Game of Thrones Predictions- House Stark

Back with more Game of Thrones posts, today we’re going to focus on the Starks and go more in depth with the fate of our favorite and most sorrow prone family.

The Starks have had a rough series run. The majority of Starks have been killed off, and those who haven’t were put through the ringer. Bran was crippled in episode one and now appears dead inside after taking on the responsibilities of the three eyed raven. Sansa has been married or engaged to plenty of terrible people, beaten, raped and generally tormented. And Arya endured abuse as a servant for the Lannisters and later as a trainee assassin, even having her sight stolen from her for a time. It is not easy to be a Stark. So how are they going to come out of this story? Will they have a triumphant ending or will their journey end in tragedy?

I should mention that for the purpose of this post I am NOT going to be talking about Jon Snow. While I consider him, personality wise, more of a Stark than a Targaryen, I am still going to save him for the Targaryen post, just so I don’t have so much to write.

That said, let’s focus on the true remaining Starks: Sansa, Arya and Bran.

Game of Thrones has garnered a reputation for killing off main characters with no mercy. However, there was never a doubt in my mind that these three would make it this far. Because these are characters that suffer rather than die. That is the hallmark of their journeys: Suffering great personal losses and having to change to overcome the world around them. They are children who had to grow up very quickly to survive and they all developed into very different people. This is significant because none of them are a plot device in someone else’s story.

Take Shae, Oberyn and Tywin for instance. Each of these characters was killed off in season 4. But their deaths were not culminations of their own arcs but rather, Tyrion’s. Oberyn had to die so that Tyrion was forced to leave Westeros. Shae died as Tyrion’s tragic love interest, breaking his heart. And Tywin’s death was a long time coming and showed Tyrion finally standing up to his father. These characters, while all very interesting, were never going to be major players because they were tied to a different POV character.

On the other hand: Arya, Sansa and Bran are each a part of their own story. Therefore, they had substantial plot armor throughout the show. It’s not a knock against the show’s quality. All fictional stories have characters with plot armor. Some characters are necessary to the plot.

But now we must ask what the culmination of all this Stark suffering will be. After losing so many family members and spending their days in hellish environments, how will this madness end? With triumph or tragedy?

I think the answer is different for each of the Stark children, so I’ll cover each of their arcs separately before talking about them and their family as a whole.

Bran

Let’s start with Bran, the youngest surviving Stark and the plot device that started it all. Bran’s fall from the tower is one of the great inciting incidents of Game of Thrones and it sends him on a journey of self-discovery. He learns more about his magical powers with the help of friends and, after being kicked out of his home by Theon, goes beyond the wall to the tree he saw in his dreams. There he becomes the new Three Eyed Raven, ascending to a higher form.

In many ways, Bran is already dead. His wolf, Summer, has been symbolically killed and he is a shadow of his former self. Really, he’s a plot potato, showing up to give exposition when needed but not doing much of his own volition. Because of this, his arc as a character seems to have ended already. He is no longer Bran. He is the three eyed raven, and more of an accessory to other’s stories now.

For this reason, his journey will likely end in tragedy. His suffering has culminated in his rise as the Three eyed raven, learning to fly. But as he is so powerful, the plot cannot allow him to live. It’s too easy to have an all seeing person around and that can open up a lot of plot holes if the all-seeing person doesn’t dispense much needed information.

Thus, Bran will fall in season eight, coming full circle from season one. His first death scare came in the first episode, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he lives up until one of the last episodes, maybe even sacrificing himself to help defeat the Night King. He does have one of the most personal relationships with the Night King because of his visions, so it would not be surprising if he was key to taking him down.

Alternatively, if Bran does live, he must find himself again and divorce himself from the three eyed raven. I don’t know if that is even possible, but I am open to possibilities. Maybe he could lose his memory again in an echo of the first episode. Right now, however, it seems like he will follow his wolf to the grave.

Sansa

Next we come to Sansa, one of my favorite characters, and also my candidate for most likely to survive this damn show. If someone asked me to bet my money on ONE character who I thought would survive Game of Thrones, I’d bet on Sansa. I would have bet on Sansa since the end of season one when we see her first true moment of strength.

Sansa’s arc has been marked by suffering, suffering and more suffering. She has arguably suffered more humiliation than anyone else on the show, being engaged to Joffery, beaten and psychologically tormented, married off to Tyrion, the member of the house that killed her family, engaged to another prick shortly after escaping while Littlefinger creepily preys on her, sold to the Boltons and tortured and raped by Ramsay. I could go on. But Sansa is the example of a character who started off naïve and slowly but surely learned to play the game.

With each passing season she got better at lying and hiding her true emotions, developing a mask worthy of even the best manipulators. She has become a powerhouse much like Dany and Cersei, but in my opinion, she’s a smarter politician than Dany and has a kinder heart than Cersei. She has become the game’s best player.

And since this show is called Game of Thrones, this means good things for Sansa. Now that she has finally cast off her so called ‘mentor’ Littlefinger, she has really come into her own. Not only that, but she is back at Winterfell where she belongs, along with her surviving family. This is a well earned victory for Sansa. And while season 8 will no doubt be a hard road for her, the only satisfying ending for Sansa Stark is her survival.

If she suffered so long only to die, it would feel excessive. This show has not been building to Sansa’s tragic downfall but her rise. When all the soldiers and fighters lay dead on the battlefield, she will outlive them all and be the one to bring the Stark house into spring.

Arya

And last we come to my dearest Arya. The treasure of my heart. While I grew to love Sansa, Arya has been a favorite of mine since day one because I’m biased toward tomboys. Which is why I’m extremely nervous for her in the upcoming season of Game of Thrones.

