Game of Thrones Season One Ultimate Unofficial Guide: The Game of Thrones Season 1

power, the Last Dragon threatens to conquer them all once more. As further evidence of repeating history, a child from an incestuous relationship sits on the throne and is as tyrannical as the usurped Targaryen king, who was also a result of incestuous relations. A Baratheon plans to move against the throne a second time in this world’s history in order to unseat a wrongful heir. A Stark is once again declared King in the North after more than three hundred years without one. The throne has yet again invited war to its doorstep by wrongfully killing Stark family members. The encompassing cycle of repeating events threatens to keep this society from advancing into the future.
I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar
    Several strong female characters emerge throughout this story. So often in literature and other media the female character is portrayed as the damsel in distress. She fumbles when given control and always needs a man to save and protect her. Not so with the leading ladies in this series. Almost all of the female characters in Game of Thrones are strong-willed, capable individuals.
    Although Daenerys Targaryen begins the saga as a dominated, sheltered, timid young woman, she becomes a strong, determined, confident warrior by season’s end. She discovers her inner strength by accepting her new culture and exercising the authority she never had. Traded as a possession into marriage, she learns how to use her sexual prowess to gain power over her new husband. No longer under her brother’s dominion, she realizes what love really is through her relationship with Drogo and her position as Khaleesi of the Khal. Gradually the relationship with her brother reverses and he ends up at her mercy. Daenerys pays attention to what she learns and experiences and uses this knowledge to discover her true identity.
    Catelyn Stark also becomes a fighter as her story progresses. Having made a home with Ned since their marriage seventeen years earlier, she has always had his support. When he has to leave her in Winterfell, she is frightened at first, but adapts quickly to the duties of leadership. She finds the strength to leave Bran’s bedside in order to visit Ned to inform him of recent events. She publicly arrests Tyrion when she is made to think he was behind the attempt on Bran’s life. She finds the authority to do so by calling on loyalties owed her father from those gathered. She supports Robb in his war efforts and despite motherly instincts, respects the decisions he makes. She stays on the road with the war party, negotiates their crossing at The Twins, and confronts Jaime Lannister about Bran. She has vowed with Robb to rescue the Stark girls and avenge Ned’s death.
    Cersei Lannister may seem like a subdued woman to outsiders, but she is merely playing the role expected of her as Queen. In actuality, she is ruthlessly cunning, and extremely dangerous; qualities she wields in controlling the show at King’s Landing. She mercilessly works to keep her secrets hidden and has her brother-lover at her command. When she realized Robert would never love her as he did Lyanna, she hardened her heart towards him. Determined to bear only Jaime’s children, Cersei manages to live a completely hidden life while at the same time maneuvering a beneficial game position for her family. Manipulative and resourceful, Cersei does not let others intimidate her.
    Sansa Stark is a naïve young girl with chivalric notions of the world. She excels at being a noble young woman and dreams of being queen, so much so that she is willing to overlook some serious personality flaws to get what she wants. She has to mature rapidly when she is left alone in the midst of the lion’s den after her father’s arrest. Forced to request her brother’s fealty to Joffrey in hopes of saving her father’s life, Sansa learns the hard way not to trust a tyrant. Humbly pleading mercy for her father did not save him. Watching him die despite her pleas awakens Sansa to the reality she now faces and forces her to question her role in the game of thrones along with the price that comes with it. Viewers begin to sympathize with her as she realizes the error in her ways and has no choice but to suffer the consequences.
    The one female that started off independent and strong at an early age is Arya. This eleven year old refuses to fit into the mold cast for her at birth because of her gender. With no interest in sewing and being proper, Arya excels at everything her