Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire - Update (This is the SPOILER FREE version!)

Hi everyone! With the latest season almost upon us I thought it was time to not just re-release this blog, but give it a much needed update. So join me as we warp into fantasy with Game of Thrones. A TV show based on the Song of Ice and Fire novels by author George R.R Martin! 

George R.R Martin

This blog will be referring to both the TV show and books but I will be coming from the show perspective as that's how I go into it. I will explain in brief how that happened, what the series is about and why I am such a huge fan!

Like Star Trek, I love the Game of Thrones franchise for it's diverse character development and unique storytelling (which I will go into more detail about later!)

Advertisement post for the Game of Thrones TV show.

A Song of Ice and Fire box set: books 1-5

NOTE: THIS IS THE SPOILER FREE VERSION OF THE BLOG! NO MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OR CHARACTER/STORY TWISTS AND TURNS ARE REVEALED HERE FROM ANY OF THE BOOKS 1-5 OR TV SHOW, SEASONS 1-5!

1. This will be one of my general interest episodes in the future with the possibility of an interview with one of the stars of the show!

2. I first got into the franchise in August 2014 through my university friend Rob! Thanks mate!

3. I watched the TV show first and then read the books!

4. Currently there are 5 seasons (soon to be 6) of the TV show that started in 2011 and continues to the present day.

5. There are currently five books written by the author George R.R Martin in the Song of Ice and Fire series. But there will be seven in total. The books are:

A Game of Thrones (1996)

A Clash of Kings (1998)

A Storm of Swords: In two parts (2000)
(1) Steel and Snow and (2) Blood and Gold.

A Feast for Crows (2005)

A Dance with Dragons: In two parts (2011)
(1) Dreams and Dust and (2) After the Feast.

These are the ones that have currently been written and published. The last two will be:

The Winds of Winter (?)
A Dream of Spring (?)

6. The series/books is set in the fictional world of Westeros (the Seven Kingdoms) and across the Narrow Sea in the East.

Map of Westeros - The Seven Kingdoms.

Map of the East -Essos (Across the Narrow Sea from Westeros)  

What exactly is the Game of Thrones?

WARNING THIS GAME IS SEVERELY DAMAGING TO YOUR HEALTH IN THAT YOU MAY DIE! "IF YOU PLAY THIS GAME YOU EITHER WIN OR YOU DIE. THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND!!!" (Cersei Lannister: Season 1, Episode 7) 

To be successful you have to be clever, cunning and ruthless. Always knowing when to manipulate others in order to achieve the ultimate goal and use the power that you have to gain more!

Knowledge here is key! You have to be deceptive to your “friends” and “enemies” and stay several steps ahead of them and constantly watch that you don't lose the game! You need to have a instinct of when to move in the game and what moves you make! When to hover and watch and take advantage of a situation that comes your way!

The power you can feel in your grasp and that struggle and strife is to sit on the one throne, where the King and Queen rules all Seven Kingdoms in Westeros called the Iron Throne!

The TV show's Iron Throne situated in King's Landing.

I know, it's damn ugly right! Not to mention, it looks really uncomfortable to sit on! But it's what the Throne represents that is important. Even if you win the game and sit on it, you need allies to help you win it! An army and protection to keep it and maintain order in the Seven Kingdoms! Just because you sit on the throne, it doesn't mean you stop playing the game! Remember that!

So now that you have been introduced to the game, let's start to play!

Houses/players in the Game of Thrones.
House Baratheon.

Sigil – A stag.
Words – Ours is the Fury

Stag - Sigil of House Baratheon.

By the course of season 1 of the series, the king of the Iron Throne is a man called Robert Baratheon who is married to Cersei Lannister. At this point Robert has ruled the Seven Kingdoms for seventeen years (fourteen in the books) after with the help of House Lannister and Stark they ended the 300 year dynasty of House Targaryen (the creators of the Iron Throne)

As season one goes on and into season 2 more characters are introduced including Robert's two younger brothers Stannis and Renly. 

Robert (Left), Stannis (Middle) and Renly (Right)  

House Lannister.
Sigil – A Lion.
Words – Hear Me Roar!

A Lion - Sigil of House Lannister. 

There are seven main members of the Lannister household.




From Left to Right, Joffery, Tywin, Cersei, Tyrion, Tommen, Myrcella and Jaime.

The man on the far top right is Kevan Lannister, Tywin's brother, but he doesn't play as big a role in the show/books as the other Lannister's.


