Seriously Series

  It is tough talking about anything "Tolkien", pretty much as it is a headache discussing Star Wars, MCU, or anything that has canon, non canon, a lot of lore and hordes of fans who really, really take it to the hearts, as in extreme? You say one thing they don´t agree, you might have hordes of peasants at your door, with pitchforks and torches, out for blood! Let me get started by saying that it is a total non sense pitting A Song Of Ice And Fire fandom against LoTR, or let me rephrase it, House of the Dragon vs The Rings of Power. Although they both fall on the fantasy genres, they are completely different beasts, you can´t make straight comparisons. They do not compete for a fact, and one can enjoy both shows equaly. Or one can dislike them both, whatever!    Right off the bat I loved the opening sequence of Rings of Power, because it reminded me of the first part of The Silmarillion, of the song of the Illuvatar, and the creation of all things. It felt lyrical, with ...

  I remember when I was in law school more than 30 years ago, and we were discussing crimes of honour. Yes, in 1989 many men still felt that they could clean their names with blood, and more often than not the victim was a woman. Feminicide. Fast forward to 2022 and women are still killed for whatever reason a man feels right, if they feel slighted somehow, they feel they have the right to punish women, and even kill them. Our Professor in the olden days was a quirky old man, a very good attorney indeed, the kind who had little, if none whatsoever, scrupples. How to get away with murder? When I was 20 years I was shocked to meet someone who actually felt it was alright to get away with anything, because it was his job, so he put his morals and feelings aside and just did his job. As much as I hated this guy, I learned a lot. Law school can have an amazing impact on you. It is not about socratic method, case law, or practice, Law school gives you an advantage point to observe and an...

Team Green, meaning Alicent Hightower et caterva, stand for the Patriarchy and the oppression of women and everyone that is in any way different from what is called adequate by the establishment in Westeros, and this means, The Citadel, The Maesters, the Andals, ergo Oldtown, going full circle to the Hightowers. The little we learn about the Freehold of Valyria, we understand that being a dragon riding family meant something, and that was genderless trait, same working for the dragon and fire mages. Families heeded the council from its female members as much as that of the male, so much that the Targaryen left Valyria at the behest of a female member who possessed the gift of Vision. Old Valyria does not seem either patriarchal or matriarchal, but dragon centred, its power and status deriving from fire magic and dragon lore, which can be exercised by men and women equaly. Since Dragon lords and Ladies are intrinsic to the Dragons, incest should be common, marriage among the Dragon Hous...

                 " A literatura se situa de fato na esteira das religiões, de que é herdeira. O sacrifício é um romance, um conto, ilustrado de maneira sangrenta. Ou antes, é, em estado rudimentar, uma representação teatral, um drama reduzido ao episódio final, em que a vítima, animal ou humana, atua só, mas atua até a morte. O rito é bem a representação, retomada em data fixa, de um mito, ou seja, essencialmente da morte de um deus. Nada aqui deveria nos surpreender. Sob uma forma simbólica, acontece o mesmo, a cada dia, com o sacrifício da missa."                                                                                   ...

The books never really elaborate the reasons why Ser Criston Cole becomes Princess Rhaenyra´s enemy, all versions converge on one point however, that they used to have a strong affection that turned sour. Love turned to hate. We have seen the young knight from the Dornish Marshes make a name for himself jousting in the first episode against Prince Daemon himself, and earning Princess Rhaenyra´s favour. That day the Princess was observing her uncle with a more than girly crush, but still a young teenager of 15.  Then we see the Princess and the Knight again, when she chooses him over nobles of high houses for the King´s Guard. She acknowledges his value as a knight proved in battle, while asserting what little power she had at that moment. Later Criston is again the King´s Guard who is closer to her, and is the one who runs after her when she runs from the King´s Hunt entourage, and helps her killing the boar. He is her guardian and accomplice. In the begginning of episode 4 we can ...

The show begins with Rhaenyra dutifully interviewing applicants for future prince consorts. It is a frustrating business. From a man who could be her grandfather to a kid who could be her younger brother, none stir her appetites. Her constant companion is Ser Criston Cole, the Knight that she has chosen herself. They´d become close, thick as thieves, it seems. She escapes the room as a fight ensues, and heads to Kingslanding. As her ship approaches the city it is rocked my Caraxes: uncle Daemon is heading back home too, and it is clear that the girl is excited to see her uncle, who is also her crush. Being a woman is not easy in Westeros, it is not easy in the real world either. GRRMartin´s fantasy world is as misogynous as our own and mimes our history. If only he did not copy reality so much, the final books of AWOIAF might have been already finished.  I wish they´d left Matt Smith with some eyebrows. His invisible eyebrows are kinda weird.  Rhaenyra slips into the throne ro...