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But after the first major death in the first book, what I have realized is, their deaths make their lives stronger. The way they died, and at whose hands, ripples through the 7 kingdoms showing the extent of their influence.In fact, when King Eddard died, I have likened it to God being killed, since he is the most moral and steadfast of all, and the rest of the books are simply the lesser humans running around and bumping into each other trying to make their way in a Godless world.So, I will be watching closely at the Season 3 opener. I can’t tell if the HBO series is even worth watching without having read the books because I think of it more as a companion to the novels rather than it’s own entity.When I get to choose my magic super power, or if I rub a lamp and a Genie comes out with just one wish, it may be to bring a literary character to life, and I will be choosing Daenerys Targaryen, mother of Dragons.
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And I want my daughter to act like Arya and marry a man like Jon Snow (she already tells me “you know nothing, daddy” so it’s a perfect match.)
The Walking Dead Season FinaleOn the same night Game of Thrones begins, there’s the season finale of The Walking Dead.Another high drama, more pop-culture but deliciously packaged series.Like Game of Thrones, people die. Yes, they have important people die.Their deaths are felt long after they are gone, Sophia and Shane, for example.And how they die, and at whose hands, is as significant as how they lived.
This is perhaps most evident when Darryl Dixon, bad-ass Darryl with the sweetest of hearts, has to off his brother in a memorable list of fratricides with Cain and Able at the top. And here's where I get artsy.Notice that Darryl doesn’t use an arrow? Anybody else think this isn’t significant? Darryl shoots everything with his crossbow. An army of Zombies have died with his arrows.But not his brother Merle.First Darryl kicks him, then he pushes him, angry at him for becoming a zombie, and saddened with the burden of having to put his brother down. Then he chokes him, and you get the feeling he’s reliving all the abuse he’s had at his brothers hands, only this time he's the one overpowering his tormentor. Finally he knives him… a final cathartic release of his rage. His beloved brother has turned, and now he can definitely never feel the closeness he had hoped for. Angry at his brother for being an ass, angry at wanting to be close to him, as if Merle were the surrogate father.There’s no way an arrow to Merle's head would have let Darryl have had this cathartic experience.One last note. If I’m Michonne I’m taking my sword and swinging it through Rick's neck, I don't care if he changed his mind.
Important people die, but how they die, and at whose hands, says much about them as how they lived.