10 times Game of Thrones intersected with real-world politics
As someone who has spent my fair share of time navigating the treacherous waters of politics, I find the intersection of Game of Thrones and real-world political events to be both fascinating and concerning. On one hand, it’s heartening to see a popular TV show being used as a metaphor for crucial issues like climate change, encouraging people to think about their futures and make informed choices. However, the darker side of this is evident in instances where such rhetoric may incite violence or misinformation, as we sadly witnessed during the Capitol riots.
Today marks the day when American citizens head to the voting booths to choose their next president. It’s a tense period, as people anxiously await the outcome to see if Donald Trump will be re-elected or if they will opt for Kamala Harris to guide them for the upcoming four years instead.
Let’s divert from current topics for a moment, shall we? How about we discuss a series that features dragons, swords, and other exciting elements – HBO’s “Game of Thrones”. This show, with its intense competition for power, often mirrored the struggle for real-world political control. Its popularity was so widespread that people from various political backgrounds recognized the parallels and made comparisons.
Prior to the results being announced, let’s take a look at some notable instances where “Game of Thrones” has intertwined with actual politics. One such comparison that garnered much attention is:
A lot of people compared Donald Trump to King Joffrey Baratheon
Many found it hard to resist comparing Joffrey Baratheon, the spoiled young ruler who took pleasure in bullying his adversaries instead of governing effectively, to Donald Trump. This comparison was particularly noticeable during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, which he ultimately won. From prominent news outlets to everyday Twitter users, this parallel was frequently made.
George R.R. Martin, author of the “Song of Ice and Fire” series, which forms the basis for “Game of Thrones,” compared President Trump to the character Joffrey in an interview with The New York Times in 2018. According to Martin, both Joffrey and Trump possess similar emotional immaturity. Joffrey enjoys reminding others that he is a king, believing this status grants him unrestricted power. Similarly, Trump appears to believe the presidency provides him with unlimited authority, even though we live in a constitutional republic, not an absolute monarchy like Westeros. In essence, Martin suggests that Joffrey and Trump are cut from the same cloth, each acting as if their position gives them the ability to do anything they desire.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2018
When HBO chided the Donald Trump campaign for coopting a Game of Thrones slogan
One could assume that being likened to King Joffrey might have deterred Trump from watching “Game of Thrones,” but his campaign team seemed fond of the series nonetheless. Interestingly, in November 2018, during his second year as president, Trump shared a photo of himself with the phrase “Sanctions Are Coming” in the font used for the show. This phrase is a nod to the House Stark’s saying, “Winter is Coming,” and in this context, it likely referred to potential sanctions that the Trump administration was planning to reimpose on Iran at the time.
HBO expressed displeasure. They stated that they were unaware of this situation and would rather their brand not be used for political exploitation. Later, they playfully tweeted, “What’s the word for trademark misuse in Dothraki language?
When Barack Obama asked to watch Game of Thrones early (and got to)
It’s worth noting that Game of Thrones garnered a wide range of fans, spanning both Trump’s and Obama’s political camps. Even Trump and his team were among its enthusiasts, with Obama being no exception. In fact, in the year 2016, Obama requested early access to episodes from the upcoming sixth season. This was an unusual move as HBO had stopped sharing review screeners at that point due to the shocking death of Jon Snow and the desire to maintain secrecy. However, they made an exception for the President of the United States. Showrunner David Benioff humorously commented on the situation, saying, “When the commander-in-chief asks to see advanced episodes, what can you do?
Obama, too, has made a reference to the infamous “Red Wedding” event in a jest during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, indicating his familiarity with such pop culture phenomena.
Chinese president Xi Jinping sees Game of Thrones as a cautionary tale
It wasn’t only leaders from the West who enjoyed “Game of Thrones.” Xi Jinping, the leader of China, one of the most populous and influential nations on earth, caught everyone off guard when he brought up the seven kingdoms of Westeros during a meeting with advisors, guests, and other world leaders. He stated that it’s crucial to ensure our world doesn’t become as chaotic as those seven warring kingdoms. As reported by the South China Morning Post, Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang managed to fit compressed versions of the series into their hectic agendas, demonstrating that they prioritize what truly matters.
When a British politician used Jon Snow to pass Brexit
In early 2019, as Great Britain was working towards its departure from the European Union (EU), a process called Brexit, Environment Secretary Michael Gove made an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Today program to advocate for the decision. He warned, “If we don’t approve this deal tonight, in the words of Jon Snow, ‘winter is upon us’,” indicating potential hardships or difficulties ahead.
People enjoyed the social media banter, as TV critic Toby Earle humorously tweeted, “Just like Jon Snow, we all know nothing about the outcome,” but Brexit still occurred, suggesting that the reference to Game of Thrones might not have been persuasive after all.
When a politician gifted the king of Spain with a Game of Thrones boxset
People in Spain were incredibly enthusiastic about “Game of Thrones”, so it doesn’t shock me that they often drew parallels between the series and their own political circumstances. However, what transpired next was quite extraordinary: when Pablo Iglesias, leader of the left-wing Podemos party, met Spanish King Felipe VI in 2015, he presented the monarch with a DVD boxset of the show. He told reporters later that he suggested the series would appeal to the king if he wanted to grasp the political predicament in Spain. (Source: NPR)
Puerto Iglesias embraced the phrase “Winter Is Coming” as his campaign slogan and even penned a book titled “To Win or To Die: Political Lessons from Game of Thrones.” This fellow was quite fond of the series. Podemos attempted to portray their political adversaries as the Lannisters, typically depicted as the antagonists, but conservative Spanish politician Ruben Herrero recognized the reference. “From Podemos, they claim, ‘We’re good, we’re like Khaleesi [Daenerys Targaryen], advocates of justice for the poor.’ But that’s not accurate,” Herrero stated. “In fact, the Lannisters are realists — they believe in practical politics, similar to, ‘I don’t mind the character of my associates while in power.’
