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The best thing is that art is also by ybee. :)
Westeros Rom-Com!!!!!
an anon asked for stannis in adwd
i will fill that request properly later but since stannis is a dick in the first few chapters i….
decided to illustrate the whine heard ‘round westeros
On Brienne, Maid of Tarth.
I know people look up to the likes of Sansa, Arya or even Cersei because of their strength, but personally, I think Brienne is the strongest of all.
Her strength lies not just in her physical attributes, but in her kindness, honour and innate goodness even in the face of cruelty. Towards her. Towards others.
Imagine being called ugly and ungainly and worst of all, ‘beautiful’ only when the word drips in sarcasm. Imagine being the heiress of a rich island and STILL not being able to tempt someone to love you. Even for the profits.
Imagine being a silly young girl in love with knights and stories and songs, and being told that those dreams will NEVER come true for you. Not because you are a bad person, far from it. But because you are ugly.
And after all that, IMAGINE not breaking down into an emotional wreck, but standing strong and becoming the knight you think will never love you.
Imagine not being filled with hate.
Imagine someone who will protect the weak, even if no one had ever deigned to protect her from the cruelty of the world.
Imagine someone with unflinching loyalty, in a time when the right amount of gold can make a man forget his friends.
Imagine someone with a relentlessly kind soul, though no kindness was ever shown her.
Imagine a True Knight in a time where knights are monsters in disguise. Where a pretty face equals honour and honour equals nothing.
Imagine Brienne, Maid of Tarth. The Truest Knight of all.
I don’t like comparing characters’ suffering, so I’m not going to say Brienne is stronger than any other character for what she’s been through, but the rest I totally agree. And she is on my top character list for a reason.
What did Corseque say? Something like how Sandor had his idealistic dreams of knighthood burnt out of him, but Brienne’s were compacted into the shiniest diamond…
[trimmed to just keep the points under discussion]
Finally, Catelyn is often criticized for releasing Jaime Lannister, again putting her motherly concerns over the practical considerations of war. Diplomatically and strategically, it doesn’t appear to be the best move (although, as the plot progresses, it actually turns out to be the best thing she could have done). But Catelyn was grieving for her children. Jaime’s release is not the move of a cold, calculating leader. But it is the act of a relatable human being, and I, at least, admire her for it.
Don’t get me wrong, I agree that is blamed for a lot of things that make no sense (How exactly is Cat responsible for the taking of a castle in the center of the north with some of the most formidable defenses around?) how exactly is Cat releasing Jamie the best move she could have made? Jamie Lannister was their only chip, she gave it up in a moment of weakness that ironically gives all those sexist assholes in Robb’s care a legitimate gripe for once.
I can get defending it as an understandable move of a person on the edge but I don’t see it as a great move at all. In the story it is a flawed one. I don’t believe that her being an imperfect character has anything to do with justifying said belief because that’s an outside story answer.
I don’t know if you’ve read the books, specifically A Storm of Swords, so note that this reply contains major spoilers for that book.
With the apparent deaths of Bran and Rickon, Sansa becomes Robb’s heir. The Lannisters respond to that by proceeding to marry Sansa to Tyrion, with the intent of getting a child by her (heir to the Starks but with a Lannister name), and so that Tyrion could become Protector of Winterfell. Robb then admits that Cat was right, they should have traded Jaime for Sansa far earlier, because that was a strategy the North should have used (that is, marrying off Sansa to acquire allies).
Furthermore, releasing Jaime puts him in Catelyn’s debt. (In the way that Tyrion was supposed to be, although he did not fully act as such.) Jaime becomes one of the few on the Starks’ side (in a way), determined to find and save Sansa and/or Arya (the only known living Starks), and sends Brienne on a mission to achieve that goal for him. (The fact that Brienne has not yet succeeded is due to other issues, but the intent was there.)
survivingrealitywithoutnormality:
Marvel we need to talk about your obsessions with blue glowing objects
Marvel you have a kink
This is a BRIENNE OF TARTH APPRECIATION POST
I really was gonna write some femslash but then I got lazy and I got an flood of Brienne feels I got to address.
It really sucks that alot of people don’t appreciate Brienne as a character. Let me rephrase that it really sucks that people don’t appreciate Brienne as a female character.
I say this because every single female character in ASOIAF has a great fanbase (of course ASOIAF is filled with badass ladies). Cersei is a strong lioness, Sansa will be queen of something, Arya is a she-wolf, Catelyn is AWESOME, Daenerys is a dragon, etc.
