The Atlantic

On <em>Game of Thrones</em>, Is Anyone on God’s Side?

Each character vying for power tries to prove he’s the divinely inspired ruler.
Source: HBO

“Power resides where men believe it resides. It's a trick... a shadow on the wall.”

- Lord Varys

At first glance, Varys' riddle in last night's standout episode of, "What is Dead May Never Die," is about the clash of kings that forms the central arc of the series' second season: which man will take the iron throne, and how he'll manage to do it. But as Westeros' kings proclaim their inherent and incontestable right to the throne, Varys' riddle raises a further question: If' , there's a king in every corner (four, by my count, with Balon Greyjoy lurking on the fringes). But "What Is Dead May Never Die" points to the larger, darker implication of Westeros' ongoing clash of kings: There's a god in every corner as well.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic5 min read
The Strangest Job in the World
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. The role of first lady couldn’t be stranger. You attain the position almost by accident, simply by virtue of being married to the president
The Atlantic6 min read
The Happy Way to Drop Your Grievances
Want to stay current with Arthur’s writing? Sign up to get an email every time a new column comes out. In 15th-century Germany, there was an expression for a chronic complainer: Greiner, Zanner, which can be translated as “whiner-grumbler.” It was no
The Atlantic6 min read
There’s Only One Way to Fix Air Pollution Now
It feels like a sin against the sanctitude of being alive to put a dollar value on one year of a human life. A year spent living instead of dead is obviously priceless, beyond the measure of something so unprofound as money. But it gets a price tag i

Related Books & Audiobooks