Yeah sorry gang but they fumbled this to me. The whole point of the Dance of Dragons is it’s an anti-war tragedy. It’s a House gradually destroying itself through escalating violence. The Sophie’s choice dilemma is George R. R. Martin personified. Putting characters in horrific unwinnable situations to see how they respond and the consequence. He didn’t make Haelena a goofy autistic because you’re supposed to be able identify with her pain. He didn’t have Cole and Alicent clapping cheeks because it would cheapen the focus of the event.
This is how it started in Game of Thrones too. Small changes, book readers complained and we were told it’s no big deal, then big changes, then the story lost all meaning and quality of George’s work.
It just shows how surface level the understanding of George’s work is as well. There’s supposed to be ambiguity around how they even got into the keep. Theres even hints the “rat catcher” is probably Daimon since he knows the tunnels in kings landing. Here they just walk right in to an unlocked and unguarded room during a fukking war lol. Also supposedly they were supposed to kill Aemond. That’s like sending me to prime Mike Tyson’s house. Talking about “take him out”
We will see how it goes. Not hopeful anymore though.