But Brienne is seriously tossed aside as simply a ‘character’, rather than the famed ASOIAF ‘female character’. In most photosets or gif sets of badass ASOIAF, Brienne is omitted. Which is ridic since even minor characters like Ygritte and Osha make into the photosets (Osha and Ygritte are great btw). But Brienne who is a MAJOR character (MAJOR as PoV major) doesn’t???
I do believe Brienne’s lack of fanbase (except for the casual ‘omg brienne rules, yah, let’s talk ABOUT THE OTHER BADASS LADIES, THOUGH’) has to with aesthetics. Brienne is not as attractive as Daenerys Targaryen, or Cersei Lannister or as graceful as Catelyn Stark. This happened as well when people objected to Asha (or Yara) being portrayed by Gemma Whelan (apparently Asha is more ‘badass’ when she’s more ‘attractive’). This need for women to be attractive to be considered “INTERESTING” or “badass” female characters is nothing new.
I am not gonna talk in the misogyny in the ASOIAF fandom because, well, do you have all night?? LOLLLLL. But I really want to talk about the beautiful and awesome Brienne of Tarth and why she should be in every ‘BADASS ASOIAF LADY’ photoset ever.
So yes let’s talk about Brienne of Tarth, let’s talk about her
Brienne of Tarth was born to Selwyn of Tarth and his wife. Brienne’s mother died when she was very young and as well as her other siblings. Her brother presumably drowned when Brienne was not yet born or very young. Selwyn remarried afterwards but his wives did not not produce any heirs. Brienne is currently the sole heir of Tarth, yet she feels does not make her father proud.
Brienne grew up like any other Westerosi noble lady. Like Sansa, she was fond of songs and ballads about maids and knights. However Brienne never felt she could be the maid of her songs. She was big, tall with coarse features. She was early on mocked for her appearance. Because of this, and not because disdain for femininity, Brienne gave up trying to fit into dresses and gowns. Instead she focused on her favorite part of her songs, the knights.
Her strength and bulkiness allowed her to do well in the field of sword practice and fighting. Brienne begin to aspire to be knight, not only because of honor and the romance of it all, but because of her innate aspiration to do good. Brienne always believe in the good in her songs, in the good of the world, in general.
Although she became a skilled ‘knight’, it was not good enough for Tarth. Her father (although supportive and boastful of Brienne’s skills) pushed for her betrothal in hopes of securing Tarth’s heir.
Ronnet Connington was notorious for being one of her potential suitors. Because Brienne was so ‘uncomely’ or ugly, Ronnet offered her a rose and tells her that’s all she’ll ever get from him or any man. This event traumatized a young Brienne because it was the first time she was openly rejected/HUMILIATED by a man, but more so this event set up her interaction with men.
So if you don’t feel for Brienne yet, don’t worry I got time.
Fast forward to a happier time, Renly Baratheon visits Evenfall Hall briefly. Renly was very warm and kind to a young, naive Brienne. He was the first man to not mock her or openly pity her. Renly was also the first man to ever treat Brienne like a lady or a woman. He asked her to a dance, and to this day in the ASOIAF timeline Brienne looks back at it as one of her happiest moments. After these events, Brienne became infatuated with Renly.
Such was her devotion to him that when Renly declared for king, Brienne rushed to his side. She becomes part of his Rainbow Guard and is proud to be finally a true knight and close to the man she loves. But of course, NOTHING NICE ever happens to Brienne. And some fuckers make bets on Brienne’s maidenhead. Brienne thinks at first the men are being nice to her (which is nice for a change), but later realizes and is crushed by their true intentions.
BRIENNE’S LIFE IS NO FUCKING PICNIC. MEN ARE CRUEL. AND THINGS SUCK.
AND THEN SHIT GETS WORSE.
Brienne is supposed to protect Renly one day. Enter Melisandre Shadow Baby. Bye Bye Renly. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY??
Brienne is CRUSHED INTO TINY PIECES when Renly dies. THEN SHE’S FUCKING ACCUSED OF MURDERING HIM. AND EVERYONE HATES HER.
FFWD Lady Stark takes Brienne under her wing. And gives her a new quest. Brienne is sure she’s gonna keep her word to Lady Stark, she won’t fail her OF COURSE NOT. She will bring her daughters back to her, she won’t fail her like she failed Renly.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
red. wedding. fuck. the. world.
FFWD Brienne has to put up with Jaime Lannister and his overall rudeness. After weeks together, she forms an genuine bond with him and he regards highly of her. Such is Jaime’s regards for Brienne that he gives her FIRST EVER REAL SWORD. SOMETHING SHE’S ALWAYS WANTED IN HER ENTIRE FUCKING LIFE. But Brienne plays it cool and she’s like ‘Ser’ and Jaime’s like ‘Take it and rescue Sansa’.
