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How Game Of Thrones Failed The Black Audience

WARNING: *EPISODE 4 SPOILERS*


Last Sunday’s episode of Game of Thrones was full of immensely disappointing tragedies. From the death of Rhaegal, to Brienne thee Stallion getting her heart (amongst other things) broken by Jamie Lannister, the entire episode was rather underwhelming. But none of those setbacks held a candle to witnessing the only black woman of Westeros Missandei being decapitated at the order of Cersei Lannister, after being captured by Euron Greyjoy’s fleet whilst at sea with a host of others journeying to King’s Landing. Her murder, which was witnessed by her queen Daenerys and bae Grey Worm came as a very upsetting surprise to the Game of Thrones viewership. It is especially upsetting after learning of the couple’s plan to escape Westeros for a better life two episodes prior just before luckily surviving the Night King and his goons in the Battle of Winterfell. 

Whilst I wasn’t expecting many characters to survive until the end, the sudden demise of Missandei due to the many mistakes of her white queen was a big failure to the show’s black audience. For some time now, Missandei and Grey Worm have been the only two significant characters of colour in Westeros and with their close affiliation to a woman who has become pretty much disliked by many, it wasn’t a surprise that at some point they would naturally become targets. Stereotypically, the writers chose to pair them together in a sweet, but lacklustre romance and whilst Grey Worm is lovable and easy on the eye and Missandei is graceful and regal, both characters are very ‘meh’. Despite this, their happiness seemed promising and whilst we all rooted for their love to shine, the writers of the show had other plans.