Why I love Game of Thrones

I love Game of Thrones more than any show I have seen. I love it more than even Friends. It might be an unpopular opinion  but I am no expert. I watched it for the first time in 2014 when season 4 was about to air. I heard a lot about it from my friends and I decided to give it a try. I downloaded 3 seasons of it and watched it. And I started loving this show.

Following are the reasons why I love this show

It doesn’t follow traditional narrative: It is no secret that Game of Thrones tries to stray away from traditional story telling. In the very first episode, we witness Robert Baratheon, an old, fat drunkard. We learn more about him and find out that Robert was a great warrior in his youth, his beloved was kidnapped by an evil prince. He killed that prince ,dethroned the tyrant King and later married a beautiful princess. This is the ending of a fairy tale but it is a beginning of Game of Thrones. Robert has become an old drunkard fool who is not even a shadow of his former self. His beautiful princess is an evil, greedy, selfish woman who has extra marital affairs with his twin brother.  There are several other scenes which completely took audience by surprise starting from the very first show
Following scene happened in the very first episode

There are several other instances. Most notably, the shocking moment in the Game of thrones history Death of Ned Stark. Apart from that death of Red viper and Red wedding also breaks the traditional narrating. It takes away plot armor

It has gripping plot lines: I concede that there have been several misfires like drone but overall plot lines have been great. Game of thrones has multiple plot lines. It doesn’t focus on single person. It focuses on multiple stories. A lot of stuff happens in the show. Some storylines are completely different from others but these keep the audience glued to the TV sets. It is hard for me to show my favorite story line.

It has epic characters and character development: Game of Thrones is filled with epic characters like Tyrion lanninster,  Robb Stark, Jon Snow, Lyanna Mormont, Sansa Stark, Cersei lanninster, Arya Stark, Jaime Lanninster, Brienne of Tarth. Ned Stark has been dead for 5 years but still feels like main character. It is not only about characters but also character development. We see Sansa Stark’s journey from being a spoiled princess to the ruthless and capable Lady who went through some of the harshest trials. Similarly, Arya Stark goes from a bubbly and tomboyish girl to a cold blooded assassin.
Following is the first scene between Arya Stark and Sansa Stark

Following is the scene between them in season 7

It has epic action scenes: Game of thrones posses some of the best battle scenes in TV history. Even before Battle of Blackwater bay, Battle of castle black , Massacre at Hardhome, Battle of the Bastards there was sword fight with Jaime Lanninster and Ned Stark

Following were the best battles in Game of Thrones

But there are others too

It has epic performances: No TV show can survive without great performances.  Game of Thrones is blessed with Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams and others. Peter Dinklage is undoubtedly the “most famous dwarf in the world”. His performance is so awesome that he is likely to get every good dwarf role. After Game of Thrones, he even got roles where him being dwarf wasn’t even necessary.  His height was never even the question in X Men: days of future past. Similarly, Jack Gleeson and Iwan Rheon made me really abhor their character. Maisie Williams has played the role of a serial assassin do good that even Anthony Hopkins and Mads Mikkelsen will be proud of her performance.

there are several other scenes which I have no included

You can love the good guys, hate the bad guys, hate the good guys and love the bad guys: Game of Thrones is known for it grey characters. Good guys use some really questionable tactics, similarly bad guys have some admirable traits. It does have some really horrible characters like Ramsay and Jofferey. They are despicable characters with no saving grace. But there are some good guys that are hated by people. Its main character Daenerys targareyn burns people alive and a borderline tyrant but she claims to do all this for greater good. One of the villainous character Tywin Lanninster treats people with talent really well. Good guys like Daenerys, Lyanna Stark, Talisa Stark, Catelyn Stark are hated by a significant portion of people whereas bad guys like Tywin lanninster, Cersei Baratheon/Lanninster, Euron Greyjoy are admired by many. There are other pure grey characters like Margery Tyrell, Sandor Clegane, Jaime Lanninster
People are divided on Lyanna and Rhaegar. I hate their love story as it led to deaths of thousands. I am Team Robert guy

Most beautiful women on Television:  Game of Thrones is filled with extremely beautiful women. Emilia Clarke, Sophie Turner, Natalie Dormer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Rose Leslie, Lena Headey make Game of Thrones beautiful

Real Strong women character:  I am an advocate of strong women characters and Game of Thrones delivers them. We encounter a lot of strong women. Femininity is not considered a weakness in this universe. Cersei and Sansa are 2 strongest characters in the show but their femininity is properly maintained. But lack of femininity is also celebrated. Brienne of Tarth is not traditionally beautiful and she succeeds due to her fighting skills. Olenna Tyrell was a 70 year old grandmother but she was one of the strongest and most intelligent character on the show. We see trial and tribulations of these characters and how they evolve through them. Most of them are independent of men i.e their character development doesn’t depend on any male character. These are women that real women should take inspiration from. I will be naming my daughter Arya after Arya Stark. All this is achieved without demonizing men.

These are my reasons for liking Game of Thrones. If people can praise some shitty shows, I can definitely praise it. It is real sad that only 6 more episodes are left and they will air in 2019. I shall wait