"When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die."
This entire season we’ve discussed how Game of Thrones is a subversion of the high fantasy genre; how characters tend to be morally gray, how heroes lose, how magic in this world is equal parts wonder and terror. But Cersei Lannister’s fatalistic (if not simplistic) summary of The Game (our true aim) hints at something more basic. The hard truth is that actions have real consequences, and every decision and choice comes with its logically just desserts. Yes, the occasional dragon or shadow-baby throws the narrative astray, but the wars these characters wage, the alliances they make, and the sacrifices given all play out in full.