Game of Thrones turned Bran Stark into a tired geek power fantasy, elevating the worst of fan culture

Vox

The decision to name Bran king "felt shortsighted and regressive," says Aja Romano. "Part of the frustration stems from something beyond the world of Game of Thrones: By being named king, Bran Stark is cemented as a perfect analogue for a certain type of protector of geek culture; specifically, fans (often male) who are rigidly deferent to the original lore of a story, often alienating other (typically marginalized) fans who support a more flexible approach. Within our real-world context, Bran’s ascension to rulership feels like a myopic, self-aggrandizing celebration of curatorial fandom, or the specific way in which many fans worship canon — in this case, Game of Thrones’ source material, the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin. Ending the show with Bran in charge of Westeros codifies a male-dominated version of geek culture that reflects mainstream perceptions about fandom and aligns generally with the show’s frequent misogyny. Moreover, it’s a choice that’s ultimately bigger than Bran: Whether it was intentional or not, when Game of Thrones made room for a reading of Bran as a stand-in for male geekdom, it unwittingly revealed how flawed this type of fandom is. And the flaws within this oppressive, holier-than-thou type of fandom can also help explain just why Game of Thrones was such a disappointment to many in its final two seasons."