GOT Season 1 Awards

These days, everything has an award show. Why do I need to wait 6 months after the MLB season to see if the voters have half a brain, or if they screwed Jacob deGrom? It’s wrong. It’s wrong!

Rather than wait, I decided to give you all a little bonus entry at the end of each season. Here, we’ll give out awards for five categories. I plan on keeping the same awards each season, but if you have any suggestions on other categories you’d like to see, throw it in the comments. If I think it can work, I’ll include it in next season’s write up.

Also, before we begin, just a reminder that our next game of thrones update will be Monday. We are going to continue the 2 week on, one week off approach I talked about in the intro. However, that intro ironically threw off the scheduling, which is why we’re still doing season 1 on the off week. I hope to post something for Friday completely unrelated to game of thrones before returning Monday.

MVP – There was a lot of directions this vote could have went in. A popular choice would have been Tyrion, but when you break down his plot line, he has a couple of days with Jon, pees off the wall, gets arrested, barely survives a trial and then tribesman culminating in him getting knocked out before a real battle. That doesn’t sound like a MVP performance. Sure, he gets to be the hand of the king, but most hands have come down with a severe case of death. It’s not ideal.

Some might push for Dany getting the MVP, and I’ll admit she has a strong case, ending with her becoming the mother of a previously extinct race. That’s not bad. But at the same time, she was abused for like half of the season, lost about everyone she’s ever loved and, let’s be honest friends, spent a good deal of her screen time naked. Sure, maybe that works for some of you, but I like my MVPs looking triumphant, not reaching for a towel.

You can take that towel line it a few ways actually. Try not to if you can help it.

Finally, there’s a case for Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon but both of those guys die pretty horribly. I mean, Bobby B is killed via a boar – that’s the medieval version of being struck out by a 6 year old. Ned spent a significant amount of time imprisoned and you know, beheaded after betraying his honor. Sure if was for his children, but I don’t think his role in the season is worthy of an MVP.
My vote is Robb Stark. This vote would have surprised me if I read my ballot coming into the season. Then again, that would have involved time travel and nobody likes a story that introduces time travel in the middle of its plot.
Usually, you want your MVPs to play more games. Robb really only had a huge role at the end of the season, but boy does he have an impact. Once Robb declares war on the Lannister, that make him look like a true boss. He earns respect from the northern lords by shutting up Lord Umber by having Grey Wind bite off two of his fingers. He completely outwits Tywin Lannister in his first battle and captures Jaime once he took the command. He commands every scene he is in. Nobody benefitted from the aging up characters the show did than Robb, short of any women who will be naked.

It was a whirlwind performance, and halfway through season 2, that badass persona remains. I know it’s not going to last but I’ll enjoy the ride. Also, who earned the King in the North chants? I rest my case. Pay your respects to our season 1 MVP.

LVP – This was actually easier than I thought it was going to be. When I determined the LVP, I consider how fall somebody fell, from grace, whether it was reputation, status or situation. Death does factor into this, but I’d rather not pick a dead character when I can avoid it. There will be times where that selection is unavoidable, but this is how Ned avoided the award.

Season 1’s winner is Jaime Lannister. I don’t really think it was close, though I will admit all of his shit talk at the end of episode 10 made me want to reconsider. However, one great scene does not make a season and boy did Jaime have a tough debut.

First, he’s sleeping with his sister and fathered three children with her in secret. Look, I get that Cersei sleeps with everyone, but Jaime, this isn’t a good look. Call me old fashion, but I frown on incest.

Secondly, Jaime almost loses a sword fight to Ned. Now, I know Ned’s fighting skills were leveled up in the show and Jaime didn’t exactly lose, but he was struggling mightily. Jaime was supposed to be the single best fighter in the kingdom. He brags about winning tournaments and shit talks Ned. Then, he gets bailed out by a Lannister solider shoting him? Talk about hurting his stock.

Third, we find out he often is chosen to guard Roberts chambers when he’s having sex with whores. Can you imagine having the balls to make a decorated knight listen in while you cheat on his sister? I mean, I guess technically Jaime is also cheating with his sister but I digress. It’s just a huge slap in the face.

He is completely undressed by his father before he begins to lead the Lannister armies. All his accomplishments are mocked to his face. Then, when he finally starts winning battles, and bringing glory to his family, as per Tywin, he gets captured by Robb Stark and his men. It was Robb’s first fight. In many ways, this determines both awards thus far. Pretty brutal for Jaime, whose a prisoner for the next season or so.

But the most vile of all his failures was failing to kill a small boy from throwing him off the room. I mean seriously? How does this not kill? I could have called you Bran slayer. It would have been our thing. What a disappointment. Now I’m depressed. Enjoy your trophy Jaime. It’s shaped like a butt.

Most Hated (Non Bran) – I felt the need to specify that Bran was ineligible for this category. I won’t pretend the committee isn’t horrifically bias. In fact, I am the entire committee. If left to my own devices, I assuredly would have selected Bran for this season and every other. Don’t you worry America – eventually Bran will still win this award without being allowed to win it. He’s that hate able and I don’t think anyone short of the actor disagrees. Actually, I don’t want to rule out the actor. He might know what’s up.

