Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones Abstract  Even though the series has officially ended, everyone is still talking about Game of Thrones.  However, this high-fantasy epic, which ran on HBO, was not for everyone.  Whether because of lack of access to cable programming, concerns about the violent subject matter, or just plain lack of interest, there are actually plenty of people out there who never watched Game of Thrones.  This article is created as a primer for those who have never seen the series or were casual viewers.

 It discusses the series, including main characters, overall plot, the ending, ratings, and whether there are any spin-offs or potential spin-offs being planned.    Introduction Game of Thrones is a television show on the cable network, HBO, which was based on the George R.R. Martin fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.  The television series took its name from the first novel in the series, A Game of Thrones.

 More than many other novel adaptations, the series stays true to the events as depicted in the novels, though that was complicated by the fact that the series progressed more quickly than the novels themselves, resulting in the television writers having to choose directions for the characters.

 The series premiered in April of 2011 and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, with millions of people tuning in to see what would happen next.  While HBO had already seen tremendous success for some of its drama series, like The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and True Blood, none of their prior series efforts attracted the same number of viewers as Game of Thrones.  The show very quickly became a hit with both critics and fans.

 The show was popular enough that it boosted the fantasy genre in general, and naturally aligned with a devoted fan base for high fantasy material.  Many people believed that the scope of the story, the devotion to the story as told in the novels, the actors, and the complexity of the overall story line combined to make it one of the best television series of all time.  However, the show is not without its detractors.

 The series is one of the most violent series to be found on any type of television.  While it became a pop culture phenomenon with many children as fans, the material presented in the show was anything but child-friendly.  Not only did the show feature significant nudity, sexual behavior, and violence, it also featured a significant amount of sexual assault and even incest.

 While these events may have been true to the depictions in the novels, they also ensured that even though the show was wildly popular, it was not for every viewer.   Main Characters The complexity of the plot is one of the things that fans of the series love, but the more complex the plot, the more main characters one can expect, and Game of Thrones certainly supports that idea.  It has what may be the largest ensemble cast of main characters of any drama TV series.

 The size of the cast, combined with the popularity of the series, means that many of today’s most popular stars can trace their beginnings to Game of Thrones.  However, because the series creators and runners were not afraid to kill off beloved characters, not all of the popular stars who were on Game of Thrones lasted until the series’ conclusion.   The series, at least initially, is divided by houses or families.

 Therefore, in order to understand who the characters are in relation to each other, it is important to understand those houses.  The head of House Stark was Eddard Stark, played by Sean Bean.  Known as Ned, Eddard Stark was a Lord in a remote region.  He was married to Catelyn Tully, portrayed by Michelle Fairley.

 Catelyn and Ned have five children together: son Robb, played by Richard Madden; daughter Sansa, played by Sophie Turner; daughter Arya, played by Maisie Williams, son Bran, played by Isaac Hempstead-Wright; and son Rickon, played by Art Parkinson.  In addition, Ned had an illegitimate son, Jon Snow, played by Kit Harrington.  Jon Snow is also a member of the Night’s Watch, a military-like group that is responsible for guarding the Wall that serves as one of the borders of the land controlled by House Stark.

   As one would expect with noble houses, they also have allies.  Characters who begin the series associated with House Stark include the Night’s Watch.  The Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch is Jeor Mormont, played by James Cosmo.  Samwell Tarly, played by John Bradley, is also a member, as well as Jon Snow’s friend.  There are characters living north of the Wall, and they are known as Wildlings.

 Wildings include Gilly, played by Hannah Murray; Tormund Giantsbane, played by Kristofer Hivju; and Ygritte, played by Rose Leslie.

 Other characters associated with the starks include Ned’s ward Theon Greyjoy, played by Alfie Allen; Roose Bolton, played by Michael McElhatton; Bolton’s illegitimate son Ramsay Snow, played by Iwan Rheon; healer Talisa Maegyr, played by Oona Chapin; the blacksmith’s apprentice Gendry, played by Joe Dempsie; the assassin Jagen H’ghar, played by Tom Wlashiha; and the warrior Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendolyn Christie.  The king at the beginning of the show is Robert Baratheon, played by Mark Addy.

 The king lives in King’s Landing, along with his family and friends.  These include his wife, Cersei Lannister, played by Lena Headley; and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.  An important plot element, which is also crucial to understanding the characters is that Cersei and Jaime are not just twins, but also lovers.  They have a younger brother, Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage.  Tyrion is a dwarf.  Tyrion’s mistress is Shae, played by Sibel Kekilli.

 Tyrion also has a mercenary soldier that he has hired to protect him named Bronn, played by Jerome Flynn.  The Lannisters’ father is Lord Tywin Lannister, played by Charles Dance.  Cersei has two children, who are presumed to be the King’s children, as well, but the King suspects that they are not his.  Those two children are Joffrey, played by Jack Gleeson, and Tommen, played by Dean-Charles Chapman.

