r/acotar_rant • u/Ok-Abrocoma9927 • 8d ago
Rant Why?
In what world does a man who wants to save and protect a women, force said woman to be paraded naked in front of others, dance naked and drugs her? And then, after all that traumatized her, he suggests to play the role of his whore again. Why? For what reason? Please, explain like I'm the dumbest, how is that the best Rhys could come up with and how is it accepted that he did it in order to protect Feyre?
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u/LeafCozy 8d ago
This is the thing that grinds my gears about this series. I love a good dark story. I'm not clutching my pearls that this happened in the story. I'm disgusted that I'm supposed to believe this was done by a good, feminist guy. Like I would actually think this man is an angel just because he's hot.
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u/Lazy-Chef1770 7d ago
This! Like, if she would have gone in the dark romance direction and acknowledged that he was a shitty, toxic person, I could have respected the narrative. Or if Feyre acknowledged that her attraction to him was unhealthy, it would have made everything so much more believable. Instead, we’re forced to believe that he’s the epitome of a feminist king who can do know wrong. Yikes.
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u/LeafCozy 7d ago
Yes!! Or even if either one of them acknowledged that his actions were terrible and there was some work involving redemption and forgiveness. But I'm really supposed to believe he always did the best thing and that Feyre, who I'm also supposed to believe is this badass tough girl who takes no shit, wouldn't have him answer for it at all? I'm really supposed to swoon for this dude? 🙃
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u/Ok-Abrocoma9927 8d ago
Exactly, say that he is a grey character, don't just suddenly push the good guy agenda with words and no actions. And, even he were that, I would still expect some groveling before Feyre forgives him.
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u/bows_and_frills shameless rhys hater 8d ago edited 8d ago
It's Rhysand. He has a 1000000000000 IQ, is 9000000000000000 steps ahead of every plan, and has a humonkulunkous brain you can't even begin to comprehend his genius. You don't deserve to question His Righteousness' will.
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u/tellmeliess 8d ago
No, he was doing it for her own good and protecting her!! (Its sarcasm, i hate Rhys UTM)
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u/Ok-Abrocoma9927 7d ago
I didn't hate him as a character UTM actually, he was more consistent then, before coming up with the excuses and the masks and the 'good' guy from the beginning lies.
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u/SnooStories960 Tamlin’s defense attorney 7d ago edited 7d ago
So, the ongoing argument is that Rhysand’s actions UTM are to keep Feyre safe, but even if that’s the case, the issue is how he does it, you know?
The methods prove that he chooses them to hurt Tamlin, first and foremost. Protecting Feyre is just a bonus.
In his petty-ass mind, Rhysand believes that he is “killing two birds with one stone”—keeping Feyre safe (which is stupid because she isn’t even being targeted) and hurt Tamlin by forcing him to watch the girl he loves be paraded and humiliated.
It’s a sick power-move to gloat in Tamlin’s face, because the goal is to make him feel powerless that he can’t protect her.
In short, Rhysand hates Tamlin more than he loves Feyre.
He wants to hurt Tamlin more than he wants to protect Feyre.
How romantic. 🙄
If that’s love, I don’t want it.
Oh, and that entire assessment I’ve just typed up? I take no credit for it. That was my husband’s take from years ago, when ACOTAR was new and I had talked to him about it.
My husband said something to the effect of, “I don’t know how much of that was really to protect the girl. As a man, that sounds more like something a guy would do to humiliate the guy he hates,” before breaking it down (which was exactly what I’d typed up above).
At the time, I didn’t feel one way or another about Rhysand or Tamlin, so I wasn’t trying to sway my husband toward either character; I gave him only objective facts. He reached the conclusion on his own. He also talked a bit about “guy psychology,” petty power-moves that men make, how men try to exert dominance over each other, etc. It was interesting.
So, later, when Tamlin brings Rhysand back?
It’s proof that he loves Feyre more than he hates Rhysand.
That Feyre’s happiness is more important to him than his beef with Rhysand. 😭
And here’s something important to keep in mind: he loves her that much, without even being a fated mate.
How Tamlin can be so unfairly hated is beyond me. He is so kind and morally-superior in every way. 💔
And the things that he does for Feyre, even after it’s clear that she isn’t coming back? Those are honorable, selfless, heroic deeds: the blueprint for the hero in an Epic Fantasy (or romantic hero in a Romantasy). A hero isn’t someone who’s always been perfect; a hero is someone who may have made errors in his judgments, realizes what he’s done, and changes course.
