After nearly 600 days of wait, winter has finally come. Game Of Thrones- final season is releasing tomorrow. But the night is dark and full of terrors. I mean spoilers. So we gotta Hold the Door against any potential leaks.
I hereby promise that I shall not spoil it for you anywhere. In fact, what you would read today is an interpretation of my own following the epic series so far. Just make sure you are all caught up till GOT season 7, or get out of whatever rock you are living under.
The concept of seven sins or vices (Pride, Greed, Wrath, Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Envy) has been a fascinating one in Christianity. In religions, art, folklore, literature it has been a popular theme to explore since ages. As a matter of fact, when we look at such a popular spectacle as GOT, with thousands of finely shaded characters, we can't help but wonder what the defining trait of our favorite characters may be.
Or as I call it, what sin our popular heroes or anti-heroes embody?
There is also an awaited return of Azor-Ahai foreshadowed in the final season. The Prince (a gender neutral term in Valyrian) who was promised, born amidst the salt and smoke according to the prophecy and the one who will vanquish the evil Night King. There is a speculation about show's most popular character Jon Snow being that prince who was promised. But as has been the trend with GOT author George R R Martin, it just might be a front for a more convoluted shock ending. In fact, from the first season itself, there have been theories how this Azor-Ahai can be anyone among these following characters.
How wonderful it will be to observe that these suspected characters below can be mapped on one vice or sin each. Here is my list of seven suspected Azor Ahai exhibiting the Seven deadly sins:
PRIDE: Jon Snow
Well, Pride seems to be a defining trait for Starks.
Honor, integrity, Truth are their core values. And prospect of losing their heads for their word hardly makes any Stark eye flinch. Lord Eddard 'Ned' Stark lost his god damn head for it in season one. And I have had the sadistic pleasure of watching innocent reactions of my friends when Sean Bean's head is chopped off.
Jon Snow inherits this trait, by genetics or by Ned's upbringing, but he is a man of straight knees and his damn word. And yeah, he is the best bet going in the market for being the Prince that was promised. Because of his sword Lightbringer and the resurrection stuff a few years back.
WRATH: Daenerys Targaryen
Targaryens awakened the magic ages ago and it is said that their blood still has the traces of it. Magic also binds them to magical creatures- dragons. Unfortunately, the same magic makes them short tempered and from Aegon the conqueror to the mad king, Targeryens have been fond of burning their dissenters alive.
For all her diplomacy and kindheartedness, even Daenerys burnt Sam's father and brother alive. Danny is docile to her loved ones. But scorn her once and all hell breaks loose when she gets angry. As she was born amidst literally the smoke and salt (her mother dead at childbirth and the palace burning), she has been prophesied to be the Azor Ahai. But to me personally, she deserves a far greater glory than the iron throne by the end of it all.
GLUTTONY: Tyrion Lannister
A Lannister always pays his debts. And boy, this young kingmaker has paid it all. He is one underdog everyone wants to root for. And his brutal trial scene gave us goosebumps and Peter Dinklage an Emmy award. Tyrion called himself 'the god of tits and wine'. Under Danny, thankfully, he has been over with his former indulgence, but he still can't get enough of the drinking pleasure. In the final episode of the last season 7, this was one common interest over which he could connect with her tyrant sister Cersei and convince her in joining the fight against the dead (or whatever was hatched in that meeting).
A small man may cast a large shadow. With a hinted Targaryen legacy and stunning character development, he may also be in the race for being that flawed Azor Ahai Westeros doesn't deserve but needs right now. In any case, I would love to see him at least ruling the seven kingdoms in one way or the other.
LUST: Jaime Lannister
He is a classic example of what this show is all about. Jaime is one character everybody hated in beginning. Not just for being Kingslayer and pushing Bran out of the window, but also for all that hokey pokey lustful stuff with his elder sister- the Queen.
