#arranged marriages
TV Review: Seven Swordsmen
TV Review: Seven Swordsmen
TV Review: Seven Swordsmen aka “Seven Swords Descend from Mount Heaven”
In 17th Century China, the Qing Dynasty now rules where once the Ming Dynasty did. Many Han resent their new Manchu overlords and pockets of rebellion are everywhere. To help quell the resistance, the Qing have banned the practice of martial arts by ordinary citizens. The Red Spear Society strongly objects to this…
Review Roundup - April 12th to 25th, 2021
Review Roundup – April 12th to 25th, 2021
These last two weeks were dedicated to reading my way through an ARC, and then getting some easy reads in when the ARC got to be too much. I’ve learned that Enemies to Lovers might not be my thing, and Suspense Thrillers can and will go there. Thank God for Modern Royalty.
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Politics of Arranged Marriages
Or the lack thereof in Game of Thrones.
DAENERYS: The best way to make alliances is with marriage. (6X10 “The Winds of Winter”)
Dany was at least being pragmatic about what might happen in Westeros (at the very least, you cannot argue that she was deterred from marriage because of her past experiences), and then the writers do absolutely nothing with this possible (and politically crucial) plot device.
Tyrion at the very least should’ve had a list of eligible bachelors at the ready, even before they landed on Dragonstone.
Also, criticism about the lack of bachelors left in Westeros (obviously a lot of people died because of the Wot5K); but when you cut out important characters like Willas Tyrell, Quentyn Martell or f!Aegon, it leaves Jon Snow as the most eligible man in all of Westeros.
Sidenote: how is it none of his Northern Lords were clambering over each other just to propose their daughters and granddaughter to Jon after he became King in the North? A king’s number one priority is to secure his reign by providing heirs for his kingdom. It’s even more crucial in a time of war (that small detail really screwed over Robb… and Renly… and Stannis (in the show verse)).
With Jon arriving on Dragonstone, a marriage alliance should’ve been at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it should have been expected and no one should be blindsided by such a suggestion. Jon gets his dragonglass and military aid, Dany gets the North (and Riverlands and Vale by default because intricate politics really don’t matter anymore). You cannot secure an alliance on just Jon’s good word alone. No matter how “honourable” he may be. That’s just stupid.
Eventually, Davos does suggest the marriage in 8x1 “Winterfell” but Tyrion and Varys immediately reject it because…*checks notes* Dany will stop listening to the advice of old men? What?
Had they agreed to a marriage alliance way back on Dragonstone, then they would’ve almost definitely avoided all the fallout from R+L=J. And possibly — I mean Cersei would rather set the city ablaze with Wildfire than surrender, so it was always going to burn either way — even save King’s Landing. But no, we’ve gotta squeeze Mad Queen Dany in there somehow.
By the time Tyrion and Varys do contemplate the marriage in 8x4 “The Last of the Starks”, according to them it’s too late because they assume Dany doesn’t want to share power. Well, have either of them bothered to ask her lately?
Firstly: the marriage doesn’t have to be about “sharing power”, Jon could easily be made King/Prince Consort whilst controlling backroom politics (if he/they wanted to make Dany into a puppet queen) or he could focus his time on commanding the military—any of those positions are of immense status and power and I can’t imagine many of the Northmen would feel snubbed (especially if they’ve openly preferred Sansa ruling the North instead of Jon for some time now).
Secondly: it’s blatantly obvious in Jon and Dany’s Throne Room scene that she still loved him (in her own twisted way). There was no way she would let him go back to the North and leave her. So it would be safe to assume that she would do everything in her power; grant him every title, position and privilege he asked of her in order to make sure he remained in her Court.
TL ; DR: It’s just so frustrating that there was so much foreshadowing with such little pay off. That nearly all their problems could be fixed with one simple solution.
I just wanted to see the politics of Tyrion and Davos bartering over stipulations for a marriage alliance, was that too much to ask?
