# A Game of Thrones (HBO series) \[SPOILERS\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 17, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955 "2011-01-17T16:36:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/161 "2011-04-18T01:01:42Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Thoughts on a new thread for each episode, or having this as a general thread? New general thread, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/162 "2011-04-18T01:18:58Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Folks need to keep in mind that this series is entirely based on A Game of Thrones. What does that mean? Is “A Game of Thrones” then name of only one of the books, or is it the video game? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/163 "2011-04-18T01:20:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What does that mean? Is “A Game of Thrones” then name of only one of the books, or is it the video game? It’s the title of the first book. The series as a whole is A Song of Ice and Fire, or ASOIAF, for short. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/164 "2011-04-18T01:21:00Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > What does that mean? Is “A Game of Thrones” then name of only one of the books, or is it the video game? That’s the first book. The books are A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and (soon) A Dance with Dragons. New thread ([Game of Thrones, Winter is Coming, 4/17/11 - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=605110)) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/165 "2011-04-18T13:43:49Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Cersei Lannister. I’m sorry, but Lena Headey just isn’t a great beauty. Not even close. Pistols or rapiers, sirrah? ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/166 "2011-04-18T14:34:16Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Folks need to keep in mind that this series is entirely based on A Game of Thrones. If you watch the credits, it says the show is based on A Song of Ice and Fire, not just the first book. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/167 "2011-04-18T15:17:03Z")
A game of thrones makes a lot more sense for a title than a song of fire and ice, which is barely mentioned at all in the books. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/168 "2011-04-18T20:19:25Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > If you watch the credits, it says the show is based on A Song of Ice and Fire, not just the first book. The current series only contains events from the first book. I assume if it goes over well, we’ll get a second series based on the second book, and so on. Assuming the actors live long enough. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/169 "2011-04-18T20:49:48Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > If you watch the credits, it says the show is based on A Song of Ice and Fire, not just the first book. Speaking of the credits, they’re quite pretty but what’s with the fantastical clockwork-type mechanisms? Does the game look like that? What does it mean? Anyone else think the names in the credits are way too small? They’re barely noticeable. It’s been picked up for a second season – not sure if that’s been mentioned yet or not. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/170 "2011-04-19T00:15:15Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Speaking of the credits, they’re quite pretty but what’s with the fantastical clockwork-type mechanisms? Does the game look like that? What does it mean? It’s just flavor, doesn’t mean anything or at least it isn’t related to anything in the books i can remember. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/171 "2011-04-19T00:20:27Z")
It’s nothing to do with the book, but they are going to use it in later episodes from what I’ve read to sort of show where the events taking place in the show take place on the world map, from what I understand. Sort of a visual reference on the map of where the action is happening. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/172 "2011-04-19T00:26:30Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > It’s nothing to do with the book, but they are going to use it in later episodes from what I’ve read to sort of show where the events taking place in the show take place on the world map, from what I understand. Sort of a visual reference on the map of where the action is happening. Well, maybe, but last night they only used subtitles when they switched locations. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/173 "2011-04-19T00:29:16Z")
A lot of people are mentioning a video game. Does one exist? I’ve not heard of it, and I thought I’d heard of everything regarding this franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/174 "2011-04-19T01:11:36Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Pistols or rapiers, sirrah? My style is more of a sock full of marbles while your back is turned. Either way, if you strike me down I’ll become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Or at least I’ll still be right. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/175 "2011-04-19T01:18:13Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > A lot of people are mentioning a video game. Does one exist? I’ve not heard of it, and I thought I’d heard of everything regarding this franchise. There’s apparently one in the works. Now, I’ve never read the books, and probably never will, so I have a question based on the show. Are Daenerys and her brother’s hair supposed to be…so…weird? I mean, clearly, their hair is supposed to be _striking_, but it’s so obviously bleached in the show that it doesn’t look just odd, it looks WRONG. (Also, if it isn’t too much of a spoiler, is their relationship as incestuous as it seems from this episode?) ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/176 "2011-04-19T01:26:02Z")
The Targaryens are known for their silver hair and violet eyes in the books, and they’re also known for marrying each other to keep their bloodline “pure.” ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/177 "2011-04-19T01:27:09Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > There’s apparently one in the works. > > Now, I’ve never read the books, and probably never will, so I have a question based on the show. > > Are Daenerys and her brother’s hair supposed to be…so…weird? I mean, clearly, their hair is supposed to be _striking_, but it’s so obviously bleached in the show that it doesn’t look just odd, it looks WRONG. (Also, if it isn’t too much of a spoiler, is their relationship as incestuous as it seems from this episode?) Their hair is supposed to be silvery (they’re also supposed to have purple eyes, but the contacts didn’t work out for some reason. The Targaryens traditionally married within their family to keep the bloodline pure (they believe they’re a superior group of people), but Dany and Viserys don’t have sex. That overtone is definitely there though. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/178 "2011-04-19T01:28:47Z")
> [@Tengu](#): > > There’s apparently one in the works. > > Now, I’ve never read the books, and probably never will, so I have a question based on the show. > > Are Daenerys and her brother’s hair supposed to be…so…weird? I mean, clearly, their hair is supposed to be _striking_, but it’s so obviously bleached in the show that it doesn’t look just odd, it looks WRONG. (Also, if it isn’t too much of a spoiler, is their relationship as incestuous as it seems from this episode?) To the first question, the Targaryens aren’t originally from the Seven Kingdoms…they’re from a land called Valyria that was destroyed by a so-far-unknown cataclysm. The Targaryen “trademark” is the platinum hair and violet eyes. To your second question, yes. The Targaryens have a tradition of Egyptian-like marriages between close relatives. There doesn’t seem to be much of an incest taboo among them (although there are really only two of them left, that we know of, from the beginning of the books on, so it’s hard to tell what the Targaryens in general were really like, given that Viserys is obviously a bit disturbed). ETA: I’ll yield to **Snarky Kong** that V&D didn’t actually have sex…it’s been a while since I read _Game_ and I was hedging since I couldn’t remember if past “indiscretions” between them were mentioned. EATA: As a note of warning, given what I posted about “what the Targaryens were really like”, don’t get too attached to viewpoints and opinions you form from what characters tell you early on…Martin puts most of the characters in this saga under multiple lenses. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/179 "2011-04-19T01:33:48Z")
Thanks. That makes things clearer. And I’ll keep that warning in mind, especially if I ever manage to get around to the books. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955/180 "2011-04-19T01:35:36Z")
Speaking of hair color, this is a REALLY tiny nitpick, but I was expecting Cersei and Jaime to have more striking hair. They make such a big deal about how their hair is so golden and beautiful in the books. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-game-of-thrones-hbo-series-spoilers/567955.md?page=10)