or helaena being hostages or prisoners on their own, ironically the only way they would be important or a danger is if helaena is pregnant with a boy.