u/Hitchfucker

This post was partly inspired by a team black post claiming that he was, but this has been a hot button subject since season 1, and it's something I always wanted to give my two cents on. Beforehand I just want to state a few things:

-This is not meant as an "Aegon's not that bad" post. While he is my favorite character in the series he is pretty obviously a terrible person. He is a rapist, and even in the books we know he sexually harassed serving girls, so him being a sex pest isn't an unfounded theory (although that doesn't mean he's abusing everyone.

-Probably obvious but even though I disagree with the stance that he did and especially the way team black fans talk about the series, this isn't meant to be hate or disrespect towards them, including the person who made that post. The fandom tribalism has gotten a bit insane as is.

Anyway, there are a few reasons that people point towards to support this theory of Aegon raping Helena. First is obviously the fact that he is a rapist as shown in episode 8. This does prove that he is not beyond the point of hurting a person in this way. But I also don't see that as good enough reason for this to be considered proof for this. Aegon shows a clear disinterest in Helena even at an early age. They conceived kids once early into their marriage (something Alicent and Otto likely pressured them into asap in order to have heirs for when they try to claim Aegon king), then they have a roughly 4 year gap between having more kids despite likely being expected to have more than one male heir, which at least to me implies that Aegon hardly cared to consummate his marriage. Especially since we know he mainly used brothels to entertain himself (and the staff unfortunately). And while we don't get enough of their relationship to say for certain, nothing Aegon ever does or says gives off the impression that he has any level of interest in Helena, even sexual.

The next big argument commonly brought up is with Helena's toast in episode 8, regarding Aegon. The quote being: "I would like to toast to Baela and Rhaena. They’ll be married soon. It isn’t so bad. Mostly he just ignores you… except sometimes when he’s drunk". So there you have it, definitive proof that Aegon abuses Helena. Except no it doesn't. If you read this quote out of context it does sound like Helena implies that he abuses her while drunk, but in the context of the scene this is meant as a joke, supposedly either at the sillyness of if not even at Aegon's expense. With several people laughing and Aegon seeming uncomfortable. And that seemed to be Helena's intention, to cut some of the tension in the room and make her nieces feel a bit less worried about their own marriage. I know she's not skilled with social situations, but I don't think Helena saying "yeah marriage isn't that bad he only rapes you a few times" makes a lot of sense for the character. Especially with no one taking this seriously or even seeming a little tense, but instead breaking into dance as we witness one last moment of peace for Viserys. Literally nothing in the context makes this seem to be about rape, yet because Aegon raping someone happened in this episode that is where people's minds immediately go to. It seems more likely that Aegon just badgers her or does stupid shit around her when drunk. And even then it didn't seem like whatever he did was that inconvenient to her. And beyond that, if Aegon was her direct abuser, I don't think she would have felt comfortable making a joke about him so publically, or speak about her abuse so casually. Nothing about this indicates that he is overtly cruel to her.

Helena also asks Alicent why she married her to Aegon in season 3, but that only indicates that she was unhappy in her marriage to Aegon, and not that Aegon was overtly cruel to her. Like yeah, I would imagine being married to your dickhead brother when you're both children is not a pleasant experience.

I also have heard people claim that Aegon could have refused to marry Helena as he refused his other responsibilities like training, or didn't have to consummate the marriage. Basically trying to deny that Aegon (who was also a child bride forced into a marriage with his sister) is in any way a victim of a forced marriage. The notion that just because Aegon is irresponsible means that he could just refuse a marriage as a child is silly. We see in season 1 that even characters like Viserys and Rhaenyra were forced to marry. And they were actually adults and had greater power at the time, so likely had more sway than Aegon and yet still had to marry. But Otto and Alicent were very adamant on keeping the greens connected and not having any alliances with the blacks, so they likely made even more certain that no other marriage pact would be secured. And again, they were expected to produce heirs and likely would not have been allowed to just avoid that, and from the difference in age, it seems like they didn't do so more than was necessary. It also seems kind of shitty to imply that just because Aegon didn't have it as bad as Helena (which obviously he didn't) means that he's not a victim in this situation. He is still a damn child being forced to marry his sister.

Finally, I just don't see how Aegon raping Helena benefits the story at all. We see in plenty of other ways how Aegon is a shitty person, how fucked up their family life is, and how things are not healthy with them. Going "oh by the way Aegon rapes her" is not something the story ever bothers to explore and adds nothing to either character, which is why I take issue with people treating it as fact or even heavily supported. Even the way Tom and Phia talk about their relationship seems to imply that while they're not close, on some level they get each other and understand the pain they're going through. That was their intentions with the season 2 hallway scene. I don't think that translates nearly as well if Aegon is not only a deadbeat husband but Helena's rapist.

I don't say this to imply that Aegon and Helena have a healthy dynamic by any possible means, or that they are equally victimized by this arrangement, or that they're these tragic lovers (even in the books I don't buy that they romantically loved each other). Just by the nature of being a woman means that Helena is vastly more inconvenienced by being forced to have kids, even if it's not a great situation for Aegon either. All of the expectations to raise their children is put on Helena while Aegon just fucks off to drink and fuck most of the time, and only seems to take an interest in being a father after becoming king. Aegon is a shit husband to Helena and fails to comfort her, even if there's an implication that he wants to after Blood and Cheese. But I still don't think that implies that he rapes her, and if anything that would only detract from the story.

Again no hate to people who believe this, it's not completely unfounded, but I don't think it really works for either character.

Edit: a couple other points to add. In their only one on one interaction in S2 (this show has an issue with underdeveloped dynamics) we see that the serving women are uncomfortable around Aegon, but Helena doesn’t share that discomfort. This implies that Helena not only doesn’t fear him, but that Aegon does not treat her like the women who he sexually harasses if not assaults. The scene also implies that Aegon cares or at least respects Helena on some level. Aegon tries to make her feel at ease when she says she’s scared, and when she says something weird and cryptic, he kind of tries to play it off and it is a bit of a joke about her but not mean spirited at all. It’s not much but it does imply that to some extent Aegon does care about and respect Helena, or at least treats her better than those who he abuses.

End of the series being generally S7-8

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Just something I wanted to do to talk about this series a bit more. I will be going in reverse order of lesser to more prominence for characters since it will give me more to talk about over time, and because the two main characters of the series are probably the only two who don’t have a clear best book for me. Only characters who have a prominent role in at least 4-5 books. So there probably won’t be a Wendall, Bartleby, or Roque Ja entry (Bartleby’s best book is probably Crown of Thorns though). I’ll start with the level one crooks of the series, or maybe the Team Rocket of Bone is more apt as a comparison. They’re not my favorite of the cast but they’re pretty fun.

6: Eyes of the Storm (Book 3)

This is the first book in the series to really escalate the stakes and tone of the show, so understandably the stupid rat creatures are no longer the main threat our heroes come into contact with (we get a middle ground of more threatening rat creatures, while not yet throwing Kingdok or The Hooded One into the mix). They have one scene where they hide from consequences and Kingdok gives them some rabbits. It’s an alright scene but it isn’t very funny and Kingdok is by far the more interesting character in this interaction. They’re fine here but there’s nothing to really cling onto.

5: The Dragonslayer (Book 4)

Their bits of comedy at the beginning were kind of useful considering how dour this book got by the end with Thorn’s depression. The old married couple banter is decent and I like how this is the first book to fully solidify them being broken apart of the main faction. But they don’t really do much or leave much of an impression here. And they’ve had funnier books.

4: The Crown of Horns (Book 9)

Their only appearance in the second half of the series. Not necessary but it was fun to see them again and they served as much less tonally jarring comedic relief than Phoney in this book. Really this would probably be the lowest rated book for them if not for how much I love that scene of Fone Bone giving them a quiche. Idk I was happy for them to finally get something out of this whole ordeal. It was a great moment for Fone too.

3: Out From Boneville (Book 1)

Their closest we ever get to them being sinister at all. And even here they’re pretty big jokes. But they’re fun as early series threats. I’m impressed that even early into the series their comedy and dynamic with both each other and with Fone Bone is very solid and entertaining. The “STUPID RAT CREATURES” line is one of the funniest jokes in the entire series and amazing use of panel pacing. And they’re just really good goofballs.

2: The Great Cow Race (Book 2)

Pretty much the same as book 1, they’re funny here too. I give this a slight edge up since their dynamic is a bit petter established here. Plus “IT INCLUDES EATING HIM RAW” is probably the funniest reaction panel for either of them in the series. The fact that he gets THAT worked up despite him only asking once in the scene shows just how aggravating the quiche loving rat creature has been about this. And it’s so unhinged.

1: Rock Jaw: Master of the Eastern Border (Book 5)

I don’t think they’re amazingly written in any book. Even in this one they’re pretty one note goofy villains. But I think this is their best handling. For one thing, while they remain pretty much the same as usual, their circumstances are pretty unique here in that this is the only time where they’re forced to partner up with not only the Bones but animals who rightfully hate them. This constant switching of allegiances in Rock Jaw makes the whole book and characters a lot more dynamic and interesting. And we do get a bit more nuance to their characters, or at least rat creature lore because of that. This might be their funniest book too, or about even with GCR. The page where one of them pounces on Roque Ja and causes them all to fall off a cliff is one of the most classic cartoony gags in the entire series and I love it so much (not to mention the third and final “stupid stupid rat creatures” gag). Also the more serious one’s reaction to Smiley’s “nothing we’ve done has been un stupid” line is one of the funniest moments in the books. It’s also such a nice subversion to have them be the straight men for once.

Just something I was wondering for anyone else who read the proto Bone. It was a fun read but I wouldn’t say much of the material that wasn’t adapted into the main series was very good, and I’m happy with most of the changes and improvements. But what is something, whether it be a scene, character, plot point, joke, piece of character work, whatever, that you wish wasn’t changed. There aren’t much for me but a few that come to mind:

-This really wouldn’t work in the books but there was a one off strip where the grass Fone Bone is stepping on becomes sentient and they debate on the ethics of stepping on sentient land. I thought that was funny.

-There’s a portion of the book where Fone Bone and Thorn are kind of just wandering around aimlessly because they believe Grandma Ben to be dead, they’re pretty depressed, and they don’t really have any aim at this point. I kind of like the vibes of them not really winning or being happy but also not having an immediate threat or conflict to worry about so they can kind of just chill and explore the world. It lends itself better to a comic strip than an actual comic book series but it kind of makes me wish we had more of these characters.

-Thorn and Phoney have more of a pronounced rivalry in the prototype. I like that considering how different they are. In the main series Phoney is jealous of Thorn since he fears she’ll take Fone Bone away from him, but it’s not a very developed or explored dynamic, especially on Thorn’s end who rarely pays him any mind. They actually have more of a rivalry and even ideological differences that get them into arguments. And them trying to one up each other is fun.

-There’s a small conversation between Fone Bone and Thorn that I really liked. I think it was Thorn asking Fone Bone why he thinks there are either clouds or stars in the sky and Fone Bone claims he’s more interested in how. I really like that interaction. It shows a nice contrast between the two where they’re both very curious people, Thorn sees the world from a more mystical perspective while Fone Bone views the world in a more matter of fact and scientific route. Which makes sense given how and where they each grew up.

There’s a lot of pros and cons to be said about the post ASOS portion of the series and massive roster of viewpoint characters added to the books. But one thing I do appreciate about them, even most of the viewpoints I disliked is that is fleshed out the world and allowed us to follow a great variety of perspectives and locations in this universe. Much as I adore the first 3 books, it sometimes does feel like it’s the Stark and Lannister series, plus Dany, Theon, and Stannis doing stuff sometimes. And since most of the viewpoints remain in the same region in these two books I wanted to a poll about it.

