With Season 6 of Game of Thrones coming to an end this summer, fans are eagerly awaiting the upcoming 7th season, despite the fact that it is being released later in the summer and only features 7 episodes. While it’s understandable that GOT fans are thirsty for more bloodshed, drama, and tears, they don’t need to look far. The news outlets, trending tweets, Facebook posts, and daily doses of forehead slapping are all a product of one thing: The 2016 Election. You heard me. If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, you have to admit, there are some stark similarities between the show’s characters and the frontrunners of our country’s current election. Let’s take a look:
Hillary Clinton is Tywin Lannister
Similarities: Both are seasoned government strategists, with years of warfare, bloodshed, and compromise under their belts. Both come from well-known political family names that they are hellbent on keeping intact, have had unfortunate experiences with their spouse, and believe they are smarter than everyone around them combined. Both have an enormous amount of wealth backing them. Both ask thought provoking questions, know how to dodge questions that do not further their agenda, and have an air of confidence about them that cannot be easily mimicked.
Differences: Hillary Clinton may become the first female President of the United States (GIRL POWER), while Tywin had his power passed down to him generationally. Clinton cares for the elderly and immigrants, Tywin would rather see them all burned. Clinton is an adamant defender of women’s rights, Tywen complains about loose women before he turns around and sleeps with them.
Overall Goal: Maintaining the status quo and upholding the family name.
Donald Trump is Cersei
Similarities: Both overestimate their own intelligence when others are completely aware that they’re simply spouting out nonrealistic, emotion-fueled words to pander to their current audience. Both have made some uncomfortable, inappropriate comments about family members (remember that comment about Ivanka? Let’s not forget Jamie), both are vindictive and prefer to rule with fear, both think the problems “over the wall” are not the country’s problem, and both enjoy yelling and wine.
Differences: Cersei uses her children as a justification for her terrible behavior, Trump uses terrorists for his. Cersei sent her daughter off to be married in a foreign land, Trump married a woman from a foreign land. Cersei has (or had) voluminous hair, and Trump has a bird’s nest for a hair-do. Cersei is quick to blame Tyrion for everything, Trump is quick to blame Mexicans for everything.
Overall Goal: Possessing the most power and ignoring issues on the other side of “the wall.”
Bernie Sanders is The High Sparrow
Similarities: Both believe in sharing wealth, are older men who have extreme views, are passionate about their cause (even when people think they’re foolish), both are attempting to tear down a corrupt system that has been in place for years, both have a way of making their views seem logical and for the greater good, both can relate to the youngsters (Tommen, anyone? Too soon?), both consider themselves humanitarians, both understand the importance of facing human misery and dealing with it, both could be considered activists, and both were knocked out of their respective political races before things actually got interesting.
Differences: The High Sparrow is a lot more extreme than Sanders is when it comes to punishment, the Sparrow uses religion as a platform whereas Bernie uses socialism as his. The Sparrow’s followers are much more violent than Sanders’ fans. Bernie is pro-gay rights and the Sparrow (obviously) is not, Bernie joined Clinton as a way to unite the Democrats, whereas the Sparrow fought against the establishment (and lost his life).
Overall Goal: Sharing wealth and tearing down the corrupt establishment.
Jeb Bush is Renly Baratheon
Similarities: Both thought that they were the rightful “heir to the throne,” both have oafish older brothers who have assumed the ultimate political title, both were convinced that they were a shoe-in for the title, and both had strong political connections backing them (but still were unable to gain power),
Differences: Renly is young, into men and ready to party. Jeb is old, lacks charisma and is winding down. Renly is very popular with his subjects and is often cheered on, whereas Jeb had to beg for applause at a convention (“please clap”). Renly has never seen a battlefield or fought in a battle, for that matter. Jeb has years of political prowess and experience.
Overall Goal: Rule better than their older brother did.
Ted Cruz & Carly Fiorina are Stannis Baratheon and the Red Priestess
Similarities: A crazy, lackluster, selfish man comes out of nowhere and puts his family, reputation and dignity on the line, all because a woman in red is whispering about the great future she sees for him in the flames. He is considered “the last option,” people only flock to his side because they do not want a vindictive psychopath or power-hungry family in power. He has no chill and blatantly wants to sleep with the priestess by his side.
Differences: I see none here.
Overall Goal: Win them over with the “you have nothing better” argument.
