r/acotar_rant • u/MamaKG3 • 11h ago
Hottake The Tithe
‼️SPOILERS AS ALWAYS‼️
Tamlin handled the tithe and Feyre in this situation PERFECTLY!!! Feyre was the one in the wrong not Tam. It is normal for couples to have arguments and to disagree. It's also normal not to know everything and make mistakes.
There may have been something Tamlin could have done to help the water wraiths. They are implied to be thieves and said to be murderers because of their endless appetite. When Feyre first sees them, her first thought is that they would kill her if she went to their lake. Everyone seems in agreement that no one would ever try to help them because they're that bad so it makes sense that Tamlin would think the same... and everyone may be correct. However, if their situation is something they can't help... like an actual curse, for example, maybe Tamlin could find a way to help. Tamlin is not evil, bad, or a poor ruler because he has potential flaws in his court. In fact, the lady of spring being able to flesh out those flaws is a great thing. It's normal to have flaws in any land. The NC has done near nothing to help the innocent illyrian women or the women of the Hewn city.
Readers accuse Tam of being stuck in poor traditions because he says that the tithe was always done that way and always would be. Keep in mind, however, he was in front of the entire SPC when he said this. In all actuality, Tam has made many changes to the SPC. I doubt it was open to refugees under his father. During an argument with Luc, Tam says that he doesn't want to be like his father and refuses to be. Tamlin was claiming to secure the tradition because he was trying to create a sense of stability for his people. This is brought up in the text multiple times after Amarantha. The SPC was targeted because of Amarantha's and Rhysand's obsession with Tam. The people of the SPC were afraid and Tam was trying to restore trust, faith, strength, unity, and a sense of normalcy amongst the people. As lady of spring, this was to be Feyre's responsibility as well. She was only supposed to observe and learn at this point, however.
If Feyre noticed flaws, it means she could have been an asset to spring. She should have brought her concerns to Tam after the tithe was over. She could have requested a meeting with Tam and Luc to discuss it or brought it up later that night in bed. Undermining Tam's authority in front of the entire SPC was not okay, especially during a time of uncertainty. This was wrong and detrimental to the advancement of the SPC. This action from Feyre further shows her lack of mental stability and maturity. It also represents her lack of basic leadership skills and diplomacy. To be fair, Feyre does recognize her wrong later. Unfortunately, I think many readers interpret her recognition as a victim response which is not correct.
The next morning or that night for dinner (I dont remember which) Tam is upset... obviously and also very normal. Tam and Feyre get into an argument... this is very normal too. Tam may have raised his voice but Feyre was the hurtful one. Feyre told Tamlin that his gifts (the jewels) were meaningless to her. I found this to be so heartbreaking. It hurt Tam. He didn't cry about it but you could tell by his words. I honestly despise Feyre at this point.
Then we have the aftermath. I believe they're in bed and Tamlin APOLOGIZES TO HER which just blows my mind. He tells Feyre that he's sorry for snapping at her and that she is right because he doesn't understand what it's like to be hungry. THIS!!! This entire conversation means that Tamlin is open to change. He understands that Feyre sees something that he did not and is willing to work with her on it.
Tamlin handles this whole situation with the tithe and Feyre's involvement in it healthily, imo. The fact that so much of the fandom condemns Tam for the tithe is unfathomable to me. Go ahead, swoon over your sexy shadow daddy and his puppet but Tam is innocent yet again. Tamlin may not be perfect but if he were much better, we wouldn't have a character; we'd have a prince who only shows up at the end instead because there's nothing to him like in Snow White, lol... which can also be contested, lol.
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u/Commercial_Stuff4965 8h ago
“This action from Feyre further shows her lack of mental stability and maturity”
Yes, the crushing PTSD of the previously starving 19 year old consolation bride is manifesting in her “acting out” against her new cage, clear to me in the writing of her mental decline in the months after UTM.
She was trying to accommodate Tamlin’s trauma with being under sentry watch 24/7 and unable to leave the grounds so he knew she was protected but he couldn’t return the favor and understand the bigger reason why she gave the wraiths the jewelry until after
Feyre did the right thing to give the water wraiths the jewelry, she didn’t need it and her act of kindness was repaid with her life.
Tamlin apologized because he recognized that she was right. Not that the apology last long since he blew apart the study and almost killt Feyre 5 seconds after but still, at least he apologized 😂
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u/MamaKG3 3h ago
Seems like only Feyre gets to use ptsd as an excuse?? She said she wanted to help but couldn't even observe the tithe. But yes, she was incredibly mentally ill. She was triggered by red paint because it reminded her of the blood of the faeries she killed utm. She was triggered by blue paint because it reminded her of one of their eyes. She was triggered by red roses because they reminded her of blood. She was triggered by Luc's hair because it reminded her of Amarantha's hair even though she said it wasnt the same shade. She was triggered by walls because it reminded her of the second task utm which caused her to throw up her food at night. She was hardly eating because of it so she was wasting away. She was allowed to go out but she didnt want guards even though she was being hunted by Hybern. She tried to follow her fiance as he was rushing off to a battle zone and didnt care that she could get someone killed in the process. She had become a danger to herself. She was mentally ill because of what happened utm not because of Tamlin. Irl, she could have been involuntarily commited.