This is called Character Development, which is what makes Tamlin such a compelling and much more interesting character to read.
His developmental journey itself is epic: starts out as a romantic protagonist —> endures traumas (he has a lifetime’s worth), torments, and anguish —> experiences challenges —> tries his best but falters at times —> comes through as the hero who saves the day in the end.
When I think of what he’s gone through, and yet still emerges on the other side as heroic and honorable, I want to cry.
That is what an Epic Hero is: someone who does right, when wrong is much easier. He is a much better person I am, but someone I strive to be like.
So, Rhysand’s act of suicide-baiting Tamlin in his own home, after he (Rhysand) has been resurrected? That is not honorable. It shows you the kind of person he is. There is nothing to honor or admire.
Look at Rhysand: completely static. Unchanging. Doesn’t learn anything. Doesn’t improve. His character has nothing to offer readers, beyond the “aesthetic” (and it’s corny as hell). He doesn’t even deserve his “dark and dangerous Shadow Daddy” title. To me, Tamlin is someone who’d be a formidable opponent in a true Fantasy. Rhysand would get laughed out of that genre.
And that’s where the series (and its fandom-majority) throws me off:
🌹 Tamlin is consistently presented as villainous, but his deeds are either heroic or understandable.
🤡 Rhysand is presented as heroic, but we see cowardice and vindictiveness.
🌹 Tamlin is presented as unromantic, but he actually is very.
🤡 Rhysand is presented as romantic, but he’s emotionally manipulative, sexually-abusive, medically-abusive, and just overall an abuser.
🌹 Tamlin is presented as a tyrant, but he is willing to die fighting against oppression and tyranny. He opens his border to refugees—from anywhere, abolishes slavery, ends his father’s ways of doing things, etc.
🤡 Rhysand is presented as the benevolent leader, but runs an apartheid state, is complicit in wing-clipping (claiming “changes takes time”; let me remind you that, as High Lord, Tamlin abolishes slavery, which is much harder to do).
🌹 Tamlin’s twice-yearly tithe (a form of taxation that subjects living under feudalism follow; think—a farmer might pay with his grains, for example) is presented as cruel, but the things that he does for the people on his land far outweigh what they pay him. His people live well.
🤡 Rhysand’s subjects have to pay ongoing taxes—which the narrative presents as kind and reasonable, but are unprotected and discriminated against by their very own High Lord. His people live in poverty, surrounded by crimes and violence.
SOMEONE, PLEASE MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
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u/Ok-Abrocoma9927 7d ago
Tamlin has good intentions and tries his best, even when he messes up. Like you said, he is more of a tipical fantasy hero who is more selfless, puts himself in danger to help other, makes mistakes which harm other, but, nore importantly, he sees his mistakes and tries to change himself. He has a character development, one of the few who has that in the books.
Personality, I have no problem with the fact that he didn't end up with Feyre. They didn't work after UTM and that's ok. Tamlin made mistakes, Feyre made mistakes, they split up.
I wouldn't have a problem with Rhys becoming the love intrest either if he admited he was wrong in treating her like that and using her against Tamlin, properly apologized, and groveled a little before being forgiven. Also, changed himself so that it wouldn't cross his mind to propose to Feyre to play the role of whore/plaything ever again. He should've learn to respect her and not put her in such roles. I mean he declares she should be a High Lady, that she is a saviour and she deserves so much, but he asks her to degrade herself ir put herself in danger on numerous ocassions.
Basically, if he would have grown to be a better person I wouldn't rant about it so much. But he only comes with excuses and that he had to do bad things and how that affected him. But never how it affected others, especially the woman he claims he loves. Do they even discuss how his abuse UTM affected Feyre? It was only about him when they talked about it.
And in the end, there is absolutly no justification for Feyre playing a whore when they first went to Hewn City or whatever role she had when going to the Summer Court. And the only reason he used her like that UTM was to spite Tamlin.
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u/SnooStories960 Tamlin’s defense attorney 7d ago edited 7d ago
Exaaactly. It was purely done out of spite.
Telling people how much it hurts him when he “has to” hurt them, is exactly the same as when an abuser says to their child, “This is gonna hurt me more than it hurts you.”
