It’s the next day and I’m still quivering.
Spoilers follow for the series finale of HBO’s Game of Thrones.
A wheelchair user won the game of thrones.
I’m totally unused to this.
Totally.
Wheelchair users are rare in genre television shows to start with. Sure, every once in a while a Felicity Smoak ends up in a wheelchair—only to be cured by a miracle spinal implant chip a few episodes later. A spinal implant chip that Arrow then mostly proceeded to completely forgot about, most noticeably in scenes where Felicity mused that she wanted to make a real difference to the world. Which apparently meant massively invasive, easily misused security systems promptly stolen by the bad guys instead of assistive devices. Oh, Felicity. Or, speaking of inexplicable magical cures, there’s John Locke over on Lost (though that show did have the occasional realistic element of adaptive bathtubs and transfer chairs on planes.)
Oh, and sometimes a wheelchair-using witch shows up on Broadway to sing about how great her life could be if only she weren’t in a wheelchair, and then gets crushed by a house.
In films—well. We have Charles Xavier, often shown with various people pushing his chair around. We have Christopher Pike post-accident (treated far more kindly in the Star Trek film reboot than he was in the original). We have Avatar, where the wheelchair user abandons his wheelchair for an able-bodied avatar.
What we don’t have is too many wins for wheelchair users.
Enter Game of Thrones.
It’s not perfect. As multiple people on Twitter—me included—pointed out, King’s Landing seems completely devoid of wheelchair ramps and curb cuts. I’m not even sure how Bran managed to get up to the raised stone stage where the assembled lords followed Tyrion’s lead and proclaimed him the king of Westeros. I have absolutely no idea how he’s getting around. No offense to Podrick intended, but Bran is heavy. That wheelchair is certainly not an ultralight device formed from titanium. So how is he handling all of the many, many, many, many staircases—and no ramps—seen throughout the Red Keep and King’s Landing?
The Red Keep could, of course, have some sort of lifts, but in eight seasons of this show, we’ve seen only one lift or elevator—the one at Castle Black. That lift was apparently able to survive eight seasons of wildling attacks, ice zombie attacks, and Jon Snow’s endless brooding, which speaks well of its durability, but for whatever reason, the other castles of Westeros haven’t seemed interested in copying the technology. Even in Winterfell, after Bran’s arrival.
Maybe Bran flies up and down the stairs. He has some sort of magic, after all.
And since Bran could still walk in dreams and while time-travelling, the role was played not by a wheelchair user, but by the able-bodied actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright.
Did I wince a little when Sansa argued that Bran’s inability to father kids made him ineligible for the throne? Sure. Did I think that Tyrion should have focused just a tad more on Bran’s magical powers and ability to see incoming threats to Westeros, and rather less on the idea that Bran—BRAN—had the best story of any character in this show, when Arya, Slayer of the Night King, was sitting RIGHT THERE? Did I wonder what, exactly, happened to Tyrion’s intelligence there?
Yes. Yes, I did.
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Fate of the Fallen
Did I also nod along with the multiple comments on Twitter pointing out that Bran is like that kid who doesn’t do any of the work but shows up to take all the credit at the end. Yep. I also agree with the argument about how the emotionless character is arguably not the person best suited to take up the management/leadership role. Better than Edmure Tully and Robin Arryn, certainly, but possibly not the best.
Did I have various quibbles that had nothing to do with wheelchairs, access ramps, and lifts, or more serious questions about racism and retaining the aristocratic power structure? Like, questioning just how Jaime and Cersei Lannister managed to get crushed to death by rocks and bricks and yet still not get a single scratch on their perfect cheeks? Or, as a recovered medievalist, wincing at the image of the book of A Song of Ice and Fire because, no, that’s not what handwritten medieval manuscripts looked like? Also waiting—in vain—for Brienne to follow up her biography of Jaime by writing her own name in large golden letters on the next page. And wondering why Gilly didn’t get to make a last appearance? (Did Sam’s new job as Grand Maester force them to divorce?) And missing one last appearance from Hot Pie, and, and—
Sure.
Did I kinda wonder if just maybe Drogon melting the Iron Throne was less an elaborate, beautiful metaphor about…. uh, whatever it was supposed to be about, and more a way to avoid filming Bran Stark trying to transfer from his wheelchair to the Iron Throne?
Absolutely.
And sure, I could have done without the constant repeats of “Bran the Broken.” How about “Bran, the Three-Eyed Raven Who Is About To Track Down a Freaking WILD DRAGON, of House Stark, the First of His Name,” thank you very much.
