HBO’s new ‘Game of Thrones’ series is a meditation on governing, politics, and how weapons of mass destruction are — or should be — constrained.
By Maureen Ryan, Outrider
House of the Dragon asks a compelling question: If you had the ultimate weapon, could you rule in a relatively untroubled way forever?
In the fictional Westeros, dragons are the ultimate power, as wielded by ruling the Targaryen clan. But even they know their grip on the world order is tenuous.
“The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion,” King Viserys Targaryen tells his daughter in the first episode. “They are a power man should never have trifled with.”
Sunday’s episode introduces even more political instability, with a young royal, Aemond, swiping a dragon out from under another powerful clan. This plot twist adds yet another wild card to an extremely tense situation in Westeros and serves as something of a reminder of the dangerous number of nuclear weapons that have been lost, including at least three by the U.S. alone.
Of course, dragons aren’t perfect analogues for nuclear weapons; but in a medieval-ish world of swords, clubs, and crossbows, dragons are the mic drops of weapons.
When the original Game of Thrones series aired from 2011-2019, the political landscape was different. Though U.S. President Donald Trump threatened North Korea with “fire and fury” as nuclear tension escalated, it passed as dangerous rhetoric. Since then, Russian president Vladimir Putin has invaded Ukraine, threatening the world with the dragons of his own atomic arsenal through nuclear blackmail.
“No matter who tries to stand in our way,” Putin said in February, “they must know that Russia will respond immediately, and the consequences will be such as you have never seen in your entire history.”
Recent Posts
Right-Wing Courts May Further Dismantle Health Care Benefits
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now Right-wing federal appeal judges signal they support repeal of the no-cost preventive care mandate, all but guaranteeing a Supreme…
Biden Re-Election Benefits From Dark Money He Says “Erodes Public Trust”
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now Dark money has flooded into outside spending groups pledging support for Biden, including one out of every two dollars to the…
If Supreme Court Restricts Abortion Pills, Birth Control Could Be Next
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now Republicans across the country have blocked Democratic efforts to codify the right to use contraception. By Mike Ludwig, Truthout…
Support For Israel’s War On Gaza Plummeting Among Key Biden Voters: Poll
March 28, 2024
Take Action Now “Given these numbers,” said one progressive campaigner, “I don’t know how President Biden can reconcile his…