This week's Game of Thrones episode, titled "Book of the Stranger," began with a few uplifting moments, turned tediously talky, then ended with a stunning conflagration that may finally (Finally!) advance the storyline most prone to running endless, criss-crossing helix patterns in the desert. The Stranger is one of the Seven "New Gods" worshipped by the High Sparrow and his followers in the most prevalent religion in Westeros. While the Mother, the Father, the Warrior, the Maiden, the Smith and the Crone each carry unique positive connotations, the Stranger is associated with death and the unknown. Consequently, like Hades of Greek Mythology, he is not often discussed, as if ignoring him will ward off his powers.
Fantasy Fandom: The Ever-Present Stranger