Therefore, we have little choice but to select Joffrey. Pretty much the only other nominees for season 1 are other Lannister’s and maybe Sansa. I have to rule out Sansa because she may be annoying in the season, but as things grow dire she realizes that she needs to plead for her father’s life and throws the occasional shade at Joffrey.

Cersei really doesn’t do enough to be the single most hated character of the season, though she tries with her smugness. There’s too many scenes where King Robert disrespects and/or slaps her to make her completely hate able. Have no fear- she will win the award eventually too.

Jaime was the only other possibility, but again, I view him more as an LVP than the season’s most hated character. He’s built up to be at the start of the season, but by the end you just start feeling pity for the guy. I mean, even his sister is cheating on him.

So yeah, Joffrey takes this, and much like Robb, he gets the award for his performance at the end of the season. Early on, he just seems like a spoiled brat who doesn’t know how to act around other people. However, even just not being raised right leads to the death of a butcher boy and a dire wolf.

The real change occurs once he’s officially king. Rather than show Ned mercy, he has him killed. This was a bad move not just for the Starks, but the kingdom as a whole, creating drama everywhere and fully launching the 5 king war. Well, nobody really respects Balon Greyjoy, so it’s more like a 4.5 king war.

Joffrey goes full super sadist in the last episode of the season- having a tongue removed for mocking Robert Baratheon, showing Sansa her father’s decapitated head and having her beaten for showing a spine. He’s a shoveling coward of a king who’s only going to get worse as the series goes on. Good thing that wine goes down the wrong pipe, ehh?

But the worst part about Joffrey is that the actor playing the role does it perfectly. It’s a believable performance and goodness do you love to hate him. It’s not easy to get praised for being a villain of his nature, but it’s warranted here.

Most Shocking Twist – You can argue that the biggest twist was the return of the dragons, but I think the foreshadowing was a bit obvious to say this is a twist. Perhaps knowing the story makes it seem obvious, but I can’t ignore all the signs and signals in the narrative. It was built up great, as we’ll see in a moment, but not really a twist.

No, I think the biggest twist is Ned Stark’s death. Now, just like Dany’s dragons, you can argue that Ned’s death had an obvious clue to it. That clue being Sean Bean playing the role. Sean Bean loves dying in movies and TV shows. I’d say he lives for it, but that’s a polar opposite of what he’s best at acting out. Still, I don’t necessity think we can view an actor as a spoiler. Even one with as many on screen deaths as Bean.

What makes Ned stand out over the other characters is how much screen time he gets. It’s not really close – he’s the main character on a show who never really has a main character going forward. In the first book, Ned has significantly more chapters than anyone else in the book, and he’s interwoven into each Stark family members plot. While other deaths, like Viserys, King Robert and Khal Drogo are surprising, they don’t carry the same weight. Viserys was never the focus of the scenes he was in. Robert has to die to create more drama in the story, ironically centered around Ned. Drogo is the only one you can argue was on the same shocking level, but even this isn’t a total surprise. I mean, he lives to pillage, rape and rip out throats. Rarely do those people ever have long lifespans.

Ned though still had work to do. He wasn’t supposed to die. He was supposed to join Jon where there was a world of possibilities. Instead he dies and even the scene where he does is chaotic and confusing. You almost don’t expect him to have died when episode 10 begins, but there’s his head, very detached from his body. I dont think anyone could say they truly saw this coming. Most people don’t have the balls to kill their main character unless his status was a misdirection. He was a great strategy from Martin.

Best Storyline – There were several quality choices here but obviously we can only have one winner. I was actually close to pulling the trigger on Robb, but he’s really only involved in a few episodes and got his props. I don’t think his story was the best even if he’s the season’s MVP.

Ned’s story does have a lot going on, but ultimately, there’s not a lot of growth from Ned. His biggest evolution is realizing his honor isn’t as important as his daughters. Shouldn’t that have always been the case?

Likewise, Tyrion’s story is spent almost exclusively in peril for the season after his visit to the wall. The plot line is varied, interesting and has his considerable wit, but it’s not quite the best storyline of the season. It’s missing a big moment. There’s little payoff, and it’s more build up followed by anticlimactic moment. As much as I agree with having Tyrion knocked out before the battle, it does hurt winning this award.

So, I’m going with Dany. Nobody evolved as she did this season. In episode one, she is a terrified, scared girl who seems like she’ll be a borderline prisoner. As the season progresses, Khal Drogo looks at her like an equal and he alters his plans and the history of the Dorthraki to make her happy. She stands up to the Khals when they are decimating a town and her backbone somehow gets her husband and unborn child killed. Instead of crumbling, she emerges from a fire with three dragons. It’s not looking good for her by any means, but with three mythical creature, I think she’ll pull through. Also, I saw the promotional material for season 8. She’s probably going to pull through.