We talk to Finn Jones (Loras Tyrell) at HBO’s interactive Game of Thrones fan event

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to defend the Wall, or wanted to try your hand at burning down Vaes Dothrak, HBO’s interactive Game of Thrones fan event has got you covered. To promote the Game of Thrones Season 6 DVD/Blu-ray release, HBO is taking this event on tour across the US, with stops in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. I had the chance to check out the event in Chicago this weekend, which saved on airfare.

There were five exhibits in total, from the Three-Eyed Raven’s Cave north of the Wall to the Iron Throne in King’s Landing to Vaes Dothrak across the Narrow Sea. Inside each individual experience were props, costumes, and filming details unique to those sets and storylines. Fans can also participate in official photo ops to show off their fire-bending and door-holding skills.

Image via Katie Majka

North of the Wall

Upon entering this exhibit, you’re met with the face of a weirwood tree reminiscent of Grandmother Willow…physically, anyway.

As you can see, I couldn’t coerce this particular tree to give me any sage advice on my love life (although it does look suitably disappointed). Well, nobody said Game of Thrones was a Disney movie, but the aesthetics are just as stunning, if not moreso.

Along the way, details of building Bran’s world adorn the walls, including on-set construction photos. The intricacies of the process are sure to pique any fan’s interest, but the weaponry is the real eye-catcher here. Jon Snow may have bested a few White Walkers in his day, but you just can’t beat the White Walkers’ blades for looks.

Defend the Wall

Gamers are sure to be enthusiastic about this virtual reality event. With help from a virtual reality helmet, fans are transported to the Wall and put into the boots of a new Night’s Watchmen during combat trailing. The controls allow you to aim your bow and arrow to take out as many straw men as you can. Seeing as this is Game of Thrones, you are ambushed in the middle of your training and forced to aim your arrows higher. Then come the catapulted boulders, from which you defend yourself with a shield. Not surprisingly, I was a disaster at this game. I couldn’t aim a bow to save my life. Even if I could, an oncoming boulder would have done me in. Black might be my usual color of choice, but some of us just aren’t cut out for the Night’s Watch.

My bespectacled brethren, beware: the VR helmet fits snugly over glasses, and further impaired my vision. That’s not to say I would have been Ygritte with the bow, anyway. But if you happen to own contacts, use them.

Winterfell and the Battle of the Bastards

This exhibit was my personal favorite, possibly because I could watch “Battle of the Bastards” every night before bed as a sort of cathartic exercise. The props and other details were gorgeous, and it was a treat to have an up-close look at the lot of them.

Channel your inner Jon Snow at his battle plans table. Afterwards, you can see Sansa’s own plans for victory neatly rolled and stamped, and Shireen’s (RIP) scorched stag. To my dismay, I wasn’t able to reverently stroke Sansa’s letter, but we can’t have everything in life. That’s probably for the best, as I undoubtedly would have tried to run off with this particular prop.

Jon’s Northern threads are a window-shopper’s dream, although something tells me these furs are best left to Kit Harington.

Once you’ve toured Winterfell, you can insert yourself into the battle. Naturally, you’re placed in Jon’s instantly classic “release from the mosh pit” shot.

Vaes Dothrak

This exhibit is a bit more sparse than the others. Still, it offers an inside look at construction, weaponry, and even some official script pages.

Image via Katie Majka

Here, fans can opt for a video instead of a picture. You become your own Mother of Dragons emerging from the flames of this Dothraki temple. You can check out my video op here.

The Workshop

Finally, fans can sit the Iron Throne. Prior to the event’s official opening, I had the opportunity to walk around this area and chat with Finn Jones (Loras Tyrell), as well as conquer the Seven Kingdoms with him. Jones declared that we would “do this very regal,” so after nearly dropping the crown with my patented butterfingers, I pulled my best Sansa Stark chin lift. Here you can see me looking so smug you’d think I actually raised Loras from the dead and we took Westeros together. Meanwhile, Jones masters the smolder as only someone with his bone structure can.

Image via Katie Majka

During our sit-down, I had the privilege of picking Jones’ brain for details on his dearly departed character, as well as on Game of Thrones as a whole. Jones was as engaging as the rest of the event. He fleshed his character out beyond what the audience saw, and his enthusiasm and insight showed that he’s just as invested in Thrones as any fan.

I first asked Loras and Margaery’s relationship dynamic. In a show filled with dysfunctional and broken families, it was refreshing to see such a healthy, loving sibling duo. Much of Margaery’s efforts in Season 6 revolved around protecting her brother. Was Loras in on any of those grand plans?

"He was so abused, physically and emotionally. He was a broken man. He didn’t know what Margaery’s plan was, he just wanted it to end. He was forced [to confess]–they handed him a script, forced him to memorize it, and they forced him to say it. By the end, he was like, ‘Let’s just f*ckin’ get on with it.’"

But what if Loras hadn’t been compelled to repent? What if he had evaded arrest, or survived the Sept of Baelor’s explosion?

"If Loras had lived, would he have come back into himself? I think he would have become a vengeful warrior. He would have tried to restore his family and his own dignity. Loras was always very privileged, but he was wounded, he was stripped of everything. I think he would have become a sort of weary assassin, like Arya’s story."

When I mentioned similarities to Theon and Sansa’s arcs as well, Jones added, “Yes, exactly. They break the hero down so they can build themselves up again.”

This mentality is in keeping with the show’s themes of self-discovery, family, and justice. Had Loras survived, it would have made for an enthralling plot. Unlike many of the series’ privileged-come-underdog characters, Loras was previously trained and experienced in combat, which would have shortened his road to redemption and vengeance. Not to mention, Loras would have had an army at his back, and the counsel of his crafty grandmother, Olenna Tyrell.

Alas, Loras is lost, but the show must go on. Although Jones’ filming schedule has been keeping him busy on the sets of companion pieces Iron Fist and The Defenders, Jones plans to follow Game of Thrones to the end. He theorizes that the Iron Throne will be dissolved “physically and ideologically.” He predicts that independence will be restored to each of the Seven Kingdoms, and a more democratic system will reign.

"There will be complete chaos and then, you know, spring will be born. Ice and fire will destroy themselves. But it won’t be a nihilistic ending. There’s a strong social message here, because people learn from stories. We can learn about progressiveness and hope. More than anything, right now, I think the world needs a message of hope."

As an outspoken devotee of the notion that life and literature reflect one another, I was thrilled with Jones’ take. The stories on Game of Thrones are alive with failures and victories, redemptive arcs and hero’s journeys, and real triumphs of the human spirit. As Jones said earlier, it’s about the heroes strengthen themselves after everything has been taken from them. There is inspiration to be found amidst the bloodshed.

We saw this unfold across the board in Season 6, from Jon’s resurrection to the victory over the Boltons to Arya’s homecoming to Daenerys’ journey to Westeros and more. The major players have begun to reap the rewards of their struggles and sacrifices.

All in all, it was a Saturday splendidly spent. If you’re in the Los Angeles area the weekend of December 9th, make sure to preregister for the event. Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed) made a stop in New York and Jones dropped by in Chicago, so you never know who might show up in LA. At any rate, the event is a must for Game of Thrones fans able to make the trip. With any luck, HBO will decide to expand the tour further. But, just like Season 7, that remains to be seen.