Follow“Game of Thrones” is the kind of revolutionary show that prompted millions of people to watch television instead of reading the books, steal their friend’s HBOGo passwords, and watch soft-core porn with their families in a socially acceptable manner.
It’s been a long and taxing wait for nerds and cool kids too ashamed to admit that they are a part of the fandom, alike, for the newest season set to air on April 12. The trailer that dropped in January shows much to be excited about, including a fully grown dragon, a fully bearded Tyrion, and a fully unclothed Melisandre. Despite all of these aforementioned exciting things, there is one that particularly stood out: the accompanying song.
In the background plays Radio’s somber, gravelly rendition of David Bowie’s relatively upbeat song “Heroes.”
It’s a perfect choice because that’s exactly what the show is about, unconventionality. Bowie’s original brings to mind your classic hero: a chivalric knight in shining armor. Anyone who has ever seen “Game of Thrones” can attest that no character fits this bill. Not by a long shot. That’s why this version of the song so perfectly encapsulates the complexity of the characters’ heroism with its dark and brooding mood.
In season one, we thought we had a good ol’ fashioned hero in Ned Stark, but we lost him when he compromised his dignity to save his neck — which proved unsuccessful. This is where hope seemed to be lost.
But will there be a hero in season five? Will anyone step up to the challenge? I think so.
The show has a bevy of characters that start out as unassuming or amoral and are now on the cusp of greatness.
Jamie Lannister, for example. Early on, he seems like the most irredeemable character in the show, and that’s saying a lot, when he pushes a boy out of a tower wind after the kid catches Jamie doing the nasty with his own sister. But in season four his personal and sensitive conversations with Brienne, while not exonerating him from wrongdoing, help us to sympathize with him.
Then there’s Daenerys who started out as a Dothraki plaything and is now heavily implied to be a contender for the throne.
Also Jon Snow, once shy and deeply insecure about his illegitimate birth, is now a key player in defending The Wall.
And finally, Tyrion, a philandering dwarf resented by nearly his entire family, took his stand at the end of last season by killing his tyrannical father in one of the most cathartic moments in television history.
This is what makes millions return week after week, episode after episode. Of course all the boobs and blood contribute to its mass appeal, but what really keeps people tuning in are these characters. They all have their flaws like you and me (well maybe not me), and we like that about the show because it feels real. Now, facing more immense moral decisions than ever, these characters finally have the chance to redeem themselves or perhaps turn out to be just as evil as they first appeared. I think viewers would really like to see the former, because fans so strongly identify with these characters. They want to be heroes t. And like Bowie says,”We can be heroes / just for one day,” by the most uninvolved and easiest way possible: watching season five of “Game of Thrones.”
Brace yourself: A hero is coming.
Image Source: wiki.gameofthronesbr.com
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