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Thursday, February 9, 2012

Ice and/or Fire Let's Play the Game of Love Thrones

Posted by Erik Henriksen on Thu, Feb 9, 2012 at 3:17 PM

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The standard thinking when it comes to television is that the audience should like a show's characters; that way, they'll be more inclined to tune in every week to spend time with those characters. So maybe one of the reasons I like Game of Thrones so much is because holy shit, so many of its characters are repugnant. Granted—and, so far, more in the books than the TV show—those pulling the stories' strings generally do a pretty good job of making you come around to characters you initially hated, and vice versa, but still: Game of Thrones is filled with hate-worthy (and fine, love-worthy) characters.

In fact, looking through io9's batch of new images from the show's second season, I found myself sticking all the characters pictured into, with a few exceptions, two categories: "HATE" and "LOVE." (Fun party trick: Ask any of my ex-girlfriends how "emotionally mature" I am!) So join me, won't you, on a journey to Westeros... and a journey into HATE and LOVE.

ARYA STARK:

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BALON GREYJOY:

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BRIENNE OF TARTH:

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CATELYN STARK:

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CERSEI LANNISTER:

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DAENERYS TARGARYEN:

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DAVOS SEAWORTH:

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JOFFREY BARATHEON:

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JON SNOW (THIS ONE'S FOR THE LADIES):

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LADY MELISANDRE & STANNIS BARATHEON:

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RENLY BARATHEON (THIS ONE'S FOR THE GAYS):

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ROBB STARK:

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BRAN STARK & HODOR:

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THEON GREYJOY:

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SANSA STARK:

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Do you disagree with any of my choices? That is certainly your prerogative, even though you are probably wrong.

SPOILER WARNING: Shit's getting all sorts of spoilery in the comments, so if you haven't read the books, quick! Go read the books, then come back here once you're done! See you in a few months.

 

Comments (28) RSS

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1
HODOR!
Posted by Courtney Ferguson on February 9, 2012 at 3:23 PM · Report
2
Also, Sansa is the Dawn of Game of Thrones.
Posted by Courtney Ferguson on February 9, 2012 at 3:23 PM · Report
3
Also came here to say, "Hodor."
Posted by Never Alone on February 9, 2012 at 3:26 PM · Report
4
hate Catelyn
Posted by Ned on February 9, 2012 at 3:38 PM · Report
5
(Everyone's read these books, right? That being said, should there be a spoiler-y warning? Anyway...)

ARYA: The more she turns into a darling little murder-bot, the more I love her.

BALON GREYJOY: Balon is meh. Greyjoy Cthulhu-vikings are fucking metal.

BRIENNE OF TARTH: Her narrative in AFFC is all about world exposition that she has nothing to do with, and she herself is way too squeaky-clean. Hate.

CATELYN STARK: Meh. Kinda hate. I guess.

CERSEI LANNISTER: Hate. Duh.

DAENARYS TARGARYEN: Meh in AGOT. Okay in ACOK. Love in ASOS. Meh in ADWD.

DAVOS SEAWORTH: Love!

JOFFREY BARATHEON: With the fire of a thousand suns, do I hate him.

JON SNOW: Meh.

LADY MELISANDRE & STANNIS BARATHEON: She's awesome. Stannis is infuriating, but kind of interesting.

RENLY BARATHEON: Meh.

ROBB STARK: Idiot.

BRAN STARK & HODOR: It's like if Charles Xavier had a Hodor instead of a wheelchair! Love!

THEON GREYJOY: Reek. Rhymes with "geek." Love, as of ADWD.

SANSA STARK: Hate! But I hope Littlefinger teaches her a thing or two about being interesting and amoral.
Posted by The Right Reverend Rocktimus Prime on February 9, 2012 at 3:39 PM · Report
6
YOU ARE SO INCREDIBALLY WRONG ABOUT BRIENNE THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO CONVERT OXYGEN IN YOUR LUNGS IN TO ENERGY TO POWER YOUR WRONGY-WRONG FINGERS TO TYPE THINGS!!!
Posted by Graham on February 9, 2012 at 3:40 PM · Report
7
@2, OMG A MILLION BILLION TIMES THIS.

I basically LOVE all the characters. Except for Sansa. I hope she's the last and final Stark to get a red wedding.

Arya is my favorite character. (which, oddly may doom her to die).
Posted by Fruit Cup on February 9, 2012 at 3:40 PM · Report
8
@5, also, this: ON GREYJOY: Balon is meh. Greyjoy Cthulhu-vikings are fucking metal.

I was trying to explain why I loved the Greyjoy's so much to my partner, who has not read the books. I think my explanation made him feel icky and doubt our relationship.
Posted by Fruit Cup on February 9, 2012 at 3:44 PM · Report
9
It took me awhile to realize this, but I think the reason the books are such a compelling read is that you can't wait to see all the assholes get their comeuppance.

