Three years have passed since one of the greatest series of all time bowed out of the limelight. Yet, it remains fresh in the viewer’s hearts. Partly because it ended so horribly. And partly because it was the greatest show to ever air on television to date. We’re talking about the ever-famous Game of Thrones, of course! Fans have just returned to Westeros after a three-year hiatus, and Game of Thrones is the talk of the day again. Though House of the Dragon (set 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones) has dropped its first episode, fans are wondering if the show can ever dream of achieving the attention Game of Thrones once enjoyed. Based on the novels by George RR Martin, or GRRM, the high fantasy series focuses on the grittier aspects of a fantasy tale, which the Lord of The Rings deliberately left out.
Game of Thrones is set in the fictional continent of Westeros, where after a long summer, an even longer winter is fast approaching. Summers in Westeros last for years, and winters sometimes linger for a generation. And with the advent of winter, a malevolent force is marching south from the far north: The White Walkers.
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At its core, Game of Thrones is an elaborate drama that encompasses the conflict between eight great houses: The Starks, Lannisters, Baratheon, Targaryen, Tully, Arryn, Martel, and Greyjoy. As the series progresses, we are introduced to a wide range of characters who have morally questionable ambitions and relationships.
Though the primary storyline takes place South of Westeros, we follow another storyline in the north. The Brotherhood of the Night’s Watch, a thousand-year-old order, is in ruins. They are the defenders against the wildlings and ghouls that lurk beyond the Great Wall of Westeros that divides the continent into two (still wondering where Donald Trump got his idea?).
After the Long Night, a mythical event that occurred eight thousand years ago, Westeros is oblivious of the dangers the Army of the Dead portrays. Over the eons of years that passed since the continent has forgotten the horrors of the undead and believes that the Night’s Watch is a silly organization filled with crooks and imbeciles. However, in the series pilot itself, we are introduced to the White Walkers, meaning the threat is very real.
As the great fantasy unfolds, viewers are constantly taken aback by the sheer lack of plot armor in the story. Even some main characters sometimes drop dead like flies. The characters are highly complicated, and there is no definite hero. Instead, we’re left to forge our own way on whom to support.
Also Read: House Of The Dragon Review: Westeros Returns In Style
Why Game of Thrones Remain Popular?
Ultimately, the success of the story boils down to 2 crucial aspects: Realism and Unpredictability. In other TV series, heroes survive, a secondary character may perish on their quest, and the evil villain gets defeated. Such heroes are usually one-dimensional characters who are monotonous and fixed on their endgame. However, that’s not how it plays out in Game of Thrones. In this show, the stories are stark and unabashed. No one is entirely good, and no one is entirely bad (well, except for a couple of psychopathic characters, perhaps). Though considered a High Fantasy, the series is a well-made medieval drama at its heart.
The characters do questionable things for the betterment of their family, and alliances are forged for the greater good. Even the best of the characters sometimes make mistakes and ends up paying dearly for it (like good old Robb Stark), while some characters strike it big because he/she was there at the right place at the right time (enter Ser Bronn of Blackwater Bay). The show has its popularity (and notoriety) hidden behind its brilliant writing and excellent cast, and the first few seasons of Game of Thrones enjoyed a fan following like no other show since or before. The story also focuses on solving problems through diplomacy and tactics than by doing the morally right stuff because the unforgiving world of Westeros couldn’t care less if you’re morally right or wrong. Some people play the Game of Thrones with flair, while others fail and exit the game early.
So, what is the secret ingredient? Two basic things: competent storytelling and strong characters. Even today, you can find hundreds of thousands of fans of Tywin Lannister, even though he is considered a “bad guy” by many. But you know you’re watching a good show when even the enemies’ actions can be justified in some way or the other, and you fall in love with a character that crippled a young boy for life. At the same time, Jon lets the wildling to the other side of the wall, Robb marrying a girl out of love while forsaking an oath he gave to another lord, and the mistakes of the honest fool, Ned Stark, have the audience shaking their heads sadly.
Game of Thrones is cruel; Game of Thrones is unkind. And when you play the Game of Thrones, you either win, or you die. There is no middle ground.
Read more: Why Is Game Of Thrones Ending So Bad?
