'Game of Thrones' and Criticism of a Sexist Season
The HBO series' final run sheds light on fan expectation and the ways we deal with TV disappointment
Courtesy: HBO
Are we so elitist as a society that we think just because an episode of TV does not play out the way that we would have written it, it is a bad episode of TV? And are we so fickle as a society that we think if the episode isn’t to our liking, it’s OK to throw around terms like “sexist” and “disgusting”? The penultimate episode of Game of Thrones was incredibly divisive. Half of the people seemed to love it, the other half hated it and absolutely nobody saw it coming. Whichever side you are on, however, there is a respectful way to be there—and then there is the garbage we’re seeing on Twitter.
Let me be clear: It is OK to dislike any episode of television, but to dislike it and to feel personally wronged by it are two different things. Disliking something means it simply didn’t work for you. Feeling wronged implies you are being personally attacked. There are three people who get to feel wronged right now, and those people are executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and author George R.R. Martin. By the way, guess what—the people they have been wronged by are us, the “fans.” Sidetracking for a moment, we need to create a new word for “fans” who act like bullies. They are not fans because all they do is spread negativity, but they are not trolls because they actually view the content. But I digress.
A vocal contingent of viewers have created an environment that keeps creators from being able to make their art the way they want to make it. Let’s be clear—if you want a different story, tell your damn own. Don’t incessantly tweet at the creators that they didn’t do it “right.” Whatever they do is right because it is theirs. Yes, they should want to please fans, and yes, they should feel grateful to have us, but more importantly, they should have freedom of creation.
Let’s talk specifics. People are mad because Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) seemingly turned “crazy” overnight. When you really look at it, though, she’s been acting this way all season. While there have been glimpses of the old Dany (such as making Gendry a lord), she’s been ruling with extreme force all season. She refuses to let the Starks have the North, she asks Jon Snow (Kit Harington) to lie about his birthright, she executes Varys, she threatens Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) on multiple occasions and she takes advice from no one. Plus, let’s not forget about her past. She may be the Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons, but she has had to annihilate many people to get those titles. She has gone through extreme trauma, as many of the characters on this show have, and unfortunately for King’s Landing, she handles herself like a horrible tyrant.
Let’s talk specifics. People are mad because Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) seemingly turned “crazy” overnight. When you really look at it, though, she’s been acting this way all season. While there have been glimpses of the old Dany (such as making Gendry a lord), she’s been ruling with extreme force all season. She refuses to let the Starks have the North, she asks Jon Snow (Kit Harington) to lie about his birthright, she executes Varys, she threatens Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) on multiple occasions and she takes advice from no one. Plus, let’s not forget about her past. She may be the Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons, but she has had to annihilate many people to get those titles. She has gone through extreme trauma, as many of the characters on this show have, and unfortunately for King’s Landing, she handles herself like a horrible tyrant.
Game of Thrones depicts many different types of women—weak and strong, mothers and daughters, fighters and strategists, magical and human.
That being said, Daenerys is not the first character to have a major arc or change on this show. Sansa (Sophie Turner) went from being a little bird, as she so aptly described it, to one of the most intelligent and strong-willed characters on Game of Thrones. Arya (Maisie Williams) was a child who had never held a sword. Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) was pushing kids out of windows. Tyrion was a much bigger drunk. Jon Snow knew nothing. The point being, just like in real life, people change. So for people to say this isn’t true to who Dany is, I say two things: 1) Dany has changed, and if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve seen how angry she has become over the years. 2) She is a made-up character, so whatever Benioff and Weiss decide is “true,” is true.
Before you refer to Game of Thrones as sexist, need I remind you that this is the show that knighted Brienne of Tarth. The show that had Arya take down the Night King. That had Daenerys walk through fire. That had Sansa’s plan prevail in the Battle of the Bastards. That has seen many women— like Gilly and Missandei—persevere through horrific circumstances. That features badass women warriors such as Ygritte and Yara. That has one of the most incredible villains of all time in Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). That depicts many different types of women—weak and strong, mothers and daughters, fighters and strategists, magical and human. We love some of them; we hate others. Such is life.
Maybe you didn’t want to see Dany’s heel turn, but tough—it happened. Not because the creators are sexist, not because they want to attack you personally, not because they don’t care about the show, but because it is the story they want to tell. Accept that. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to watch it. But you should respect it, because again, it’s not your story to tell. Thank you to the creators to all of the years that have dedicated to trying to make us satisfied. I will be turning into the finale with an open mind, a chalice of wine and gratitude for the brilliance that has been this show.
Before you refer to Game of Thrones as sexist, need I remind you that this is the show that knighted Brienne of Tarth. The show that had Arya take down the Night King. That had Daenerys walk through fire. That had Sansa’s plan prevail in the Battle of the Bastards. That has seen many women— like Gilly and Missandei—persevere through horrific circumstances. That features badass women warriors such as Ygritte and Yara. That has one of the most incredible villains of all time in Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). That depicts many different types of women—weak and strong, mothers and daughters, fighters and strategists, magical and human. We love some of them; we hate others. Such is life.
Maybe you didn’t want to see Dany’s heel turn, but tough—it happened. Not because the creators are sexist, not because they want to attack you personally, not because they don’t care about the show, but because it is the story they want to tell. Accept that. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to watch it. But you should respect it, because again, it’s not your story to tell. Thank you to the creators to all of the years that have dedicated to trying to make us satisfied. I will be turning into the finale with an open mind, a chalice of wine and gratitude for the brilliance that has been this show.
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