In new 'Game of Thrones' episode, women control the action
-
Molly Driscoll Staff writer
The latest episode of 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥� included not only a massive battle but various female characters taking center stage and influencing the action.聽
Most of the most recent 鈥淭hrones鈥� installment, which is the second-to-last of the HBO fantasy show鈥檚 sixth season, centered on a battle that took place between the forces fighting for Jon Snow (Kit Harington), former commander of the military group the Night鈥檚 Watch, and Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), who had taken over Jon鈥檚 childhood home of Winterfell and abused Jon鈥檚 sister, Sansa.聽
(Spoilers follow for this 鈥淭hrones鈥� episode鈥�)
When it comes to female characters on the show, viewers no doubt cheered Sansa鈥檚 pivotal role in the battle after she wrote to her acquaintance, Petyr Baelish (Aiden Gillen), and secured more soldiers for Jon. Those forces showed up at an important moment in the battle and helped Jon鈥檚 army secure a victory.聽
The rest of the episode included even more female characters taking center stage and influencing events. After Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) returned to her kingdom of Meereen, Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) arrived at her court, asking for her aid. Daenerys and Yara agreed to support one another鈥檚 claims to their respective thrones 鈥� Daenerys for the throne of Westeros, Yara for the throne of the Iron Islands 鈥� and stand against Yara鈥檚 uncle, Euron, who thinks only of marrying Daenerys.
In addition to this seemingly positive development, Daenerys secured a promise from Yara that the residents of the Iron Islands would stop attacking others. The forces from the Iron Islands had committed rape and many other acts of violence in the past.
These plot developments involving female characters are notable given the criticism in the past over the plot lines involving women on 鈥淭hrones,鈥� particularly Ramsay being sexually abusive to Sansa during last season.聽
Some viewers may question the involvement of female characters in the action while making morally dubious decisions. For example, in addition to her crucial aid during the battle over Winterfell, Sansa also was the one to decide what to do with the defeated Ramsay, her husband. She chose to make him suffer a gruesome death.
, "I wonder how much [Ramsay] has rubbed off on her ...聽surely this counts as cruel and unusual. It鈥檚 hard to imagine [Sansa's father] Ned concocting such a scheme," though he added that he found the actions to be "understandable for Sansa." "More than likely, this will be the most merciless Sansa will ever be as a queen," Mr. Nowalk writes. "More than likely her life through the end of the series will trend upward. It鈥檚 just that 'Game Of Thrones'聽keeps preaching non-violence while practicing violence."
