Ar Pharazon - Tumblr Posts

The ASOIAF fandom is so funny about discourse; both in topics and reactions. The other main fandom I frequent on Tumblr is Tolkien, and the difference is remarkable.

For instance, in the story of the Fall of Numenor, there's a story about the usurpation of a woman that leads to tragedy. I'm talking, of course, about Tar-Míriel. She was the rightful queen of Numenor, but was usurped by her cousin Ar-Pharazôn, who caused the destruction of Numenor.

There is not a single person in the Tolken fandom who argues that Ar-Pharazôn was in the right, was actually a good person, or that Tar-Míriel deserved to be usurped. Granted, the story isn't actually the same as that of the Dance, but the bare bones are pretty similar.

Tar-Míriel isn't a morally gray character like Rhaenyra, in fact we know very little about her, but the parts we do know are good. However, both Rhaenyra and Tar-Míriel were declared their fathers' heirs despite the existence of close male relatives. They were both usurped and ultimately killed (Míriel indirectly) by a male relative.

Ar-Pharazôn and Aegon II are both written as almost cartoonishly evil. They both were horrible rulers and warmongers. Their reigns caused massive tragedies; Aegon II and his faction caused the deaths of the dragons and Ar-Pharazôn's actions caused Iluvatar to destroy Numenor.

Now, I'm not saying that these two stories are meant to be connected or paralleled, they simple capture a similar story pattern rooted in history. My point is that the ASOIAF fandom has a major issue.

The greens are not secretly heroes, good people, or morally superior to the blacks in any way, shape, or form. The obsession of the ASOIAF fandom to turn them into more "sympathetic" characters is ridiculous. Fandoms like the Tolkien one are able to embrace a character being a villain without trying to turn them into a hero.

It's so frustrating because this obsession with making the greens into protagonists damages fandom discourse. It's turned the Dance into a cheap "choose your team" issue, rather than a story of the damage of misogyny, the patriarchy, and warring lords. The arguments over which team is right is absurd and creates a space were misogyny is fostered and encouraged (even some TB fans)

I know, a majority of my posts are complaining about TG and their stans, so I'm guilty of perpetuating the cycle. But there's a difference between analysis of a character and arguing with people's rotten takes and just reducing the story to team discourse; I try my best to avoid the latter.

I'm sure a large part of this issue can be traced to HOTD, but I think it's indicative of deeper problem in the fandom. People reduce the issues in the main books to "who's gonna take the throne" rather than actually addressing things. They're so comfortable spouting misogyny in regards to Daenerys and Arya. The ASOIAF fandom has deeper issues that are being exacerbated by the writing decisions of HOTD and, before that, GOT.

Friendly reminder to the RoP fans who don't know the original lore:

Valandil is Isildur's son (But let's be honest, he was more raised by Elrond)

Galadriel is older than the sun

Elven men canonically have long hair

Elrond was found by Maedhros and Maglor and also is not, in fact, an orphan, his mom is a bird and his dad is a star and they may or may not be divorced

Isildur, Ar-Pharazon, Miriel, Valandil, and almost all of the rest of Gondor and Numenor's royals are Elrond's nieces and nephews.

Galadriel has a husband and a daughter

A daughter who IS MARRIED TO ELROND

Gondolin

In Valinor, one year is a century long. 20 years to an elf is only about three months to a human.

A Durin would not be the son of another Durin

None of these events happen anywhere near one another in the timeline

Galadriel sees right through Sauron instantly, she does not fall in love with him

Nor does she fall in love with Elrond, as he is her son-in-law and also her therapist

And finally, a reminder to the Tolkein purists:

PEOPLE CAN BE BLACK.

Elves can, and in fact, probably were, people of color. Only the Noldor were probably ever genuinely white. The Sindar, the Vanyar, the Falmari, all of them were probably various POC.

In the final version of the canon, dwarf women having beards was uncertain, and even if it was 100% sure that the group of dwarves we know had women with beards, Disa is clearly a different ethnicity, and possibly a different culture, so it is entirely possible that she would not have a beard.

Arondir was a prisoner, and elven prisoners likely had their hair cut to insult or disgrace them, so it is entirely possible that he would have short hair at the time he is shown.

Elrond, Disa and Durin are cute. It does not matter that they aren't canon. People can like these characters. I liked several of them myself, though I found some quite flat and one-dimensional.

As long as you aren't hurting anybody, discriminating against anybody, or erasing someone else's hard work (ahem, Tolkein's elvish language and customs) you can do whatever you want. Hell, I kinda want to ship Disa and Celebrian. I'm not hurting anyone, so I can do just that! (Amazon, however, is hurting people. Know that before you go into this.)