Why This Was Perfect - Game of Thrones
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- Ned Stark’s death in Game of Thrones is one the most shocking moments in television history, but aside from just shock value, killing off the perceived protagonist in the show’s first season propelled Game of Thrones beyond what anyone could imagine. It established the groundwork for tension throughout the series, letting it’s audience know that this story has very real stakes, and the hero’s plot armor we were all so familiar with, wouldn’t interfere with the story Game of Thrones wanted to tell. NOw if you were familiar with George RR MArtin’s book series ASOIAF, which is the source material Game of Thrones very faithfully adapted in it’s earlier seasons, you knew this was coming, but for many others, this would be the first time they’ve ever experienced anything like this. And for Game of Thrones, trusting the blueprint established by George RR MArtin, they replicated the impact from the book, and ultimately offered TV audience’s the perfect death of a character. Now lets go over why Ned Stark’s death worked so well.
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The consequence of Ned Stark's death for plot and characters is what should have happened with deaths of Jaehaerys and Luke.
After an episode of mourning their deaths, it does not affect actions of characters and they not mentioned again.
That’s specifically what provoked the outline of this topic for me, as I made this with a HOTD comparison video planned in the future.
How NOT to kill a character: Stannis Baratheon, Barristan Selmy, and so many characters after them
Stannis is next
Book stannis for night king! Or jon snow. Either would be fascinating.
Ned's death was the most impactful for me, BY FAR.
Joffrey was very stupid, I understand he doesn't have a full understanding of the situation, but sending Ned to the Wall made strategic sense to pacify the continent.
Excellent breakdown of our Warden of the North, Lord Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark. Him and Cregan are my favorite characters in TWOIAF. Followed by Robb and Stannis(book Stannis).
I miss Ned 😢
Ned’s death was required to get the story going. Ned was the game of throne’s prologue protagonist (like Roxas in kingdom hearts 2).
Love your analysis! Looks like you understand things a lot better than HBO-people who in the later seasons they tried to replicate the Ned-feeling, without understanding it. Just trying to create an even bigger "shock" in the audience.
That kaleidoscope effect tripped me out.
That and still frames keep Warner Bros. from putting claims on my videos.
I'm rereading asoiaf at the moment and have had a knot in my stomach all through book one which I've almost finished. The children's view, going from the safety of winterfell to the awful reality of the real world is gruelling, the death of Jorry and Will (ned's household guards) hits hard too because these were known and connected to the other stark characters.
The translation of book to show is extremely impressive in s1.
Going into the show I knew ned would die at some point (having not read the books), but even I didn’t expect ned to die until it happened. Great writing.
'Ned Stark's death in Game Of Thrones was one of the most shocking deaths in television history." I wouldn't go that far. Most people knew about the Sean Bean schtick.
Unpopular opinion: i never liked Ned or the starks so I never reallt felt anything for him since he honestly got what he deserved for making stupid choices. Ragnar lothbrok on the other hand I bawled my eyes out. However i won't deny how well written Eddards death was though.
You totally called Osha Asha 😂
Dothrak-eye or Dothra-key? If George can’t offer consistent pronunciations for imaginary characters, neither can I 😉
Anand that confusion is the reason show runners changed Asha to Yara:p
George RR Martin has his own style of killing heroes and villains.
From what I took from his books, it’s like this
“Heroes” (the characters who are deemed to be good guys in the conflict. Despite being very flawed, they are still morally superior to their enemies): Martin will introduce a situation that it’s inevitable for them to die. He might be teasing that there’s some way out because these characters are heroes but in the end, there is no way out. “We want them to survive this dangerous situation but they won’t”. This works as a soul crushing moment for the audience while it’s also a celebratory event for the villains, at least at first, to set those villains up for their inevitable doom.
Examples: Ned Stark, the red wedding, Oberyn Martell, Rhaenyra Targaryen
“Villains” (the greater evil in the conflict or some characters who might not be bad but work their best to maintain the corrupt system): Martin will kill truckloads of heroes first to give the villains a huge sense of hubris. Everything went their way which made them drop their guards and once they felt invincible, Martin then “boom!” struck them down unceremoniously as a cautionary tale to the audience to always stay humble. This could work for some villains that had solved their own issues and thought that all the matters had been dealt with as well, only for someone else to make the matters worse by taking them out.
