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Overview

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I think this is where we run into a number of problems regarding the way GRRM wrote Fire & Blood specifically and the way he setup Westeros more generally.

For one, the fairly homogenized nature of southron culture as well as the oversimplification of religious institutions and history means you can't quite get the same dynamism as from real life European history, with its dizzying array of languages, cultures, cuisines, fashions, etc., to mention nothing of the then-ongoing Protestant Reformation. I suppose GRRM could have had Maegor convert to the Old Gods a la Julian (II) the Apostate or the Drowned God (you just know the Ironborn are the one race on the surface of Planetos that would say King Maegor the Good with a completely straight face) or even R'hllor, which would be the best choice in terms of worldbuilding opportunities in my opinion.

Moving on, we run into a handful of problems with Maegor specifically, one of them being the length of his reign. Look, while I can't deny Maegor ruling for 6 years and 66 days is incredibly cheeky, it also isn't anywhere close to Henry VIII's 36 years as king. With so little room timeline-wise, there isn't a lot of flexibility when it comes to telling new stories and fleshing out preexisting ones and all that is before you factor in Maegor himself.

I won't hold back. For all GRRM's talk of moral ambiguity, the human heart in conflict with itself, good men who were bad kings and bad men who were good kings, etc., his Targaryen monarchs are, for the most part, numbingly one-note. Aegon I is a literal enigma, Aenys is weak, Maegor cruel, Viserys I a party animal, Aegon II and Rhaenyra mirror-images of each other in their disqualifying vices, etc. As I've written before with my post reimagining Maegor as more of a Ivan (IV) the Terrible figure there was room to make him a genuinely controversial figure of historiography but instead GRRM doubled down on sensationalism and apathy-inducing slasher porn for lack of a better word. The fact Maegor is also the first and last of Visenya's line just adds more salt to the wound but that's part of GRRM's more general (and for me personally, vexing) habit of keeping family trees incredibly small.

(I do recall another alternative someone once brought up to the late Steven Attewell. Namely, turning Maegor into the Westerosi version of Macbeth by way of Der Untergang.)

This brings me to my semifinal point. GRRM didn't have to write Fire & Blood as Procopius' Secret History on steroids with a dash of Suetonius' Lives of Twelve Caesars and I, Claudius (the entire Saera episode is practically lifted wholesale from the scandal that envelops Augustus' daughter, Julia) but he did, which is doubly disappointing because not only does the final product suck quality-wise as a result but also because there were so many other avenues available to him.

He could have written Fire & Blood as a proper history (with less focus on the sex lives of teenage girls for one) or as a mirror for princes or as a dialogue between two characters or even as a character study. You can even see GRRM struggling with the constraints imposed by his use of Gyldayn in certain sections like the death of Maelor and the entire Hour of the Wolf episode, where you get reams of dialogue and characterization as well as more traditional narrative trappings like build-up, mood setting, etc.

Now, to answer your actual question (lol), I don't think any of Henry VIII's other wives map well onto Maegor's. Tyanna is, more or less, his female counterpart in terms of cruelty and zero redeeming features and entirely a fantasy construct. Elinor and Jeyne are both married to Maegor for only a year (with poor Jeyne dying in childbirth because Jeyne Westerlings, like the Brackens, Peakes, and Florents, cannot catch a break in Westeros) and before said marriage takes place neither appears on the page. As for Rhaena, well, credit where its due, she was a rare (and unexpected) highlight of Fire & Blood.

Thanks for the question, anon

Let's go through each of the candidates, shall we?

Thanks for the question, anon

I think two things factored into this quality Walder has (and instilled in his heir, Ser Stevron):

Thanks for the question, anon

Reminder

Friendly reminder the US/UK digital discount for Tales from Mistland & Other Oddities: Volume I expires tomorrow!

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And now his watch has ended...

Found out earlier today Steven Attewell (or as some of us knew him, Race for the Iron Throne) has passed away and honestly I'm still in shock. While I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, I know from my interactions with him here on Tumblr that Steven was an honest and caring soul whose passion for a variety of topics ranging from comics and ASOIAF to politics and economics could be infectious at times. (Scratch that, ALL the time.) Indeed, if it hadn't been for him, I would never have gotten on Tumblr myself. He will be sorely missed by many, including myself. Condolences to his friends and family in this unimaginably difficult time.

Behind the Scenes - Episode #3: The Mahdi's Final Death

Come join me as I discuss what led to the creation of my Islamic sci-fi short story, The Mahdi's Final Death!

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Eid Mubarak!

To celebrate Eid Al-Fitr the eBook version of Tales from Mistland & Other Oddities: Volume I will be discounted for the next seven days in the US and UK!

Impossible to say at this point really. Bloodraven in 239 AC is not the same man he was in 233 AC but that doesn't really tell us anything about his relationship with Maester Aemon. Something for Bran's TWOW chapters or (more likely in my estimate) a future D & E tale to explore (possibly one covering Dunk's journey to the Wall as part of Maester Aemon's honor guard), especially since voting is supposed to be anonymous.

Thanks for the question, anon

I think Jon Arryn is one of those characters who is exactly as people describe him. In other words, honorable and competent while still being a product of his time and place.

Thanks for the question, anon

I think Arianne's antagonistic relationship with Quentyn, coupled with Quentyn's negative past experiences with the Sand Snakes (whom Arianne is noticeably close to) would color any interaction between their individual social circles and not in a good way.

Thanks for the question, anon

While I didn't watch all that much DBZ growing up, I absolutely did play a ton of the PS2 era video games (including all three Budokais and Tenkaichi 2). As an adult, I've enjoyed playing FighterZ and watching the last two movies (Broly, Super Hero) in theaters. All that said, the man left behind an impressive legacy and will be missed by a great many number of people.

As we say in Arabic, "inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un."

Thanks for the question, anon

Sarella/Alleras would probably have acquitted themselves well but they ain't no match for the likes of Anguy, Balon Swann, and Jalabhar Xho.

Thanks for the question, anon

I am of two minds on this.

That said, there's no way to be sure short of a Joffrey POV and I doubt anyone would want to read about a 13yo choking to death as seen through said 13yo's eyes. (Cersei would have made for an interesting choice (if only because it would parallel Catelyn) but I'm not sure such a one-off works as well as it does with Melisandre in ADWD and does not with Arys Oakheart in AFFC.)

Thanks for the question, anon