Entertainment: A Guide To Game Of Thrones For Those Who Are New To The Story


Let me break it down to you slow and easy because as you guessed right off the bat I am a die hard fan. Game of Thrones is more than just a show about dragons, sex, nudity, incest, violence and seven castles. It is the compound of a thrilling history brought out by wistful banter between powerful people and intellectual misfits who rise through smart moves and split-second decisions that determine if they live or die. Beginning with a shocking scene where a child is thrown off a 100 feet building for the sake of a five-minute romp, this is a show that communicates clearly the back deals and brawls involved in the rise to power.  

Jaimie throws Bran for witnessing an incest affair. Image from https://heteronomy.wordpress.com/author/theoria/

I mean what else does the world revolve around if not sex? What’s ‘unique’ here is that sometimes it can happen between siblings. So if your family has those good genes and you cannot see anyone as handsome past your brother in the whole 7 kingdoms, (continent) please don’t act on your feelings. Just watch Game of Thrones to let that beast out.

Religion and Medieval Themes

Game of thrones redefines great medieval stories by inserting twists and turns but maintaining some plots which inspire you to reimagine how ancient times must have been.

Scene: the battle between Mountain man and Martel is the reinvention of the battle between David and Goliath only that David dies and in a horrible way, you wouldn’t wish upon your enemy. As Goliath did in the Bible.

Among the many medieval themes in this series, Cersei’s life reflects perfectly what Mkamzee Mwatela from Mali says. Villains are just good people who continue to make bad decisions. I agree.

Scene; Cersei walks naked through the streets as an atonement for her incest relations. Later she burns down a whole sept, as revenge against her enemies who made her face this naked truth. (looks like she borrowed a thing or two from Sodom and Gomorrah).

Image from https://www.creativecow.net/interstitial.php?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.creativecow.net%2Fstory.php%3Fid%3D882315&id=0


GoT is deeper than incest and sex positions. The Kamasutra moves push the plot forward but nothing is done without a reason. More importantly, is how diversity is brought out in terms of gender and sexuality. It makes you imagine if people walked naked how many of these connotations and societal standards of today’s world would we have behind primal instincts?

In matters relating to the LGBTQ community, we are made to see how sexuality is a spectrum and not a millennial thing.

Politcal dejavus and dragons

The show maintains roles of the clergy, advisors and prophets who stood behind rulers to give advice and pass judgement if people forsook the “right” ways. Just like the priests and prophets in the Bible did, and many others who stood behind powerful kings (Nathan and David, Elijah and Ahab, Samuel and Saul) and queens, like Esther.

Game-of-thrones-season-6-finale, Loras-Tyrell-high-sparrow. Image from http://www.wetpaint.com/game-of-thrones-season-6-recap-1503009/

The prophets in this show deliver warnings (ancient prophecy of Azor Ahai) while the priests try to nib the moral rot at the bud. However, what’s intriguing is how you cannot stand to judge a character by their actions. The lines between right and wrong are blurred. Well, except king Joffrey’s. Who clearly as part of “the redhead Lannisters rulers of Westeros, symbolise how GoT stands as the inspiration that upset the political arena in the US.” Says Kit Harrington who plays Jon Snow.

Game of throne’s King joffrey with wife margaery. Image from https://www.latintimes.com/game-thrones-season-4-episode-2-spoilers-expect-these-best-moments-lion-and-rose-164172

Pretty innovative for a show that began in 2011 before Donald Trump.

Hence, if you liked Vikings, breaking bad, suits, house of cards and  Lord of the rings, Game of thrones is just better. Case in point; Where else do you find dragons if they are not in the fight with witches against good or bad people? The world is a grey area and so are people.

Enigmatic thrill. Theme song/opening

GoT is that show where fans paid and would still do,  to go and watch the opening theme song, fire and ice at the orchestra. It’s a no brainer GoT redefined fantasy. You watch, then want to read the book and vice versa. What a genius is the author George R.R Martin who created this fantasy world and David Benioff (screen writer) and D.B Weiss (Tv producer) who brought it to television.


