I'm about to commit sacrilege.
I'm not a Game of Thrones fan. I'm a fantasy and science fiction author who doesn't
like Game of Thrones.
When it first came out, I watched a few episodes, enough to decide I didn't like it.
At the urging of friends, I tried. I really did.
But I hated everyone.
Admittedly, some of the people are written to be utterly deplorable. Almost everyone,
really. My two favorite to hate, of course, are Joffrey and Dany's brother, whatever
that slimey creature's name was.
And I know they got what they deserved, but I would argue, for a show that was willing
to push a little boy out a tower window in -- what was it? the series opener? -- it took
far, far too long for Darling Brother to get his.
Okay, I just went out to a web site. Verys Targaryen. It took 6 episodes. I had stopped
watching by then. And it was a fitting death, quite horrible.
But that snivveling little tyrant, Joffrey. Fourth season. Fourth! Even knowing he
dies, and at least somewhat unpleasantly, wouldn't make it worth watching three full seasons
with him. And then is death was far too easy. Pleasant? No. But far too quick, for what
a little shit he was.
In the meantime, while Emilia Clarke is great eye candy, and she seems very sweet in
interviews, the clips of her all make her seem wooden, and her character not very
strong. Instead, she's surrounded by strong people (and dragons). Okay, the dragons
are really cool. But didn't she have a bunch of eggs? What happened? I don't know.
I do know one of the white walkers, or whatever they called, threw a javelin an amazingly
impossible distance, leading to the death of one of them. I don't know what happened to the rest.
Sorry. Distracted by dragons. Can you blame me? But her best kick-ass scene (according to
the limited clips I've seen on YouTube) is when she takes over the slave army.
That wasn't bad, although she came across as incredibly wooden through most of it.
But usually, her ass-kicking is done by everyone else, and we see scene after scene where
someone else has to save her. She just sits there. She doesn't do so much as pull
a knife. I'm sorry, bug Gabrielle is far more kick ass. She sure does act entitled,
however. Not that I would have wanted her life.
I think my two favorite characters (from limited watching) are Arya Stark and Peter
Dinklage, Tyrion. Arya turns into a real ass-kicker, and
brilliant besides. If anyone deserves the iron throne, she's on the list.
Peter Dinklage puts in, in my opinion, the best performance of the entire cast.
He gets all the good lines. That helps. He's my runner up for the Iron Throne.
Of course, from what I can tell, he'd dust it off for Dany.
Jon Snow... is boring. Okay, he's a classic hero, more or less. Epic books are written
about the Jon Snows of fantasy novels. He's the closest GoT has to Strider, as best I can
tell. And he's... boring. Maybe I wouldn't say that if I actually watched. Or maybe I
would still think he's boring.
Of course, everything above is coming from someone who stopped watching after, I think,
three episodes. And from time to time, I think I should watch. But then I remember that
means 3 entire seasons of Joffrey, and I just can't do it, even knowing he eventually
gets his.
I think I wouldn't mind understanding the plot a little better. I've read a few
writeups, but it's just so darned confusing, and I just don't care enough.
But the final season has begun. This is my homage to a show that has been the talk of
the country for 7 years (when we're not lamenting the current political climate).
Right or wrong, love it or hate it, you can't escape Game of Thrones.
Who do you think will take the Iron Throne? Does Dany survive? Do her remaining dragons?
Does Jon Snow take a second, more permanent death? After all, isn't it his destiny to
die heroically? Does Dany step aside for Jon to take the throne? Does he?
Or do the men from the north prevail? It's Game of Thrones. On one is safe.
I'm pretty sure it won't be Peter Dinklage, but wouldn't that just be totally awesome?