Story Forum Community Lounge (Part 1)

Lore Story Forum
13482

For my friends here in the SF, mostly, because I have cut off access i want to share something I personally find interesting, you might not. It’s some food for thought and a little bit of cinema meta.

When I first saw Bladerunner 2049, I hated it. I thought it was the most anti-feminist garbage I had ever seen. The original was notoriously misogynistic. I ranted and raved about it to anyone I coul because there was one scene, the one where the protaganist mourns the loss of his robot hologram girlfriend, Joi. The guy behind me in the threatre was crying and I sneered “She’s not even real! she’s a male fantasy!”

Now I have a changed opinion on Bladerunner 2049 (since you brought it up earlier Ben) It’s a hero tragedy, and it’s specifically written for men. But it also offers up a glimpse into the emotional core of men. It’s made me realize that women probably understand men more than men understand women.

K, has repressed his emotions to the point where he doesn’t know how to accept love from real people, he’s just as much of a supplicant as Joi is. Deep down he knows that what he is seeking is a genuine emotional connection but he doesn’t know how to feel that with a real person, even when a real women presents herself as an option (Decard’s daugther in the form of a Manic Pixie dream girl) His fantasy and Joi will never meet his emotional needs, but he’s too far gone to see that he has a way out. I don’t remember if the ending has him reject the hope of connection or take it, I didn’t really care at the time to remember, but I hope he did. Joi needed to die. and he needed to experience a symbolic death.

I saw a similar thing with Don’t Worry Darling. A tragedy of modern male culture is by disconnecting from emotional availability, men are becoming unloveable.

It’s like a weird genre of reverse psycology feminism.

I have grown to both love and hate the idea that “real” women portrayed in this movie are in a bubble and seem absolutely free of the horror of this world, so that they can actually keep the ‘spark’ of what makes the manic pixie dreamgirl ethereal. Because the alternative is these cold authoritarian types.

I certainly don’t “like” this movie, and I would never watch it again… but I get it. I wiuld like to karmically apologise to guy I sneered at who cried when Joi died, he’s probably gonna be okay, or rather, I hope he’s okay he deserves to be loved.

13483

Idk, she kind of killed a bunch of innocent people only to not follow up. Honestly, was kind of the weakest point of the show for me thus far… Have a lot of Game of Thrones Season 7 vibes. Needlessly destructive and showy without any payoff or substance to the plot.

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13484

it’s Westeros. A medieval fantasy land.

poor are like ants under the crushing wheel of the nobility, there always needs to be reminders that in the Game of Thrones, the ordidnary people are the biggest losers.

13485

My criticism isn’t the morality of the scene, it’s the needlessness and spectacle of it. I don’t feel it adds anything to the plot and the whole thing just had Game of Throne’s Season 7 vibes.

Show big Dragon
Play Dramatic music
Nothing happens

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13486

Maybe, consider Aki. That’s it’s not your moment to get. Just like I realize K’s story is not for me.

13487

What are you on about?

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13488

Something about figuring out a plot that isn’t there years from now. Or something along those lines

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13489

https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/alinity-claims-police-cant-tell-her-if-amouranth-is-okay-following-welfare-check-1959838/

God I’m worried.

13490

Yeah the first episode kinda lost me on that note. I’m no prude but uh, we really need that much genital mutilation out the gate? That could’ve been harrowing if I knew who any of these characters were. But as we just met my reaction was pretty much;

I’ll probably give it a watch at some point though once I can binge it all on a lazy afternoon.

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13491

I mean to me both book and show Alicent have a legitimate fear for her children, but show Alicent definitely believed in her path as far as Viserys’s words to her, she kept asking him for clarity if it was their son Aegon which is in itself tragic since she believes herself to be doing right by now both her son and her husbands wishes.

I agree, but it could be used as a point to showcase why the people overall are more supportive of the Greens, especially since part of the narrative later is trying to showcase Rhaenyras unpopularity to the point of rioting maybe if they set it up now idk, but overall I did not like that either only bcz its kind of a major thing to have happen at a coronation and it was a show only thing. But I’m also viewing it from the standpoint of an Alicent fan who is slightly annoyed at perceived bias, it wasn’t necessary to interject / ruin a green moment idk if that makes sense.

I don’t begrudge anyone for liking the moment though! I get it, I just hope they tell a story showing the good and bad sides of both sides, and I don’t really think Rhaenyra’s side needs hype at all times if that makes sense.

https://twitter.com/livkatecookes/status/1581999792011431937?s=46&t=Z5tz-E3p4dAEf0bgsxHV8w

^ Like I would have liked the episode to just end there before all things go to heck, Alicent coulda had that one small moment :sob:

I do appreciate though how they showed her reaction, the way she moved in front of her son and didn’t flinch, also some people pointed out the entire scene / loss of life and fear of the people could be to narratively build the point of pushing the common people further towards the greens, the way they later riot etc which I guess I can appreciate.