But let’s reflect back on Arya’s journey first. Our pint sized Stark daughter has been through her fair share of suffering too. She watched her father die, then narrowly escaped the castle dressed like a boy. Soon after she fell into the hands of Lannister men and was forced to serve the patriarch of the family who destroyed hers. She survived travelling with the Brotherhood without Banners and the Hound and, after months without seeing her family, thought she might finally reunite with her mother and brother. Instead, she bore witness to the red wedding. This started her on the path of a killer, which eventually led her to Bravos where she endured the ruthless training regimen that one day even left her without her sight. Still, after all of this, she could not become faceless or abandon her family. She is still a Stark through and through.

At the beginning of season 7 was worried that Arya may have fully changed into an assassin when she did not immediately return to Winterfell. However, it is clear that by this season’s end, Arya has chosen her family over her vengeance, even making up with her sister Sansa. Her list is nearly exhausted and she just wants to protect the loved ones she has left.

Arya has had one of the journey’s most independent from other characters. She didn’t see any of her family since season one and wasn’t even in Westeros for two whole seasons. Now that she has returned with bad ass fighting skills and come into possession of a Valyrian steel dagger, it is clear she will play a big part in the war to come.

I stated in a previous post that Arya was one of my 50/50, live/die characters. Because there are a few ways I can see her story going.

1. The tragic revenge plot- Though she wants to become a Stark again, she has gone too far down the dark path and cannot leave the assassin life behind. She decides to go after Cersei herself and ultimately loses her life.

2. The sacrificial hero- Now that Arya is back with her family she will do anything to protect them, including sacrifice her own life. When one of her loved ones is in danger, probably Jon, she will step in to defend them. She can’t watch one of her siblings die again without doing something about it.

3. The survivor- Arya has already suffered a lot and proved herself a survivor. If she makes it through the Game of Thrones, she will experience more loss, but ultimately become stronger for it.

Whatever the result, Arya will never be a player of the game. She will not be a lady in a castle but rather her own person, following her own path. If she survives the war, she may even travel to get away from Westeros for a while. Now that she has seen so much she can never fit into a mold again. Her ending will be bittersweet no matter what. Though I would not complain if she and Gendry got a sweet resolution.

The Starks as a whole

Whoever lives and dies, the Stark family must survive. After suffering so much, the name Stark will continue one way or another. It will be the finest revenge against their enemies: enduring. At this point, either Sansa will be the lone survivor of her house (not counting Jon if he lives), or the two sisters will live on. It is up for debate.

Let me know what you think in the comments. Next week we’ll talk about the Lannisters.

Game of Thrones- Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?

BEFORE we jump into this post, just a quick plug- the sequel to Hour of Mischief, SEASON OF WIND, has a giveaway on goodreads right now so pop over if you'd like to win a copy. It comes out September 19th. Cover reveal will come soon.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Season of Wind

by Aimee Hyndman

Giveaway ends September 30, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Okay, now to todays post! The question of Game of Thrones has always been ‘who is going to die’? As a show that built itself a reputation for murdering beloved characters, with each passing season fans have prayed for the survival of their favorites. But with the last season nearing the question becomes: Who will live?

It’s an exciting question, right? Whoever survives this season gets to live indefinitely in our hearts. We never have to watch their death scene. That’s the stuff dreams are made of. I certainly have favorites that I want to make it through, but I want to take a step back and think about this as a story teller. Putting my personal feelings aside, who do I think will make it through this season based on the needs of the plot? I have a few ideas.

1. There must be at least one survivor from each of the original houses

The original logo of Game of Thrones sported a wolf, a lion, a stag and a dragon, each symbolizing the houses of Stark, Lannister, Baratheon and Targaryan. These were our initial players. Obviously, there are other major families who have come and gone, but these four started it all.

With the arrival of Gendry, the one surviving member of the Baratheon family (literally the only one, the others have been out for a while), this old theory of mine becomes possible again. Many of the members of these houses are dead and gone. Certainly all of the original leaders are in the ground. But at least one member of each will survive to tell the story--and hopefully rebuild their family.

On the Baratheon side of things, there’s really only one option: Gendry. He didn’t come back from rowing just to get axed in the finale. I think this bastard son is going to make it through with his war hammer in hand. He’s been through a lot but he’s good at heart: brash like Robert but not a drunk or a war lord.

On the Targaryan side of things, it seems deceptively simple. Danerys has been the last Targaryan for a while. UNTIL of course, Jon Snow’s true parentage was revealed. Now there’s another Targaryan on the scene, which means Dany may not be safe. The more I watch the show, in fact, the more convinced I am that she is going to die. It has always been a little too obvious that she would be the one to sit on the iron throne. She’s been planning it since the beginning whereas Jon is a dark horse in the running. 

Jon could die. It’s in character for him to make reckless decisions and perish as a hero. But we’ve already had a death scare with him, so killing him at the end would lack punch (unless of course it happened in conjunction with Daenerys). There is a possibility they’ll both survive, but since George R.R. Martin has talked of a “bitter sweet” ending, I doubt it. If they do both die, you can bet that their child is going to survive. I don’t think there’s any question that Dany is going to get pregnant. The show has been a bit heavy handed with it’s foreshadowing in that department. But, whether that child will grow up parentless remains to be seen.

The Lannisters and the Starks have, oddly, the most surviving members, both standing at three. Let’s look at the Lannisters first. I don’t think there’s any question that Cersei is going to bite it by the end of this series. She will never bend the knee and with her children gone, she has no more love to give anyone. I don’t think she’s really loved Jaime for a while. She manipulates him and uses him, but she doesn’t seem to bare much true affection for her brother anymore, hence why he has finally left her. Loveless and cold, she will bend for no one and that will be her downfall.

As certain as I am that Cersei will die, I am equally certain that Tyrion will live. Tyrion is the underdog of his family and has also been close to death more than once. But, other than his sister, no one is out to get him anymore, and he’s established himself as important to many characters. Considering his arc, I can’t think of a satisfying way that the writers could kill off Tyrion. No. He is the dwarf who was underestimated all his life so he must be the one to survive.

