If the Systems of Oppression Were the Game of Thrones
I just really enjoy this.
Ok so I admit that Game of Thrones is on my mind because I’m in the middle of finishing the recap for season 5, episode 3. Also, I watch too much TV so I enjoy finding parallels between art and real life.
The Baltimore uprisings has sat on my spirit, though, as it has for many people I know. And last night, I realized that we’re basically in 2015 Game of Thrones. Who would be what? Here’s what I came up with, because the kingdoms of Westeros aren’t all that different from the United States.
Spoiler alert: If you have not watched Game of Thrones past season 4 and you want to, do not read below. SPOILERS. I haven’t read the books so there are no spoilers regarding them.
The Lannisters
Cops are the Lannisters. They are incredibly powerful, and they run shit. They have money and clout for days, which also means they go unchecked. They do all types of messed up things, without answering to anybody, all to maintain a seat on the coveted Iron Throne.
I see Tyrion (the one they call the Imp) as the good cops. He is a part of the system but doesn’t fit into it because he’s different (he’s a dwarf). He killed one of the worst cops (Tywin), basically avenging the death of so many people. Now there’s a bounty on his head and they want him dead with his head on a spike.
The Starks
Black people are the Starks, and the Lannisters have been trying to get rid of their entire bloodline for a while. The Lannisters have beheaded and slayed our men (Ned and Robb Stark). They’ve killed our women and babies (Robb’s mom Catelyn, wife and fetus. That damb Red Wedding). They try to conquer our places. They’ve tried to even dehumanize our women (by giving Sansa Stark to Joffrey, who was surely going to rape her). But we still stand.
Arya Stark is still out there, even though they don’t know she’s someone to worry about. She’s our hope. She watched her father’s head be chopped off (we watched so many of our men being killed on tape). And now that she’s in Valar Morghulis school (Bad Ass Bootcamp), she’s getting trained. When she emerges, IT IS ON. She gon fuck shit up for the Lannisters.
Bran Stark is still alive too. And Sansa ran away with Littlefinger, and although he’s not too much better, she’s still safer with him. She is back in the North (in her home) so she might be able to do some things from the inside.
Brienne of Tarth
Real, committed white allies are Brienne of Tarth the Swordsman. She’s sworn to keep the Starks safe, and says she will lay her life down for them. But here’s the thing. She alone cannot keep the Starks from dying (shown by the death of Cate at the Red Wedding). Her work has not been enough to stop their deaths and this pains her. However, that doesn’t mean she isn’t needed. I think Brienne will have a huge role to play in the avenging of the deaths of Ned, Catelyn and Robb, through her helping Sansa. I look forward to seeing her and Arya fight side-by-side too.
Daenerys the Stormborn (the Khaleesi)
I think this is the Attorney General’s office, which used to be Eric Holder and is now Loretta Lynch. Dany really has some power to ascend to the Iron Throne and make shit happen. She’s the Mother of Dragons (Congress) so she has power that no one else can tap into. She used them too, to get the Unsullieds under her control. Eric Holder stepped up in the Mike Brown case and publicly decried what was happening.
BUT it’s clear that the folks under him didn’t want to play ball. And shoot, it took 5 months for the new Attorney General to be confirmed. The office has some power and we need those dragons to act right but they’re petty and they refuse to be controlled by anyone who should have control of them.
Or MAYBE Khaleesi is the President. Either one works.
Anywho, after being fucked with for a long time, the Starks are fighting back on the Lannisters because they are sick and tired of their loved ones being killed without remorse or recourse. People are telling them to chill and be peaceful. Fuck them Lannisters (shoutout to NWA). Except for Tyrion. Save him.
Winter is coming.
Yes, I know I’m a dork. You will deal. So let me know if I’m right here.
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33 Comments
Valar Doheris = All Men must serve. We all must serve if we want justice.
Yes indeed!
Varys should be listed alongside Brienne. He supports the cause, even though its in secret; its not as noble but every rebel is needed. I’m not sure who’d be his present day parallel.
Hmmm… who would Varys be? Good question. The spider. I shall ponder.
