They got me good. After years of bitching about the "Game of Thrones" (GOT) finale all they had to do was drop a prequel and I was back on top of my CGI dragon faster than Khal Drogo on Daenerys Targaryen.
Y'all remember when GOT ended so badly that Emilia Clarke had this incredibly awkward yet telling reaction when asked about it on the red carpet?! Because I do. And like the consummate professional she is, she quickly recovered to give a somewhat rousing response to save the moment but, her face said it all.
I don't think it's hyperbolic to state that the show's finale was one of the worst we've had in recent memory but I'm feeling refreshed after falling asleep post "House of the Dragon" and choosing to remain optimistic today. I'm in a real the glass is half-full kind of mood.
The reality is that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the series creators who brought George R.R. Martin's novels to the television screen, provided us with 6 - 6 1/2 seasons of some of if not the most prestigious television we'd ever seen. GOT was revolutionary. And yes, the last 2ish seasons sucked giant balls because it appears as if they really phoned it in. Both statements can be true.
GOT ended May 19th, 2019. We've had over 3 years to complain about the ending, it's time to turn the page.
*"House of the Dragon" has entered the chat.*
It started off slow, and I was admittedly skeptical at first, but the 1st episode of the prequel hit all of its marks:
A king desperate for an heir
His brother 1 glass of wine away from stabbing him in the back to claim the throne
A female protagonist destined for greatness
The Iron Throne surrounded by 5687568635 swords, unnecessary but badass
Fucking DRAGONS (just please take a bath after riding, thank you)
A rapist getting publicly castrated
Dudes jousting
Giving birth...'nuff said
The first "dracarys!" we've heard in over 3 years
Orgies
Did I mention dragons?!
All in all, I was satisfied. I even watched it with the subtitles on so I could attempt to keep up with all the damn names the show was throwing at me. It was as if no time had passed at all! And I wasn't the only one. Did anyone else catch the viral video of an entire apartment complex in New York viewing the premiere?!
If last night taught us anything it's that we missed this world. Where else would we be able to lose ourselves in dense storytelling and shocking character arcs, grotesque violence, cases of incest, midgets, dragons, unparalleled special effects, and gratuitous nudity?!
I personally acknowledged the staying power of GOT when I went to a themed trivia night at a local brewery not long ago thinking it would be all fun and games. That was up until the moment the fucking Night's Watch hopped out of a Kia Soul donning all black and proceeded to mop the floor with anyone outside of their House. I sat in the corner and drank my beer in silence, eventually accepting last place. Mentally I dissipated from Jon Snow to Theon Greyjoy in under 2 hours.
"Game of Thrones" ("House of the Dragon") is back! Although it never really left. And it's time we all accept that, let past wrongdoings lie, and tune in.
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