Overall I woulda rather / or at least I expected rhaenys to just make her escape blowing a hole out of the side of the dragon pit the way they showed Danys dragons in mereen just blast out the side of the building, it woulda still be dramatic for the people inside like “what was that omg”

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13492

I’ll be honest… And I say this as someone who genuinely likes the show (Even though I don’t think it stacks up to early seasons of GOT, I still think it’s pretty good)

Everyone in this show sucks. I hate every single person in this show. King Viserys is honestly the most tolerable and even relatable, but even he had some gross moments in this show.

Laenor Velaryon is probably the only -decent- person in the entire show. Now that I think about it. At least the only person who hasn’t done anything horrifically evil.

I don’t mean this in a bad thing, but it does feel weird to me that anyone is a “fan” of any of these characters lol.

13493

Thats fair I feel like I kinda view it on the other side of the coin, because everyone is the way they are I feel like its fine to like the characters people like, I like a lot of people on both sides, Alicent and Helaena mainly on the greens, and Jace/Baela/Rhaena/Rhaenys on the other side.

My only annoyance is when people try to take the moral high ground which I don’t really (and mind you no one in this thread just speaking generally) but don’t really see that from Alicent / green fans, its normally Rhaenyra fans and I like Rhaenyra too to an extent I just don’t think there exists a place where anyone can try to position themselves as the moral high ground and that does irk me.

But yeah I am like all for people having their favs if that makes sense :sob:

Like I said to Mithonic I’m super excited for them to have the more Rhaenyra centric episode next week!! Like it won’t be for me but I’m hype for them all the same!!!

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13494

it’s the fact that she didn’t have to say anything.

The silence was intentional.

Her intimidating presence was enough of a show of force.

Alicent was scared to the point where she was resigned to accept whatever fate befell her in that moment and she was fully expecting to be roasted on the spot and she faced that with bravery. It mirrors Laena’s scene with Vhagar in a lot of ways. Alicent does have the heart of a dragonrider, two women mirroring eachother, doing what they need to protect their children. Alicent in this moment shields Aegon with her own body and commands Criston to sheild Heleana, they were willing to sacrifice themselves to save the two who are parents to the next generation.

There’s a lot of unspoken female subtext and meta in that scene and it’s okay for men not to get it. This show is written for the female gaze, not the male gaze.

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13495

Oh, you are misgendering me again. I see.

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13497

I do love Rhaenys power move at the end of the episode though. It was a cool way to send a message that she’s not going to be broken through intimidation or being held against her will

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13498

I just didn’t think it was necessary for the moment since overall the show has plenty of powerful moments for Rhaenyras side

In the same episode they wrote in that Larys stuff and it was tiring, like we get it Alicent gets exploited by every single man in her life, which we already knew, so we didn’t need to be shown again. Which in my humble opinion is more or less using her suffering to be exploited for entertainment, and I would have appreciated if she could have had just one moment of like happiness, and she kinda had it for a split second before Rhaenys came in and then we had to see that fear in her eyes as she moved to protect her children, idk thats where I was coming from I guess since the show doesn’t lack for Rhaenyra hype moments it seemed unnecessary.

I can’t be 100% sure but I thought they were replying to me cause I gave the post a like but I don’t want to see anyone be misgendered if it was intended for you.

I totally get this too! Like I definitely get why people liked it, and I was rooting for Rhaenys to make her escape as well

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13499

it’s because the show takes the stance that Rhaenyra is the protagonist and Alicent is the antagonist. Even if Alicent is relateable and the greens are relateable they are still painted as the villians of the show.

Rhaenyra may be a flawed protagonist but she’s uncorrupt. It’s unfortunatle for green supporters but this is her show.

Rheanys sent two messages that she will not be manipulated by either party, One where Rhaenyra begs her to support Lucerys claim to the Driftwood Throne, where she lambasted Rhaenyra. She sent a message to Alicent too, the message is still the same, she’s doing what she’s doing for her grandaughters. I appreciate her for that and in the end her granddaughters fair better than the rest.

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13500

Well, they have done it to me a few times before, and I am pretty sure this is one of those times.

Because

Not sure who K is suppose to be.

So they are certainly implying that my gaze is not the female gaze.

You know what is NOT very feminist.

Women tearing down women.

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13501

Right which I guess is something I would prefer to not be, like to me it should take both sides as more or less very flawed.

It’s part of the reason why like yesterday when you said this I was conflicted - on one hand I too am already bracing myself for Helaenas pain, but on the other I don’t want to see a scenario where not only Rhaenyra and every character on her side gets all the hype moments, but their crimes / wrongs are also removed or washed over.

I would have liked to have seen Rhaenys fight for her granddaughters claims I think, I don’t think it necessary for Lucerys to inherit for their legitimacy to come into question- Laena was older than Leanor, so it basically parallels Rhaenyras, thats part of my issue w her in the book material is how she handles other peoples inheritance, but show wise they could have still married Lucerys to Rhaena but w Rhaena as the inheritor (and then Baela would be married to Jace so I assume it would be like how since she’s on the the throne her sister would be in Driftmark)

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13502

It might be too extreme to show on tv though. Probably not considering the show, but it’s possible they might not be comfortable filming it

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