And then we have Jaime, smack dab in the middle. Oh Jaime. He’s one of the only characters in the mix that I’m 50/50 on his chance of dying. On one hand he’s finally left his sister and his arc is headed in a positive direction. But will that result in ultimate redemption or a heroic death? Again, I can see either. If he’s going to die, I’d like it to be in the arms of Brienne as a small confirmation of my ship of all ships. But I’ll talk more about that in a later post. At the very least, Jaime will make it to the very last episodes, and if he does go, it will be fighting for the right side.

And then there’s my favorite family: the Starks. After losing so many Starks I am head over heels for all of the survivors. I want them to be safe and grow up strong. But I don’t think they’re all going to survive.

Bran is probably the Stark most likely to die at this point. The series started with him being crippled and now, according to the writers, he’s sort of dead inside. At least, he has moved beyond Bran Stark. But, simply put, he is too powerful to be left alive. He will likely play a huge role against the Night King, but in the end he will sacrifice himself. The show will come full circle.

Sansa is the Stark most likely to survive. If a character has been through enough, killing them is just excessive and not productive for their arc. And Sansa has been through a lot. She has grown from a naïve girl into a strong woman and I have no doubt that she will be one of the prominent rulers in Westeros at the end. Likely, the Queen in the North. She’s earned it.

Arya is another one of my 50/50 characters. As a fighter, she’s going to want to be in the thick of battle. That puts her in the line of crossfire. And though I dearly love her, there is a chance she could be killed, possibly protecting someone she loves. I think after reconciling with her sister, Arya is 100% on the side of her family. They are where she finds her identity and her name. She can’t deal with losing them again and would sooner die first than watch them go. But, on the other hand, she is a survivor and she could live on past the war and find her place in the world as a strong woman who no longer has to fight for her right to hold a sword. I am intrigued by both possibilities.

Those are the major families, but what about the other side characters? I’ll give you a quick rundown of their possible fates.

Theon- 50/50. He has been through enough at this point that killing him, again, seems excessive. However, he may die heroically, saving his sister, finally surrendering his cowardice.

Yara- 50/50. They’ve kept her alive for the last season for a purpose. Possibly just for Theon’s redemption arc, but who knows. If she dies, it will be fighting but I can see her living on. And wouldn’t it be great if a Lesbian actually lived in this show? That’d be rad.

Euron- He’s gonna die. Absolutely gonna die. No way he won’t die, hopefully at the hands of Yara or Theon.

Brienne of Tarth- 50/50. The other half of my ship is a warrior who will fight to the bitter end, but she does have a Valyrian steel sword. She’s gonna make waves and I do think, if Jaime dies, she will outlive him. Likely one or the other of them is going to die. Because happy endings never happen. Not that I’d complain if they did.

Davos Seaworth- Davos is going to live. It wouldn’t feel right to kill him. He’s one of the old characters who lives to a ripe old age and surprises us all. He will survive to adopt all the lost children of Westeros.

The Hound- If he goes, the Mountain is going first. I think he might live. He’s already had a death scare.

Tormund- Probs gonna die. They keep faking us out with his death, but since he doesn’t make much of a difference in the story anymore, the writers can let him go whenever they want to make us tear up.

Jorah- It’s amazing to me that he’s lived this long. I put my money on death. He will die fighting for Dany and have no regrets.

Lyanna Mormont- My girl is gonna live and be awesome. No question

Bronn- Another character who is...somehow still here? He’s either going to die in battle or get his castle.

Berric- Doesn’t have much of a point anymore and he’s on his last life with Thoros dead so...yeah, his days are numbered.

Melisandre- She has to die in this strange country and she will before the end.

Varys- Considering Melisandre’s foreboding line, Varys will likely die before the end. But he outlived Littlefinger, so he won that game.

Greyworm- Much as I love him, I doubt that D&D will let him live. He’s a loyal soldier and commander and we know what happens to loyal people in this show.

Missandei- She will live, even if Dany dies, and remain in an advisor role. She seems too smart to get herself killed and if she has to live with Greyworm’s death that would be more tragic.

The dragons- Obviously one dragon has already gone down, and I think Drogon will join Viseron before the end, just like his namesake. I think Raegal might be the dragon to make it through if any do.

And then, last but not least, Samwell Tarly. If I were to name a character for ‘Most likely to survive Game of Thrones’ it would be this boy. He’s the one you never expect to get this far but he has. And he is the reason for the name of this post. There’s the question of who lives or dies, but Samwell Tarly will be the one who tells the Song of Ice and Fire, which will be told for generations to come.

Those are my predictions. We’ll see if they’re right or wrong. Let me know what you think in the comments! I’ll be posting more detailed prediction posts in the coming weeks about the various families so stay tuned.

Happy Game of Thrones drought everyone and see you soon.

Game of Thrones Season 7: A Review

And so the penultimate season of Game of Thrones comes to an end, leaving us with a possible year and a half wait for the conclusion of the epic fantasy series. Before I start a long series of posts containing my season 8 predictions, I think we need to look back at season 7. Because boy do I have a mix of thoughts.

Season 7 was a messy damn season, no doubt. The writing quality was up and down and the pacing set at light speed compared to previous seasons. Plus, because the writers are very far off of the book material now, they don’t have George’s writing to fall back on which gives us a mixed bag.

Before I start ragging on some of the writing, I think I should say something: I don’t hate the show runners. Shocking I know, since everyone seems to these days. Considering the massive project they have on their hands, I’m not surprised that there were mistakes and low points. Remember George has taken decades to write these series, whereas the show runners are working on a tight deadline of a few months to get scripts written and sent in. As a writer myself, I know that’s not a lot of time. This past season was also probably the toughest to pull off as they had to trim the fat of unnecessary characters and bring this huge world together in order to prepare for the final battle. This was a mammoth writing project, so I give credit where credit is due: they did try.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s start talking about the bad bits of this season.

