Game of Thrones it is one of the works that have most influenced the recent era of television. Its reach was exceptional, managing to engage a gigantic audience throughout the 10s. It was an extremely ambitious TV series, but it has a bet amply repaid, leading it to become a touchstone for success on the small screen. If you haven't visited the continent of Westeros, it is time to fill this gap and we are ready to explain why. And yes, we will also talk about the ending, but without making any spoilers, I promise.
Game of Thrones, the fight for the Iron Throne and beyond
To summarize in a few lines the plot of this show is definitely difficult. The main obstacle is the variety of narrative strands, which separate, intertwine, transform and sometimes disappear, replaced by all new ones. However we try, trying to give an overview of the situation from which the show starts.
We are Great Winter, most important city of the Northern Kingdom, one of the Seven Kingdoms of the continent of Westeros. Ned Stark, head of the family that governs the territory, receives Re Robert and its delegation. The two have known each other for some time, having fought side by side in the rebellion against the Targaryen, former rulers of Westeros. Precisely by virtue of that ancient friendship, the sovereign wants to ask Ned Stark to assume the post of Hand of the Knight, since the holder of the post Jon Arryn he is died.
Officially it was a natural death, but as the viewer will soon learn, Westeros is a land of political intrigue and you can never trust anyone. A letter arrived at the Starks warns Ned, prompting him to accept the assignment and travel to the capital of the Seven Kingdoms to investigate what happened to Jon Arryn. The suspicions fall on Lannister, the Queen's family, who actually hide a dangerous secret ...
On the other side of the Narrow Sea, however, a new threat arises. Viserys Targaryen, who survived King Robert's rebellion as a child years ago, has grown up and now claims his power. For this reason he marries his sister Daenerys a Khal Drogo, leader of a tribe of violent barbarian warriors. A marriage of interest that will give him the army necessary to regain the coveted Game of Thrones.
First season? No, this is the first episode!
If from these lines it seems to you that there really is a lot of meat in the fire, your estimates are definitely on the downside. First of all because we have selected only the main points, cutting out many aspects and characters (at least initially) secondary. In addition, we have carefully avoided disclosure twists and surprises, delivering on our promise to avoid spoilers. Finally, add to the calculation that everything we have told you so far happens in the first episode.
This alone should give you the idea of the majesty of the Game of Thrones narrative system. This TV series is an incredible example of a truly choral story, which manages to integrate many characters into a single plot, from an extremely broad perspective. The intentions of George RR Martin, the author of the saga of novels on which the show is based, are after all the ones to tell the history of Westeros, not that of its individual inhabitants.
And so we find ourselves catapulted into a world exceptionally rich, full of aspects to explore. There are corners and legends of this world that are barely hinted at and that viewers will only find themselves exploring later in the TV series. Next to these there are spaces that will remain only suggested, like images on the horizon that allow, however, to visualize the width of the panorama.
All of this makes Game of Thrones a product that has its own learning curve. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the number of locations, characters, legends, events to understand. However, everything will happen step by step and if at first we can find ourselves disoriented, after a while you will begin to want to deepen every aspect, proudly listing the lineages of each of the important houses of the Seven Kingdoms.
Game of Thrones, the show that fights against the rules
However, this is not the only aspect that conquers this TV series, nor the reason why it was so extraordinary. Its charm is also dictated by the extremely mature tone it adopts, still rarely replicated on TV today. Right from the start it stood out for its raw and direct images. Violence and sex are two constants in the world of Westeros and have been a key expedient to overcome doubts for those who are unlikely to be passionate about the fantasy genre.
What then, that of Game of Thrones is a atypical fantasy, not perfectly adhering to the canons of the genre. Although it takes up the traditional European Middle Ages-like setting, from a certain point of view the Westeros society is much closer to ours than we think. Except for the conformation of the land and the particular astronomical cycle (which makes the seasons of extremely variable duration), the world is very realistic. Magic and everything related to it have long since disappeared, so much so that some characters they doubt that ever existed.
Above all, however, Game of Thrones had the great merit of repeatedly struggle with the established rules of the narrative. A little because of that fidelity to reality, a little because of the desire for a story that does not focus on a single protagonist, and a little because there is evident interest in creating a story capable of surprising, George RR Martin stages a show that voluntarily shuns predetermined paths.
Watching Game of Thrones you will learn to expect the unexpected. You will undoubtedly find yourself a make theories on what will happen, episode after episode and sometimes you will even be able to guess them. But if you think of basing yourself on what we have seen elsewhere, on the classic rules of narration, on things like “the good guys can't lose”, you are definitely off track. What then, in Westeros to talk about good and bad it's always a gamble.
The controversial ending of Game of Thrones
If we had written this article five years ago, we could have stopped here. However, two years after the show ended, it wouldn't be fair to ignore theelephant in the room. The Game of Thrones finale was undoubtedly a troubled case, so much so that you've probably heard of it even if you've never watched the show. Also because at the time of its broadcast this work was so all-encompassing that the debate completely absorbed public opinion for weeks and it was impossible to escape it.
Now, let's be honest: the last (two?) seasons of this TV series have been significantly down. Beyond the most debated aspects, such as the speed of the characters' travels (actually rather secondary), there was generally less attention to the dialogues and even more to the weaving of that deep plot and the spirit of continuous violation of the rules. narratives. In some cases it seems that the authors have preferred bow to desires of the public, even when they contrasted with the soul of the series.
Part of the blame is probably due to the fact that it doesn't they had more of the original writings to rely on. Very soon the show went in different directions than the books (albeit broadly similar, with a few notable exceptions) and then in the middle of it proceeded on its own path. An obligatory choice, considering that Martin still has not released the sixth and seventh volumes of the saga, but that it had a significant impact.
And so yeah: the Game of Thrones ending is falling. It is not the Apocalypse that you have heard from someone, but it could leave a bad taste in your mouth, not so much for what happens as for how it is told. Knowing it sooner might prepare for impact.
Despite this however, don't be stopped. Game of Thrones is and remains an outstanding example of television. A TV series that has managed to shock the world and which undeniably marked the XNUMXs. Is it a work that perhaps could have aimed even higher? Yes. Is it one of the best shows ever? Equally yes.
READ ALSO: Will there ever be another Game of Thrones?
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