The Game of Thrones recap every lady knight feminist needs to read

Warning, spoilers below.

Just because there are dragons, dire wolves and other amazing magical elements in the series, it doesn’t mean that the magical world of Game of Thrones is powerful enough to defeat sexism.

On this (seriously amazing, hilarious) bonus episode of the podcast, hosts Jeannie Yandel and Eula Scott Bynoe speak with pop culture writer Melanie McFarland of Salon about how many of the women in the series navigate workplace BS, just like women everywhere else. Read below for some of the themes explored on the podcast.

On why Missandei’s death was problematic

Her character arc and death was a classic “fridging,” a comic book term where a woman character has to experience something awful so that another character (typically a man) can be propelled on an emotional journey.

Where the lady writers at?

Only two women have been given credit – partial or full writing credit.

Eula: I just don’t understand having so many women actors and not having to consult with a single person of that demographic.

Melanie: There was this entire meme going around … that said describe the way a man writes a woman in fiction. "So-and-so got up and her breasts shone in the moonlight. She got down the stairs and titted around boobily.”

If you look in the books, there is a scene of Daenerys getting ready. She puts on this Dothraki outfit, and she gets up, he describes the feeling of her boobs swishing against the grassy cloth. The obviousness shone through in those episodes when sexposition was everything.

Even when Sansa was being assaulted by Ramsay Bolton, it wasn’t about her, it was about Theon's shock. It's focused on the male characters and everything going on around them. So it’s about them being horrible, and not about the women suffering.

'We are the sum of our scars’

Jeannie: We know that Sansa was garbage initially. She was not a great person. She was the meanest of mean girls .

Melanie: She sold out her own sister!

Eula: She was doing her duty, blah blah blah. Internalized misogyny.

Jeannie: But was it internalized misogyny toward herself that made her sit down with the Hound, if I hadn’t gone through this traumatic, terrible assaultive stuff, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Melanie: That's a bad writer. That is two men who believe that all progress is from scars. I’m not just saying that because she is a female character. That’s a very masculine way of looking at the world. We are the sum of our scars.

Brienne crying scene

One of the moments that angered a lot of Game of Thrones fans (including team BTSW), was when Ser Brienne of Tarth sobbed in public after Jaime Lannister left her for his sister Cersei Lannister. Throughout the series, Brienne has been portrayed as a tough, honorable woman who keeps herself together in times of emotional distress.

Melanie: “A woman who’s a warrior, has to break down and cry?”

How Eula would have written that scene: “I would love a redo where Brienne is just fucking shit up... where she’s just kicking every bucket over, and just letting animals loose.”

Who are the workplace allies of Game of Thrones?

Consensus: Tormund, Yara Greyjoy, Arya Stark Jon Snow thinks he’s an ally, but he really is mostly just good for pep talks.

Who are the “Garys” of Game of Thrones?

(Definition of Gary: n. coworker (a dude) who cuts you off, takes credit for your ideas, says sexist shitty things to you.)

The consensus on the Gary’s of Game of Thrones: Tywin Lannister, Sandor Clegane (he's the worst kind of Gary, because he thinks he’s an ally), Ramsay Bolton, and Euron Greyjoy.

Predictions for the end of the series

Jeannie : The final scene will be Arya standing in front of the iron throne, because she’s the only goddamn one left, trying to decide if she’s going to sit on it or not.

Another prediction that depresses Jeannie: “Jaime will go back to Brienne and she will take him back.”

Melanie: “I don’t think Jaime’s going to make it.”