So I'm really into Game of Thrones lately.

**WARNING! POST MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!!**

Because I'm nothing if not a follower of pop culture trends.

Although I'm not really sure if Game of Thrones is "pop culture." It's more "just under the surface" culture. Where people brag about liking something because it sounds really unknown/hip/meta/"you wouldn't have heard of it"

But actually... a ton of people like it. Just not the grand majority. It's not Rihanna... but it might be Gotye. Mainstream hipster.

Other examples of this phenomena include:

1) People who brag about liking Lord of the Rings or Star Wars  or Star Trek. But they aren't like... REALLY into it. They aren't getting dressed up for them or anything. They haven't learned elvish. They just like the movies and maybe they read a book or two. (This is me).

2) People who complain that PBR got so expensive once everyone started calling it the hipster beer. But they liked it before it was cool. (This is also me).

3) Saying things like, "Oh my god I love this Mumford and Sons song." (Me).

4) Or, "I wish Downton Abbey would fall back into obscurity" (obviously me).

5) Talking about how much you like Calvin and Hobbes. (Yup).

6) Referencing 1984 or On the Road or Kurt Vonnegut novels. (We can just safely assume that all of these refer to me).

7) Getting bangs. (Hi. Me).

8) Wearing thick framed glasses. (yeah...)

Anyway, before I so rudely interrupted myself to start making a startling realization about my personality, I was talking about Game of Thrones.

My reaction when someone turns down ice cream when it's offered

I think the reason that I love Game of Thrones is that it isn't afraid to just kill off a character or completely change the plot. Usually you figure out who the main characters are and you assume they'll succeed in the end and it will be happy. But in Game of Thrones, you never know. Suddenly they could be stampeded by a pack of wild boars. (I don't know if that actually happens, I'm just guessing).

It's the same reason I liked the last Harry Potter book. JK Rowling was killing off main characters like it was her job (which I suppose it was). You were never safe in assuming anything. So everything was a surprise.

However! I would not like to recommend Game of Thrones as fiercely as I recommended Downton Abbey. This is for a couple of reasons.

1) It is on HBO, and therefore impossible to watch unless you pay for HBO. (Maybe Mr. Moneybags  over there can afford HBO. I definitely cannot).
2) Because it's on HBO, it of course includes graphic death scenes and sex scenes. Maybe this is a plus for you, maybe it isn't. But I know some people (mostly my mom) who hated Lord of the Rings as soon as the hobbits left the Shire because the movie got too violent.

For example, in the first season, one dude is killed by another guy pouring molten gold(?) all over his head until it hardens and he hits the ground with a thud. Plus, the director really seems to enjoy filming scenes where horses die. And nothing depresses me more than horse deaths.

ARTAX!!!!!

My only real problem with Game of Thrones is that it keeps being broadcasted as if it has all this girl power. But I aint seeing it. I accept that the show is set in some quasi-medieval time period and women didn't have a lot of power. I'm forced to accept this in pretty much every single movie/TV show that is set in pre-1980s.

But don't go around acting like you're making some stand for women, because you aren't. Arya is not some advocate for women's rights, she's a little girl who pretends to be a boy for a while.

Lady Stark frustrates me more than any other character because she has a huge opportunity to wield her power and does nothing. And Sansa is stupid.

Shut up, Sansa. 

Pretty much every other female character is a prostitute. Maybe the dragon queen will turn out cool. I don't know.

She's got some potential.

I will leave you with this final realization:

DID I JUST BLOW YOUR MIND?! The insufferable King Joffrey is the adorable little kid from Batman Begins! The kid that's like, "Batman you're awesome! I want to be just like you!" Or something like that. I haven't seen the movie in a while.