#they just keep re-popping up to screech a variation of the same enraged broken record statement

[swordsandarms]

There's nothing more self-inserting in this fandom than the people who actually hate Rhaegar Targaryen (and sometimes by extension Lyanna and Daenerys and other Targaryens).

But with Rhaegar it's very peculiar. With either Rhaegar positive or neutral fans, you can discuss things like connections he has with characters in actual canon, by actually canon references, that give him some depth whatsoever in turn. Love RxL shippers with all the actually newer clues highlighted compared to your typical "Jon's parentage" checklists because it gives more character interiority. Love the Jon and Dany fans who've given more attention to the connections clearly drawn on purpose by the author that are also doing that.

But people who outright hate this tertiary character? The emotionally driven rants as if this man was their own boyfriend or father and wronged them specifically and that's all the focus of it? Only ever writing in "depth" about him in scenarios that are clearly made up and can only be explained as projection from some baggage none of us trying to read some book are interested in? Very odd behaviour.

#asoiaf #lyanna stark #rhaegar targaryen #jon snow #it's also how you know #people like me come and go onto the topic #write something when there's something to add to whatever actually useful discussion there is in that sense #but those people #they just keep re-popping up to screech a variation of the same enraged broken record statement #and just keep doing that over the years #never getting over it #like idk #you've clearly got something to unpack #but it's definitely not about this small fantasy character #and as I said also with Dany or Jon or Arya or Lyanna etc #there's usual the self inserting people in Sansa or Catelyn or such #with veeeeeery weird opinions about things in general (aka women or children) and an opinion about the character they self insert in #that have nothing to do with their canon depiction most of time #or only being interested in that side of it they self insert in if that makes sense #so like Sansa is somehow a representative of girl next door suddenly cause she's not relevant to magic in a magic book #or Catelyn is some ever suffering wife who needs to feel validated in taking out her frustrations as some stressed out #21st century local mother with a shitty husband and stressed by taking care of children on her own #like hm #I see you and what you're doing but also #I don't care #I'm here for a book not for your personal shit