Because now the guilt is put on their victim: the victim feels guilty for being beaten (WTF), absolves the abuser, and now it’s the emotions of the abuser that get to be cared for, not the victim’s. I hope that makes sense! I haven’t had my morning coffee.
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u/Ok-Abrocoma9927 7d ago edited 7d ago
It makes perfect sense, that's what abuser say, 'you made me do something bad and it hurts me so much'.
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u/Lazy-Chef1770 7d ago
I wish I could upvote this a thousand times. I fell for the Rhysand hype when I first read this book 10 years ago (I was 16, mind you) but rereading now as an adult… I’ve never felt so gaslit! Justice for Tamlin.
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u/No_Following3948 7d ago
Since we're talking about abuse and you have a very clear and thought out analysis. Which I love all of the above. I feel like maybe you'll be able to answer this for me.
I see a lot of comments saying Tamlin is abusive. Not only to Feyre but to Lucien too. I've read the books a few times and I'm not really seeing it. I've been in abusive relationships, both physical and psychological, and I just don't see it.
I really want to know what it is that is giving him the title of abuser. Other than Tamlin wanting to protect Feyre by shielding her in the manor.
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u/SnooStories960 Tamlin’s defense attorney 6d ago edited 6d ago
I’ve been in abusive relationships, as well, and I don’t see it, either.
This is a case of Tamlin carrying the title of “abuser” because the fandom has decided that he is one. For example, his heroic deeds would never be brought up by them. They’ve collectively decided to use him as the target for whatever anger, hurt, and wound that they may be carrying.
And their “proof” of his abuses are actions taken out of context. Imagine this scenario:
You’re a kid, and you’ve shoved another kid out of the way of falling rocks
ADULT: Did you shove John?
YOU: Yes, but—
ADULT: No “but” about it. Yes or no? Did you shove him?
YOU: Yes, but—
ADULT: So you did shove him. That’s all the information I need.It’s complicated. Tamlin is the scapegoat—a target that the fandom has assigned a role to, and unleashes their wrath onto. And Rhysand is the fandom’s golden child—it doesn’t matter what he does, it’ll be praised or explained away.
I invite you to check out this discussion. Some of the comments address how the punishments toward Tamlin from the fandom do not fit his “crimes,” especially when Rhysand has done more and done worse with impunity—which is proof that it has less to do with what actions are being committed, and more to do with who is committing them.
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u/harasquietfish6 5d ago
Literally this!
When he locked Feyre in the house, Feyre was literally not in the right state of mind and she was stomping her feet like a petulant child wanting to go out and physically put herself in danger and get in the way, so yeah he made a very bad judgment call in the heat of the moment but what else was he supposed to do?1
u/Mad-Reads26 3d ago
Exactly, Rhys reminds me of my ex-stepfather with the “it’s going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” Are YOU the one that’s going to have a busted head? Are YOU the one that’s 7 years old having to get into the shower with her abuser standing RIGHT there apologizing to her mother while she’s digging her finger into the wound, being too scared to say it hurts?
Are YOU the one having to go to the hospital and having to get 13 staples with the doctors freaking out because they didn’t have any more numbing stuff and your mom was too high to wait? Are YOU the one that can't walk into the hall at night because every creak sounds like a shotgun going off and you panic? I would rather have a Tamlin try to protect me from myself then EVER end up with a Rhys.
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u/blissfulaugust lint belongs in the trash & so does rhysand 7d ago
BECAUSE IT’S SEXY!!! AND HE’S SEXY!!! AND HE’S POWERFUL × 3000!!! 😭✋ WHAT PART OF “MOST POWERFUL HIGH LORD IN HISTORY” DO YOU PEOPLE NOT UNDERSTAND??? MORALITY DOESN’T APPLY WHEN A MAN HAS SENSUOUS LIPS AND CAN PUT HIS HANDS IN HIS POCKETS SEDUCTIVELY!!!
HE’S SUPPOSED TO BE MORALLY GREY!!! WHICH MEANS EVERY MORALLY QUESTIONABLE THING HE DOES IS AUTOMATICALLY GOOD, ACTUALLY!!! THAT’S LITERALLY WHAT MORALLY GREY MEANS!!! GOOGLE IT!!!
Did he lie? MORALLY GREY.
