Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken

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Unbowed, Unbent, and Unbroken art

Honestly, Elia is NOT talked about enough. Why was she just the MOST heartbreakingly tragic character of any ASOIAF/GOT plot line? If there's anyone who just didn't deserve their fates, it's Elia and her children.

I think it's fitting to his true nature that Robert Baratheon, who hated the Targaryens, was so similar to Aerys in his dismissal of Elia and her children. Aerys scorned Rhaenys and said that she smelled "Dornish". Robert scorned Rhaenys and Aegon after their brutal murders and said that he "saw only dragonspawn".

I can understand Oberyn's obsession with avenging his family's murder when EVERYONE else preferred to sweep them under the rug and move on. No one else wanted to remember that their 'peace' was literally paid for with the blood of an innocent woman and her children.

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MicheleRBD, Armansky1, and TheSunDragon left kudos on this work!

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TheSunDragon Fri 15 Aug 2025 10:49PM UTC

Preach!!!!! She isn't and it really should sicken everyone when they actually think about it. And yes, everyone, even the 'honorable' Ned Stark sweeps them under the rug too. Lyanna didn't necessarily deserve her fate (considering we still don't know book-verse wise what happened between the dumbass lovers), but her fate was in no way as tragic as what was suffered by Elia Martell and her children.
I also think it's hilarious (in a hypocritical sort of way) when Robert's right by conquest is somehow also justified by the fact that his on of his paternal great-grandmothers was a Targaryen princess. Dude, no. If THAT justification is the case, that gives other Houses the right to rise up and usurp House Baratheon. Including House Nymeros Martell.

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1. YashaBonagracia Fri 15 Aug 2025 11:40PM UTC
  
  His claim through Right of Conquest is somewhat debatable without his Targaryen lineage because while he did kill Rhaegar who was the heir to the throne, Jaime Lannister actually killed Aerys. It's not even like Jaime killed Aerys while in service to Robert or even in his name.
  But if Robert's Targaryen heritage is used to justify his claim to the Iron Throne by blood then by acknowledging such KINSHIP does that then acknowledge that he is a KINslayer for killing Rhaegar? Not only that, he aspired to continue to slaughter the rest of his Targaryen kin through Rhaella/Viserys and even almost 2 decades later through Daenerys/Rhaego.
  It also makes his dismissal of Elia/Aegon's/Rhaenys' cold-blooded murders even worse because ALL of them shared Targaryen blood.
  It also would mark him as a usurper because he killed his kin/endorsed the killing of his kin and then seized their titles and assets.
  
  Last Edited Fri 15 Aug 2025 11:41PM UTC
  
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2. 1. TheSunDragon Sat 16 Aug 2025 10:10PM UTC
    
    Exactly. I agree with everything you said.
    
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