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Culture War Roundup for the week of December 2, 2024

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Thats all very interesting, but... my problem isnt a lack of thematic impact in the ending. I had my own theories about those, though not as good as yours. The problem is that it betrays the beginning. How does Neds death contribute to any of this? The original tone survives quite long in Daenerys arc, which is consistent with the machiavellian reading all the way until we see her suffering from insanity at home after burning Kings Landing. He doesnt end that story; he just starts telling a more traditional one and ends that.

Separately:

All Tywin's bluster about putting the House first was hypocrisy.

Really? This would require that the revealed bastard both counts as part of house Lannister, and takes priority over the legitimate Targaryen children in inheritance. Those seem unlikely even individually, and extremely unlikely simultanuously. Besides, he does eventually get Joffrey on the throne, who is just as related to him officially as Tyrion would have been, and more so biologically.