Your love/hate assessment seems pretty good, but since characters in the series are either brave, selfless Mary Sues, or petty vain traitors who oh, I guess it's not enough that I am practically twirling my villain mustache, I should also rape some people and push a kid out of a window and maybe punch a horse also incest also more rape also lets kill a bunch of dogs because they hurt our feelings... I think your assessment is going to be pretty universal.
Posted by caustic on February 9, 2012 at 3:45 PM · Report
10
Also, RENLY IS AWESOME. Which is the card I suspect Erik expected me to play.
Posted by Fruit Cup on February 9, 2012 at 3:46 PM · Report
11
Also, Tyrion, of course, is the best character ever, which means that at some point he's going to die in an utterly horrible way. When that inevitably happens, it will suck.
Posted by The Right Reverend Rocktimus Prime on February 9, 2012 at 4:10 PM · Report
12
where the fuck is asha.
Posted by Alison Hallett on February 9, 2012 at 4:11 PM · Report
13
Asha is neato-keen! Also, where the fuck is Jaime? He's an utter and complete child-defenestrating douchebag, but I love him anyway.
Posted by The Right Reverend Rocktimus Prime on February 9, 2012 at 4:17 PM · Report
14
STANNIS: Feel a little pity for because he's got a lot of major responsibilities but he has no real friends or support. But yeah he's basically a tool.

CATELYN: After a while I just wanted her suffering to stop. And then it did (sort of)

BRIENNE: I like what she does for Jaime's character, and vice versa.

DAENERYS: I just want her and Jon to meet.

SANSA: Really annoying at first but it's been nice to see her innocence crumble away.



Posted by Floating World on February 9, 2012 at 4:21 PM · Report
15
SANSA OUT THE AIRLOCK
Posted by kiala on February 9, 2012 at 4:49 PM · Report
16
SANSA IS A VICTIM OF CIRCUMSTANCES; SHE IS NOT A BAD PERSON.

CAN WE GET SOME LOVE FOR GREGOR CLEGAINE UP IN HERE? DUDE GETS TURNED INTO FRANKENSTEIN-ZOMBIE AND SHIT! ALSO, HE'S A MOUNTAIN. THAT RIDES!!!
Posted by Graham on February 9, 2012 at 5:09 PM · Report
17
Anyone that hates Brienne of Tarth is getting punched in the spleen by SPOILER'S bloody feckin' SPOILER until they start crying like so many SPOILER after they're taken capture by SPOILER and tossed in the dungeons of the Iron SPOILER.

Posted by GeekintheCity on February 9, 2012 at 5:57 PM · Report
18
GIVE ME A HAND, I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND JAIME

*cymbal crash*
Posted by ScrumYummy on February 9, 2012 at 6:15 PM · Report
19
also i am ENDLESSLY AMUSED that Kit has gorm face even when he is supposed to be looking "sexy"
Posted by ScrumYummy on February 9, 2012 at 6:18 PM · Report
20
@7 Valar morghulis

Catelyn is good but Lady Stoneheart is awesome.
Posted by sueno on February 9, 2012 at 6:28 PM · Report
21
Arya>Tyrion>Jaime>Jon>Robb>Daenerys>Catelyn>Renly>Brienne>Sansa>Joffrey>Hodor>Rickon & mothereffing Shaggydog
Posted by drew.gemmer on February 9, 2012 at 6:28 PM · Report
22
I kind of like Sansa, people hate on her just cause she's not hardcore like everyone else in her family. But how hardcore, are you, haters?

Also Sandor Clegane and Asha Greyjoy are the two best characters. The Others can take everyone else.
Posted by nerds on February 9, 2012 at 8:56 PM · Report
23
Hodor.

Also, I think Brienne comes around in the books. Basically, I think Graham has it right in ALL CAPS. GO GRAHAM.

HODOR.

(um, I have to admit I started just reading a sub-section of chapters in the last two books. hodor. so say we all.)
Posted by catbot on February 9, 2012 at 10:39 PM · Report
24
Melisandre? DEMON. THE WORST.
Brienne? Late bloomer heroine.
Sansa and Catelyn are both total fuck ups.
Posted by Clehumpin on February 10, 2012 at 1:42 AM · Report
25
ONE OF MY FAVORITE BRIENNE MOMENTS IS WHEN SHE'S ALL LIKE, "HUH! I'M BEING CHASED BY BOATS. I WILL NOW THROW BOULDERS AT BOATS. BECAUSE I'M JUST THAT FUCKING AWESOME."

NOW LET ME SHARE SOME OF MY GREGOR/BRIENNE SLASHFIC WITH YOU GUYS....
Posted by Graham on February 10, 2012 at 8:33 AM · Report
26
Brienne has potential. Agree with Sansa out the airlock. Also, what happened to Rickon?
Posted by ThatGuy on February 10, 2012 at 10:18 AM · Report
27
Rickon's on that island with the cannibals. I think. Davos to the rescue! Also, hate Milisandre. Love Brienne. Shutup Catelyn. Arya and Asha are my lady heros. Swoon is beyond correct for Jon.
Posted by crimson on February 10, 2012 at 1:25 PM · Report
28
I saw the kid that played Viserys on an episode of Doctor Who a couple of weeks ago. He didn't end up with molten gold poured on his head, but he was a smarmy schoolboy that got turned into an alien. So smarmy!
Posted by tk. on February 10, 2012 at 2:46 PM · Report

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