It has been a fantastic few weeks during which I covered all the three seasons, and loving every bit of what they showcased. Though the last few episodes sent shock waves down my sensitive nerves, the charm didn’t wear off. As the 3 season saga ended (for now), while driving down the potholed highways of this wonderful city, I realized the lessons it has the potential to teach us. For the uninitiated.
Let Go. Don’t Hold On To Things.
I stopped having favorite characters on the show after a while, for the fear of killing them off. It is natural to develop a liking for people & things in the course of life or a television show. You end up taking their side. In Game of Thrones, however, they might turn traitors, might get killed by an infected wound or might simply get butchered by their own people. Lesson- Don’t stay attached. Everything has a reason to be with us now, and to be gone tomorrow.
Have a Budget. Respect It. Have Guts.
Two points over here.
When King’s Landing was besieged by the true King Stannis Baratheon, Tyrion Lannister didn’t have a mighty army, not many weapons. But he had a wondrous chemical that burnt like crazy. He had his brains. And he had guts (I’d rather use the ‘b’ word here). Tyrion took time to understand the battlefield, took a stock of weapons and options available. A perfect combination of the resources he had plus reinforcements at the right time helped him win the battle. Lesson- Understand the playground and play your best game.
They are yet to show a full scale battle on the show yet. Can you imagine how glorious, how magnificent the battles would have been, if Game of Thrones enjoyed a massive Troy-like budget? But they have done very well, keeping the story tight, so you don’t really miss the battle scenes. In a comparatively tight budget, they pulled off the best they could. They did have the opportunity to mess with our aptitude by showing 100 men fighting in a battle meant for thousands. But they didn’t. Lesson- Understand the boundaries and set the game right.
Action First, Talk Later
Viserys Targaryen (seen above) had no army, no proven accomplishment, no gold, no ships, except for a dicey alliance that required his sister to marry a tribal leader. His arrogance was misplaced, his pride hurtful for those around him. He’s not unlike a self-proclaimed “entrepreneur” whose startup is yet to take off but the one who keeps offering ‘expert advice’ (that involves shallow claims and criticism) on various topics. Viserys ended up dead by insulting his to-be ally, thus losing everything that he might have achieved for nothing. Lesson- Act when you’re in a position of strength.
Everyone Has Their Own Perspective
Tywin Lannnister means business. Rich and influential, he holds his family most important and does not tolerate anyone undermining the family name. Knows how to win battles, knows what to sacrifice in order to do so. Two reasons why the Lannisters command respect from me-
- “Rich as a Lannister.”
- “A Lannister always repays his debt.”
Lesson- Keep an open, ruthless mind. Everything is fair in love and war.
Respect Promises & Alliances
Oh yes, they do if they are not careful with promises made to key allies. Robb Stark was murdered for going against his vow made during wartime. Use words carefully when dealing with suppliers & vendors. Going back on your promise can result in unfavorable situations. Lesson- Don’t take promises lightly.
Question the System
Halfway into the first season and I was wishing Westeros allowed polygamy. Marriages and children born outside those have caused serious complications in the entire story line. Perhaps Robb could have questioned the system, Cersei could have, Tyrion could have, Robert could have. They could have married someone for political gain and also the lady they loved. Lesson- Question the system. Question existing rules.
Listen to the wise ones. Learn.
Half the troubles could have been avoided had Bran Stark listened to his mother and not climbed the fateful tower (from where he was thrown down, which resulted in his mother arresting Tyrion, which resulted in Bran’s Dad almost losing his leg and consequently his head, which led to the war). Had Robb Stark listened to his mother, his city would have still stood proud and the war would’ve been won. Lesson- Listen to wisdom. If you don’t want to, you better win.
Focus.
It is not advisable to spend your precious time watching Game of Thrones episodes online, leave alone writing an article about it with memes included, when you have work to do. But then, some things shouldn’t be missed. So what if they don’t help in career/money gain? They offer glimpses of creative brilliance that exists.
Let me know if I missed anything. Love and peace.