Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 6:20 am
Recently, he's basically become Ned Stark except with more plot armour
he lost all credibility and likability as a character for me
Because sometimes even national leaders just want to hang out
https://forum.nationstates.net/
Tarsonis wrote:That sort of thing wasn’t all that uncommon mind you. Medieval wives were expected to back their husbands. A good example of this is Elizabeth de Burgh, who backed her husbands rebellion (Robert the Bruce) even though her family was firmly on the English side.
Now ifyou study the history of Roberts rebellion, Rhaegar wasn’t actually really involved. He was in Dorne until they lost the battle of the bells. Then King Aegon recalled Rhaegar from Dorne to defend kings landing, and what’s he supposed to do, say no? He marched out to the battle of the Trident, which was his first engagement of the war. It’s probably no accident that Robert and Rhaegar found each other on the battle field, the goal was to probably kill him and end the war rather than an outright militaristic victory. I can imagine Lyanna wouldn’t care too much if Robert died.
Baltenstein wrote:Tarsonis wrote:That sort of thing wasn’t all that uncommon mind you. Medieval wives were expected to back their husbands. A good example of this is Elizabeth de Burgh, who backed her husbands rebellion (Robert the Bruce) even though her family was firmly on the English side.
Now ifyou study the history of Roberts rebellion, Rhaegar wasn’t actually really involved. He was in Dorne until they lost the battle of the bells. Then King Aegon recalled Rhaegar from Dorne to defend kings landing, and what’s he supposed to do, say no? He marched out to the battle of the Trident, which was his first engagement of the war. It’s probably no accident that Robert and Rhaegar found each other on the battle field, the goal was to probably kill him and end the war rather than an outright militaristic victory. I can imagine Lyanna wouldn’t care too much if Robert died.
There are even more recent examples actually, with Napoleon's second wife Marie-Louise supporting her husband when he was at war with her father, the Austrian Emperor.
Anyway, I jokingly exaggerate, but my main point is that both Rhaegar and Lyanna acted irresponsibly and selfishly, like a pair of horny teenagers, plunging the realm in a massive war and getting thousands of people killed in the process. What we now know about Rhaegar in regard to his first wife and his children with her makes the whole ordeal that much more awful.
If the show wants to sell it as a tragic love story to whichAragorn'sJon's final victory and ascension to the throne will be the healing happy ending, I'm not buying it.
Tarsonis wrote:Baltenstein wrote:
There are even more recent examples actually, with Napoleon's second wife Marie-Louise supporting her husband when he was at war with her father, the Austrian Emperor.
Anyway, I jokingly exaggerate, but my main point is that both Rhaegar and Lyanna acted irresponsibly and selfishly, like a pair of horny teenagers, plunging the realm in a massive war and getting thousands of people killed in the process. What we now know about Rhaegar in regard to his first wife and his children with her makes the whole ordeal that much more awful.
If the show wants to sell it as a tragic love story to whichAragorn'sJon's final victory and ascension to the throne will be the healing happy ending, I'm not buying it.
I don’t think it’s trying to sell us on that at all. They hardly talk about it really. The show seems to handle it with the air of “oh yeah this happened, surprising, for the 3% of you that didn’t guess this after season 1”. I mean we can look at it as a tragic love story with some rose colored glasses sure. But I think all tragic love stories require that. I mean take Romeo and Juliet. One of the greatest love stories of all time allegedly,... but when you think about it, it’s really a case of horny teenagers meeting, marrying, banging, and committing suicide over the course of a few days. Not to mention all the people who got killed along the way. Most Tragic love stories fall apart when you cynically take the rational perspective, but in a way that’s what makes love stories so tragically. Love stories aren’t rational at all.
Baltenstein wrote:Infected Mushroom wrote:
Recently, he's basically become Ned Stark except with more plot armour
he lost all credibility and likability as a character for me
Jon is really not a good leader in any position. He constantly disregards his advisors' and underlings' advise and insists on doing every risky, life-threatening task one could think of in person - meeting Mance Rayder for a truce, meeting the Wildling elders for a truce, evacuating the Wildling refugees, leading the Stark army against Ramsay, brokering an alliance with Dany on Dragonstone and going beyond the Wall to catch a frikkin' wight. Every single one of those times he had people and duties he was responsible for and left with no backup-plan.
What Jon is meant to be is a champion, a symbol for a cause. But not the guy in charge of said cause.