The Low Points

I remember when people used to complain about the pacing in previous seasons. They would whine about how a conversation was ‘slow’ or had ‘nothing to do with the plot’ or was just ‘filler’. And yeah, maybe some of those convos were filler, but I loved them. They gave us a chance to breathe and get to know the characters more. They built relationships between them before sending them into the fray. But, to those people who were complaining, CONGRATS. You got your wish! There is no time to breathe in this season.

Everyone has their hands on a teleporter now and ravens travel at the speed of light. It’s a real shift from the first season where they make a point that it takes one month to travel vis caravan from King’s landing to the North. Now, people can get from Dragonstone to the wall in a jump cut. This wouldn’t be such a problem if they showed time passing. But time is, frankly, a nebulous thing in Game of Thrones now. How old are the characters? We don’t know. How long did Arya stay in Bravos? Don’t know. How much time passed over the course of this season? Not a damn clue. It’s odd that the concept of time requires more suspension of belief than the dragons or white walkers.

That being said, the time thing doesn’t really detract from the story. It speeds it up and it’s hard to accept, but, whatever. We want to get to our good content right?

The problem is, while Game of Thrones rushes some things like no one’s business, it moves at a snail’s pace for other things. Which brings me to the most frustrating stories this season.

Did you know the Stark sisters and Jaime Lannister are among my top five faves in the series? They are! Do you know how frustrating they were to watch this season? EXTREMELY.

Jaime Lannister has been on a long game redemption arc for several seasons. He’s trying to go toward the side of the good but Cersei just keeps yanking him back with her manipulative ways. The problem is, it takes him too damn long to figure it out.

I get what the writers are trying to do. They’re trying to show inner conflict in Jaime and give weight to his relationship with his sister. He can’t just shrug off a manipulative relationship like that quickly. It takes time. But when Jaime has pretty much dropped his sister in the books (or so I hear. I haven’t read that far), it’s annoying to see him continuously serve her. ESPECIALLY after she blew up the sept. That should have been the thing that sent Jaime running so seeing him linger at her side for the entirety of the season was exhausting.

Obviously, they wanted him leaving her to happen at the end of this season. They couldn’t just do it in the middle because that doesn’t fit with TV pacing. The culmination always comes at the end. But they could have written more resistance on his part. More arguing with her. More pulling away. Calling her out on her blowing up the sept. But because this was all subdued, perhaps in effort to trick us into thinking Jaime is going to stay with his sister, it just ended up frustrating. And yeah, seeing him walk the hell out was one of the most satisfying scenes in all of scenedom. But that doesn’t mean the process wasn’t excruciating.

You know who did an arc like Jaime’s better? Avatar the Last Airbender. Yeah, remember when Prince Zuko went on a redemption arc but then at the last second turned back because he was pressured by his manipulative sister and driven by his desire to rejoin his family? That was really sad and heartbreaking. But then halfway through the next season he figured things out and left the family for good. They didn’t drag it out. His arc had its ups and downs but it made sense. I really wish they did something more like that with Jaime but *shrug*, at least he got there eventually.

Jaime’s arc is the example of slow writing but Arya and Sansa’s story is just an example of bad writing. Episode five and six were just painful to watch. Let’s break down why.

It is implied, in episode seven, that Arya and Sansa have been plotting together in order to out Littlefinger. Arya is clearly in on the plan, as is Bran. But there are a lot of questions here: how long have they been in on it? When did Bran tell the sisters what was going on? And why wait so long to kill Littlefinger if they figured it out?

Let’s say that the Stark sisters were never against each other. Let’s say that they had a plan from the start. That is the solution I would like to believe. But there are a lot of issues with that idea. Sansa and Arya aren’t always arguing in public. One time they have a conversation with the door open and another time outside in the courtyard. Theoretically Littlefinger could be listening in (though they don’t show him there, which is a problem). But the most emotionally dramatic of their scenes happens behind closed doors. No Littlefinger in sight. If the writers wanted to get across that this was a show for Littlefinger they should have shown him being nearby or snooping or something.

But this story wasn’t about fooling Littlefinger. It was about fooling the audience. The writers wanted to make the audience think that the sisters hated each other so they could have their big twist. And what a cheap twist it was: an ending we all saw coming because of the totally forced nature of the conflict between the sisters. The death of Littlefinger may have been amazingly satisfying, but the lead up was some of the worst stuff they’ve ever done on the show. Period.

I have other small quips about this season. Like how there seem to be a lot of side characters with nothing to do. Or how Tyrion didn’t seem like the main character in his own story up until the final episode. Or how plot-device Bran has dug the writers a hole because they’ll have to come up with wild reasons why he doesn’t share important info. But those things were more minor for me. So, let’s jump into the good stuff.

The Good

This was a season of closure. Finally, we get Dany in Westeros. Finally, Jaime leaves his sister. Finally, all the surviving Starks are back in Winterfell. Finally, Littlefinger got what was coming to him. Finally, Gendry is back from rowing. Finally, Theon is taking control of the Iron born and going on his redemption arc for his sister. Finally, that damn wall is coming down.

We’ve wanted a lot of this stuff since season one. We’ve made jokes about the Starks never getting back together and laughed about the White walkers slow, slow moving army. We’ve complained about Dany spending too much time in Essos and screamed at Jaime to just leave his sister. But now, we get what we wanted. Resolution to arcs set up in the very beginning.

For that reason, this season was very satisfying to me. Patience pays off here because finally I get what I’ve wanted. My Stark survivors reuniting at their home was so healing to me. Arya and Sansa hugging twice and admitting each other’s strength despite their differences--that was so nice to watch. Danerys actually touching down in Westeros was almost unreal. Seeing her in a room with characters like Jon or Cersei--priceless.

I’m also a sucker for all the small character connections. The Hound and Brienne talking about their adopted murder child, Arya. Tormund speaking dreamily about Brienne to the Hound. Gendry and Jon laughing about their fathers. Jon and Tyrion reconnecting. It shows what an interconnected web of characters we have now. If even one of them dies, several of them will feel it and that’s a great thing to set up going into the final season. Cause season 8 is gonna have so much death.