But overall?
The wheelchair user won the Game of Thrones.
Fist pumps all around.
And maybe a couple of wheelies.
Mari Ness currently lives rather close to a certain large replica of Hogwarts, which allows her to sample butterbeer on occasion. Her short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Fireside, Apex, Daily Science Fiction, Nightmare, Shimmer and assorted other publications—including Tor.com. Her poetry novella, Through Immortal Shadows Singing, was released in 2017 by Papaveria Press. You can follow her on Twitter @mari_ness.
Given that the Throne Room in this last episode appears to have been on the top floor of the red keep and that Tywin once rode a horse into that room, I assume their must be some ramps or a lift in there somewhere.
It’s easy to see why Bran won: they’d lost the old throne, and he was the only candidate who brought his own chair.
Come on, this is a little disingenuous. It’s not like he was on his own, left to his own devices to get around. Dude had constant help. There was always someone to get him up over a few stairs or a curb or something. In fact, I don’t recall him ever moving that chair under his own power. I’m as pro-people-with-disabilities as much as anyone, but there’s no need to invent problems that the character didn’t have.
I think it’s wonderful that a character in a wheelchair “won the game”, given the cultural impact that this show has had.
I’d be a lot happier about Bran becoming King if he’d done ONE really impressive thing or contributed to the victories in any way. Instead his big selling point seems to be he’s going to live a thousand years so no succession to worry about.
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Isn’t ‘the kid who does nothing but gets the reward’ the point of monarchy?
@7 – exactly. As I said on a related article the other day, monarchies aren’t merit-based systems. Even elected monarchs. Sometimes, it’s more about what you can do, or will do, than what you have done.
That said, I disagree with everyone who says that Bran did “nothing” throughout the series. That’s an incredibly reductionist thing to say and quite incorrect.
I saw a news feature on the local news that said people all over the world took a sick day today because of THRONES exhaustion. That must refer to people who stayed up late or got really drunk at GOT parties. More likely, all those folk were wailing “Why? Why?” and banging their heads against a wall until the wee hours.
On ARROW, in the same season as Felicity’s spinal chip was used, she was disabled by an EMP for an episode. She and Curtis who had invented the chip spent several seasons trying to make it cheap enough to mass produce, but they never succeeded. So, no, they didn’t forget Felicity’s chip. And, yes, she was an idiot to think Archer was a good idea. Scientists and investors need to get a dozen writers together in a room and ask them why such a product is a good or bad idea since they obviously have no grasp of reality or what if.
How did he and his wheelchair get up stairs?
GoT takes place places in a pre-industrial society. The answer is probably slaves.
@8 A great explanation! I must admit I was also unsatisfied but maybe I just need to rethink my position!
Thank you for posting this. (I am not a wheelchair user, but I am differently-abled both physically and mentally, which is one of the reasons I am SO ANGRY about Danys supposedly “giving in” to her hereditary mental unwellness, at least according to some outspoken element of the fandom.)
I REALLY hope this isn’t offensive, and I cannot remember where I read it; I’ve been following a lot of GoT stuff online since last night. But I do remember reading a post that said something to the effect of: “Drogon melted the Iron Throne because it wasn’t accessible for the next king, Bran, and Drogon knew that wasn’t cool.” :P
Again, I have THOUGHTS about Danys supposedly “running mad,” otherwise known in part of the fandom as “b-words be crazy, amirite?” I am not trying to derail this discussion, I promise! But I am mentally unwell and come from a history of mental unwellness on both sides of my family. I hate hate HATE the idea that people (often women in particular) are sometimes automatically labelled as “mad” because of family history and it has become an easy narrative short-cut, especially in terms of female characters (once again). I have spent my entire life trying NOT to be my extended family and practicing self-care and self-assessment, including medication and therapy. IMHO (and I am much more familiar with the books than with the show), Danys was also trying very hard to be different than her mentally insane relatives. But, in two episodes flat, she became the “Mad Queen.”
But again, thank you Mari, for writing this. (I also think the series did a severe disservice to Bran – in the books he comes across as MUCH more powerful.) I was so busy being angry that, IMHO, the last few episodes robbed many of the female characters of their agency that I didn’t fully realize the impact of a wheelchair user and someone who is flat-out called a “cripple” *wince* becoming the new king.
You’ve just made me consciously aware of why I liked the ending. (Not a lifelong wheelchair user, but I’ve spent enough time in one for this to resonate subconsciously.)
