The new season of Game of Thrones has us all excited for the return of sword-wielding Arya and dragon lady Daenerys, as well as the introduction of warrior woman Brienne. Some fans, however, aren't so keen on more of Cersei Lannister, Sansa Stark, and mother fish-wolf Catelyn. But why do these more "conventional" female characters fall short on fans' love? Major spoilers in the videos (and comments).

Frustrated by the rampant disdain for A Song of Ice and Fire's less battle-hardened women on some of the fan forums, YouTube user elsabette posted three videos, each profiling one of these three characters. While she concedes that, like all of George R.R. Martin's characters, these characters have flaws and make mistakes, she wonders if fans are failing to examine the context of the patriarchal society in which these women live when judging their actions. elsabette's videos use Martin's text to try to fill in that context and examine the history and culture that so thoroughly impacts their behavior.

While it's always great to see female characters who can break out of the sphere of traditional femaleness and fight the Game of the Thrones the way the men do, Martin doesn't forget that women have their own way of fighting these battles of politics and power that is not necessarily more or less valid. And the Women of Thrones series is a good reminder that these women are living in a complex world, so we must understand that their reactions will be complex as well — even if they make choices that we ourselves wouldn't make.


[via Kate Beaton]