I also think the series was smart in restablishing the original four houses. Yes, there have been others, but at the beginning it was Stark, Lannister, Baratheon and Targaryan. They bring Gendry back as the remaining Baratheon. They put the Starks in one place. The Lannisters all reunited in the last episode, reestablishing their familial bonds before parting. And Jon was revealed as a Targaryan as he slept with his aunt (which was probably one of the most hilarious reveals ever, not gonna lie).

Meanwhile the show runners trimmed the fat, getting rid of the Martells and Tyrels. The Martells I won’t miss because of their terrible writing. There are still some survivors in Dorne who will rebuild. Just...away from the show. And though the Tyrels were awesome, it was good to cull them here before the big conflict. We still have the Greyjoys, but even Theon was established in the finale as an honorary Stark.

I’m glad the writers are narrowing the story again. It got so spread out but now everyone is coming back together, joining forces. There is one common goal now: defeat the Night King. Many character arcs have wrapped up or are close to wrapping up so it’s time to see where everything goes. Even though the writing quality was uneven, I think the show runners are setting themselves up for success.

On another note, I am a sucker for some CGI action sequences with dragons. I know it’s sometimes fanservicey but...whatever. I don’t care. I had fun watching. And I appreciate the continued moral ambiguity of Game of Thrones. They didn’t show Dany’s burning of the Lannister army as totally triumphant. They showed the horror of it. Even Littlefinger’s murder, though satisfying, was kind of sad and pathetic. Moral ambiguity has always been my favorite aspect of game of thrones. No one is wholly good or wholly bad. They’re all in a grey area.

In Conclusion

Honestly, this was a tough season for the show runners to write and I think we’re set up for a great eighth season. The pieces are in place for a lot of great reunions and battles. It was probably one of the weakest seasons in terms of quality, but still very enjoyable for the most part. I’ll be rewatching it soon for the highs and lows, and, until season 8 comes around, I’ll be making predictions like crazy.

Next time on the blog, we’re going to jump into season 8 predictions. See you then!

Notes from New York: Unlikable Protagonists

We’ve been focusing on larger elements like plot and setting over the past few weeks, but what about character? Obviously your characters are the human connection through which readers access the story and if they’re flat or poorly written, the whole novel comes tumbling down.

Today I want to focus on a particularly difficult type of protagonist to pull off: the unlikable kind
The big issue with the unlikable protagonist is they are, of course, unlikable. While all protagonists have flaws (all good ones anyways) most are defined primarily by their virtues. The unlikable protagonist, on the other hand, is more defined by their faults. Shakespeare is full of unlikable protagonists where their faults reign supreme. Macbeth, Hamlet and Corlianus to name a few. In more modern works, we have our fair share of anti-heroes who, while not strictly written as good, ultimately win our hearts in the end with their character arcs. I’ve done a post about the anti-hero here.

But there are two major pitfalls that your unlikable protagonist can fall into that will drag your manuscript from great to irredeemably frustrating.

1. Their Flaws do not Meet with Consequences

Flaws are meaningless if they never cost your character anything. They become little better than quirks with no plot significance. In tragedies, the climactic moment is often built on the character’s flaws. Macbeth is blinded by power, Corlianus is murdered by his own ideals, and Hamlet is just a drama queen who really could have avoided so many people dying if he had just stopped monologue about fate. We accept these flaws because they face the consequences.

Now it doesn’t have to be so serious as death but even some acknowledgment is needed. Other character point out Scar’s hypocrisy in Fullmetal Alchemist and he eventually shifts his views. Jaime Lannister suffers heavy losses when he relies too heavily on his family name. And he also changes in time because he must deal with these losses.

When a character never faces consequences for their mistakes, their flaws feel pointless. Why not just make them perfect then? That was one of my principal problems with Throne of Glass. The main character is told that if she shows off, she’ll stick out and that could cause problems for her. She then shows off--and really there are no consequences. It made her incredibly frustrating for me.

2. There is no arc

Characters should have an arc. Even if it’s a small one. Unless the plot hinges on your protagonist being flat…they need an arc. Thus, if your main character is an anti-hero, they probably should undergo a transformation where they become slightly less of an asshole. They don’t need to see the light, necessarily, but there should be some shift in their world view. Conversely, if they don’t’ develop, their flaws should drive them to a gruesome end. I’m not saying their aren’t exceptions to this rule, but a protagonist who shows up flawed and makes it out, still flawed, and unchanged, is boring.

3. You didn’t actually intend for them to be unlikable

Sometimes a writer isn’t trying to write an unlikable character. Sometimes they might think their character is entirely relatable. I read more than one manuscript when a character was relatively nasty, but they really had no arc over the book, nor did any characters around them seem to view them as flawed in any way. And this is really the worst thing you can do to a protagonist. If a writer misunderstands their character, the rest of the novel will probably sink. The only way to see if perhaps your character isn’t as perfect as you think they are is to get second opinions. From those second opinions you can tell how to reevaluate and maybe change up your protagonist’s arc.

You can pull off a well written unlikable protagonist, and they can have deeply interesting stories. But tread lightly and make sure that they’re engaging, intentionally flawed, and have a solid arc, whether it end in redemption or tragedy.

Hero Spotlight: Katniss and Arya

So on Wednesday we talked about the Fighter and their ultimate challenge: When their strength is not enough. I gave some more obvious examples on that day like Thor and Korra. But today let’s talk about two slightly less obvious heroes in this archetype that are still excellent examples at the fighter.

First, there’s Katniss Everdeen. Katniss, despite being from the impoverished District 12, has a leg up going into the Hunger Games because she knows how to shoot a bow and how to survive. Though she is small, she has the skill to kill, and she has the ice cold attitude to back it up. So what’s the road block she hits?

In the arena, strength is not enough.