From being loathed to sympathized to now being rooted for, Jaime has turned his whole narrative upside down and some believe he is the messiah Westeros has been waiting for. It has been sufficiently foreshadowed that this once elite swordsman will strike his sword into the heart of his true love (beware Cersei) and with that sword Lightbringer, will end the reign of the Night King.
GREED: The Golden Company
"Beneath the gold, the bitter steel"
This has been the battle cry for the Golden Company. What's the Golden Company you ask? It is one of the most sophisticated army founded by Aegor Rivers the 'Bittersteel', a Targaryen bastard prince. Ten thousand Sellswords to hire and fight for anybody paying handsomely in gold. This Army has never broken a contract and Cersei has just dispatched for it with a fresh bank loan from iron bank of Bravos.
Now what's the connection? Sir Jorah Mormont, when disgraced for slave trading, fled and washed ashore at Essos to join this golden company. A fine freelance fighter such as our witty Bronn seems to be trained at the golden company himself. Dario Naharis (Danny's former love interest) too served the golden company officially.
What if, in the deciding moments of the final battle between dead and alive, this Golden Company break their contract for the first time, arrives charging with ten thousand Valyrian steel swords and massacres the whole whitewalker battalion. And what if the general of this devastating army turns out to be <spoiler alert> a still alive Rhaegar Targaryen in self imposed exile- the true prince who was promised.
Improbable, yet not impossible in GOT, right?
SLOTH: Samwell Tarly
Now this is purely out of a wishlist. As is the open secret, GRR Martin was a great friend to JRR Tolkien (author of Lord of The Rings). And Martin too named his favorite character- the constant companion of Frodo Baggins/Jon Snow- 'Sam'. When first arrived at the night's watch, Sam was a good for nothing asset to them. No sword skills, no other soldiering experience. He looked pretty well fed and short on fitness though. Food, rest and a little bit of reading is what Sam would love to occupy himself with unless bullied into performing a more taxing task.
GRR Martin has in fact avoided directly answering whether he wrote Sam in his own image and whether by the end of the show, will it be Sam narrating this entire book. Sam seems the epitome of an underdog and who knows, writer GRR Martin might have left a shocker for us in this whole Azor Ahai prophecy being fulfilled by not a soldier but a scholar.
ENVY: Petyr Baelish
And I save the best for the last. Petyr Baelish, nicknamed Littlefinger- master of coin, and operator of the brothels in Kingslanding, and the creator of all this ongoing conflict. Littlefinger has been written so skillfully as a character, that I couldn't digest his sudden demise.
This whole conflict started with the previous Hand of the King- John Arryn's inconspicuous death and the King arriving at the Winterfell to recruit Ned Stark in his place. Then Bran's attempted killer bearing an unusual dagger and Littlefinger slickly pointing his little fingers at Tyrion Lannister. Whatever happened from thereon between Stark children and Lannisters is mostly the plot of whole seven seasons so far.
Petyr Baelish did it out of envy. His love for Lady Catelyn Stark caused his subsequent scheming with her sister Lysa and plotting against her husband Ned. "Chaos is a ladder." If not for Littlefinger, there was perhaps no reason for these two friendly houses to bicker about. He knew the true secret of Rhaegar and Lyanna as well, and who knows what others. How can he be dead without seeing his grand schemes hatching to perfection.
I suspect he may make a surprise return, based on a 'smoking gun' of a scene he had, talking to a suspicious looking maiden just before his throat was slit a few scenes later. Who knows, a faceless assassin taking his place may be? What if... what if... what if...
Friends, all of this has been a spoiler free foreshadowing from my side. If either of this comes true, well, call me a genius. If not, even better a surprise for all of us. Irrespective, let's enjoy the most memorable April of our lives perhaps, where we will be witnessing a decade old story-arc reaching a grand fulfilling end. First with Game Of Thrones today, and then Avengers; End Game on 26th.
One gentlemanly advice, don't be a spoilsports in your office or friend circle.
Hold The Door!!
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