ASOIAF-meme days 3-18
So, once I tried to do this. I got to day 2. Win!
Day 03 ~ Where would you want to live in the GoT world?
Absolutely nowhere. It's a horrible, unjust world full of horrible people and I'd end up being raped to death wherever I lived, most likely.
Day 04 ~ Favourite house? (ie. Stark, Lannister).
Lannister! Oh, so very much Lannister. There's something grand about them, something brutal and romantic all at once. You fuck with them and they serve you steel and fire to no end but they also, to quote my favourite Lannister, help you to your feet again if you bend your knee. To quote myself (a very Lannister thing to do) I feel their inner mantra goes something like this: "ambition, power, money, LOVE OMG LOVE, winning, pride, outsmarting you all, DOING SHIT FOR LOVE, power, plotting, being awesome." Even their arguably hardest, most merciless member has a sentimental/romantic streak.
Besides, they've got all sorts of wonderful characters representing a lot of my favourite tropes and types. Jaime has the arrogant romantic/semi-anti-hero streak, Cersei is the scheming HBIC, Tywin is the stoic old warlord and most of them are just ordinary, decent people like Kevan and Genna.
I also quite like the Tyrells for being such brilliant Slytherins and actually quite awful people, in the best of ways. :)
Day 05 ~ Who do you ship?
Joanna/Tywin, because it hits me where it hurts and brings out my rather embarrassing sentimental streak.
I also love Jaime/Brienne.
Other than that? Not much, really.
Day 06 ~ Picture or gif that expresses your reaction to the show.
MY ICON SAYS IT ALL.
Day 07 ~ Link to a fanvid you like.
-
Day 08 ~ Favourite moment in book/movie.
Brienne. And everything she does.
Jaime going back for Brienne. I love his attitude towards his own heroic decisions, the way he's reluctant to acknowledge them and remains all “yeah, so I rescued her so what it doesn't mean anything shut up let's go home I need to shag my sister to get this noble thing off me, yo”.
Jaime with the book, back in King's Landing, finally admitting to himself that he hasn't become the kind of man he wanted to be. (We knew already, Jaime, but bless.)
The Jaime/Tywin scene where Jaime disowns his father. (Seriously, I keep seeing people referring to this as “Tywin says Jaime isn't his son anymore because he lost his hand”, wtf? I mean, Tywin's an ass and he probably could say something like that but he doesn't, at least not in the book I was reading.) It hurts so good because somewhere beneath all the layers of shit, these two care about each other in their own fucked-up ways.
Most Tywin/Tyrion conversations in ASOS. Again with the hurting. “You who killed your own mother to come into this world.” He's such a horrible father in so many ways, but the thing I love about Tywin's parenting is that all this aside, his children would probably have been happier if they had followed his plans for them/if his plotting had worked out the way he intended it. That's the irony and tragedy of their family. Tywin is such a subscriber to Reason that he doesn't even count on people to have pesky emotions that are conflicting with his ideas.
And you know, lots more.
Day 09 ~ Least favourite character.
Robert Baratheon. He's a disgusting hybrid between a frat-boy-for-life dude and an entitled fantasy hero who basically spends his entire life whining about how awful it has been for him what with all the starting a rebellion, winning a rebellion (mostly thanks to the Lannisters and the Starks, but hey) and not getting the girl of his self-centred dreams.
Now, I can warm up to characters like that, I tend to like the wrong man for the job trope a lot, but all of what I assume are Robert's redeeming qualities - that he likes to drink, shag and be a sexist and boisterous asshat who hates responsibility - are just repulsive to me. Then GRRM added domestic abuse and sexual assault to the already completely disgusting mix and no, just fuck no.
In general, I loathe “good guys” who get away with awful crap (*coughGryffindorscough*) much, much more than I loathe characters like the Freys and the Boltons.
Day 10 ~ If you had a direwolf, what would you name it?
Kingslayer? It's either that or Oathbreaker.