This is something that Haymitch impresses on her from early on. In order to win the Hunger Games, you can’t just rely on your skills. You have to get people to like you. You win the games with sponsors. So if you’re unlikable, even if you’re an ace with a bow, you could very well die.

Of course, this comes as a shock to the not particularly charismatic Katniss who doesn’t want allies or help from anyone. However, when it comes down to it, allies end up saving her life. Her friendship with Rue earns her support from District 11 and her life from Thresh. Her romance with Peeta gets her sponsors and ultimately earns her a victory over the capital when they both win. And all of these skills she learns here go onto help her when she plays for the camera, first as Snow’s puppet to stay alive and then as a revolutionary. Because a revolution isn’t just about brawn. It’s about inspiring people to stand up and fight with you. Seeing Katniss learn and struggle with this throughout the series was very engaging.

The second character I want to talk about is Arya. 

Now Arya, being a kid and not experienced in the ways of combat, isn’t an obvious example of a fighter. However, she has the spirit of a fighter, thinking she can take on situations that are much bigger than her. After she takes sword lessons from Syrio, however, she’s still not cut out to cross swords with more experienced enemies.

Arya’s journey is a slow one but she learns how to use her wit to survive Harrenhal and many other enemies. She even checks off a few names on her hit list.  Finally makes it to Bravos and begins studying to become a many faced man. Here she learns more important tricks, including that of deception and not charging into a situation. Eventually resulting in her killing another man on her list in a pretty badass/terrifying scene.

Even here she is punished for letting her blood lust take over. We don’t know what the rest of the story holds for Arya, but every episode, she has been a fighter knocked down over and over again and slowly made stronger as she comes to understand that though she is not the strongest, she could be one day.

Villain Spotlight: Zuko and Jaime Lannister

Hello and welcome to the last villain spotlight! We’ve looked at a wide range of villains over these past few months and today we’re going to look at two of the most complex baddies out there. Ones who went from villain to hero. Or sort of hero in the case of the second.

First, a look at Zuko, the exiled prince of the fire nation in Avatar the Last Airbender. Zuko starts out with a bad haircut and an equally bad attitude. 

Yes... you do.

For the first season, he’s the main antagonist for our group of heroes, trying to capture Aang to regain his honor. By the second season, he becomes more of an antihero as his sister Azula, who we’ve already talked about on this series, takes on the role of main antagonist. From then on out Zuko struggles between his light and dark side, his desire to break free of his family and his desire to be loved by them. He has a few major slip ups along the way, even throwing away a few chances at redemption before he finally becomes a full on good guy. But eventually, he gets there, and the whole world cheers.

Awkward Zuko is adorable

Zuko’s character arc is masterful. From the very beginning we feel sympathy for him because, even though he is clearly an antagonist, he’s also just a kid trying to please his father and regain his honor. He’s a teenager trying to be bad when he actually has a soft heart. From season one, Zuko has the support of the audience, rooting for him to make the right decision and shouting at the screen when he slips up. But we never give up on him

The transformation is all very slow going, which is the brilliant thing about this show. Zuko’s shift to a good guy feels organic and he faces many obstacles along the way. Its not easy to change from antagonist to protagonist, so its essential to take baby steps.

Also his hair got better. Which is important.

With Zuko, the audience feels sympathy for him early on and there are well placed hints that he will make the transition. As such, its hard to ever hate him. Jaime Lannister on the other hand…

Okay, yeah, he's pretty, but when you push a kid out a window in the first episode, you garner the hate of every raging audience member. Who does that? Also incest is gross. Jaime Lannister is not a character you start off liking. Though there are hints of a complex character beneath the surface, through season one and season two, he’s pretty terrible. I was totally fine with hating him for the duration of the show.

But then… suddenly… season three happens. 

You said it.

Before I knew it, I went from hating to adoring Jaime’s character. Mostly because of his interaction with my girl Brienne. By the Bear episode (you know the one I’m talking about), I committed Jaime to my dangerous list of favorite characters.

How did this work so well? I think it helps that Game of Thrones is a morally grey world. Most of the characters have done bad things at one time. Plenty of villains are not as they seem. And some villains are so bad that everyone else seems fine in comparison. Jaime Lannister is a human being. He’s done bad things but he’s also done VERY good things that he gets no recognition for because of vows. He also, unlike most of the players in Game of Thrones, has no interest in the throne itself. Even Tyrion has ambitions for power but Jaime recognizes that its not his scene. There’s something pretty respectable about that.

Going back to watch the first two seasons of Game of Thrones, its easy to see the signs of Jaime’s arc. It happened so smoothly you didn’t even realize it was happening until it was too late. And now you have an OTP in Game of Thrones which is super dangerous because everything you love dies but they’re still alive but separated and you want them together again and I SWEAR, DAVE AND DAN, IF YOU KILL THEM BEFORE THEY MEET AGAIN I WILL END YOU!

Sorry. Got of track. What were we talking about?

Right. Well-constructed arcs. The transition is everything with these characters. If there’s a poor transition, the character won’t be as convincing or endearing. Make it gradual. Take your time.

That’s it for the last villain spotlight. Next week we’ll be starting a new series on types of heroes. Because those are pretty important too.

Also, in other news, the cover reveal of HOUR OF MISCHIEF is marked for July 20^th. Mark your calendars because that’s also when the book goes up for preorder! *squeals and flails*

Until next time, have a great weekend!

Villain Spotlight- Dolores Umbridge and Joffery Baratheon

Last week on the spotlight, I fangirled. This week? Its time for a rant.

Not that you haven’t heard a rant in this vein before. Because today I am discussing two of the most infamously hated villains of all time. Dolores Umbridge and Joffery Baratheon.

Oh my god, where to start.

I think it says a lot about a Harry Potter character’s evil when people want them dead more than Voldemort. VOLDEMORT! The main villain of the series. The monsterous man who ruined the lives of our young hero. But if given the choice? Oh yeah. Everyone would take out Umbridge. Because she is just the most unpleasant woman.

