Mix Bible to Game of Thrones and you get Of Kings and Prophets!
A few months back, one of our friends suggested “Game of Thrones” to us. It is an HBO series that is based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling book series “A Song of Ice and Fire”. It is a story of some kings and queens – people of royal blood; knights, lords, ladies, traitors and renegades. Kids and old men alike, as well as of blood, gore, uninhibited sex, whores and incest. All the intrigue that goes with any such “Tale of tales” – one story intertwined into another one.
Mix Bible to #GameofThrones and you get #OfKingsandProphets! Click To Tweet
Of the many kingdoms, and characters – everyone seems to pick sides with some. When Archana and I started watching this series, we weren’t sure who all will be our favorites. Well, by the middle of Season 4, we can say that some of the characters have become our top favorites.
Daenerys Targaryen or the Dragon’s mother and also earlier known as Khaleesi, is our top favorite. Starting from a rather grim situation, she has – through sheer wisdom and generosity – become the best leader of men and women that one can find.
The other favorite is the “dwarf” or an “Imp” (as he is called) named Tyrion Lannister. His character shows the virtue of wisdom again in the face of heavy odds. He is able to do things other men cannot through sheer grit and knowledge.
History and Imagination
The entire story is set in imagined history. A time and place – or set of places – that one has not heard of and don’t exist. Yet, they look and feel all real. As if this could have happened. Interestingly, the whole series is using a strong intermixing of religion and war. Yet, religion isn’t one that you would recognize. It is made up with attributes of Paganism and of Christianity.
Apparently, this has helped the makers steer clear of any issues and also maintain their creative streak.
Throw Bible into Game of Thrones – Out comes Of Kings and Prophets
Now, the ABC channel may have thought – what if we use the popularity of GoT-ish series and add Bible into the mix? Both have immense following. After all, History Channel’s Bible attracted 12 million viewers in 2013! As per Guardian, here is the mix of the two plot lines – Game of Thrones and Bible. The show is “Of Kings and Prophets”
A king is trying to unite the disparate houses of the realm to thwart an attacking army full of giants. He’s fighting prophecies that say he isn’t the true king; meanwhile, his scheming wife is mostly interested in maintaining his own power.
… the king is Saul (Ray Winstone), who is trying to defend a newly formed Israel against the Philistines and their enormous general Goliath. The prophet is Samuel (Mohammad Bakri), who says that God (or Elohim, as they call him) no longer wants Saul as a ruler and instead anoints David (Olly Rix), a shepherd who has gained fame in the kingdom for killing a lion. (source)
One thing is for sure. The stories, which apparently do represent the situations that existed in Europe and the Middle East – show how depraved and savage the whole society was. There was no safety, peace of pursuit of higher purpose. Sex, power, blood, money, and food was the highest yearning then. And for a normal person, it was the pursuit of basic safety and peace. In a place where women and the weak were easily used and disposed, there was a constant threat for families. When one compares that to the situation in say, India – where before the invaders from Arabia, India was a much more peaceful place – then one does wonder how the world would have seemed like then?
If India is synonymous with Spirituality, it is because people in India were not constantly trying to save themselves. Safety and peace was a given. Yes, wars happened and kingdoms were won and lost, but there were rules of war. It was common for royal families of one kingdom to do pilgrimages in another and vice versa. Civilians were not attacked during or after the wars. Slavery was almost non-existent. Something that seemed to be the most common thing in West and Middle East.
No wonder then, these savages put their gaze towards India in a bid to win over there at all cost. Evey intrigue and plot was used.
I have seen Tudors – which added the impact of Bible and Christianity to kings/ruling and intrigue via the life of King Henry VIII. And given that his lifetime was no different than one shown in Game of Thrones, I can safely say that I can imagine what “Of Kings and Prophets” does have on offer.
Given how predictable in terms of showing the gore and sex is concerned, I can say that I would not be inclined to watch another such show. For me, Spartacus was probably the highest point in terms of any series.
Would you go for this new series? Which one is your favorite?
Here is an infographic with the details of all the “Houses” and the Characters.
