Season 1 -Game of Thrones

(The TV Series, not the book)

[SPOILER ALERT]

Game of Thrones is one of the greatest TV shows ever, with its unique plot which is filled with suspense, political turmoil, conspiracies, backstabbing and diabolical characters. One of the most interesting features of GoT is that all the characters are flawed, just like us. So even though it’s set in a medieval period and in the fictional land of Westeros, one can actually relate to the characters of GoT. After all, it only shows a mother loving her children so fiercely that she is willing to go to any lengths for them, people turning against a noble and just man, a boy who feels lost because he doesn’t fit in the world he lives in, a woman who isn’t loved by her husband, a lover in so much grief that he has forgotten even himself, a spoiled brat who believes the world is his dollhouse. GoT is just a world where everyone is looking out for themselves and sometimes, for the people they care about. Isn’t that what we do in the real world?

GoT is one of my favourite TV shows. Yes, it has mind-blowing animations with dragons and direwolves, inhuman killings and lots of nudity. Who wouldn’t love it, right? I totally love it. But there are some really disturbing scenes that have been giving me sleepless nights. Yes, you heard right because I tend to do this thing while watching a good TV show or movie or reading an amazing book; I get awfully attached to the characters. So, here are the things that’s been really bothering me.

1.     Viserys was a fool, no doubt. Just because he was the heir of an overthrown king, he believed the world should bow their heads to him and kiss his feet. Besides, if you want to lead someday, you need to learn how to follow, right? Oh! He was an annoying little prick, alright! But what really vexed me was the way he treated his sister, Daenerys, belittling and disregarding her all the time. Nothing has irked me more than when he said “I would let his whole tribe fuck you, all 40,000 men and their horses too, if that’s what it took”. Like hello, we are talking about a living, breathing person here.  Good thing he got what he deserved (he was asking for it) when Drogo put a golden crown on his head.

2.    I understand why Catelyn hated Jon so much, when she loved her children so unconditionally because it is obviously normal to hate your husband’s bastard. But what I don’t understand is that she held no resentment towards Ned (I mean, it is undoubtedly hard to not love such an honourable man but still), her husband who cheated on her and had a child with another woman. Is it the child’s fault that he is a bastard? Did he ask for it?

3.    Drogo did love Dany in his own weird way but say what you may; it was practically a rape in her wedding night (or dusk). It was a sad scene, with Dany silently sobbing and accepting her fate. And I wonder, if maybe it’s a regular practice in many marriages. All the more reason to criminalize marital rape in India, I think.

4.    I, personally, think that Ned Stark was the best character in Season 1. So, imagine my surprise when he was beheaded. I was pretty sure it was a hoax and he would be back in the show somehow but in my defense, I was young and naïve (like Sansa Stark) and wasn’t accustomed to the methods and rules of GoT. Ned Stark confessed to a list of crimes he didn’t commit but I wish he did commit them. I wish he had seized the throne for himself and Voila! All’s well in the world and there would have been no further game of thrones just like if Bhishma had just sat on the damn throne there wouldn’t have been a Kurukshetra war! But then, there would have been no Mahabharata, today, as well.