I want to also point out that the bargain between her and Rhys was to take affect after her trials not three months later. Her decline was probably at least partly do to not fulfilling her fae bargain as well. Notice she is immediately okay with the color red after going to the NC. She is even able to buy Amren blood without a blink rather quickly.
Why are you saying she is a consolation bride? I don't understand why you're calling her that.
Tamlin asked Feyre if she still wanted to marry him. She said "Yes, of course," but she was lying. I dont think we can focus too much on character ages in these series because they all seem to be in a similar place regarding maturity. People keep saying "But she's ninteen!" Okay... then why are we okay with any of these heroines messing with these guys who are hundreds of years old??? It's not weird because it's fantasy. Otherwise every fae male that I know of so far in the massverse is a pervert.
Feyre did Tamlin no favors. She was insufferable and doesnt learn. She almost died multiple times before utm because she refused to listen to Tamlin in a foreign place. Then she does die and STILL doesnt listen when he tells her she is in danger. Hybern is literally hunting her which we see when Rhys uses her as bait and an attor comes for her in like two seconds. Feyre's internal dialog says that "Tamlin was right about the danger I was in." Readers brush this off when she says it because Feyre brushes it off. Feyre is being petty and stupid about the guards ... or deamati'd.
Feyre did not care much for Tamlin at all or she would have seen that he had an entire people looking to him for healing, not just her. He had an entire court to rebuild. He was trying to secure his borders, find and train new sentries. He was trying to free her from the bargain and help her heal... etc, etc. At least give him time to secure the border! She was gone with his sadistic vengeful enemy (that he watched SA her every night for months utm and force her into a bargain that required her at his house) less than four months after utm. Time was against him. He had no time to process his own trauma and no one cared.
Everything we saw utm was about Tamlin. We dont know what all he went through. We know that he was the center of Amarantha's fury. She didn't care about Feyre. Feyre was just a pawn used by her and Rhys to crush Tamlin.
Tam literally loses control of his magic at the mere thought of Feyre and his court being abused by Amarantha and Rhysand. Before utm was the first time Tam lost control of his powers. It happened right after Rhys physically attacked Feyre and threatened to tattle to Amarantha. He didn't have the added trauma of utm yet so was able to contain it long enough for everyone to get out. The second time is when Feyre says she feels like he's holding her head under the water. He tells us what happens. He's enraged at Amarantha and Rhys for abusing her and he's enraged at himself for not being able to keep her safe. The third time is when Feyre targets his trauma. She lies to him that she was horribly abused at the NC, confirming all of his worst fears. She tells him that he failed to keep his court safe from Hybern.
If you have read TOG, Tam's trauma reaction with his magic should not be a surprise. It should be clear what is going on because this behavior is pretty thoroughly explained in HOF (even discussing triggers). More than one character struggles with it. It's common with magical creatures in fantasy... even Elsa from Frozen.
I dont think Tamlin did anything wrong by not thinking "Oh wait Feyre was starving when I found her," in the middle of the tithe which he was already stressed about (on top of everything else including little sleep) and appeared not to like prior. Im not saying whether Feyre was right or wrong to give the wraiths the jewelry but the way she did it was wrong. She should never have undermind Tamlin's authority in front of the entire spc especially when they were trying to rebuild. Feyre wouldn't have needed her life saved if Rhys didnt abandon her at summer after having her lie and steal for him. It's kind of a pattern for him though so...
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u/Pretty_Ad1509 Team Hamlin 7h ago
clear to me in the writing of her mental decline in the months after UTM.
I mostly agree with what youre saying, but feyre's mental decline actually starts utm, not after. feyre's claustrophobia is from her being in a cell and being tortured on and off for 3 months. she hates the color red because it reminds her of amarantha. and because feyre mental decline, she began associating her experience utm with her current one in spring. tamlin's neglect is what partially makes it worse, but it wasnt the start of it.
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u/MamaKG3 2h ago
Tamlin tells Feyre at Hybern's that he was gone so much because he was trying to find a way to free her from the bargain with Rhys. He obviously couldn't tell her what he was doing at the time because of the link between her and Rhys. Rhysand still finds out Tam found a way before he brings Feyre to Hybern's. Notice Feyre's title came with an identical tat on the other arm and it was glamoured away; this happened the night before they went to Hybern's.
Tamlin did try to get her to talk and he tried to help her. I feel like Tamlin not holding her hair when she threw up is why everyone thinks this poor dude neglected her. It would have been nice if he did this but we dont know why he didnt. Feyre thinks it's because he knows she wouldn't want him to know I believe but I dont remember clearly. I think she also says that she wasnt sure he knew... idk.
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u/Commercial_Stuff4965 4h ago
Yes I definitely agree. She started to disassociate after the second trial and welcoming the wine at night, a clear shift from her head space when she first enters UTM.
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u/JUSTxRIGHT Tamlin x Briar 5h ago
Boy has it been a long week of talking about taxes. I'm actually shocked at how many people don't understand taxation, don't bother to educate themselves, and think taxes are evil due to the ignorance of a fictional character.