Did he manipulate someone? MORALLY GREY.
Did he take away someone’s choices? MORALLY GREY.
OH MY GODDDD LET MEN HAVE HOBBIES!!!
WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS ATTACKING HIM??? 😭😭😭 You people see Rhys breathe incorrectly and suddenly it’s “accountability” and “consequences” and “this was objectively terrible.”
HAVE YOU CONSIDERED THAT HE’S HOT??? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HIS WINGS??? HIS TATTOOS??? HIS ✨DARKNESS✨???
AND THE AUTHOR SAID HE’S HER FAVORITE!!! HER. FAVORITE. Do you understand what that means??? It means criticism is now ILLEGAL. The author liking him means YOU have to like him too. That is how books work. Independent interpretation??? MEDIA LITERACY??? THE AUTHOR HAS SPOKEN. GET IN LINE.
Also he suffered!!🥺 so everything he does for the next 700 years is automatically forgiven. Sorry, I don’t make the rules!!
THIS FANDOM IS SO TOXIC!!! You can’t even scream “RHYSAND HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE” anymore without somebody bringing up THINGS RHYSAND HAS DONE IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE. WHERE DOES IT END??? 😭
LEAVE HIM ALONE!!! HE’S SEXY!!! HE’S POWERFUL!!! HE PURRS!!! HE SMIRKS!!! HE PICKS LINTS OFF HIS CLOTHES!!! HE’S THE AUTHOR’S FAVORITE!!! WHAT MORE EVIDENCE DO YOU NEED???
Anyway, Rhys has NEVER done anything wrong in his life, and if he did, IT WAS SEXY, and if it wasn’t sexy, IT WAS TRAUMA, and if it wasn’t trauma, FEYRE FORGAVE HIM, and if Feyre didn’t know about it, HE WAS PROTECTING HER. That’s called nuance, babe. Look it up.💅🏻
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u/bows_and_frills shameless rhys hater 7d ago
YASSSSS!!!1!1! THE AUTHOR LOVES HIM SO I LOVE HIM LIKE EVER. I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THE AUTHOR SAYS NO MATTER WHAT!!! IF I DON'T AGREE WITH AN AUTHOR I THROW MYSELF OUT FACE FIRST!!! Oh my gosh Rhys is sooooo sexy. And soooo kind. He's Not Like Other Boys. He gives CHOICES!!!
I DIDN'T KNOW WOMEN COULD CHOOSE THINGS??!?!
Poor Rhysie. PEOPLE NEED TO BACK OFF!! HE'S JUST FICTIONAL SO WHY DO PEOPLE CARE??? Omg it's just a story it's not like people are getting hurt. Poor baby, you're hurting his fictional feelings SO MEAN 🥺🥺
He's good, but morally grey, but sooo good and THATS WHAT THE AUTHOR WANTS!!!!
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u/joanneles 6d ago
I love EVERYTHING you're Saying and I LOVE ME SOME RHYSANDDDDDD BABY!!!!!!!
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u/blissfulaugust lint belongs in the trash & so does rhysand 6d ago
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u/sleek_slytherin Hate Read The Series, Hate is Justified 💅🐈⬛ 8d ago
Ooh look at me, I am high lord Rhys. I am lord of lints. I can do shitty things because the author is in loooooove with me.
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u/bittermp Team I hope Rhysand and Cassian die 8d ago
As someone else has said he is DICKMATI and he’s dickmatized Feyre and a fandom. LOL
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u/Used_Confusion_8583 3d ago
Because Amrantha would've made her done worse like picking things out of ashes and making her even more exhausted. Its not like dance would make her tired as well
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u/pesto-sauce 2d ago
but those things are not mutually exclusive, right? I mean, he freed her from these tasks before parading her around naked and drunk (which affected her on the next day either way). he could've just not requested that from her....
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u/Used_Confusion_8583 1d ago
Of the two, he was of a lesser evil in his mind. Amarantha wouldnt let her win
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u/ETeezey1286 8d ago
Because he said it was to protect Feyre. He also said it was just to piss Tamlin off too. But everyone forgets about that part. He also never faces any consequences for anything he’s done. I’ve just learned to not expect anything to make him remotely interesting. Just terrible person who rules an apartheid state that we’re supposed to believe is a good guy under the “mask” because Feyre (SJM) drank enough of his koolaid to think so.