To each her/his own story of thrones
We’ll never hear the punchline to Tyrion’s favorite but often aborted story of having brought a honeycomb and a jackass to a brothel. And we’ll never know why certain secondary but seemingly potent characters in the early going (like the intriguingly costumed and face-masked Quaithe, among others) were dropped, never to be seen again.
The list of apparent plot holes that particularly bedeviled Season 8 grows by the day, in the continuing crescendo of post-GoT trauma, while nearly a million fans, or ex-fans, have signed up for an appeal to have the concluding episodes redone.
That’s how much of a global impact has been generated by a phenomenal TV series that had audiences rapt for all of nine years, including a waiting time of over a year before the highly controversial final season unraveled — with countless critics and know-it-alls complaining of how the showrunners appeared to rush towards an ending, at the expense of erstwhile narrative arcs involving much-loved characters.
One academic puts her finger on the alleged failure by the writers to have kept the storytelling on its previous sociological mode, in favor of Hollywood-style psychological reckoning.
Speaking of psychology, therapy programs have also been offered, catering to both those who hated the ending and those who loved the series so much that they’re now gripped by more than just a Monday loss of further expectations.
Well, for those who may need it here, Victoria Court in Pasig has a room with a replica of the Iron Throne — where one may do with it as she and/or he wishes (maybe like take selfies or duofies with a regal background).
Locals may also heave a sigh of relief that at least no one down South replicated the act of that impassioned fan who shot at the theater screen upon seeing an FPJ character die.
Yes, many were disappointed, disgruntled, discombobulated. To say to them that it was a just a show would be like throwing salt at deep wounds. Best to leave them be, even if, wittily, some could dismiss the final episode with a withering “Regicide followed by faculty meetings. Boring.”
Well, let me confess that I was sufficiently entertained, despite the telescoped narrative, plot holes and mistakes, e.g. the Starbucks cup. HBO couldn’t have pleased everybody anyway, especially since the phenomenon it created and nurtured had everyone feeling entitled to her/his own narrative. Yes, so epic and epochal that everyone wanted a say in it. Alas, such emotional investment.
Four weeks ago, I wrote in this space to hazard my educated guesses on who among the 30-some remaining name characters would survive, and who’d be killed off.
Of the latter list, I got it right with Cersei, Jaime, Euron, Jorah, Lady Lyanna Mormont, Theon Greyjoy, Sandor, Gregor. Dolorous Ed, Qyburn, Varys, Melisandre, Viserion, Raeghal, The Night King and Daenerys. But I erred with Brienne, Tormund, Grey Worm, Bronn and Drogon. So, 16 correct, five wrong.
For the survivors, I had Jon Snow, Samwell and Gilly, Tyrion, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Davos, Gendry, Yara Greyjoy and Podrick. I was wrong with Beric and Missandei. That’s 11 against two. For both lists, 27 corrrect, seven wrong. Not bad, close to a passing grade of 7 percent, only 6 percent short of someone’s supposed approval rating.
So this makes up part of my satisfaction, and never mind that I also question why Grey Worm and the Unsullied escorts left their Queen unguarded and allowed Jon to get to her so easily. A nagging question is how anyone knew that Dany had been stabbed dead by Jon, when she just disappeared with Drogon. And if at all it had been found out, wouldn’t Grey Worm have instantly gotten back at Jon and executed him instead of throwing him to prison? Since the Unsullied sailed off to Africa, won’t they just die out, since they can’t miscegenate to produce future NBA players, ’cuz no balls?
Questions, questions. But I forgive HBO, since the series has taught me about the essential quality of mercy, and left me to ponder on the relative importance of brothels vis-à-vis ships. Never mind that we’re all left with the Azor Azai conundrum. Our faith in Las Vegas bookies has once again been somewhat affirmed, after they installed Bran as the odds-on favorite to sit on the throne. Well, I don’t know if the prescient bettors were paid, since nobody got to sit on a melted throne, with Bran the Broken simply becoming King of Less Than Seven Kingdoms.
I’ll simply quote from the wizened one, maester cineaste Ed Cabagnot, who, like me, remains grateful for the grand entertainment. He wrote:
“Salamat, GoT, for:
“Not pandering to this fanboy’s every wish — that is, killing off leads early in the game, etc. I mean, the Red Wedding, bro! Or driving our fave Westeros Barbie bonkers, hehe.
“Elevating the fantasy genre, as into mature audiences level; Reinvigorating in people young and old a love for books. Gonna miss seeing all those millennials raptly reading dem ASOFI paperbacks in the MRTs/FXs; Rewriting the Limited Series template — no rules re running times, number of episodes, time between seasons. You made me wait a year, you c**kteasin’ bitch!
“Redefining audience involvement and fan participation. I mean... memes, reaction vids, the spoiler wars, parodies, musical covers, cosplay, Comic-Con idolatry, how-to guides (Sansa’s Lemon Cakes, etc.), just to name a few insanities.
“Related to above, gracefully warging out into other forms: fan/slash fiction, board games, LCGs, CCGs, models, fashion, etc.
“Introducing new PopCult ways-of-being and talking. Like, ‘eto, Jorah-zone forevah’; Pushing the envelope re production values in small screen oeuvres. Colossal per-episode budgets. Fabulous casting. But more than that, making weekly magic in terms of visuals (cinematography and prod des), sound design and music (Ramin D.!), editing, SFX, and the whole tech bag.
“Finally, helping me become a part of the global experience of laughing, crying, rooting, sighing, getting shell-shocked SIMULTANEOUSLY with the rest of the planet at a specified time/place.
“Naw, this kind of phenomenon ain’t gonna happen soon in the near future. Again, salamat from the pit of my BEing, GoT!”