Day 11 ~ Three words that describe GoT.
Gorgeous - almost everyone is intensely attractive and the settings are magnificent. Well-adapted - except for the sexposition. Exciting - even if I had read the books and disliked some things massively on the show, I managed to be a bit thrilled over each new episode.
Day 12 ~ If there was a crossover … who would you ship?
Oh man, if there was a crossover, I'd want it to be a Dragon Age/ASOIAF crossover. My Warden Commander would take over the Night's Watch, exile the more useless of the lot and recruit the Lannisters, Greyjoys and Martells to her cause instead, fix the sad state of Westeros and kill the dragons because seriously, Grey Wardens really don't approve of dragons.
I imagine her sweeping in somewhere during book 2, being all “yeah, so who's got the largest military force in this mess?” and people would be all “Tywin Lannister” and she'd upset everyone by going after him, to join forces. And she'd be all “LOL, I don't care about your petty house dramas and family feuds and gods, I HAVE DUTY THAT CANNOT BE FORSWORN. You will help me, old man!” And if it truly was a crossover, the DA element of the story would make Tywin refrain from having her hanged, too.
I'd also like to see the epic bromance/hatred between Loghain and Tywin. It could go either way, really. Either they'd high-five each other and be BFFs for life or they'd battle it out. They'd be able to compare notes on how to fight dirty and ruthlessly (selling off your poorest citizens as slaves to make money for your poorly planned civil war and sending your guards out to hang everyone who won't send you MOAR SOLDIERS vs letting the Mountain and his friends ravage the Riverlands), refuse to talk about the women they loved and lost and saw as their equals in offensively patriarchal worlds, discuss how to best get your daughter on that throne, muse about incompetent kings and their Hands... like that one time when the king wandered off into great danger and they had to march with an entire army to save his life... my, they would have so much in common.
Tywin would probably be appalled by Loghain's lack of long-term planning for his more recent battle strategies, so they could spend some time bitching about that. Which would be disturbingly hot interesting. When he's not unhinged, Loghain is a more decent man than Tywin though, so Tywin would probably crush him in the end unless they duelled. The Hero of River Dane can kick some ass in single combat, still. (Oh, Loghain, you delightful old bastard. ♥)
Um, shipping? You mean apart from the epic Loghain/Warden/Me/Tywin/Battle?
Day 13 ~ Would you join the Night’s Watch?
Hahaha, no. I am so not the sword in the darkness. I would fail epically at both abstinence and oath-keeping and I'm much more suited for battling the Evil with a glass of wine in my hand, drawing up strategies.
But hey, if the choice was “or death”, I'd take the black.
Day 14 ~ Who do you think Jon Snow’s parents are?
Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley? I don't care, to be honest.
Day 15 ~ FREE DAY
Um? Okay, I'll make this the day of Unpopular fandom opinions!
Wtf is up with everyone who usually only likes morally righteous people wanting Tyrion on the Iron Throne? No, he isn't particularly “just and fair”, he's hedonistic and self-serving and scheming. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but ffs, stop elevating his character to some kind of moral heaven. Just because people make fun of him doesn't mean he's automatically noble and good and Always Right, you know. (This feels a bit like certain Snape fans who fail to grasp that several things can be true at the same time.) And also funny /= good. Before I poked into fandom, I was under the impression people liked him because he is, as my husband puts it, “a completely amoral, cowardly bastard who is very entertaining” but then I realised many people actually think he is kind and good and sweet. Are we reading the same books?
Day 16 ~ Make a graphic advertising GoT.
Isn't that the whole purpose of tumblr? Go look there. Or google “Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister” because really.
Day 17 ~ Link to an interview you think is funny.
No, I can't be arsed.
Day 18 ~ What Stark would you be?
While I like both Sansa and Arya, I have a very difficult time identifying with any Stark, to be honest. They have a different mind-set and I'm confused by their values most of the time. (I was stamped Tywin Lannister at westerostamping, after all, it could be an explanation for this. LOL.)
