Inspiration of the Day #7

Today I am giving reluctant props to a show that I actually am not a fan of, Game of Thrones. Overall, I find the series less than appealing, largely because of the fact that it tends to do horrible things to good characters, and let horrible characters get away with their stupidity. Yes, there are some redeeming moments (purple wedding for example), but by and large it's utterly ridiculous. Even worse, the vast majority of the characters are either blatantly evil, or have such massive character flaws that you can't like them despite them supposedly being the protagonists. When you hate one side with everything you are, and then still hate the people you are supposed to root for, and then the few characters you like get royally screwed, it's hard to enjoy a show. But that's just my opinion.

So those are my issues with a wildly popular show, and I am aware that most people obviously disagree with me, or it wouldn't be so popular. But moving on.

The only character I ever got really attached to was Daenerys, and we all know the pretty horrible situation she started off in. Ironically it was this very predicament that I found incredibly intriguing. Her marriage to Khal Drogo and the developing relationship between them was something I found touching despite the more than questionable actions taken by Drogo early on. The fact that someone who was such a terrible person could learn from the bond they have with their wife, Daenerys, was actually pretty moving. It was the only early example of a bad character actually showing signs of changing for the better.

I am aware there are later examples, but honestly I lost interest in following the show after five or so episodes. To me the potential for change in people is one of the most inspiring things, that we control our own fate and who we are. So many people blame fate or circumstance for their actions, when in reality it almost always comes down to their own decisions. For most of the characters in Game of Thrones, they either made hilariously bad decisions in the past that can't really be excused or forgotten, or they are horrible people who are aware that they are horrible people, and actively enjoy being horrible people. This stagnation of character and general negative view of human nature, portraying most of us as being immoral and selfish, is something that offends me. But there is that one bright spot, almost the beauty charming the beast kind of relationship, that I did find very inspirational.