The Lannisters are the richest family in Westeros who help Robert Baratheon rule the Iron Throne with Cersei married to him and Tywin Lannister funding him. Throughout the shows/books, they face many challenges to their house, which they must overcome.  

House Stark.
Sigil – Dire wolf
Words – Winter is Coming.

Sigil - Direwolf of House Stark.

House Stark came to Robert Baratheon's aid in his rebellion that ended the Targaryen rule. The Starks reside in the North with Ned Stark (he and Robert have been friends for many years) until Robert comes to Winterfell and asks Ned for a great favor. 

Left to right - Ned, Catelyn, Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Rickon and Jon.

Like the Lannisters the Starks face many challenges throughout the show/books, that they have to contend with. 

House Targaryen.
Sigil – Three headed dragon. 
Words – Fire and Blood

Sigil - Three headed dragon of House Targaryen

Before Robert Baratheon's rebellion bought down the Targaryen dynasty. They had ruled for 300 years (Aerys II Targaryen being the last Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne) ever since Ageon the Conqueror (who created it) with his three dragons took six out of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros (Dorne managed to resist them)

Left to right - Viserys and Danerys Targeryen.

By season 1 there are only two Targaryen's still standing Daenerys and her brother Visery's, who are the son and daughter of Aerys II. They fight to claim what they believe is their rightful throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms. 


House Tyrell.
Sigil – Golden Rose. 
Words – Growing Strong

Sigil - Golden Rose of House Tyrell.

The Tyrell's are one of the latest players in the game.

Left to right Margery, Olenna and Ser Loras Tyrell. 

The three members as shown are Margery, her brother and grandmother. They become more focused later on in the series, initially (Margery and Loras) appearing in season 2 and more so in season 3 onwards (introduced to Olenna). 

Other Houses.

There are other houses involved, but there are too many to talk about. I would include links to these houses and their history, but the pages on the websites contain spoilers from the show and books, so I decided to refrain from it. 

The Nights Watch.

Though not a part of the actual game itself of fighting over the Iron Throne. The Night's Watch is a crucial part of Martin's world and as such cannot be left out without a mention. It is a ancient brotherhood of men who are based in the far north of Westeros.

Map of the Wall where the Night's Watch is based and beyond.

The Night's Watch is full of men from all different backgrounds of noble birth and commoners that have committed certain crimes (not in all cases, yet they are sent to the wall anyway). It has murderers, rapers and all sorts among it's ranks. 

The Night's Watch, once these men take their vows can hold no lands or crowns, father no children or have wives. They do not answer to any Kings or Queen, but protect the realm for what lays beyond the wall. Once you become a member of the Night's Watch, it is for life until you die. If you try to desert, the penalty is death.

They are the only thing standing between the rest of Westeros and what lies beyond the wall and if the Night's Watch falls then the Game of Thrones these different players play won't even matter. 

Why I love Game of Thrones.

As mentioned earlier at the start of the blog, the two reasons I love Game of Thrones is because of the diverse character development and the unique storytelling, so let's get into exactly what I mean and why!

The Storytelling

This a massive part of what makes the TV show/books so successful. George RR Martin goes completely against the traditional forms of storytelling  He likes unexpectedness and the need for suspense in the characters he creates and the perilous situations they end up in to be real. 

He likes his books readers and show watchers to be afraid for his characters when they are in danger. Because they might not survive it! 

No one is safe in the Game of Thrones!

The Complexity of Characters

Apart from the storytelling the morally complex characters is another reason why the books/show has become so popular! Martin's belief is that no one in the world is wholly good or evil. We all have the capacity for greatness and doing unspeakable things. This is what he reflects in his characters. 

There are many characters that to be talked about in terms of this. However I am going to focus on just one, Jaime Lannister. 

Jaime Lannister.

Initially when first watching the show, I immediately saw this character as a straight and out villain, with little or no honor. From the beginning he does some shocking things. These acts seeded my hatred for the character. Even then some of his actions are vaguely understandable, even if you don't like what he did. However he has characteristics, which might not be all bad.

Jaime Lannister.

This is what an amazing job, both Martin and the creators of the show have done with just one example. They have made me see there are no such things as heroes and villains. There is an in between, even the most honorable can do unspeakable monstrous things and monsters can commit acts of kindness and compassion. This is what humans are like in a realistic way, complex.