The Spanish fans were serious.
When Hillary Clinton compared herself to Cersei Lannister
In the United States, let’s explore Hillary Clinton’s 2017 book titled “What Happened”. This book is her attempt to understand how she lost the presidency against Donald Trump the previous year. Clinton recalls Trump’s supporters chanting “lock her up” and felt a similar sense of public shaming, much like the character Cersei Lannister, who was humiliated by being paraded naked through King’s Landing in the season 5 finale of Game of Thrones.
In Clinton’s own words, “I’ve been asked for imprisonment more times than I can recall at Trump rallies.” This echoes the fervor of the ‘Game of Thrones’ faithful who would cry out ‘Guilty! Guilty!’ as Cersei Lannister returned to the Red Keep, much like the shouts of ‘Shame! Shame!’ they direct towards her.
When Elizabeth Warren compared herself to Daenerys Targaryen
In 2019, as the final season of Game of Thrones unfolded on HBO, I, like many others, was captivated. One notable figure who seemed equally enthralled was Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who at that time was gearing up for a presidential bid. She penned an article for The Cut, expressing her thoughts on the show’s powerful character, Cersei Lannister, by stating, “The world needs less of Cersei Lannister.” So, while it’s possible that some politicians didn’t tune in to Game of Thrones, Senator Warren certainly was among those who did.
In essence, Warren criticizes Cersei Lannister for borrowing her armies from the Iron Bank, while Daenerys Targaryen earns loyalty to build hers. However, this was penned before Daenerys’ descent into madness with power and the destruction of King’s Landing, which likely dampened those initial hopes.
Warren’s writing style is remarkable for its extensive detail. She doesn’t just touch on aspects like Daenerys discussing slavery with Jorah Mormont or the complexities of the Iron Bank, she delves deep into these topics. Moreover, she even incorporates the popular meme about Cersei Lannister wanting to incorporate elephants into her army. Warren was deeply engrossed in the series, as were many others at that time, as Game of Thrones was nearing its conclusion.
When Rudy Guiliani called for a “trial by combat” right before the Jan. 6 riot
On January 6th, 2021, a group of individuals, upset about Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election, violently entered the U.S. Capitol Building during a riot that led to numerous deaths and over 100 police officers being injured. Prior to this event, figures like Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s attorney, addressed the crowd, stating: “If they had an honest election, they would let us examine the ballots. Criminals hide evidence, not honest people.” He was referring to unsubstantiated theories suggesting the election was rigged against Trump. Over the next 10 days, Giuliani promised that they would expose the supposedly corrupt machines and fraudulent ballots. If they were wrong, he suggested they would be made to look foolish, but if they were right, many people might face jail time. His words echoed a call for a “trial by combat.
Following the storming of the capitol, figures such as Guiliani faced criticism for inflaming the mob with their aggressive language. In an interview with The Hill, Guiliani argued that his comments were merely a reference to the trial by combat in the TV series “Game of Thrones”. He explained, “I was alluding to the kind of trial that took place for Tyrion Lannister in that well-known documentary about fictional medieval England. In the show, Tyrion, who is quite small, is falsely accused and cannot defend himself, so he hires a champion instead.” Guiliani insisted that this remark did not provoke any violent reactions from the crowd.
No matter who gets elected in 2024, everyone is praying for something similar never to occur again. And please, keep politics separate from the fictional world of ‘Game of Thrones’.
Game of Thrones was often used as a metaphor for climate change
Let’s switch gears to something less depressing, though only slightly. The major conflict in ‘Game of Thrones’ revolved around humanity versus the relentless march of the genocidal White Walkers, who aimed to exterminate all life in Westeros. However, this would be a significant battle if the citizens of Westeros could stop their internal strife and focus on it. Many viewers saw a parallel in this struggle with the real-world fight against climate change, an existential threat to life on Earth that necessitates broad political, economic, and social reforms…but these solutions are challenging to put into practice, so they’re often postponed or even dismissed by politicians, some of whom deny the existence of climate change altogether.
Manjana Milkoreit, currently an assistant professor of public policy at Purdue University, observed that enthusiasts of the television series “Game of Thrones” were discussing complex issues with intelligence. She hypothesized that popular cultural artifacts such as “Game of Thrones” could potentially contribute positively to advancing discussions, as she suggested in a 2015 article published in the “Pacific Standard.
Milkoreit expressed that this show combined with these blogs could potentially influence people’s perspectives on climate change, shaping their visions of desired and undesired futures. This imaginative process may impact the decisions they make in the present. It’s a challenging task to incorporate scientific knowledge, ideas about societal and technological evolution over extended periods, and how these elements unfold. Pop culture, such as ‘Game of Thrones’, might aid people in achieving this integration.
Politicking is expected to remain a fierce competition for the foreseeable future, keeping the themes of ‘Game of Thrones’ current. However, it could also serve as a mirror for people to consider their own political landscape and ways to make positive changes within it.
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2024-11-05 18:42