Ethel mermania wrote:Tarsonis wrote:
I don’t think it’s trying to sell us on that at all. They hardly talk about it really. The show seems to handle it with the air of “oh yeah this happened, surprising, for the 3% of you that didn’t guess this after season 1”. I mean we can look at it as a tragic love story with some rose colored glasses sure. But I think all tragic love stories require that. I mean take Romeo and Juliet. One of the greatest love stories of all time allegedly,... but when you think about it, it’s really a case of horny teenagers meeting, marrying, banging, and committing suicide over the course of a few days. Not to mention all the people who got killed along the way. Most Tragic love stories fall apart when you cynically take the rational perspective, but in a way that’s what makes love stories so tragically. Love stories aren’t rational at all.
Yeah, it's a heck of a plot hole it you put any thought into it. Its amusing.
Tarsonis wrote:Baltenstein wrote:
There are even more recent examples actually, with Napoleon's second wife Marie-Louise supporting her husband when he was at war with her father, the Austrian Emperor.
Anyway, I jokingly exaggerate, but my main point is that both Rhaegar and Lyanna acted irresponsibly and selfishly, like a pair of horny teenagers, plunging the realm in a massive war and getting thousands of people killed in the process. What we now know about Rhaegar in regard to his first wife and his children with her makes the whole ordeal that much more awful.
If the show wants to sell it as a tragic love story to whichAragorn'sJon's final victory and ascension to the throne will be the healing happy ending, I'm not buying it.
I don’t think it’s trying to sell us on that at all. They hardly talk about it really. The show seems to handle it with the air of “oh yeah this happened, surprising, for the 3% of you that didn’t guess this after season 1”. I mean we can look at it as a tragic love story with some rose colored glasses sure. But I think all tragic love stories require that. I mean take Romeo and Juliet. One of the greatest love stories of all time allegedly,... but when you think about it, it’s really a case of horny teenagers meeting, marrying, banging, and committing suicide over the course of a few days. Not to mention all the people who got killed along the way. Most Tragic love stories fall apart when you cynically take the rational perspective, but in a way that’s what makes love stories so tragically. Love stories aren’t rational at all.
Tarsonis wrote:He’s not the most politically savvy person sure. But as a military leader, I’m gonna disagree. Historically The most respected leaders are those who shoulder the bulk of the burden and suffer with their men, rather than delegating it to subordinates. To be a plebeian consul, Roman Generals usually had to show their scars in public to demonstrate the wounds they’ve born for Rome.
You already touched in it with the Aragorn quip but John takes on the role of the heroic noble king trope in fantasy. He’s involved in all the fighting and tough stuff while “weaker” less noble kings hide in their ivory towers, sending men to die on their behalf.
See Aragorn v Denathor for similar comparison.
Baltenstein wrote:Tarsonis wrote:He’s not the most politically savvy person sure. But as a military leader, I’m gonna disagree. Historically The most respected leaders are those who shoulder the bulk of the burden and suffer with their men, rather than delegating it to subordinates. To be a plebeian consul, Roman Generals usually had to show their scars in public to demonstrate the wounds they’ve born for Rome.
You already touched in it with the Aragorn quip but John takes on the role of the heroic noble king trope in fantasy. He’s involved in all the fighting and tough stuff while “weaker” less noble kings hide in their ivory towers, sending men to die on their behalf.
See Aragorn v Denathor for similar comparison.
The problem is, in several of the examples I mentioned, it's not Jon "fighting alongside his men", but Jon making off with a minimum number of companions, while telling the vast majority of the people under his authority to stay behind and wait while he puts himself in danger. In two cases (him going to Hardhome and him going to Dragonstone) this explicitedly leads to severe dissent in the ranks in his absence.
Also note that in several of the cited examples, Jon screwed up his original plan and had to be rescued from almost certain death by an unexpected third party (Stannis, Sansa and the Knights of the Vale, Dany, Benjen Stark). In any of these cases he could have easily gotten himself killed, leaving those under his command behind without a leader.
Ethel mermania wrote:Baltenstein wrote:
The problem is, in several of the examples I mentioned, it's not Jon "fighting alongside his men", but Jon making off with a minimum number of companions, while telling the vast majority of the people under his authority to stay behind and wait while he puts himself in danger. In two cases (him going to Hardhome and him going to Dragonstone) this explicitedly leads to severe dissent in the ranks in his absence.
Also note that in several of the cited examples, Jon screwed up his original plan and had to be rescued from almost certain death by an unexpected third party (Stannis, Sansa and the Knights of the Vale, Dany, Benjen Stark). In any of these cases he could have easily gotten himself killed, leaving those under his command behind without a leader.
The Huskar Social Union wrote:Fedel wrote:
I think another point that's well made in the show is that Jon is the only one who's truly taking the White Walker threat as seriously as it should be and that Sansa's bitterness may be affecting her judgement.
Well Stannis did as well, granted more of a later problem to be tackled after knocking in heads in the south.
But he died.
Infected Mushroom wrote: