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ArthurGWG β The fall of Rhaegar
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Published: 2012-10-29 17:14:28 +0000 UTC; Views: 37097; Favourites: 455; Downloads: 935
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"Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar died." β Jorah MormontOne of my favorite passages from the first book, the revenge of Robert Baratheon in the battle of the trident, and the fall of Rhaegar, heir to the Iron Throne and consequentialy, the fall of house Targaryen.
Always loved the description of the rubies falling in the river, naming it "Ruby ford".
Uppon reading the second book, i kinda feel sorry for Rhaegar. He aparently was a good man, not as strong as Robert unfortunately... No one got the girl in the end.
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Okay, this will be a weird critiqueΒ but bear with me.
I was listening to Holst's Planets movement and I got to the Mars part. I started imaging the battle at the Trident in my head to accompany the music. There's a part at the end where the music get climactic and terrifying and THIS image right here popped into my head. I saw your piece a while back and Rhaegar's look of horror was imprinted on my imagination. Here's the bit specifically (www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0bcRCβ¦ skip to about 6:18) Β I picture your piece going in slow motion to accompany the music.Β
Overall I love the composition and how it all centers on Rhaegar's face. Wonderful work, just wonderful.
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Wow that's very nice to hear man.
I strive to create images that tells a story and possibly get stuck in people's head. I am glad to see that I accomplished that with this piece.
I often feel jealous of how music can conjure so many feelings and memories. Hopefully I can one day manage what great musicians can do but with paintings or comics.
Anyway, Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and this awesome music.
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This is very good, one thing most people forget though is that Robert was also so wounded he couldn't ride, so it was Ned stark that had to go to King's Landing in his stead
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It wasn't that he was badly wounded, it was a minor wound though even a minor wound could be fatal back then. It was that he let Barristan be fixed before him, thus he was delayed.
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Thanks!
Oh i actually didn't knew that, but it makes sense.
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I loved this part for two things one. Robert being a beast instead of his future sad drunk and poor excuse of a king. I as well loved Rheager getting his cummopets. The man slighted his lady wife at the tourney for gods sake's he then cheated on her breaking his vows to his loyal lady wife. Caused a war that cost the lives of his children and his lady wife and the death of Lyanna which I have little doubt is what destoyed Robert and made him into a shitty king drunk. Whoaring was his best real problem but like he says he would have given up everything for her and I liked to believe he would have tried his damn best to do it for Lyanna.Β
I don't know what's so sympethatic about him doe O.o Rheager I mean. His old man was crazy sure but after his death the throne would be his and Westeros could have avoided the rebellion. Still I hate him for his crimes and have no pity for him.
BTW Amazing picture the look on Rheagers face must have taken A LOT of time to get right.
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I think Rhaegar have a huge fan base for being the great "If" of the series...
If he managed to be a king...
If he killed Robert...
If he and Lyanna were truly in love...
If John Snow is his child...
And because he is a Targaryen. Apparently being from this family gives you immediate cool points.
Thank you for the compliments and yes, it was a pain to get this expression right. Ended up using a photo of my face as reference.
Turns out for getting a good realistic upside down face you need to pose upside down! All flesh and muscles shift when gravity pulls them to the up side of your head.
Enjoy!
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I do enjoy the pic well done good sir
and I get it why people like Rheagar fair enough on that but to each his own and all that.
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Oh wow, this is stunning!! 
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Glad that you liked! I really want to do another scene from GOT whenever i have time!
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1-both Lyanna and Cercei prefered Rhaegar over Robert
2-Rhaegar was a terrific ruler Robert was quite a shitty king maybe not as bad as Aerys or Joffrey but quite bad
3-Rhaegar Died like a hero, Robert died fat and killed by a pig.
4-In Ser Barristan words, he served 4 kings and Rhaegar would have better than them all
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Yep, but i figure there are fanboys that will protect or destroy Rhaegar to the death in an argument.
But i like the books not only because the stories and characters are complex and dynamic, but because they leave so much room for imagination!
We could imagine a world with Rhaegar as king and Daenerys as a princess.
Or a world where Bran doesn't fucking climb and see some incest action.
Or even a world where Robb Stark marry some Frey girl and continue the fucking war.
I mean, such an expanded universe with so many possibilities.
And i may agree with you, aparently when there was a unquestionable ruler, Westeros bled way less.
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See your right yes he may have made a better king but Robert was a true beast on the battle field like he said "He could have stayed back there and lingered on the edge of the battle with the smart boys"In saying this he proves that he was so strong that it had become a burden and that he felt that he had wished he died or kept the war going being a good king is abstract in many ways robert did keep the peace but he was broke no leader is a "good"leader but defined by his actions
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true enought, i just wannted to make the point for Rhaegar haters, anyway no one of us know how it will end and it may be a win-win for those of us who love the Targaryens or it may not...all depending on what does RR Martin intends to do.
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I reeeeealy think its gonna be a lose-lose for everybody!
Hahahaha!
Join the White walkers team!
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yeah...but try to keep positive pal
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Yeah! Just kidding.
I am still cheering for Arya.
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sheΒ΄s awesome
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My only complaint,and I have seen other artists do this, is that Rhaegar's shield is red with a black dragon it. That would have been considered treasonous for even a Targaryen to display. The reversed Targaryen colors(AKA the bastard colors)of a black three headed dragon on red was the symbol of the Blackfyre Pretenders, the bastard children of Aegon IV (the Unworthy) who led rebellions against the Targaryens for generations until Barristan the Bold killed the last of them.
Only other quibble- Rhaegar looks like a vampire or an albino!
Β Awesome picture otherwise!
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Oooops!
Hahaha! My bad!
I actually researched other pieces with the same scene and none of them (or at least the majority) dont feature the shield or even the crest of the family, so i whent freestyle.
I should have researched a little more and its is a grievous mistake indeed.
Maybe next time i will contact my friends who know the lore more than i do!
Oh, and the most of the fan-art portray the Targaryens very vampire-like... Rhaegar is not an exception, but i see that it may seem very bizarre.
Thanks for the compliment!
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You feel sorry for him? The guy caused a war with his stupidity.
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I dont think that HE more is responsible for the war than his father that was a crazy lunatic that burned a lot of people for no reasons, or Robert that went to war just for passion instead of seaking a more delicate and diplomatic solution, or even going back to master Aemon targuerian, in the wall. He was supposed to be the king, and he would have been a good one, but he decided to keep his meister vows...
If game of thrones teaches anything, i think is toconsider all sides of a story and dont judge too quickly!
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What you seem to forget when you say that Robert should have looked towards a more diplomatic solution is that Robert wasn't given even the beginnings of a choice. The Mad King called Robert and Eddard to his court, and given how the Mad King had killed Rickard Stark, roasting him alive, while his son strangled himself in desperation, well, it was extremely unlikely that the two youths would have gotten anything but a beheading. Remember that Jon Arryn then decided, on his own, to rebel, and it was a question of survival back then that Houses Baratheon and Stark join with HouseΒ Arryn. I find it hard to believe you accuse Robert of going too far when he actually couldn't do anything else at that point. There was no 'diplomatic solution' that didn't involve death where the Mad King was involved by that point.
Aemon had taken the Black. He couldn't be King anymore, no matter what.
As for Rhaegar, tell me: didn't his taking Lyanna (by force of willingly, doesn't matter here) and disappearing with her cause Brandon Stark to go to the Red Keep, make a scene, which the Mad King followed with a series of gruesome killings and insane demands, which caused three major houses to rise in rebellion? It did all of this.
Rhaegar, took a woman away without saying what he was going to do with her, cheated on his own wife, recklessly started a situation which led to a continent-spanning war... and we're supposed to 'not judge him too quickly?'
Β
Well... no. I think he deserved to get killed. Smashed down by Robert's warhammer. He doesn't deserve even the tiniest inkling of respect. He deserves only loathing.
Β
That's how I judge him. Whether you agree or disagree changes nothing to that.
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Ok! Calm down your draconian judgement!
Look, you dont have to get all personal, what i was saying is that Rhaegar's actions would not start any war if his dad wasn't batshit insane. If Aerys where a good king, he would have jusged his son and send him to a prison or some punishment fit for a prince, or even try to negotiate with all the parties envolved.
I think your attachment to the characters is bluring a sense of justice. Nobody deserves to die (or start wars) because of incest (i am assuming that is not a FACT that he kidnaped her).
As for the argument that Robert, Jonh and Eddard had NO other options... Well, i see that they would have to prove themselves to their subordinates and avenge the blood spilled, but i think that by "diplomatic" approach i ment trying to unite all the kingdoms against the mad king, you know, blodless and cold war sometimes are more effective, or even conquer the south and leave him surrounded and with no ressources until the people rebel.
What i am saying is: Rhaegar was a tiny characterin a bigger chain of events, and blame him for the war is the same to blame the assassin of Franz Ferdinand for the World War 1. My painting is not demonstrating a favoritism to Rhaegar, is just giving the facts, he died. But personaly, everybody on the books recal him as being awesome (except for Robert).