Day 03 ~ Where would you want to live in the GoT world?
Absolutely nowhere. It's a horrible, unjust world full of horrible people and I'd end up being raped to death wherever I lived, most likely.
Day 04 ~ Favourite house? (ie. Stark, Lannister).
Lannister! Oh, so very much Lannister. There's something grand about them, something brutal and romantic all at once. You fuck with them and they serve you steel and fire to no end but they also, to quote my favourite Lannister, help you to your feet again if you bend your knee. To quote myself (a very Lannister thing to do) I feel their inner mantra goes something like this: "ambition, power, money, LOVE OMG LOVE, winning, pride, outsmarting you all, DOING SHIT FOR LOVE, power, plotting, being awesome." Even their arguably hardest, most merciless member has a sentimental/romantic streak.
Besides, they've got all sorts of wonderful characters representing a lot of my favourite tropes and types. Jaime has the arrogant romantic/semi-anti-hero streak, Cersei is the scheming HBIC, Tywin is the stoic old warlord and most of them are just ordinary, decent people like Kevan and Genna.
I also quite like the Tyrells for being such brilliant Slytherins and actually quite awful people, in the best of ways. :)
Day 05 ~ Who do you ship?
Joanna/Tywin, because it hits me where it hurts and brings out my rather embarrassing sentimental streak.
I also love Jaime/Brienne.
Other than that? Not much, really.
Day 06 ~ Picture or gif that expresses your reaction to the show.
MY ICON SAYS IT ALL.
Day 07 ~ Link to a fanvid you like.
-
Day 08 ~ Favourite moment in book/movie.
Brienne. And everything she does.
Jaime going back for Brienne. I love his attitude towards his own heroic decisions, the way he's reluctant to acknowledge them and remains all “yeah, so I rescued her so what it doesn't mean anything shut up let's go home I need to shag my sister to get this noble thing off me, yo”.
Jaime with the book, back in King's Landing, finally admitting to himself that he hasn't become the kind of man he wanted to be. (We knew already, Jaime, but bless.)
The Jaime/Tywin scene where Jaime disowns his father. (Seriously, I keep seeing people referring to this as “Tywin says Jaime isn't his son anymore because he lost his hand”, wtf? I mean, Tywin's an ass and he probably could say something like that but he doesn't, at least not in the book I was reading.) It hurts so good because somewhere beneath all the layers of shit, these two care about each other in their own fucked-up ways.
Most Tywin/Tyrion conversations in ASOS. Again with the hurting. “You who killed your own mother to come into this world.” He's such a horrible father in so many ways, but the thing I love about Tywin's parenting is that all this aside, his children would probably have been happier if they had followed his plans for them/if his plotting had worked out the way he intended it. That's the irony and tragedy of their family. Tywin is such a subscriber to Reason that he doesn't even count on people to have pesky emotions that are conflicting with his ideas.
And you know, lots more.
Day 09 ~ Least favourite character.
Robert Baratheon. He's a disgusting hybrid between a frat-boy-for-life dude and an entitled fantasy hero who basically spends his entire life whining about how awful it has been for him what with all the starting a rebellion, winning a rebellion (mostly thanks to the Lannisters and the Starks, but hey) and not getting the girl of his self-centred dreams.
Now, I can warm up to characters like that, I tend to like the wrong man for the job trope a lot, but all of what I assume are Robert's redeeming qualities - that he likes to drink, shag and be a sexist and boisterous asshat who hates responsibility - are just repulsive to me. Then GRRM added domestic abuse and sexual assault to the already completely disgusting mix and no, just fuck no.
In general, I loathe “good guys” who get away with awful crap (*coughGryffindorscough*) much, much more than I loathe characters like the Freys and the Boltons.
Day 10 ~ If you had a direwolf, what would you name it?
Kingslayer? It's either that or Oathbreaker.
Day 11 ~ Three words that describe GoT.