Varys, the Spider is clearly James Comey. Director of the FBI. Started out in the Bush Administration, bided his time, waiting for someone new to sit on the Iron Throne (Obama) to do his real work
Varys is the original Annonymous!! Y:all remember the #WreckinShit Annonymous? Not this watered down, broken, dysfunctional 2.0 version. Nawl! I’m talkin about them cats that broke out right in time for Wiki-leaks! THAT Annonymous=Varys!!
Oh, that’s good!
Luvvie you and I are both nerds, and you know what, there is nothing wrong with that, I own my nerdness, as for your comparison to America and GOT, it was spot on, as they say art imitates life, but personally its not imitation, for me art is at times really a reflection of life no matter the time period
I agree with everything you said. They said the same about Star Trek in the 60s, when they had all those different folk people thought were representing Russians (Romulan), Chinese (Vulcan), African folk (Klingon), and Cap’t Kirk and Lt. Uhura had TV’s first interracial kiss the year after the Loving decision.
art absolutely imitates life. i was talking to an older black gentleman about how he saw pictures of runaway lynched slaves left hanging as a message to other slaves. echoes what Dany saw as she marched into Mereeen in Season 4. one slave child crucified every mile on the road from Yunkai to Mereen… 168 as a message to her and any slaves who thought of joining the siege.
i think my favorite thing about GoT, both the book and the series is that, unlike other works of fiction, its more allegorical to real life. its not necessarily guaranteed that your favorite will win or even live. justice is not a given and might isn’t necessarily always on the side of righteousness. we are seeing killer cops getting off scot free, our children are being demonized after they die. yet and still we hope and we fight, and we do have some secret weapons up our sleeves. we just need to use them.
i loved this.
Awesomely Luvvie,
Cops are NOT the Lannisters. They don’t have power because they are simply enforcers. Both sides rag on cops. Politicians have the real power and direct enforcement to do what they do. Congress are the true Lannisters. Playing games with money and lives.
Back to cops. They’re the Cleganes, physically brutal hounds. They serve Lannisters without question. Not the small folk, but the system is what they are sworn to protect.
Sandor follows orders but shows compassion. He will kill on command, but will back away when pushed too far. He’s the “good cops” who are punished by the force for speaking out against intra department brutality. They get fired or bullied into leaving. That’s why they don’t speak out but just allow the system to carry on as is. This is the officer who actually protects civilians and rescues puppies. He can even play ball with the kids too.
The Mountain is the officer who kills when angry, happy, sad, mad, glad- whenever. He is known for complete heartless behavior and is backed and funded by the Lannisters (top politicians). That’s why I stated that they don’t actually possess power of their own other than their own physicality. They’re given power and have abused it. No use protesting or fighting back because he will crush you. Even after being defeated, he will be recreated into an even bigger monster. (I read the books)
The fight between the two Cleganes speak to the struggle of those in law enforcement who observe injustice. Occasionally they fight back and the public sees.
I’m seeing that.
I can totally see what you did here. I agree with this.
Spot on.
Wow. I didn’t think the narrative could get better…but,
baBAM!
Daaaammmmmmnn! ???????????? I know I’m late. But this is all too good.
Varys can be the media. Wants to serve the realm, but has his own interests, but can tell lies. Will also protect (or create) his “sources.” Seemingly ran by politics but can aggravate those in power as well. Never know when or where he’ll turn up.
Littlefinger is corporate slime/Illuminati whatever. Just deceitful and takes money that isn’t really his. Racking up debts but still pimping. Sigh
Back to Arya: is she our lost hope? Will she just become heartless and apathetic? She’s lost and was gone feral for some time. She had to seek out her own training, which can go either way. She knows her roots.
Sansa has appeared to be assimilated, but is playing the game after it played her. The one who went to school and had to put up with racist jokes but rose up to become CEO. The “Conscious” haters tear her down and blame her for the downfall of her brothas, but she can’t let that bother her because she is too busy getting hers.
Bran is the educated one who wants to create change but fears history may repeat itself. He is like church folk who don’t speak out. All he can do is watch the news and pray on it.
Rickon is the lost child given to the wildlings. Running the streets and acting out in anger. He has no past he can remember, just his new crew and whatever he will be told by them. That’s the one we have to be concerned about.