AND BRIENNE IS LIKE ‘IM GONNA SAVE SANSA CAUSE OF CATELYN STARK. I AM GONNA HONOR CATELYN, I’M GONNA HONOR YOU JAIME, I’MMA RESTORE EVERYONE’S HONOOOOOR!!’
wELL something about Brienne’s arc you should know is that NOTHING NICE EVER HAPPENS TO Brienne.
Shit happens. Lots of shit happens.
Brienne sees so much wreckage following the War of The Five Kings. So much innocence lost. Brienne cries and she realizes those stories/songs were bs. But that fucker does not lose hope in humanity. That fucker tries to save everyone. EVERY SINGLE PERSON. BRIENNE WANTS TO SAVE EVERYONE IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD. But she can’t and that frustrates her.
(IF YOU’RE NOT GETTING BRIENNE FEELS YET YOU SUCK)
FFWD Brienne and her companions Hyle Hunt (fucker who bet on her maidenhead and now wants to bffs) and Pod(rick) Payne are kidnapped by the Brothers w/o banners. Who are led by Catelyn Stark NOW KNOWN AS THE LADY STONEHEART.
And Stoneheart thinks Brienne has betrayed her. And Brienne’s like ‘no way,im gonna rescue Sansa for u. ilu Catelyn u were the mother I never had’. But Stoneheart’s like ‘BULLSHIT’. And Brienne’s like ‘fml’.
SH is gonna kill everyone UNLESS Brienne goes and kills Jaime Lannister. And Brienne, you see the fucker has fallen in love with Jaime Lannister. EVEN THOUGH AGAINST HER BETTER ASS JUDGEMENT, NOPE BRIENNE IS INTO JAIME AND WHAT THE HELL CAN SHE DO. Brienne has a big ass heart and she’s not gonna go around killing the man she loves so she goes:
“I will not make that choice”
BOOM BITCHSo SH gives no fucks and is like ‘kill everyone’. And everyone starts to die and then Brienne sees Pod. Pod so young and full of hopes and knighly dreams like her. Pod who feels protected by Brienne. Pod who trusts Brienne. Like Renly did, like Catelyn did, like Jaime does. FUCKING TRUST IS BRIENNE’S FUCKING TRIGGER.
And Brienne and her OBNOXIOUS HUGE ASS FOREVER GIVING HEART yells out ‘Sword’
Now Brienne is on the motherfucking quest on bringing Jaime back to SH so everyone can die apparently.
BRIENNE HAS TO PICK BETWEEN THE PPL SHE LOVES (Pod, Hyle, etc), THE MAN SHE LOVES, THE WOMAN SHE LOVES and you tell me she has it real easy compared to other ASOIAF women????
How is Brienne not a fucking ‘strong female character’?? HOW THE ACTUAL FUCK IS THIS WOMAN NOT YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER?? How the actual the fuck is not this girl who was mocked because of ugliness, who sacrifices, who HAS THE BIGGEST HEART WESTEROS HAS EVER SEEN not a worthy of fandom love and devotion??
That’s why Brienne’s my favorite ASOIAF female character, if not simply character. She is soooo brave and has such a big heart. She sacrifices for everyone else when the Westerosi world is fucking up.
Sure Brienne is awkward, Brienne is not full of badass remarks or sassy comebacks like other female characters. But she’s real. Her struggles and obstacles are strong or yet even stronger than anyone’s else.
If anyone deserves a happy ending in ASOIAF its Brienne. Please read this and re-consider your position on Brienne of Tarth.
(I stg if i don’t see brienne on every single photoset coming up in S3 I will kill everything.)
my god jaime is like one of those children on a leash at disneyworld
#BRIEENNNNNNEEEE I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOOOM #BRIEEEEENEEEEEEEEEE MY FEEEEEET HURTTTTT #I’M TIIIIIREDDDDDDD #I DON’T WANNA GO ON THE BRIDGE RIDE #CAN WE GO TO THE PETTING ZOO #BRIEEEEEENEEEEEEE #and then she smacks him with a sword
#’it’s a lovely day isn’t it’#’lovely day for two perfectly normal forgettable people to go for a walk’#’yes that’s right perfectly boring normal people out and about on a lovely day’#’it’s as lovely as cersei’s—’ ‘SHUT UP JAIME— I mean Jammy no kingslayers here no sir’
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