Girl power: Why women will rule Westeros in Game of Thrones season 7
THE females of Game Of Thrones have endured six seasons of being raped, tortured and pushed to the sidelines. But now, they will rise to meet the challenge.
THE females of Game Of Thrones have endured six seasons of being raped, tortured and pushed to the sidelines.
But the hotly anticipated new series is slated to be one that will focus on the rise of women.
Over the years the hit fantasy drama has introduced a string of complex and powerful female power players that are just as cunning as their male counterparts, but have often fallen victim to the men of the show.
But producers have slowly and surely built the female protagonists to a point of immense power, and according to the female actors on the show, the women will finally rise to the challenge in season 7.
When you cast your memory back over the last season, the signs pointing toward the looming domination of females were in the pipeline.
Jaime Lannister, who was long the centre of his own storyline in the Foxtel hit, spent most of season 6 standing around being Queen Cersei’s right hand man.
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British actor Lena Headey, who plays the calculating role of Cersei Lannister, said in a recent interview the rise of women in TV shows was “unheard of”, and that she was honoured to be recognised as one of many female players in GoT.
“Having all of these females rise, in all their different guises, it’s sort of unheard of, really,” she said.
Tyrion Lannister also spent the last season and a bulk of season 5 on the sidelines, with his main role now being to support Iron Throne contender and dragon queen Daenerys Targaryen, played by British actor Emilia Clarke.
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Fan favourite and dominator Jon Snow, who has since the beginning of the GoT empire been the focus of the series, will for the first time share his successes with his half-sister, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), who last season helped him win back Winterfell.
“I think the show is very feminist,” Ms Turner said in an interview ahead of the show’s premiere on Monday.
“There are so many of those kinds of characters.
“They’re all pretty iconic in terms of women doing it for themselves and not needing anyone.
“They’re equal, if not more powerful than the big strong male characters on the show. It’s awesome.”
She admitted Sansa, who spent years being forced to move from various locations and was held in captivity, is finally starting to grow up and come into her own.
And her little sister, Arya Stark, a once unassuming young girl, is also taking a direct role in the world, fighting her way out of Braavos through the Faceless Men in season 6 and returning to Westeros ready to work through her death list.
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Yara Greyjoy, played by British actor Gemma Whelan, who has been in and out of the show since season two, has managed to re-enter the plot line as a central player.
Her recent alliance with Daenerys leading into the new season comes as the show’s female leads grow increasingly influential.
But Ms Whelan, who spoke ahead of the premiere, said powerful female players shouldn’t be a topic anymore.
“It’s a shame because it shouldn’t be a thing to be a strong woman anymore,” she said.
“Wouldn’t it be more exciting to ask a man what’s it like to play a weak and vulnerable man?”
“It’s not insulting but we as women are very strong and independent and to be able to reflect that in a role is not difficult because that’s what we are.
“Yes, you turn the volume up on some aspects of your personality for a certain character and sometimes it’s a real privilege to play someone broken and vulnerable because there’s still a great strength in that.
“It shouldn’t be a question because women are strong.
“I just think it’s such a fascinating thing to discuss because it shouldn’t be a question anymore.”
Game Of Thrones airs on Foxtel on Monday.
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