Five Missed Opportunities for Misogyny in ‘Game of Thrones’ that ‘House of the Dragon’ Can Fix
“I will do what Queens do…”
Sure, Game of Thrones was a cultural phenomenon, but looking back, it's hard to ignore its glaring issues. For a show set in a medieval fantasy world that offered an astounding commitment to objectifying women’s bodies and entire lives, I can’t help but feel it didn’t go as far as it could have with the misogyny, ultimately leaving a blemish on an otherwise flawless HBO series. But yet, there is still hope. House of the Dragon has a chance to correct the course with some simple tweaks to plot and character development.
Bring on the Booze and Madness
Art by Asha Dore.
When Cersei became a wine drunk mess and Dany went insane, we could all finally sigh with relief because obviously they couldn’t make mistakes for political reasons or simply misjudge. It all had to be because of (weirdly quick) descents into alcoholism or madness. Women really can’t handle power, huh? The problem is that they built both of them up in the first place. House of the Dragon should definitely make all the queens mentally ill/ addicts asap to get us back on track.
Women Should Die for a Good Cause (ie Men’s Emotional Evolution)
Art by Asha Dore.
Game of Thrones often killed off women to motivate men. For example- Missandei inspired a major character shift in Greyworm, and Lyanna’s death inspired Ned Stark to adopt Jon Snow and hold onto a world-changing secret. But, Game of Thrones kept accidentally giving many of those deaths narrative weight of their own. House of the Dragon can fully commit: murder the woman, move on to the man’s feelings about it, the end.
Consider the Outfits
Art by Asha Dore.
Arya and Brienne never had to put themselves together on their way out the door. They killed baddies and beat the shit out of men with plain faces and boy clothes. At least House of the Dragon has kept all the queens’ mermaid hair intact. But how about adding a little lipstick and maybe a kitten heel so we can all understand what we’re watching in the first place.
Keep Ignoring Your Obvious Lady Guides
Art by Asha Dore.
In Game of Thrones, the lovers of the red god interpreted obscure images they saw in the fire, told kings about it in vague poetics, and the men in the room took them very seriously (plus made almost exclusively terrible mistakes as a result.) Whoopsie.
So far, House of the Dragon ladies can literally see the exact future, they speak it in clear, simple sentences to the men in the room, but most treat the moment like their resident Cassandra is just reading a horoscope out of a magazine. Keep going with that. No notes.
Remember: Sexual Violence is a Spectacle for Our Brief Entertainment
Art by Asha Dore.
In our first round with the Seven Kingdoms, even the threat of sexual assault motivated princes and knights AND offered misguided bad boys like Theon and Jaime a redemption arc. Efficient. But then Game of Thrones let many of the women have a shot at vindication or agency.
So, so close.
The war hasn’t ended yet on House of the Dragon, so there’s still time for the value accrued in female suffering to offer all the wayward dudes insights and a chance to fix the world without reckoning with their accountability in destroying it in the first place.
And While We’re Here -
Art by Asha Dore.
Game of Thrones knew what was up when Jaime saved Brienne from the bear, when the Hound saved Arya, when countless dudes saved Dany from would-be assassins, etc.
But where are all the damsels in distress, House of the Dragon?
You can’t give literally every person with a vagina BOTH a brain and a dragon. Also, there is a distinct lack of random naked women doing sex things in the background of scenes that move totally not sexual plot points forward. Snooze.
We’re going on three seasons now of women talking to other women about things that have nothing to do with a penis - not to mention the fact that you put us through watching SO MANY births. Sure, the human race is dependent on childbirth for its very existence, but how about take a note from the genius husbands of the 1950s and keep future daddies - and the audience - in the waiting room. Doors were invented for a reason. Maybe keep those least attractive moments on the other side of one when the camera is rolling…and wipe the blood and weird white goo off those fake babies before you carry them across our screens.
