Okay, so let’s be clear: it was rape. If you’ve seen Season 4 of HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” you know which scene I’m talking about from Episode 3. It was rape. And as “Game of Thrones” returns to the airwaves, so too will discussions on violent media. Its justifications and its implications. So we might as well get started now.
By the time you’re reading this, “Game of Thrones” will have premiered the first episode of its fifth season. The program is notorious for its unapologetic display of violence, nudity and profanity, all of which are usually excused by both the audience and critics as part of the experience of engaging in the turbulent Medieval world of Westeros and Essos. However, one event from last season—the rape of Cersei Lannister—appeared to cross the line (a generous line) for even the most ardent fans.
Recap: Jaime Lannister, also known as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, forced himself upon his twin sister, Queen Cersei, as she repeatedly and clearly protested, on the tomb of their dead son. Yes, it’s a lot. There were many reasons that fans and critics alike were furious at Cersei’s rape, and it doesn’t necessarily have to do simply with the depiction of rape on television.
“Game of Thrones” has depicted sexual assault and rape countless times in the background of many scenes. The two problems that arose were the fact that, in the book version of the scene, author George R.R. Martin wrote it as consensual sex and the fact that both actors involved in the scene, Lena Headey and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, as well as the director of the episode, Alex Graves, denied that what was shown was rape.
The obvious problem with this is that a great number of “Game of Thrones” viewers, including myself, don’t read the books. We were shown a rape. Cersei’s clothes were ripped from her body as she fell to the ground. She repeatedly said “no” as her brother forced himself on her, culminating in on of the most uncomfortable scenes in a show that regularly and casually shows castration, beheading and dead children.
For those who do not read the book, we are not afforded the caveat of what happened within the pages. We were shown a rape, and are to believe that Lannister, after four years of humanization, is a rapist.
For this very reason, Daily Beast writer Andrew Romano urged viewers to “pretend it didn’t happen” because the rape undoubtedly mangles the story arcs of both Jaime and Cersei. As far as plot goes, I tend to agree with Romano. The director of the episode, and possibly the writers, really messed up. Jaime gave up a hand just for us to forget he killed Ned Stark. Making him into a rapist is the biggest regression in character development, like, ever. But, as far as television goes, we shouldn’t and can’t really forget what we watched.
In my opinion (and I say this as a person who is not a survivor of rape or sexual assault), I wasn’t offended by the rape, but by the denial by the cast and crew that it was rape. In an interview with HuffPost Live, Coster-Waldau, the actor playing Lannister, said on the topic, “The intention was never … we never even thought that would be seen as rape because of the history of the show and especially these two characters.”
But Cersei made no indication of consent, quite the contrary, and Jaime had no hesitation, repeating “I don’t care” over and over to Cersei’s protests.
Countless critics have discussed this scene and what it means for our social consciousness. Yes, denying it is rape contributes to Americans’ tendency to have no idea what rape is. But, why am I talking about this now? So much has been written on it already. So much really good stuff, too.
Violence on television is nothing new, especially on “Game of Thrones.” For the most part, we know what to expect when we press play. We expect something gross, vile and shocking. What we don’t sign up for is dishonesty. We do not sign up for any sort of denial that the atrocities we witnessed, in the glorious struggle for the Iron Throne, were as disgusting as they were.
The creators of “Game of Thrones” have to show honesty in what they are portraying, or they run the risk of trivializing horrendous acts like rape. Nobody would deny that the different scenes of swords piercing flesh with an audible glush are murder. When the creators show us something, they should then stand with us, gawking, nudging us and saying “Wasn’t that awful?” If they didn’t intend to depict rape, well, then they shouldn’t have depicted rape.
Beta males are always two years late to the party.