Also, considering Tyrion as well, the story ends with two disabled people in positions of authority and respect.
Also waiting—in vain—for Brienne to follow up her biography of Jaime by writing her own name in large golden letters on the next page.
THIS, THANK YOU. I’m thrilled she survived, but peeved her last key scene was completely about Jaime and his legacy, not the start of her own. (Also peeved she didn’t wait for the ink to dry before turning the page/shutting the book!)
And wondering why Gilly didn’t get to make a last appearance?
I would have loved seeing her just show up at the small council meeting because her husband was there and because she was curious, maybe staying at the corner of the room and out of the way at first, but then getting caught up in the discussion of sewers and ships and brothels and what should be done first and how and why. She’d absolutely have questions to ask, suggestions to make, and, unlike Sam, no doubt or shame or hesitation about saying them. And she’d totally get a permanent seat at the table by the end. /headcanon
Not only Bran but Tyrion the Imp became Hand of the King which given Bran’s very likely hands off approach to kingship makes him the most influential man in the six Kingdoms.
@14 I don’t think that was Dany’s hereditary madness. She made a decision and had to work herself up to it. It was an AWFUL decision, but the last ep clearly shows that the madness part is the megalomania, not a sudden break. It’s always been there.
I have vague memories of visiting a cathedral in Spain (Sevilla? Cordoba?) and being told that the bell tower, which was a repurchased minaret, had a ramp all the way to the top so that the muzzein could ride his horse up for the call to prayers. So there is historical precedent for ramps!
Sorry, meant repurposed, not repurchased.
Monarchy is not a meritocracy but as Bran hasn’t a shadow of a hereditary claim he really does need to have somehow impressed the Lords to make them back him. Having a ‘good story’ is not enough. And his story isn’t so great either.
I too was thrilled by the endings for Bran who is not broken and for Tyrion as well. Not so much for some of the others. While I love the idea of the Three Eyed Raven abilities. I just wish the Raven wasn’t Bran. Almost always in fiction-print, film and TV they give a disabled person a magical ability or cure so that being disabled isn’t all that bad, more of a cool trade-off. They did both with Roz on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. As a lifelong disabled person and wheelchair user for almost 20 years now it can become frustrating.
I like your perspective, and also agree with most of your quibbles. I do wish they had spent a bit more time on Bran’s ‘story’, as well as some of his other qualifications (if he had them). And actually I think Sansa’s concern was a valid one for the context, given that she still was assuming a heriditary based system and just lived through a series of wars caused specifically by a succession crisis (ie, Ned revealing the kids were not the true heirs).
@16 – oh man, I love that Gilly headcanon. I think you’re right, she totally would have been sitting there and interjecting comments and ‘oh yeah, I just read x’ that occasionally reveal just how perceptive she really is.
Also, totally agree about Brienne, although at least she was shown to be on the council as well.
Dany doesn’t need the excuse of genes for madness. She was physically and sexually abused by her brother, who sold her into a forced “marriage.” That her marriage evolved from being permanent rape to something else was luck and plot necessity.
Of course, her father was, diplomatically, craz
@27 – while I think it treads on thin ice to say that anyone who has been physically/sexually abused tetters on the edge of madness, I will agree that in the case of Westerosi society… well, it’s not like Dany had a therapist to help her deal with her abuse.
@28,
True, an abusive upbringing doesn’t necessarily cause insanity, but it does cause t behavior. Certainly, children brought up in abusive environments tend to have behavior problems of varying severity, which, given that Dany has tremendous power, can result in lots of dead. Perhaps she sobs herself to sleep after ordering her dragons to destroy the city or wipe out a column of refugees, but there isn’t anybody who can hold her back before the fact, either.
I don’t remember her age being explicitly stated in the TV show, but in the book she was 13 when she got sold off to the Dothraki horde leader.
I’m pretty sure someone there is smart enough to invent a board.
I still don’t like the ending. There is a Stark on the Iron Throne and a Stark on the Northern throne, which was easily given away by Tyrion. It will not be long before other lords – like Yara Greyjoy – will resent this. Sooner or later, the shit will hit the fan over this. This is why I don’t buy the idea that Bran, Sansa or both will enjoy long reigns over their realms. This kind of ending is too simply and unrealistic . . . even for a well-written piece of fiction.
I don’t see why George R.R. Martin and HBO will bother creating a prequel to this particular saga. Considering how it ended, there seemed to be more potential for a follow-up to Season Eight’s ending.