The visual and sound effects, VFX,  location screenplay, bring out the scenes until you feel your spirit connect with a character. However, just when it gets serious, they die. As in life. It’s never that serious.  

Meritocracy and character development

The show identifies with everyone in the plot without denying the supporting characters the camera time they so deserve. Each character in the show owns their own story highlighting how much thought and effort went into developing the roles and personalities of the contenders for the iron throne.

Tyrion with varys a castrated eunuch skilled in causing chaos and conspiracies. Image from https://medium.com/@ypsifactj/tyrion-lannister-meet-tyrion-lannister-932d34c92da3

In GOT its the misfits who make the show shine. Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, even the mother of dragon Daenerys Targaryen. Everyone is the main character of their story and not the show itself. As in life.


You cant help but love the women in this show. From pretty little princess Sansa to evil Cersei. However, with time, you get attached to these characters for reasons that you can justify.

The power of the female is highly illuminated in this show taking you through roller coasters of societal issues and beliefs that women face in modern society. Heck, in reality, it’s not a fight for the iron throne, but it is a fight to be.

Image from http://www.bostonmail.net/game-of-thrones-one-liners-that-make-killer-instagram-captions/

For instance; Daenerys, (Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons. Oh, we love this introduction), starts out as a young, naive, jaw drop-dead gorgeous sister to a brother who is bent on using her to get to the throne. She gets raped, and falls in love. We fall in love with her man Khal Drogo.  But just when we are ready for the couple to rule the iron throne Drogo dies from a witch hunt. Moving on with the pain and embarking on a  journey of self-discovery, Khaleesi learns to be the mother of her dragons, liberate slaves, rule towns and conquer kingdoms. She forms alliances left, right and center and you cannot help but root for the fierce queen she is becoming.

Daenerys quote. Image from. https://goatofthrones.com/best-game-of-thrones-quotes-season-4-episode-5/

It is no secret that even though this story has several paths,  basically it remains as the story of a young woman whose voice is denied, literally because the brother doesn’t like hearing her speak.  She is sold off into marriage for material wealth, suffers through abuse, loses a child, redefines herself, conquers her enemies and is still on a fight to add the big wins to her name while changing the world. 

On a light note. Who is Cersei not to drop one of these.


I mean you could opt to be the victim of your story or own your womanhood and harness that power to things that matter in your life.


This is a riveting story that shows how the decisions we make cause ripple effects that come to define us and offset the future simultaneously. To put it simply the origin of Game of Thrones is a prophecy (Azor Ahai) which was made in ancient times about a king, who will be born of fire and ice to become the ruler of the seven kingdoms. However, as you can tell the plot is deeper than my basic summary. Decisions, actions based on love/lust, power moves, play in determining who survives and who doesn’t. 

I mean the whole revolution and war for the iron throne began because of a lie. That a king from the house of Targaryen (Rhaegar Targaryen) had kidnapped a betrothed queen from the house of Starks (Lyanna Stark) and assaulted her. When in reality they had just fallen in love and eloped leaving behind their betrothed.  One move, of a couple in love and ready to sacrifice the throne for it, causes the ripple effect that defines why many had to lose their heads fighting for a myth.  

In retrospect depending on how you look at it GoT ascribes to the legend of the Phoenix (rising from the ashes) as it does to the legend of the black plague. Ashes, ashes, we all fall down. 


Power and Sacrifice

The show hints at the stories of powerful figures of the past, how they may have risen, what it may have taken them to rise to these positions and why they did what they did. With power comes responsibilities is a saying enforced in each and every episode. Rhaegar Targaryen is the character we will never meet but who sets this show in motion for 8 seasons.

With season 8 serving us 6 episodes for the finale, it is hard to figure out what will become of the iron throne and what a world it would be for the ruler of seven kingdoms. If memory serves me right GOT is where you can have the kingdom and no people to rule, if not a white walker who survived somewhere and is trying to raise another army with a human.

Strange times, strange times. Winter is here.

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Featured image via popcultnews


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