Personally, the North is easily the most interesting region in these books. So many of the most interesting viewpoints and characters like Jon, Stannis, Roose, Asha, etc. are there and it is the portion most focused on both the threat of the others and the uprising against the Boltons. It also has my pick for the best character pov in an individual book with Theon, whose Dance chapters are some of the greatest pieces of literature that I’ve read. After that I would say King’s Landing is the second best, since while not as lively as usual, Cersei is one of the best viewpoints and it’s still rife with great political scheming. After that I’d go with the Iron Islands/the Riverlands, then Dorne, and at the very bottom by a wide margin and the only one I dislike overall I would put Essos and the viewpoints and aspects of the world going on there.

Anyway what’s your thoughts? Which region do you find most compelling?

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Well it does make sense based on what happens to them, it always bums me out that aside from Michael and Duquan, the main four boys of season 4 interact after That’s Got His Own. I was always wondering how they would each react to each other. Would Namond, as the only one who really got a good ending, want to do anything to help his friends? Would he and Randy be more impressed or terrified at what Michael turned out to be? Just something that’s been on my mind recently and am curious of any other opinions.

The Wire has a lot of characters who make flawed, foolish, emotional, or naive choices, but the more I think of it, despite being fairly intelligent I don’t think any main adult character made quite so many dumb choices as Stringer (except Ziggy I guess). Off the top of my head the ones that come to mind:

-Giving $250,000 upfront to Clay Davis

-Trying to order a hit on Clay Davis

-Speaking to Clay Davis without consulting Maurice about it

-Breaking the Sunday morning truce to hit Omar

-Telling Avon about murdering D’Angelo despite no one suspecting him of it

-Framing Mouzone to try and get Omar to kill him (knowing that if the lie was discovered two of the most competent guns men around would want him dead

-Giving up his entire operation in Middle Ground

Which of these would you consider to be his worst choice (or am I forgetting any notable ones)?

Season 1: McNulty and D’Angelo

Season 2: Frank (with Ziggy and Nicky as secondary leads)

Season 3: Colvin and Stringer

Season 4: The boys of Summer (primarily Namond and Michael)

Season 5: McNulty again

I’ve been trying topical minoxidil for a little over a week now. I know that shedding is apart of the process normally but it feels like I’ve been losing way too much. A problem I’m running into is that I have long curly hair (although it’s been getting less curly since starting min). It’s very hard for me to properly part my hair and it ends up looking terrible. I fear that most or at least a lot of it is getting into my hair any not the scalp. Is it true that getting into the hair and follicles could damage them? If so I don’t know how to deal with applying it topically.

I’m 24/male and I’ve been fearing that my hairline has been receding for awhile now. I haven’t been sure for a while now but recently it seems to be hard to ignore or be uncertain of and I’m feeling less and less confident as it seems to thin. I asked my doctor about it (though this was just a regular doctor and not a dermatologist) and she said to wait a bit but at this point I’d prefer to avoid risks. I’ve just started to take topical min a week ago (I also tried it for a few weeks beforehand but stopped for a week before scheduling that doctors appointment). So far I have mostly just been applying it to the temple/forehead/top of the hairline area.

I just wanted to ask and be certain, I know that if I stop taking minoxidil that after a few months my progress would be lost, but if I did stop is it possible that I will lose even more hair than I initially had or even would have lost at this point? I’ve heard differing opinions but I just wanted to know if using min could be a sort of hostage situation where the second I stop using it I could lose most or all my hair in the areas where I apply it. I don’t care if it were to bring me back to the amount of hair I already had since at least then it wouldn’t make the situation worse. This is also partially why i’m holding off on applying it to my entire scalp for now and just focusing on the really recessive points.

Thank you for any possible insight and sorry if this was poorly worded.