And dont say that your oppinion cant change no matter what. Thats the root of ignorance, to listen only to yourself.
PS: And Aemon revealed on the second book (or first, i dont remember exactly) that the order decided to forget his judgements if he would agree to take the iron throne, but he kept his promisse and left the kingdom to his (clearly) insane brother. So i will count him as part responsible.
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But his dad was insane, and it did start a war. The guy had no business just whisking a Stark who was bethrothed to a Baratheon without even saying anything to the Starks and Baratheons. Actually, that's the definition of a kidnapping. What DID Rhaegar think it would do? Did he think pissing off two Major Houses was smart? The man was an idiot at the very least. His idiocy directly led to a war.
He deserved to go.
Β
Not everybody liked Rhaegar. Some,Β including Stannis and Eddard, found that he was reckless, irreponsible, and dishonorable. Given that Rhaegar, for good or ill reasons, kidnapped a bethrothed woman while MARRIED to another one, he was reckless, irresponsible, and dishonorable. Its certainly exaggerated to say 'everybody thought he was awesome except Robert'. I just reread the first book, and he was seen as aΒ selfish man who was in the wrong.
As for Eddard and Robert uniting the other Houses? Those guys were 19 back then. They could call on their own bannermen and rallied their own House, but the Tyrells had plans of their own, the Greyjoys just wanted the other Houses to weaken eachΒ other,Β the Martels had filial reasons to remain loyal, and the Lannisters were... being Lannisters.
Your opinion isn't changing. Neither is mine.
Aemon was Aegon V's older brother, a man who ruled well forΒ over 25 years.Β The Mad King is actually his grandnephew. By the time he truly was mad, Aemon was around 80.Β
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I think that the point i was trying to make is:
Nobody DESERVES to die under any circunstances. Maybe he should be imprisoned, or pay some compensation for the Baratheons and the family of his bride... I dont know, but DIE? Or even worse, go to war?
I know the situation was set and everything pointed towards war: Mad king + tensions between families (including lannisters and Targuerians) + Rhaegar acting like a f*king Casanova = War and revenge.
But it shouldn't!
Anyway, i think you are taking it too personal and have your mind set to "i am right" in this discussion... So i will stop wasting my time here.
Have a good life.
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Since I started reading the books, I ALWAYS felt for Rhaegar... And though we don't know (yet) why he PRESUMABLY kidnapped Lyanna, he is one of my favourite characters, after Daenerys, of course)) An enigmatic and tragic figure. And it's hard to believe Robert's jibber-jabber about Rhaegar being a rapist and a murderer, when most of who knew Rhaegar (even Robert's "brother" Ned) spoke very fondly of the prince.
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Indeed as you read the books you begin to wonder, what would have happened if Robert's rebellion had failed.
I am also curious about Rhaegar, a great mistery hide in his tale...
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I wonder if GM will bring some light on his tale...
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I hope so... But i have no faith in this.
I dont think it will matter on the final outcome, so he will probably leave it unaswered...
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We'd better hope, he won't kill EVERYONE in the end...
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I really given up a happy ending for this stuff after the red weading...
I am actually chearing for the White walkers right now...
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Well, purple wedding was a good thing
As for the Others, yeah, kinda want more of them...
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The books are awesome, the series is incredible and i count myself lucky to be around to see this awesome series in this diferent medias.
I hope the end will not disapoint, i am trying to favor no one after this 3 seasons... But gets hard to think that Arya could just die or grow up to be forgoten...
I think i am still on team Arya a little bit...
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I'm not very fond of Arya... Sansa - yes... But always will be on team Daenerys!) Kinda afraid of what will happen 2 her in next books (6 & 7)...
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I was on team Daenerys... But i got a little tired of her shit as "i am the blood of the dragon! Bla bla bla!"... I mean, she is badaass, but also a very fragile character...
I think it would take not much to kill her, any good assassin could take her, she is always in a fricking tent, and the more power she gathers, more probable it is to see her die like this. I think she has a protection from George Martin because she represents another part of the continent and is a mean to explore all this different nations and sets!
Sansa... Yeah, i hated to read her parts in the books but she is getting really interesting now. But Arya stands as the underdog of the series and i am a sucker for underdogs!
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Daenerys is getting badass, i'l ve her that much) Targaryens are my favourites... Β do hope there are three of them, not just Her)
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I reaaaally believe on the Jonh Snow being the "song of ice and fire" stuff.
It's what makes me still want to cheer for that dude.
And Targuerians (Valyrians actually) are awesome!
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