As you may know from our recent EM-Con podcast we recently had the pleasure of attending the convention in the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham. Whilst there I met two Game of Thrones stars Ron Donachie (Ser Rodrik Cassel) and Josef Atlin (Pyp) (They play two of the many secondary characters in the show). I met them in the form of autographs, photo shoots and attending a Game of Thrones Q and A panel along with the other stars.






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It was really awesome to meet these guys and at some point in the future we may have Josef Atlin on as a guest on our show for an interview as it relates to Game of Thrones as one of my general interests!  

I hope you enjoyed this introduction to George R.R Martins world of a Game of Thrones (TV show) from his Song of Ice and Fire novels!

So yeah that's it guys, I'll be back soon with another blog, until then this is Jamie from the Engage Podcast warping off into the unknown! Punch it!

P.S Enjoy the show, the books and the latest season coming up!

Simon: Famous Conspiracy Theories, Myths and Legends

Hi #Treksters, I know it's been a quite awhile since I last wrote a blog post...and we've released our next episode. Before I go any further I just want to explain all the Real Life reasons why this has happened.


Granddad 'Sarge' Eric

Obviously for me personally a large contributing factor for this was the passing away of my Granddad 'Sarge' Eric, which left me feeling very 'lost'.
Another reason why this has happened is that collectively as a group we've got two Weddings coming up...one of which is Phil's Wedding.
Which has taken up a large proportion of Phil's life due to it's subsequent planning.

Along those lines we've also had Phil's Stag Do down in Somerset, all in all giving us little or no time to record any podcasts lately.

So in order to give you your much needed The Engage Podcast Fix I have decided to write a post about a set of topics which both interests me and intrigues me....Conspiracy Theories, Myths and Legends!

In this blog post I will be explaining the Conspiracy Theories surrounding famous events, which may or may not have been staged!
With each event I will be giving my opinion on it's accompanying Conspiracy Theory, Myth or Legend whilst trying to ascertain how plausible they are.
If they are (in my opinion) implausible...then I will rule that they have been debunked.

 

As you'll expect everyone will have they're own opinion on this particular issue, but until a Conspiracy Theory, Myth or Legend is solved or debunked...then I think it's only right to speculate over what the truth is.

The Loch Ness Monster

 

Colonel R. K. Wilson's original picture taken in 1934





The Loch Ness Monster is one of the most famous Myths the world has forever been spellbound by.
"Nessie" as it is more commonly known (since 1940's) is said to be the last of the plesiosaurs, living in the depths of Loch Ness up in Scotland.



A CGI graphic of a Plesiosaur

Although all the evidence for "Nessie's" existence is anecdotal...the monster has been captured over the years in pictures, most famously in 1934. When a Colonel R. K. Wilson took a picture, whilst he was on a family holiday up in Scotland.
So much interest has been created in finding "Nessie" that in 1961 the Loch Ness Phenomena Investigation Bureau was set up in order to catch glimpses of the Loch Ness Monster. The Myth of "Nessie" has also been responsible for creating a tourist attraction out of just another 'everyday Scottish loch'...giving a welcome boost to the local (and Scottish) economy!

The Myth of a Loch Ness Monster has done a great deal for Scotland, drawing tourists in yearly with the chance to catch of the famous Loch dwelling monster...but I think it is all in vein.



Diagram of the Wilson family hoax model

As the majority of pictures taken of "Nessie" have ended up being hoaxes.
Unfortunately a prime example of this, is most famous picture of them all the 'Wilson picture'...as it turns out that the Wilson family had modified a toy submarine with a model head and rigged it to appear to be a monster (from a distance).

With technology improving all the time, it is getting easier to 'create pictures featuring "Nessie". Giving no believers an argument not to believe in "Nessie's" existence.
The "Nessie" devotees will see it as an advantage because it will give them an opportunity to monitor for "Nessie" around the clock.
Although... 'if' we ever get a 'real' picture of "Nessie" we won't believe due to the cynical and suspicious world we live in. The other issue people will have is the number of fakes surrounding The Loch Ness Monster Myth.
For me, this is a Myth I would love to believe in but...nothing adds up, as the whole Myth sounds like a Fairy Tale!

1. Firstly, how on earth is a Plesiosaur meant to survive for so long without being seen, it's for the better word...impossible!
2. Secondly, A Myth of a prehistoric dinosaur living in a Scottish Loch is too good to be true, making me speculate that the Myth was orchestrated by a cunning Scottish businessman trying to draw up business for the local area through publicity. 
3. Thirdly, shouldn't we (Humans) have killed "Nessie" through Global Warming, or by another indirect way?!