Luvvie, this is awesome! I love how you’ve blended nerd culture with our current fight against injustice. I think your analysis is spot on.
But Luvvie… Who is Jon Snow then??? He needs to be a central figure in this 2015 Game of Thrones… And Bran (Brandon), that poor child got crippled cos he had too much dirt on the Lannisters. But for real all Valar Morghulis.
I’m down with dani’s analysis/interpretation. very well thought out, and all the right elements too!
Why am I loving this comparison. Stark all damn day long, and tired of the bullshit! And I love that you keep calling the place Arya is training Valar Morghulis school. *tears*.
GOT, show and books really can parallel life out here today. George seems to have no respect of persons for his characters and the ones you love and care about the most can be gone in less than a paragraph. So can innocent men and women out here. And then it all gets brushed under the rug and people carry on….but lately, in keeping with the parallel, THE NORTH REMEMBERS and they ain’t finna take this shit no more.
Great post here! I definitely like the comparisons here – and can tell you’ve got GOT on the brain too lol! And the quotes in the gifs are just a little TOO relevant!
LOVE THIS!
And, I think Jon Snow is President Obama…even Jon Snow thinks there are similarities between them. He won against the odds, his election divided the Watchers, young people seem to like him, most old people hate him, he wants rights for wildings, and half the Watchers hate him for it, but he is still trying to unite everyone. He is trying to get stuff done, and people are standing in his way and openly disrespecting him…
Dope…you got me rethinking my love of the Lannisters though!
#mazesaid
The sad part about what is happening right now is even with Loretta Lynch as the A.G the system she is working for has not changed. After having Obama as the President and black folks still being gunned down ought to teach us something. They will elect the black people into these positions as a decoy and black America will celebrate those milestones meanwhile they are using those same people in those positions to calm the masses while screwing you. Instead of having a white face telling you to stop rioting it will be a familiar face, one of your own, who speaks your language to calm you down until you cant scream no more. Sorry to be a debbydowner but that’s all I am seeing. Until the system is changed and laws repealed and rewritten to accommodate all of America, nothing has really changed. All these appointments are just a decoy. But what do I know, I am just an African who lives in Africa.My assessment of the situation could be all wrong, so I doubt Loretta Lynch is Khaleesi.
*slow clap* Yes to all of this!!!
afrojunkie87 I so agree that they use our own people as decoys. That’s happening right now with black American Muslims who are targeted by planted agents in the neighborhoods around the mosque, entrapped and imprisoned under suspicion of terrorism. Heard this on WBAI/KPFT radio. This is what’s going on at the back of the room while all eyes are on the Boston drama.
Anywho I absolutely enjoyed reading this analogy and the thought that was given to it as being symbolic to the times. I usually like to site the hunger games as my analogy. Everybody isolated in their own towns/cities/states/countries with only the monster media to tell the “truth” of what’s happening around the country, and we know they lie all the time.
Very creative!
I saw where you were going with these but once you started getting names wrong I just couldn’t take it anymore! Lol. It’s Bran, not Brynn, after Brandon Stark, Ned’s older brother.
#thronerforlife #jonsnowswildlingwife 🙂
I missed last Sunday’s episode, so had to wait to read this, til I caught up.
I loved this, alluvit! The nerd in me is rejoicing to have found my peoples!
Yes to all of this! I love it! As usual, you are on point with your analysis.
In light of the last two episodes, you were dead on, except for Sansa, but I’m sure you know why now. Sansa to me feels like those of us that make excuses for white supremacy until its THEM that are caught in the crosshairs. Sansa is a mess. I’m hoping this improves.
Also, there is the youngest brother (I do not know his name) who is traveling with Osha. I just KNOW he’s gonna show up with some magic.
[…] Shonda Rhimes. My personal favorite piece is her explaining the system of oppression using Game of Thrones. Just , Bow down to […]
My one beef is with Tywin. Yes, everyone hated him, but it’s not because he was cruel ask the time – is because it got the job done in the most efficient and direct manner.
Btw, Hilary is Stannis Baratheon.