So you wanna know more about Game of Thrones (GoT) eh? You might be late to the party but that's okay. Here's 6 basic things you need to know about the popular American TV series.
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
(Screencap of GOT title card via mybroadband.co.za)
Before you read the 6 things, watch a behind the scenes trivia below:
(Video credit: Looper via YouTube)
6. The HBO series is based off of George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel book series called A Song of Ice and Fire.
This fantasy show is set in The Known World which is like the medieval times where dragons and magical zombie-like people and creatures exist. Who knew this would be GoT in all it's glory?
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
No it's not an HBO horror show even if it has "zombie makers" called White Walkers (representing the Ice) and some other mythical creatures like fire-breathing dragons (which can also represent the Fire). It’s not too much of a magic world either where wizards or magicians abound but they do have a kind of religious fanaticism and psychic powers and mysticism going on too.
To summarize the series, think political adult bickering or people in power wanting to rule the world and killing those who stand in their way. It’s more on politics and religion and how power affects people. And then of course there's the coming unification of everyone in The Known World in order to fight against their fantasy world threat: the White Walkers and their army of wights.
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
You may also either hate it or love it depending on your cultural upbringing even if you have or haven't read the books. Why? Well, expect to see some cringe-worthy scenes every season because medieval people can be barbaric and brutal as compared to our modern and civilized times.
5. Conservatives be warned: Taboo topics will be thrown in your face.
Here’s a taboo check list to read before watching any GoT episode.
- Incestuous relationships
- Prostitution & nudity
- Rape/sex scenes, torrid kissing scenes and gay sex
- Cannibal activities
- Fanaticism in their religion or cult like activities
- Graphic violence, murder & abuse, human brutality.
- Vulgar/profane language
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
If you're fine with seeing the things listed above on TV then you should be okay after one episode. Of course all of those listed are not in every episode; maybe just two or more per show.
Those numbed to seeing such might not be too bothered in watching any of the listed topics so it is definitely not for conservative people. In fact, conservatives or Christians warn viewers about the above issues being in the show. However you just might be a fan one day if your curiosity outweighs the lack of conventional moral values in this adult fantasy series.
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
4. The Known World is a world where royal bastards have their own last name depending on which region they are born in.
So there are Northern people and Southern people and people in between in the land of Westeros where the story is mostly set. And who is the male star of the show named Jon Snow? He is supposedly the bastard of the Lord of Winterfell, an honorable man and northerner named Eddard “Ned” Stark. Since Ned was from the northern region, Jon has the last name of Snow and not Stark.
(Photo credit uploaded by TAnthony via Wikipedia)
As each region has their own last name for royal bastards, if however you were an unacknowledged child and are lowborn then you will never be able to use those last names. Common folk bastards, even with royalty in their blood, never get a last name unless he/she is legitimized. King Robert Baratheon’s son Gendry would be the perfect example. Waters would be Gendry's last name if he was to get one, being the hidden highborn son of a Southerner King.
How does one get legitimized in their world then? Well the son of another Lord in the North, Ramsay Snow, got legitimized by royal decree. All he did was retake a moat for his father. Easier said than done just for legitimization eh?
3. Tragedies happen each season and good / honorable people get murdered.
If you prefer stories with heroes or the good people not dying then you should probably watch another TV series. You might get depressed or angry over watching good people die from the evil qualities of men as you will see a lot of injustices in every episode. Someone usually dies each season at the very least. Hey who’s to blame these characters? They are living in medieval times so it should be normal for them.
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
People must have really done barbaric activities back then but it still makes one think if maybe we are just unaware of the same situations happening in the present somewhere we don’t know. With that in mind, the show might leave a bad taste in your mouth if you abhor seeing the goodness of men being trumped by the vilest human qualities.
2. Long seasons are normal and with the cold season comes a great evil, thus the phrase “Winter is coming.”
GoT royal families have mottoes, and the above is the Stark family's saying. It also means the winter season brings about the White Walkers. These sentient and magical evil beings come and invade The Known World and turn dead bodies into undead beings called wights.
(Photo credit: Helen Sloan/HBO via thisisinsider)
Why are these creatures scary and how do they grow an army? It doesn't happen through infection like a zombie virus that's for sure. Actually one gets raised from the dead by White Walker magic and get icy blue eyes after which it is then called a wight. The only way to prevent the turning is if someone burns the dead body. Also White Walkers can't be destroyed except when using certain weapons like Valyrian Steel or anything made of Dragonglass (obsidian).
Everyone in Westeros or maybe the whole Known World better find more of those to win over thousands of those scary beings. This is what is to come in Season 9. I'm excited to see what the ending will be.
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
In this George R. R. Martin world, summers and winters can last for years, decades or even generations, thus people always have to be prepared for the legendary invasion of White Walkers as soon as the temperature drops. Their world certainly has no devils showing up anywhere. Heaven or hell seems inexistent but old/new gods, dragons and White Walkers do.
Want to see the series' main antagonists? Check out this video.
(Video credit: ScreenPrism via YouTube)
1. Don't Buy Into The Hype.
To non-fans of the series, it is probably primarily just known for its nudity and sex scenes. After one watches an episode, one might not see why the series is popular aside from it having dragons and being controversial. You don’t even get to see any dragons until the end of season 1!
(Photo credit via Pixabay)
But apart from all the taboo in the story line, after watching all the episodes up until season 8, one can definitely see other elements in it that can be appreciated. There’s the beautiful set and costumes, pretty boys and girls plus the interesting fantasy world culture.
If we compare it to The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) film trilogy, it’s only similarity would probably be being a story set in a magical fantasy medieval world.
Like the LOTR books, maybe we will get a GoT movie too after the series finally ends in 2019? Who knows what the future holds? Let's just wait and see.
Want to go ahead and buy disc copies or boxed sets of Game of Thrones? Click here to find the best deals on eBay!
For my other TV related blogs, read below:
- 10 Things a Non-Fan Should Know About Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV Series (Spoiler alert!)
- Hunter X Hunter and Naruto: A Closer Look and a Comparison Between Two Amazing Animes
- Saw the Launch of Bollywood Channel Zee Sine yesterday
- Giorgio Tsoukalos was at the 1st Ever History Con in the Philippines!
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