 Joffrey has a body guard, Sandor “the Hound” Clegane, who is played by Rory McCann.   There are some other characters associated with King’s Landing.  These associates of the King may be friends or foes; it is difficult to tell at the beginning of the series.

 They include Master of Coin Lord Petyr Littlefinger Baelish, played by Aidan Gillen; spymaster Lord Varys, played by Conleth Hill; Stannis Baratheon, played by Stephen Dillane; the priestess Melisandre, played by Carice van Houten; Sir Davos Seaworth, played by Liam Cunningham; Margaery Tyrell, played by Natalie Dormer; and the religious leader the High Sparrow, played by Jonathan Pryce.  It is also home to Ellaria Sand, played by Indira Varma, who is an enemy of the Lannisters.

  There is another family that plays a role in Game of Thrones, though they are not associated with a particular land.  Instead, the Targaryen family is composed of exiles.  Their family was overthrown by King Robert Baratheon.  The family consists of Viserys Targaryen, played by Harry Lloyd; and Daenerys Targaryen, played by Emilia Clarke.  Viserys arranges a marriage for his sister with Khal Drogo, played by Jason Momoa, who is the ruler of a nomadic tribe of skilled horsemen and warriors.

 Other characters associated with the Targaryen include Sir Jorah Mormont, played by Iain Glen; Missandei, played by Nathalie Emmanuel; the mercenary Daario Naharis, played by Michiel Huisman; and the military leader Grey Worm, played by Jacob Anderson.   Overall Plot The series is set in Westeros, a fictional land.  There is a Wall at the north of Westoros, which is guarded by the Night Watch.  The Night Watch discover a White Walker, a creature they believed to be mythical, in the forest north of the Wall.

 The King, Robert Baratheon, visits the Warden of the North, Ned Stark, and asks him to come serve with him because his prior helper, a role known as the Hand, has been murdered.  Ned agrees and takes his children, Sansa, Arya, and Bran with him to King’s Landing.  When they get there, they discover that Cersei Lannister, the King’s wife, is suspected of the murder of the Hand.  Bran witnesses Cersei having sex with her brother Jaime.

 Jaime shoves Bran from the window and paralyzes him.  Cersei’s brother, Tyrion, goes with Jon Snow to check out the White Walker incident.  Catelyn Stark thinks that Tyrion caused Bran’s fall, so she has him arrested.  He wins a trial by combat.  The King is killed in a hunting accident, which results in Ned being named Protector of the Realm until Joffrey comes of age. Littlefinger betrays Ned, and Joffrey orders Ned’s decapitation.

 The Lannisters arrest Sansa, but Arya escapes.  Robb is named King of Winterfell, and plans to go to war against the Lannisters.  Daenrys marries Khal Drogo, a Dothraki warlord, and beings to plan an assault on Westeros to recover the Iron Thone.  Drogo is hexed by a witch and dies.  Daenerys hatches three dragon eggs.  Tyrion become the Hand, hoping to control Joffrey.  The witch Melisandre convinces Stannis to try to claim the throne.

 Robb manages to take Jaime as a prisoner of war and gets closer to King’s Landing.  He sends Theon Greyjoy to try to create an alliance with Balon Greyjoy, but instead Theon captures Winterfell.  Bran escapes into the wilderness.  Meanwhile, Catelyn is trying to create an alliance with Renly Baratheon; he refuses and is assassinated, and Cately and her bodyguard become suspects.  They escape and rejoin Robb.

 They plan to try to swap Jaime for Sansa.  Jon Snow, who stayed behind on the Wall, discovers that infant sacrifices are occurring, and leaves to join the Wildings.  Arya is captured by the Lannisters, but they think she is a boy and have her working as a servant.  She manages to escape.  Stannis attempts an invasion of King’s Landing, but Tyrion manages to defeat him.  Daenerys is also planning an attack on Westeros, but is taken prisoner, though she eventually escapes.

 Tyrion is demoted from the position of the Hand and forced to marry Sansa.  Joffrey becomes engaged to Renly’s widow Margaery.   Jon Snow meets with the leader of the Wildings, Mance, and becomes involved with Ygritte.  Meanwhile, Robb falls in Talisa, and abandons his own arranged marriage to Roslin Frey.  The Starks are invited to the wedding, which ends up being a trap, known as the red wedding.  Robb, Catelyn, and Talisa are killed.

 Arya sees the killings, but is protected by The Hound.  Roose Bolton is rewarded for his part in the Red Wedding by being made Warden of the North.  Bran discovers that he can project himself into the body of a dire wolf.  Brienne and Jaime continue to the south, while Daenerys builds her army.  Joffrey is poisoned at his wedding, and Littlefinger helps Sansa get to freedom.