So it's for those reasons why I have to (at least in my mind) debunk this Myth of a Loch Ness Monster.

The Bermuda Triangle 



Bermuda Triangle location map

The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the Atlantic Ocean which is famous for planes and ships vanishing in thin air...eerily never to be seen again!

Although the area of the pheromone varies between 1,300,000 to 3,900,000 km² (500,000 to 1,510,000 square miles) depending on what source you use.

That being said it is widely accepted that it lies between Bermuda (in the North), Miami (in the West) and Puerto Rico (in the South).



Four TBF/TBM Avengers flying in formation

In the air, The Bermuda Triangle is most famous for the loss of Flight 19. A training flight of five TBF/TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared on the 5th of December 1945. After losing radio contact with Fort Lauderdale (their base).

Whilst on the ocean, The Bermuda Triangle is well known for the disappearance of the USS Cyclops (AC-4). Which caused the loss of 309 passengers and crew.



USS Cyclops (AC-4)

Both examples give's you a small impression of just how many countless lives have been lost in one way or another due to The Bermuda Triangle.

There are many different theories for what causes the disappearances in The Bermuda Triangle, ranging from magnetic anomalies to devastating power crystals lying on the seabed.

Many 'solve' either a air disappearance or a sea disappearance...but in my mind (at least) the cause for both air and sea disappearances has to be some overwhelming cause. Which is currently undetectable through current technology.

In my opinion, until we attain the right level of technological development we will never be able to solve the mystery of The Bermuda Triangle.
 

RMS Titanic
 

The RMS Titanic was a 19th Century passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean (south-east of Newfoundland).

On the morning of April 15th 1912 after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton (United Kingdom) to New York City (United States) via Cherbourg (France) and Queenstown (Ireland).

It laid undiscovered until a Franco-American expedition led by the noted oceanographer Robert Ballard found the wreck in 1985.

Although Conspiracy Theorists believe that the wreck lying at the bottom of the Atlantic isn't that of the Titanic...but is instead it's (older) sister ship RMS Olympic.

They believe that the ships "swapped identities" after the Olympic collided with a naval vessel (HMS Hawke) on it's fifth voyage (on the 20th September 1911) and had to be taken back to Belfast for repairs. During the same time the Titanic is nearing completion (being outfitted) close to the RMS Olympic.

Giving White Star Line the prefect opportunity to do the worlds largest sleight of hand trick. The only reason they would do this, is because the White Star Line were in financial difficulties at the time.

Leaving White Star Line only one way to survive...insurance fraud.

By switching ships, and by tricking everyone into believing that the damaged Olympic was in fact the Titanic. Meant that they could get a full insurance pay-out for the 'new ships' loss. Solving White Star Line's money woes.
 

For me I think there's points you can believe on both sides. The Conspiracy Theorists have some interesting idea's about what happened...but I think there's no way they (White Star Line) could have kept it secret! Making me think it's a work of fiction.

Although this fiction fits some of the pieces together making it a plausible Conspiracy Theory. Which is why I would recommend watching the documentary above to make up your own mind up about it all!
 

So it's my opinion that it is the RMS Titanic that sunk on the 15th of April 1912. Meaning that I have to debunk this very plausible Conspiracy Theory.

I also think that the story and legacy are more important than the facts and figures behind the events on the Titanic.

Because of this event, worldwide legislation came in making it customary for ships to have enough lifeboats for everyone on board through the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) passed in 1914.

The Titanic (and later SOLAS) lead to the formation of the International Ice Patrol, responsible for monitoring icebergs in the Artic and Oceans and the Atlantic Ocean. After reporting that information onto ships 'for safety purposes'. Which reading between the lines...means minimising the chances of an sinking occurring!



Belfast City Hall RMS Titanic Memorial

That being said, I think that the name of the ship is irrelevant...because whatever the truth is, through either that of design or by an accident.

A White Star Line Olympic class ocean liner is sitting at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean after causing the deaths of 1,500 people. So we need to make sure that we preserve the memory of all the people on board.

Who we should never forget!

The Moon Landings



The last Conspiracy Theory I'm going to discuss is the big one...the Moon Landings from 1969-1972.

On the 20th July 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon....a day later astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (along with Michael Collins up in the Command Module) were the first humans to walk on the Moon.



