Game of Thrones season 8 is less than a week away.  I’ve been training for a half marathon for the past three months, and I have far more anticipation about the Season 8 premiere than I do for it or just about anything else.  For most of us Game of Thrones junkies, the wait for the final season has been driving us all to some level of madness.  Now that it’s almost here I almost don’t want it happen because I also don’t want the greatest show that ever was or ever will be to come to an end.

Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things

Initially I was going to break down each season and talk about theories, prophecies and what the book series has eluded, but who hasn’t done that on internet yet?  So instead I’m going to essentially write a love letter to this show that has brought me such joy and entertainment over the years.  Yes, I’m going to use Game of Thrones to “Honor The Journey” today because it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want to.

ERMAHGOD WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS

Season 1 of Game of Thrones premiered in April of 2011 and immediately had all of the buzz.  At the time I had recently separated from my husband, lost my job, lost my house, my car was in dire straits and I had two young dragons of my own to cross the wastelands with.  HBO and a TV show were hardly on the top of my to-do list.  But, in early May a very good friend let us move in until we could find a place of our own and I could get back on my feet.  With the generosity of a roof over our head we also were blessed with cable TV, and HBO.

I Knew Nothing

On a weekend morning where the boys were at their Dad’s I was sulking.  There was no big run for a distraction and I waitressed at a bar so work didn’t start till later in the evening.  I turned my attention to the TV while in bed and spent the rest of the day there.  It was actually Jason Momoa that got my attention.  I was a big fan of him on Stargate: Atlantis as Ronon Dex.  It was then I saw the potential in him to be a great action star, and well…..I mean he looks like Jason Momoa.

I watched a marathon of of the series running up to episode 9 where Ned lost his head.  The finale was next week and I had to leave for work.  The next morning after my run I started the show over again and watched until my shift started that evening.  By the end of the week I had downloaded the books on my kindle and read the entire series in two months.

Chaos Is A Ladder

Here began my journey into Game of Thrones.  It was a comfort and a healthy escape from missing my dragons, depression over where my life currently was, and when I didn’t have running there was this fantasy world that I could escape to.  The character’s were so very real to me and the world palpable.  The production value is top notch, the performances are ridiculous, GRRM’s story is second to none, and it is easily the best casting I’ve seen on film or TV in all of my years.  8 years later and it has still not let me down.

Our Watch Began

By the beginning of season 2 my brother had started watching it, and I had moved into an apartment without HBO and there began the tradition of watching it at his place.  Over the next year, my now husband began to join us. By season 3 till today my brother, my husband and I watch it every Sunday together.  When season 8 finishes this year it will not only conclude one of the greatest stories ever told, it will come full circle with my life then and now.

The Old Gods and The New

In any form of art or expression you have the opportunity to learn a little bit more about yourself.  Film and TV have always been a great medium for exploring the human condition and while Game of Thrones exploits some of the darker sides of it there is still always some hope for good, the love of family, and rising from the ashes against all odds.  To survive any challenge or journey in life it is customary to experience some form of metamorphosis.

When I say goodbye to Game of Thrones this season, I will also be saying goodbye to not only a chapter in my life, but the end of a book in it’s own series.  It’s time for a spinoff and some new stories.

If you are also a diehard Game of Thrones fan, feel free to send a request to our Game of Thrones Support Group where we discuss episodes, share memes, and go bonkers with our fan theories.