It would seem that George RR Martin, the writer behind the epic books and TV series, Game of Thrones , has a rather curious penchant for killing his characters, more specifically, the good, the brave and the honest. Martin, who confesses to have been “killing characters his entire career”, has talked about how he wants his audience to be “afraid to turn the page” when his character is in danger. When you watch the first season of Game of Thrones (based on the book, A Song of Ice and Fire ), the narration begins with Eddard Stark, an honourable lord, whom we are led to believe is one of the key protagonists in the series.
He faces death, but given his importance in the scheme of things, you think that there’s really no way they could kill him; after all, where would the story go without him? The executioner brings the sword to his neck, and you still think a miracle will happen — maybe the evil people will change their minds. Maybe he’ll escape from his shackles and put up a fight. Maybe the executioner is his man. But none of that happens, and Eddard Stark dies a painful death, and it is that death which not only sets the coldblooded tone of the show, but also tells you that Martin was very serious about what he had said about making his audience fear for their favourite characters.
Game of Thrones , for those who are still unaware, is the television event of this decade. An epic medieval fantasy, which has reduced adults into discussing dragons and dwarves, cannot be compared to any other show on television right now. Five seasons have passed thus far, and the sixth is due around April next year. The sixth is the most awaited season yet, simply because no one has any idea of what is about to happen. The past five seasons have followed the books, but the sixth and seventh books are yet to be completed by Martin.
The fifth season ended with the death of the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, Jon Snow. Characters dying in the show is now routine, and many of my own favourites (Oberyn Martell in particular) have all died gruesome, bloody deaths. Every time Martin killed someone I was rooting for, I remember telling myself that the time has come for me to give up on the show and stop watching it altogether, but the very next week, I’ve found myself glued to the screen again.
Now Snow, who had become the audience favourite because of his upright, brave, and stoic character (and also because almost every other character in the show worth rooting for was brutally killed through the course of the five seasons), was stabbed in the back by his own men. Since there’s really no knowing what happens next, fans quickly recovered from the shock and horror to theorise about a possible resurrection, and a hundred other ways through which Snow could possibly defy death. After six months of heavy speculation, fans rejoiced last week as HBO released the poster for the sixth season, featuring Snow, alive, albeit with a bit of blood on his face. Is he going to be resurrected by the Red Priestess, Melisandre? Or is his Dragon blood going to pull him through? Apart from Snow’s “resurrection”, there is mystery surrounding the other characters in the series as well. Whatever happened to Sansa Stark and Theon Greyjoy when they jumped off the castle wall? Did Stannis really die? Is Arya going to be blind forever?
Knowing the show, I would take the worst case scenario for every character, but Jon Snow’s rebirth has given me something that I never thought I would associate with Game of Thrones — hope.
( Game of Thrones presently airs on HBO.)
