The final season of Game of Thrones has received a pretty negative response from a large portion of viewers, at least those audible and visible online in my surroundings.
There are gripes with pacing, character arcs, plot holes and inconsistencies. Hard to argue with that. But I don't think that's why people are actually unhappy. The reason we are unhappy is because Daenerys isn't the character and leader we had decided she was. And it is all the writers fault.
Now hang in there with me. Most will argue and even convince themselves that this is not the reason. That they have no problems with Daenerys turning out to be a tyrant or dying but that the way it happened needed to be different. Fine. Tell yourself that and be happy.
But I think the arc of Daenerys is one of the best, most realistic and powerful in a TV series I have seen. In fact, it accurately depicts our human history of masses following leaders.
We have to start by looking at why we loved her. We loved her because we followed her journey from the start, and her journey was our journey - identification. We loved her because we understood her intentions as good. Get rid of slavery. Free cities. Remove tyranny. We loved her because she was beautiful. Both in person, but also in style - her dresses, her hair, her face and smile, the visual esthetics of everything around her. It was a beautiful world to be in and around. And the opposite to the dirty mess of Westeros. We loved her because she had power. And she used it. Finally someone who was willing to do what was needed.
And on her journey we stood behind her. And not only did we behind the screen, but everyone she met did as well. When they gave her counsel that she ignored they would later admit she was right. When they gave her counsel she followed, it was her wisdom to do so. The decisions she took had outcomes we agreed with. Her values seemed to drive them. And all along it was destiny. In fact, from young age, she experienced only confirmation of being right, of being righteous and of being destined to free the people of the world. And we took the knee in front of "our queen".
If we look at authoritarianism in the real world, this is pretty much a blueprint of it. Leaders that emerge from circumstance that followers identify with. That point to the wrongs in society and gathers momentum as they are fought. That contribute to building a better world with tangible benefits for the people around them.
The most famous example is Hitler. In 1938, five years after taking powers, three years after the Nuremberg laws had been put in place against Jews, 15 (!) years after the first attempt to take over power in a democratic society by force, European leaders negotiated with Hitler and still saw in him some good. So did Germans - and not only "Nazis" that were brainwashed or crazy. Living standards had gone up, normal people had food on the table, society seemed to be moving in the right direction. Yes there were some "issues" but overall Hitler seemed to be on the right path. It is hard for us to imagine now, because in retrospect everything he has done has been analyzed through different glasses, but the rallies, symbolism, flags, salutes etc were considered "beautiful" - a part of the intoxication of the times. In fact, Hitler could do no wrong. He became a demi God to those around him.
When Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia, and later attacked Poland it was as if he had gone "mad". Even more so when he attacked the Soviet Union (so mad in fact, that Stalin would not believe the reports - it made no sense...). In fact, he "needed" to free the whole world. And they had the chance to shape the world the way they wanted. Freedom as they saw it. What about others' perspective of freedom? They don't have that choice, as Daenerys would say.
This is totalitarianism. The belief that "I know better" what is good, and people and institutions around that support this psychologically through re-enforcement as well as the lack of checks to power.
What were Daenerys checks and balances? Institutionally there were none. The closes were her advisors, who one by one died and were killed. By the end she had nobody and the institutions were not built for her to be challenged. She became trapped in her path of destiny. And in fact, just like Hitler, she never "went mad". There was never a moment.
Now, to the question of this post: Would you follow Danerys?
Based upon the reaction to the Game of Thrones (coupled with how we interpret the world around us), my observation is that so many are longing for a Daenerys to come along. And of course it will be the "right" Daenerys, who never turns mad (that's just the bad writers!!!). She will be beautiful and righteous, use her powers for good, and rid this world of evil.
When she comes - will you follow her?
There are gripes with pacing, character arcs, plot holes and inconsistencies. Hard to argue with that. But I don't think that's why people are actually unhappy. The reason we are unhappy is because Daenerys isn't the character and leader we had decided she was. And it is all the writers fault.
Now hang in there with me. Most will argue and even convince themselves that this is not the reason. That they have no problems with Daenerys turning out to be a tyrant or dying but that the way it happened needed to be different. Fine. Tell yourself that and be happy.
But I think the arc of Daenerys is one of the best, most realistic and powerful in a TV series I have seen. In fact, it accurately depicts our human history of masses following leaders.
We have to start by looking at why we loved her. We loved her because we followed her journey from the start, and her journey was our journey - identification. We loved her because we understood her intentions as good. Get rid of slavery. Free cities. Remove tyranny. We loved her because she was beautiful. Both in person, but also in style - her dresses, her hair, her face and smile, the visual esthetics of everything around her. It was a beautiful world to be in and around. And the opposite to the dirty mess of Westeros. We loved her because she had power. And she used it. Finally someone who was willing to do what was needed.
And on her journey we stood behind her. And not only did we behind the screen, but everyone she met did as well. When they gave her counsel that she ignored they would later admit she was right. When they gave her counsel she followed, it was her wisdom to do so. The decisions she took had outcomes we agreed with. Her values seemed to drive them. And all along it was destiny. In fact, from young age, she experienced only confirmation of being right, of being righteous and of being destined to free the people of the world. And we took the knee in front of "our queen".
If we look at authoritarianism in the real world, this is pretty much a blueprint of it. Leaders that emerge from circumstance that followers identify with. That point to the wrongs in society and gathers momentum as they are fought. That contribute to building a better world with tangible benefits for the people around them.
The most famous example is Hitler. In 1938, five years after taking powers, three years after the Nuremberg laws had been put in place against Jews, 15 (!) years after the first attempt to take over power in a democratic society by force, European leaders negotiated with Hitler and still saw in him some good. So did Germans - and not only "Nazis" that were brainwashed or crazy. Living standards had gone up, normal people had food on the table, society seemed to be moving in the right direction. Yes there were some "issues" but overall Hitler seemed to be on the right path. It is hard for us to imagine now, because in retrospect everything he has done has been analyzed through different glasses, but the rallies, symbolism, flags, salutes etc were considered "beautiful" - a part of the intoxication of the times. In fact, Hitler could do no wrong. He became a demi God to those around him.
When Hitler annexed Czechoslovakia, and later attacked Poland it was as if he had gone "mad". Even more so when he attacked the Soviet Union (so mad in fact, that Stalin would not believe the reports - it made no sense...). In fact, he "needed" to free the whole world. And they had the chance to shape the world the way they wanted. Freedom as they saw it. What about others' perspective of freedom? They don't have that choice, as Daenerys would say.
This is totalitarianism. The belief that "I know better" what is good, and people and institutions around that support this psychologically through re-enforcement as well as the lack of checks to power.
What were Daenerys checks and balances? Institutionally there were none. The closes were her advisors, who one by one died and were killed. By the end she had nobody and the institutions were not built for her to be challenged. She became trapped in her path of destiny. And in fact, just like Hitler, she never "went mad". There was never a moment.
Now, to the question of this post: Would you follow Danerys?
Based upon the reaction to the Game of Thrones (coupled with how we interpret the world around us), my observation is that so many are longing for a Daenerys to come along. And of course it will be the "right" Daenerys, who never turns mad (that's just the bad writers!!!). She will be beautiful and righteous, use her powers for good, and rid this world of evil.
When she comes - will you follow her?