Gorgeous - almost everyone is intensely attractive and the settings are magnificent. Well-adapted - except for the sexposition. Exciting - even if I had read the books and disliked some things massively on the show, I managed to be a bit thrilled over each new episode.
Day 12 ~ If there was a crossover … who would you ship?
Oh man, if there was a crossover, I'd want it to be a Dragon Age/ASOIAF crossover. My Warden Commander would take over the Night's Watch, exile the more useless of the lot and recruit the Lannisters, Greyjoys and Martells to her cause instead, fix the sad state of Westeros and kill the dragons because seriously, Grey Wardens really don't approve of dragons.
I imagine her sweeping in somewhere during book 2, being all “yeah, so who's got the largest military force in this mess?” and people would be all “Tywin Lannister” and she'd upset everyone by going after him, to join forces. And she'd be all “LOL, I don't care about your petty house dramas and family feuds and gods, I HAVE DUTY THAT CANNOT BE FORSWORN. You will help me, old man!” And if it truly was a crossover, the DA element of the story would make Tywin refrain from having her hanged, too.
I'd also like to see the epic bromance/hatred between Loghain and Tywin. It could go either way, really. Either they'd high-five each other and be BFFs for life or they'd battle it out. They'd be able to compare notes on how to fight dirty and ruthlessly (selling off your poorest citizens as slaves to make money for your poorly planned civil war and sending your guards out to hang everyone who won't send you MOAR SOLDIERS vs letting the Mountain and his friends ravage the Riverlands), refuse to talk about the women they loved and lost and saw as their equals in offensively patriarchal worlds, discuss how to best get your daughter on that throne, muse about incompetent kings and their Hands... like that one time when the king wandered off into great danger and they had to march with an entire army to save his life... my, they would have so much in common.
Tywin would probably be appalled by Loghain's lack of long-term planning for his more recent battle strategies, so they could spend some time bitching about that. Which would be disturbingly hot interesting. When he's not unhinged, Loghain is a more decent man than Tywin though, so Tywin would probably crush him in the end unless they duelled. The Hero of River Dane can kick some ass in single combat, still. (Oh, Loghain, you delightful old bastard. ♥)
Um, shipping? You mean apart from the epic Loghain/Warden/Me/Tywin/Battle?
Day 13 ~ Would you join the Night’s Watch?
Hahaha, no. I am so not the sword in the darkness. I would fail epically at both abstinence and oath-keeping and I'm much more suited for battling the Evil with a glass of wine in my hand, drawing up strategies.
But hey, if the choice was “or death”, I'd take the black.
Day 14 ~ Who do you think Jon Snow’s parents are?
Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley? I don't care, to be honest.
Day 15 ~ FREE DAY
Um? Okay, I'll make this the day of Unpopular fandom opinions!
Wtf is up with everyone who usually only likes morally righteous people wanting Tyrion on the Iron Throne? No, he isn't particularly “just and fair”, he's hedonistic and self-serving and scheming. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but ffs, stop elevating his character to some kind of moral heaven. Just because people make fun of him doesn't mean he's automatically noble and good and Always Right, you know. (This feels a bit like certain Snape fans who fail to grasp that several things can be true at the same time.) And also funny /= good. Before I poked into fandom, I was under the impression people liked him because he is, as my husband puts it, “a completely amoral, cowardly bastard who is very entertaining” but then I realised many people actually think he is kind and good and sweet. Are we reading the same books?
Day 16 ~ Make a graphic advertising GoT.
Isn't that the whole purpose of tumblr? Go look there. Or google “Charles Dance as Tywin Lannister” because really.
Day 17 ~ Link to an interview you think is funny.
No, I can't be arsed.
Day 18 ~ What Stark would you be?
While I like both Sansa and Arya, I have a very difficult time identifying with any Stark, to be honest. They have a different mind-set and I'm confused by their values most of the time. (I was stamped Tywin Lannister at westerostamping, after all, it could be an explanation for this. LOL.)