Oh sure, she hasn’t killed anyone (though she did help sentence several muggle borns to Azkaban in book seven). But she weasels her way into your soft spots and hits you where it hurts. What I mean by that is, she’s familiar.

Most people haven’t personally known a Voldemort. We’re pretty familiar with the archetype at least. But a lot of people have known an Umbridge. That person who is so bigoted and so ignorant and yet so very sure of their righteous intentions. The person who shames you and makes you feel lesser than them with just a condescending laugh. Plenty of people have had teachers or coworkers like this. Voldemort is a threat sure. But a far off threat.

If you don't get this last one, you haven't watched the Very Potter musicals. And you should

As one of my friends once put it: “Umbridge is personal”.

And then there’s Joffery. Even if you haven’t seen Game of Thrones, you know Joffery. As far as evil goes, he definitely takes the cake from Umbridge for pure number of people hurt and kingdoms screwed up. He does a lot more damage with his power. He tortures people and punishes them for misdemeanors and makes foolish decisions that throw the seven kingdoms into war. Which destroys supplies. Right before a winter. And winters last several years in this world.

Not his brightest moment.

There are certainly people who do as much damage as him. Tywin Lannister for instance, causes tons of pain. But he doesn’t do it for the sake of causing pain but for some sort of aim. And also he’s not STUPID. At least he’s aware of what he’s doing. Joffery knows nothing and he causes pain for the fun of it. And even Ramsay Bolton (who is totally more twisted) at least is smart. That’s a redeeming quality right?

At least he gets slapped a lot

Joffery has no redeeming qualities. And that is why he is so hated. Though it will be interested to see who ultimately comes out of Game of Thrones the most hated. Because there are some recent new contenders.

*Cough* episode nine season five *cough*

Still, these are good villains. As much as I hate them, it’s really because they do their job to well. Because they get under my skin to the point where I can’t enjoy them. That’s a well written villain right there. Making villainy as disgusting as it is in reality.

A Reflection on Game of Thrones Season 5

Another year, another season of Game of Thrones gone. And this season's finale dealt us a mix of justice, enjoyment and great, salty barrels of tears.

Though I'd hesitate to call the finale shocking (in fact most of the deaths were well foreshadowed throughout the season), it was emotional none the less.

Of course the internet responded in typical overreacting fashion, my favorite of which include the people vowing to quit Game of Thrones (no you're not. You said that after the Red Wedding too. You're a liar), or the people lamenting that there are 'no good characters left on game of thrones' (Yeah, except for Tyrion, Dany, Arya, Sansa, Brienne, Podrick, Bran, Jaime, Sam... Really guys there are still fifty characters on this show and you know it). But, oh well, typical internet.

*Spoilers past this Point*

However this season of Game of Thrones was probably the most controversial yet as the creators had to stray away from the books and invent some new material. For the most part, they did a decent job keeping the characters engaged and maintaining the huge plot (something that the kind of meandering fourth and fifth book failed to do). We got a lot of awesome moments like Dany and Tyrion finally meeting and the white walkers making a big attack with their armies. Stuff like this hasn't happened yet in the books and there it was on the screen.

Of course there were weak points too. The Dorne arc was a little uneven with some of the worst writing of the season. Not terrible, but certainly mediocre, which is a shame. The ending of that arc of course gave it some consequences but they needed to come sooner. A lot of the middle section of the show was a bit meandering and could have been tightened up a bit. But it was no more inconsistent than season 4 honestly.

The deaths were big and controversial as well. Shireen's burning alive ripped out all of our hearts, and we were all so happy to see Stannis go in only the next episode (and by my girl Brienne no less!). Myrcella died in her father's arms right after a sweet moment (And Game of Thrones doesn't allow sweet moments for long). Really, the last few episodes felt like making up for lost time with deaths. There was one more big death too... what was it?

Ah yes. Not going to say I didn't see it coming, but I think there is still hope for resurrection, despite what interviews say. (Seriously if he's still alive, do you really think they're going to tell you?) If he doesn't come back, I'll be more angry for pointless scenes suggesting that he will in the books and show. I guess the blow is softened because I was bored by his character arc until this season so... *shrug*. Rest in peace Jon. For now.

Its also fair to say after this season that while Cersei is still a terrible human being, Lena Heady is amazing and her performance during the walk of shame was so very powerful. Really. Give her an award. Give her all of the awards. 

However, without a doubt, the most controversial of the changes was the additions to Sansa's story. I.E, her marriage to Ramsay Bolton. This was the kind of thing that made many people rage quit the show for real because Sansa, a character dear to all of our hearts, was raped on her wedding night to one of the more terrifying characters on the show.

I'm not saying that this event wasn't awful, because it was. I guess the reaction did surprise me a little bit. For a couple of reasons.

1. The scene was not at all gratuitous

They could have indulged this scene for its nudity. They've done that in the past with sex AND rape scenes. The scene at Craster's house in season 4 had gratuitous, pointless rape that wasn't in the books just to show that the rebel night's watch people were bad. Nothing was shown in this scene. It cut away, and kept it short. Unlike the similar scene in the book. And speaking of which...

2. The scene did, technically happen in the book

In fact it happened worse. Just not to Sansa Stark. In the book the victim was another character called Jeyne Poole was, an old friend of Sansa's cut from the show. The scenes were gratuitous and horrifying and more numerous in the show. And it kind of pisses me off just a little bit that people were okay with this happening to Jeyne but not to their favorite Sansa. The act should be terrible no matter the victim. And some people justify it by saying 'Sansa has been through so much already' and if you researched a bit you'd know Jeyne went through a lot as well. We just don't see as much of it. The show makers didn't make this one up guys. Blame George.

3. There are many more scenes that seem more 'quit worthy'

Remember when I raged last year at Game of Thrones at a rape scene in the show that did not happen in the books? In fact the rape scene went completely against one of the character's arcs and was over all unnecessary? That right there was the scene I thought would make people quit. In fact it was more gratuitous, longer and far more out of character. It made no sense in the context of the story. It didn't need to be there.