U.S. President John F. Kennedy giving his speech to the U.S. Congress in 1961

Eight years after U.S. President John F. Kennedy vowed in a U.S. Congress speech that "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth".

Not only did the United States achieve his goal once...but on six separate occasions in a three year period.



Apollo 11 Astronauts (Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong) in a NASA training mock-up of the Moon and Luna Module

Although there are a lot of people out there that believe that man has never stepped on the Moon, as they think it was all staged.

The main points of contention for Conspiracy Theorists are:

1. The lack of stars visible in the Lunar sky.
2. Visible "camera crosshairs".   
3. Aberrant shadows.
4. The Stars and Stripes flag "ruffled" by air currents.

All of the points of contention have logical sound explanations.

1. There is a lack of stars visible in the Lunar sky, because all the Moon landing occurred during the Lunar daytime...making it impossible to see the stars due to the immense power of the sun.
   
   Which meant that their camera's couldn't pick up the stars either, as they were set to a daylight exposure.
2. Visible "camera crosshairs" are a typical sight on the Apollo missions, as the cameras they used had a reseau plate (a clear glass plate with crosshairs etched on).
   Which made it impossible for any photographed object to appear "in front" of the grid. The only way an object would appear "behind" of the grid is in post production. So that it would appear that the Moon landing have been faked.
   This would was quite normal, as people wanted images of the great achievement...but didn't want the "camera crosshairs" spoiling their image. After sometime these 'edited' copies circulated, and became the preferred images of the Apollo missions.
3. Shadows on the Moon are complicated by reflected light, uneven ground, wide-angle lens distortion, and lunar dust.
   Light appears from several different sources: the Sun, sunlight reflected from the Earth, sunlight reflected from the Moon's surface, and sunlight reflected from the astronauts and the Lunar Module.
   Light from these sources is scattered by the lunar dust in many directions...which includes shadows.
   Shadows falling into craters and hills may appear longer, shorter and distorted. Causing shadows to display properties of a vanishing point perspective, making them converge to a point on the horizon.
   This theory (and many others) were famously debunked by MythBusters episode "NASA Moon Landing".
4. 
   The flag was fastened to a Г-shaped rod (called the Lunar Flag Assembly) so that it didn't hang down.
   The flag only seemed to "ruffle" when the astronauts were moving it into position.
   Without air drag, these movements caused the free corner of the flag to swing like a pendulum for some time.
   The flag was rippled because it had been folded during storage, so the ripples could be mistaken for movement in a still photo. Video's have shown that when the astronauts let go of the flagpole vibrated briefly...but then remains still.
   This theory was also debunked on the MythBusters episode "NASA Moon Landing".

To see the logical sound explanations in full please go to:
Moon landing conspiracy theories- The hoax claims

I believe that we have (without a doubt) landed on the Moon between 1969-1972. For another few reasons.
Including, the fact that I don't personally believe that U.S. President John F. Kennedy would condone 'staging' the entire Apollo missions.
Due to the massive undertaking (and loss) in getting humans to our nearest neighbour. You don't build all that infrastructure (including six Saturn V rockets) just for the sake of a conspiracy!


 A picture taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter of the Apollo 17 landing site

You've also got to remember that they took an awful lot of equipment up with them...most they would have to leave behind, and as there's a vacuum up there it's going to be just where the astronauts left them during the Apollo missions.


Apollo 11's retroreflector  (with it's protective cover)

Part of that equipment, which can without any doubt prove we've been there six times are the Retroreflectors (mirrors used as targets for Earth-based tracking lasers) from the Laser Ranging Retroreflector Experiment (LRRR).


The United Kingdom's Goodwill Moon rock given in 1970 by U.S. President Richard Nixon

There's also the matter of the Goodwill Moon rocks given to 135 countries and 50 US states in 1970 by U.S. president Richard Nixon. Each Goodwill Moon rock was samples of moon rock obtained during the Apollo 11 mission.
If we are to believe the Conspiracy Theorists that the Apollo missions were faked...then the same would be true with Goodwill Moon rocks.
I know I'm going to exaggerate it here...but do they really want us to believe that they are rocks found at the bottom of the White House garden?! 

I put this to you Conspiracy Theorists directly, isn't it for once nice to believe that those 185 Goodwill Moon rock samples have come the 476,527 miles (766,895.8683km) from the Moon...with the help of human beings?!

I hope you've enjoyed reading it, and I hope that I've given you something to think about.

This is Simon from The Engage Podcast signing out!