Game of Thrones

In rewatching numerous episodes I was afraid to rewatch "Baelor." Even seeing the episode Littlefinger betrays him was hard to watch, for the sickness growing in my guts. I summoned the courage for "Baelor" and it was bittersweet. I forgot that was the very episode Robb gets his first victory, a highlight of the entire series. Things are in motion, hope is kindled, all conflict seems to be the standard conflict of entertainment. Then it shatters into, as far as I'm concerned, one of the most crushing events in modern entertainment. The evening I watched that episode the first time, I didn't have time to watch another episode, but I did anyway. I thought I could watch "Baelor", whatever that meant, in this shallow but fun TV show, and move on with my evening. Instead I watched the next episode as well and remained emotionally distant from my friend that evening. I thought about "Baelor" right before falling asleep and right after waking up. This fun TV show became a wound, one I didn't think could heal itself, so I wanted to walk away from it. I was juuuuust invested enough in winter and dragons to persevere, but I never recovered.

Why was it so devastating? I thought there was no way Ned dies. Were there hints? I guess Robert's demise was insightfully sudden. Too sudden. Confusing, in fact, but merely confusing, not devastating, because he wasn't the heart of the show. There was no emotional blow to prepare us for "Baelor" because any emotional blow that occurred was infused with hope that things turn around by the end of the season. Sure, the season was good emotional TV, but always hopeful. "Baelor" destroyed all hope. It made Game of Thrones a world I didn't want to inhabit. Indeed, as I grimaced through the next few seasons, I dreaded Game of Thrones itself, I didn't like living there, I endured it purely for curiosity.

Why write such evil into the story? To make a splash? You made a splash, and you made haters of viewers you want to be lovers. I should be a good fan for Martin. I would think he'd want me to love the series. But I don't, because of things like "Baelor." I don't love GoT, nor ASOIAF. I'm very interested, and quite entertained, but I really don't love them.

I love the world, I love the characters, I love the prose, I resent the story. And that's a big detractor.