There was also the scene in season 2 where Joffery tortures to whores. Or the scene in season 4 that I mentioned earlier at Crasters Keep. Both were longer and unnecessarily terrible.

Why didn't people quit then? Well maybe because Cersei isn't as loved as Sansa, or we didn't know the other victims. Which is kind of sick and twisted. Why should rape be worse or more offensive depending on which character it happens to?

Story wise, it made sense to me why they put Sansa back at Winterfell. They needed new story material for her and we needed a POV character we cared about at the center of the Boltons. If not Sansa, they would have introduced another nameless girl and it would been just as terrible, in my opinion. But it moved the story along.

I get people who don't watch the show because of rape or gratuitous sex and violence. I get people who don't want to keep watching because the show seems like one terrible event after another. Its not everyone's bag. Not everyone is going to enjoy Game of Thrones. Not everyone should. Those people aren't wrong for not watching.

But if you've made it to season 5 of this show without getting offended by all of those things, I kind of wonder what made you decide to care now?

I'm not going to be one of those people who argues, 'well its historically accurate so we have to show the rape' or, 'well we have to see the rape to show that Ramsay is a bad guy' (cause uh... we got the gist of that). I won't even defend the whole 'we have to see the rape to feel the character's struggle' argument, because I think we've seen from Mad Max, that stuff can be implied. I will however defend the show for taking a situation from the books and in many ways improving how it was handled.

That's just my two cents on the matter. At this point I'm kind of bound to keep watching the show, since there are probably only two more seasons. I have to see how it ends. There is a lot of work to be done in our media in how we handle rape on screen and Game of Thrones has faltered plenty of times. But those failing do not permanently mar what is, in most other respects, an excellent show.

Villains and Villainy- The Monarch

This week on the blog, we’re talking about the monarch archetype. Now this one is very similar to the tyrant archetype, because monarchs can indeed be tyrants. But I do classify them as different for a few reasons.

1.  Monarchs have a more regal bearing about them. Tyrants more often are war lords and dictators. Monarchs are royalty. Now of course the line here is thin and easily crossed. The Lord Ruler, for instance, who we talked about earlier, certainly had a regal bearing. But this leads to my second distinction:

2. While tyrants are those who seize power, monarchs are usually born into it. This causes very different character traits. Tyrants believe they have earned their power while monarchs are born thinking they have an inherent right to it. This often means very different character arcs and goals. Again theirs a fine line if some monarchs come into their power by dethroning the previous dynasty, but you get the gist.

Of course this distinction is my own and can’t be found any books. Its also very likely that I made this a separate category to brag about more villains. I only want to spotlight two villains a week… because I’m particular about patterns in that way.

One of the reasons spotlighting monarchs is so important is because we get some of our best evil women from this category!

Evil queens! Evil queens everywhere. From Disney, to Game of Thrones, to Once Upon a Time. Some of the most iconic villainesses come from this category and they make their bad deeds so fabulous.

Some of my favorites include Queen Cersei from Game of Thrones, Regina from Once Upon a Time, and of course her ancestor, the original Evil Queen.

As stated before, any villainous monarch can deal with a lot of interesting issues. They often think the world is owed to them because of how they have been raised. But there is a great variety to be found here. Some are petty and treat their kingdom like a child might a toy. Others believe they are working for the greater good but their actions get lost among the way. You can make a monarch villain as complex and sympathetic or as completely horrible as you like...

We’ll get to you later, Joffery.

Whatever the case, its important to consider how their roots have effected them and how their lavish way of life might explain their terrible actions. This will make them human. And that, if you might have noticed, is the theme here in our keys to successful villains.

Join me on Friday for a look at two of my favorite monarchs! Warning, expect a lot of fangirling J

Villain Spotlight: The Joker and Ramsay Snow

I hinted at one of our spotlights on Wednesday so let’s jump right in with the obvious choice: The Joker.

The joker, in every incarnation, loves to laugh. It’s part of his name, you know. From the Jack Nickelson version to the Animated Series version to the chilling Heath Ledger portrayal in Dark Knight. All of these characters have a distinct laugh and distinct look. There’s a reason why the joker is one of the most beloved villains of the Batman universe. Because he has fun and we can’t help but have fun with him.

My personal favorite interpretation of the joker is Heath Ledger’s unforgettable performance in the Dark Knight. From his pencil magic trick, to his puns, to his casual reaction to catastrophes. He’s an agent of chaos who goes through life with a smile. He’s not quite as openly a joker as the others, but that makes him a lot more interesting as a character. And his laugh is pretty terrifying as well. He’s definitely the most frightening version of the joker, which gets him a lot of points in my book.

Our other spotlight is on Ramsay Snow, from Game of Thrones. He's another side of the coin. Less the really enjoyable to watch joker and more the 'oh god, my soul, help, he's terrifying' kind of joker.

The bastard of Roose Bolton, Ramsay spends much of his time on screen torturing Theon Greyjoy, to the point we actually feel sorry for him. Which is saying a lot. 

Just leave him alone Ramsay. He's paid his dues

Ramsay almost never stops smiling when he’s causing pain and he loves to troll people. Blowing horns, lying and…

This

Ramsay has a sick sense of humor and it makes him without a doubt the most frightening villain in Game of Thrones. Which is saying a lot. Yet, he’s still definitively human. He’s afraid of his father and anxious to prove himself. He has motives outside of causing pain. But causing pain and psychologically torturing people is clearly what he’s best at. Not that this is unusual for Game of Thrones. But for all of the terrible people in this show, he seems to enjoy his villany the most, which sets him apart. He’s a laughing, burning train wreck you just can’t look away from.

He also needs to die. Because he is just about the worst person in existence. Which I guess makes for a great villain

*choked noises of fear and hatred*

That’s my spotlight for this week! What are some of your favorite jokers? Let me know in the comments.