Analyze why one of the main characters in Game of Thrones is revived, and if he is revived for plot reasoning and why this would be, or rather to please audience members by playing on popular societal trends.
Honestly, I do not think this topic can be answered fully until the series reaches the conclusion. There are certainly hints and theories (R+L=J , The Prince That Was Promised, being free from his Night's Watch vows) that could help explain why Jon was resurrected, but until the conclusion there is no way to analyze the extent of Jon's character and importance.
I also would note that I don't believe this resurrection is "playing on popular societal trends" that occur commonly on television. This resurrection has been in the works for years, since the last book came out. This isn't something that came out of thin air for ratings.
This would be an interesting topic to explore after the conclusion of the series, but right now I do not believe it can be answered. If one wanted to explore the topic though, they could look at Jon as following the 'Hero's Journey'. By analyzing Jon through that perspective it could help predict reasons why Jon is important to the overall narrative, although there will be no concrete evidence to draw from in regards to the final stages. – Lexzie9 years ago
Easy answer: the theory is he has king's blood so he's a contender for the child of prophecy along with Daenerys. I think Jon's resurrection is catering to fan interests though. Lexzie is right, an article should analyse Jon as a character, assess where he'll go based on trends in literary genres that resemble it. I'm sure there are plenty enough fan theory based Buzzfeed articles about how and why this one plot mark came to being so lets make it broader and deeper. – Slaidey9 years ago
This is essentially answered in the books – Darcy Griffin9 years ago
I believe it is for plot reasoning. Jon's death at the nights watch allowed for "his watch to end". Jon entered the Wall in the first season as green as a tree but now his character has developed into one of the most special characters in GOT. I believe his character has now grown past commander of the nights watch and off to bigger and better things. – Ringo9 years ago
Jon Snow was told by the raven that he had to kill a boy to become a man--as is explicitly shown in the scene when the four traitors are hanged--yet there is a double meaning. It does not solely refer to the death of the boy who stabbed him, but to the death of jon snow, the young boy who emerges as a man no longer concerned with pleasing others.
Personally, I have read the books long before the series began and I have always seen Daenerys and jon snow as the "end game," of the series. The series is titled a "song of fire and ice,"--> Daenerys being the fire; Jon being the ice. He is a pivotal character essential to the plot development of the show. His return will be monumental as his birth right holds tremendous secrets and insights into the true ruler of the iron throne. – danielle5779 years ago
How does the HBO series Game of Thrones subvert the typical depictions (or lack thereof) of non-white characters in fantasy epics?
This is a topic that has been deeply explored, think about what deeper/new/unique take on this idea you can suggest. – MichelleAjodah9 years ago
I have not seen this topic explored in depth on this site. I have searched for articles on here but cannot find them. If it has been explored on this site, can you point me in the right direction so I can see how it has already been talked about that I may nuance the question. Otherwise, if this discourse is happening elsewhere (and I am aware that it is) I would love for an author on this site to consolidate the information, make an analysis, and bring the discourse to this community. Please advise. – Cmandra9 years ago
I definitely watch GOT and think, "Man, someone really needed to read some Edward Said." I think you could write quite a lot about the depiction of the Dothraki (especially how they are meant to be inspired by Genghis Khan and the Mongols, but lack a lot of the nuances of that culture), of Essos in general, of how Dornish characters are depicted. There are also female characters of color with influence and agency in the books who are excluded from the show, such as Arianne, Alayaya, and Chataya. I'd be interested in the bigger picture as well, of how this compares to high fantasy lit as a whole. – emilydeibler9 years ago
To say that POC is something new in the fantasy genre only shows one's own lack of reading. Authors like Ursala K Leguin and others have been writing POC for decades. – MattHotaling9 years ago
The topic specifically refers to the HBO series and not the book. I would like to clarify that this topic refers to "depictions" of non-white characters in TV and film media. – Cmandra9 years ago
What will grab your attention when a new television show is premiering? Is it the graphic violence, the sex, the plot twists? In this day and age, just about everything has been done on television shows to boost ratings and hold onto viewers. We are living in a post True Blood, Sons of Anarchy and a current Game of Thrones era. All of these popular shows were known for their outrageous plot lines, extreme violence and blood, and graphic sexual scenes. Is that all that is needed to be considered a 'success' in television? Do the extremes overshadow true cinematic genus when it comes to television shows?
Interesting choice of topic. It's worth noting that writing is extremely important in television - would GoT be as acclaimed as it is if its content was solely violence and sex? The sweeping, epic storyline, unpredictability in the plot, and of course the uniquely captivating characters enhance the show greatly, making it far more than an indulgence in sex and violence alone. This aspect is potentially very important, and worth thinking about when writing such an article. – IRBurnett9 years ago
A delicate subject definitely, but could shed some incredible light on modern entertainment, and why exactly we as a society are so attracted to these elements, even beyond surface value. This as well pulls on the idea of "shock value", and how much the creators of various modes of entertainment use that solely to up their following. – Sherlock9 years ago
I would even tie in Law & Order SVU in this. I've only watched a few episodes of True Blood and the majority of Game of Thrones, but I would tie in some shows that aren't just in the sci-fi and fantasy realm. – JoeVito9 years ago
You could also mention something about how the appeal of tv shows that explore the normal day-to-day has greatly decreased in correlation to the increased desire for extreme escapism in their entertainment. – SuziAtaei9 years ago