 However, he takes her to Lysa Arryn, who he does not realize has gone crazy and who attempts to kill Sansa.   When Jaime and Brienne get to King’s Landing, they discover that Sansa has escaped, and Brienne is sent to find her.  Meanwhile, Cersei arrests Tyrion, blaming him for Joffrey’s assassination.  Jaime frees him, but Tyrion kills their father.  Tyrion escapes from King’s Landing, and begins searching for Daenerys, because he thinks she can defeat Cersei.

 Brienne find Arya, but she runs away.  Meanwhile, Jon Snow is elected as the elder of the Night’s Watch.  Littlefinger tries to marry Sansa to Ramsay Bolton.  Brienne kills Stannis and Sansa avoids marriage to Ramsey.  At King’s Landing, Cersei has to walk naked through the streets as penance for her sexual behavior, which is ordered by the High Sparrow. Daenerys takes over Mereen, but she is challenged.

 When she has to escape, one of her dragons takes her to the Dothraki.  Tyrion manages to meet up with Daenerys and begins to rule in her absence.  Jon Snow tries for an alliance between the Night’s Watchmen and the Wildings, but the meeting is interrupted by the Night King.  Snow is betrayed and run through, but is raised from the dead by Melisandre.  He is reunited with Sansa at the Wall.  Snow takes back Winterfell, by defeating Ramsay.

The High Sparrow puts Cersei on trial for her crimes, and Cersei gets her revenge by killing him.  However, she also kills her son Tommen’s wife, Margaery, which causes Tommen to commit suicide.  The Dothraki take Daenerys prisoner, but she convinces them to let her go by walking through fire.  She becomes their leader.  Theon and Yara join forces with Daenerys.  Arya, who has now become an assassin, begins to avenge deaths.

 The Night King kills Bran’s mentor, and Bran takes his mentor’s place.  Daenerys heads towards Stannis’s old home.  Melisandre encourages her to start a romance with Jon Snow.  They become a couple.  Cersei also seeks an alliance, and considers marrying Euron Greyjoy.   Daenerys’s army fights with the Lannister army, led by Jaime.  Daenerys’s dragon is injured.  Jon and Daenerys call a truce with Cersei in order to capture a White Walker.

 Jon is captured, and, while Daenerys saves him, she loses a dragon in the process.  They take the captured White Walker to negotiate with Cersei.  Arya and Sansa reunite with Bran.  They discover Littlefinger’s duplicity and Sansa has him executed.  Bran finds out that Jon Snow, long believed to be Ned Stark’s bastard, is actually a Targaryen and has his own claim to the Iron Throne.

 With the help of the controlled dragon, Viserion, the Night King and the White Walkers manage to breach the Wall.   Jon finds out that he has a claim to the throne, and also that Daenerys is his aunt.  The Night King continues towards Winterfell.  Cersei joins forces with Euron Greyjoy, but is already pregnant with Jamie’s child.  Jamie arrives at Winterfell, but Bran now remembers that Jamie pushed him.

 Instead of killing him, Daenerys leaves him alive, in anticipation of the battle with the Night King.  The Night King arrives at Winterfell.  There is an epic battle (the Battle of Winterfell), but the undead quickly defeat part of the army.  Jon and Daenerys take to the skies on the two remaining dragons.  The Night King falls from the dragon he has stolen, but escapes and raises the dead to keep them from pursuing him.

  Ending After defeating the White Walker, they turn their energy to King’s Landing.  They cannot decide whether to support Jon or Daenerys.  They are ambushed by Euron Greyjoy leading troops, and he manages to kill one of the dragons (Rheagal) and destroy many of her ships.  Cersei brought the people of the city inside the Red Keep to prevent Daenerys from attacking the Keep.  Daenerys attempts bargaining, but it unsuccessful.  Jaime is taken prisoner, but Tyrion frees him.

 Tyrion tries to get Jamie to convince Cersei to surrender in order to save the city, and she eventually does.  However, Daenerys begins to destroy the city, using Drogon to barrage the city with fire.   Cersei attempts to escape.  Arya is there to kill her, but the Hound convinces her to escape instead.  Jaime gets into the Red Keep and finds Cersei.  However, their escape route is blocked, and they are killed by the crumbling rubble of the city.

 Tyrion resigns as Daenerys’s hand, and is taken prisoner for treason.  Jon visits Tyrion’s cell and asks for advice, and Tyrion recommends that he kill Daenerys.  Jon follows that advice.  Drogon melts the Iron Throne, then picks up Daenery’s body and flies away.  Tyrion faces trial, but manages to get Bran declared the ruler of all but the North, which is ruled by Sansa.  Jon is sentenced to life on the Night’s Watch.

  Ratings and Awards Game of Thrones was HBO’s most highly rated series,.