Examples: Joffrey Baratheon (hubris after Ned, Robb and Catelyn are dead), Tywin Lannister (hubris after Oberyn is dead and Tyrion being sentenced to execution), Merrett Frey (hubris for thinking that Catelyn is truly dead, only for Cat herself to do an uno reverse to him), Ryman Frey (hubris after Jaime helping the Freys siege Riverrun), Lysa Tully (hubris after Littlefinger gave her a false sense of security), Janos Slynt (hubris for conspiring with Alliser Thorne against Jon), Kevan Lannister and Pycelle (hubris after solving all the political blunders that Cersei made), Aegon II Targaryen (hubris after killing Rhaenyra and reclaiming the throne)
Which is why I think that in the books, Stannis will die first to give Roose and Ramsay a false sense of security before the Starks strike them down once and for all, just like the show but with a better execution.
That framework works really, really well, but there's one major character death that I just can't seem to fit into it - Kahl Drogo. He wasn't precisely a hero or a villain, but his death had a huge impact on Danaerys, and on the direction that her entire story and character arc takes. What are your thoughts on Drogo's death and your overall pattern?
For what it's worth, I took it as two major cautionary lessons: Pride goes before a fall, and always follow your doctor's orders, even if that disinfectant stings!
@@thing_under_the_stairs Drogo is more like an anti-hero. That’s why I didn’t put him in any of the hero or villain category (and also I kinda forgot about him).
But his death seems to match with the villains’ death pattern as well: He died thanks to his hubris (but in his defense, nobody in this universe knows about antibiotics so this kind of death is very common)
@@nont18411 We all forget things, right? (Like the Iron Fleet?)
Drogo's a hard character to catagorise - sympathetic villain, anti-hero, dark grey character? He's not a hero or a good person by any stretch of the imagination, but he does (eventually) help Dany and treats her well, so he becomes more likeable, even though he's a brutal warlord. Maybe I'd classify him, in story terms, as a necessary evil.
I think his death was a combination of hubris, karma (he harmed Mirri Maz Dur, then died by ignoring her medial advice), and his being a device for a much larger plot point. Dany needed to be free and in a position of power, and she needed a really big fire with a blood sacrifice somehow involved. Killing Drogo was the most convenient way to achieve all of the above.
@@thing_under_the_stairs Plus it’s to also subvert expectations (GRRM trademark) as well.
A big strong guy who seemed to leading the plot forward somehow died from a scratched nipple, leaving a fragile and vulnerable Daenerys to face the dangers on her own.
Which parallels to Ned, Robb and Catelyn (the authority figures of House Stark) all died trying to rescue Sansa, so that the “Little”finger and a fool like Dontos Hollard to be the actual people that rescued her and Sansa had to level up on her own.
Daenerys and Sansa have so many parallels if we really think about it.
@@nont18411 I hadn't considered the parallels between Dany and Sansa until now, but I'm probably going to be thinking about it all day, and possibly making lists.
Shit. I'm getting dangerously near to starting a YT channel about this stuff too. This fandom is driving us all mad.
Do one on the Red Wedding 👍 cause that's the biggie 😜
I have a video on the red wedding. It’s maybe a bit more book focused
Does the red wedding serve the plot i still dont understand cause in the seriess rob starl death was meant nothing do to the northners dont do nothing to avange their king just like the books
The northern army loyal to Robb was killed by the Boltons and Freys. The surviving Houses are actively plotting against the Boltons in ADWDs. Brienne and Jaime are still on a path with Lady Stoneheart, who’s seeking revenge for the red wedding throughout the end of ASOS, AFFC & ADWD. The show isn’t as in depth, but it certainly changed the dynamic of the war of the five kings, essentially eliminating the biggest threat to the Lannisters and sending Arya on a different trajectory
Love your analysis, but your kalaidescope effects on the video are hideous and stomach churning. Gave me a headache.
Thanks for saying something.