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The Love of Knowledge, Life, and Wine: My Time with 'Game of Thrones'

#VocalGOT

By Ismael SantosPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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I had heard about Game of Thrones for years, but had never wanted to watch it. I think it may have been due to just wanting to be a malcontent, to go against the popular crowd. It's a stupid thing to do, for the most part: you're just depriving yourself of some good quality entertainment.

But, weirdly, while I had heard of the show for many years, my first interactions with the series were due to the books. I figured A Song of Ice and Fire has to be something amazing. Besides Lord of the Rings, I had never dabbled in the realm of fantasy books. But something about George R.R. Martin's work amazed me. From the way he started the first book with a prologue about these mysterious "White Walkers," to how every chapter took place from a different point-of-view, to the amazing characters that populated the story; I fell in love with the work. I began to watch the first season, and got about the first four episodes down quickly.

I remember one morning, after blearily staring at my copy of A Game of Thrones on my Samsung Tablet, talking to my dad about this cool character, this dwarf named Tyrion Lannister, and just how smart and interesting he was.

That was the last conversation I had with my dad, as he would die from a brain hemorrhage a few hours later.

I stayed away from the books, from the show, for a time. I just felt out of it.

But something pulled me back into GRRM's realm, into the show. I finished the book, and then, a month before a major trip, before graduate school started, I stayed in bed for one whole month.

And I binged the entirety of the series. From season one through season six, just one episode right after the other. It was something I needed to do, and I'm so glad to have done it. For all of my complaints, and story issues, and criticisms, there is something truly special about this show.

I consider all of the aspects, all of the heart-wrenching moments and awe-inspiring battles, political intrigues, and quiet moments, to be part of the same song: a beautiful, bittersweet balm of a song for me. And maybe for you, too.

With this last season close to being done, I have somehow fallen into even more in love with the show. I have started to read up on the books again, and to even download video game mods all about Game of Thrones.

More than that, the show has meant my friends have been borrowing copies of my complete book set, and wanting to offer up their own theories. It has meant wonderful memes to be shared online. It has meant my friends gathering up on Sundays, to discuss, and go over what's gone down on the show.

I remember the second episode of this last season very well, not just because of the character moments or Podrick singing before the Battle, but just where I was watching it from: outside, in an unusually calm Miami night, the slightest breeze, with friends gathered around an HD TV/laptop set-up.

I will forever treasure this show, and how it has been with me, and been a balm for me, through so many tough years. It's always a wild joy to watch, to speculate, and to obsess over. While winter has come for the show, it will never be fully away: it's always in the zeitgeist for what is possible to create on TV, and for the community, and love it has helped make.

Thank you, Game of Thrones. What is dead may never die.

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