Eliminated Houses

Published April 29, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey Guys,

This is Jack from Baltimore. I’ve had the honor of writing in to you all before, not only for GoT, but also True Detective and Westworld.

The Battle of Winterfell was an amazing episode for many reasons; the cinematography for certain battle scenes, the musical score, the climax of the episode etc. I could go on and on and on because there really is a lot to appreciate here.

However, after the episode, I was left thinking only about the characters that had fallen. In particular, this battle saw the end to house Mormont, a great and honorable family that has occupied Bear Island for a long time. With Jorah and Lyanna falling in battle as they did, their house is now gone entirely. But this made me think of all the other houses that have been eliminated as well.

Including last night’s events, the eliminated houses now include house Mormont, Umber, Martell, Frey, Tyrell, Bolton, Baelish and Baratheon (though I expect that Gendry will have his true name honored and lose the bastard title by the time the season ends…if he survives…thereby reinstating one of the great houses of the seven kingdoms).

I believe house Mormont stands apart from these other families as the most honorable and just. Jeor, Jorah and Lyanna all embodied want it meant to be dutiful; they fought bravely, without fear, every time they picked up a weapon. They made sacrifices for others, they defended the North and they showed how even a small house could have the biggest impact.

Of all the ways houses have been eliminated on this show, the Baratheons and Martells fighting inwardly, Littlefinger, the Freys and Boltons paying for their betrayals, and the Tyrells and Umbers being massacred, house Mormont was the only one to go down in the name of a just cause. They personified the northern spirit and what it meant to fight with honor, even Jorah, who had spent years atoning for his past mistakes.

In the end it was hard to watch them fall, but under the circumstances, it was amazing to watch this house triumph even in their dying moments. There is no way the north will ever forget this family and their ferocious spirit.

Thanks for reading and putting so much effort into each podcast. You guys have done amazing work these past few years not just with shat the movies, but with all your sister-casts as well.

From,

Jack B

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