It’s one of Game of Thrones’ most powerful scenes; Cersei’s naked walk of atonement through the streets of King’s Landing in the season 5 finale “Mother’s Mercy.” It’s a brutally intense scene, one meant to literally strip away all of Cersei’s power by the High Sparrow. Cersei’s nude form (Lena Headey used a body double) was intended to be humiliating and uncomfortable, and for most audiences, it was. In the Republic of India however, the scene was highly edited for broadcast television. Watch below.
As you can see, there is no nudity of any sort. Even the poor heckler who later gets his head crushed in by the Mountain is edited down to the point of not being able to see anything. And while this might seem jarring to other audiences, it is the norm in India, where nudity of any kind is outlawed on television and film.
If that seems too extreme, its actually a step back from the early 90’s, when cable television itself was banned in favor of state run television channels. Still censorship is rampant, and the government maintains the right to essentially ban anything it deems “offends against good taste,” as well as content with “ironical and snobbish attitude.” Which makes you wonder how Cersei even appears on the show at all.
Ultimately, each country maintains the right to censor its content in the way it sees fit, but unlike most nudity on Game of Thrones (which could use some censorship if you ask us), this moment is robbed of its power without the nudity. Cersei is brought low in a manner unique to her self-worth, and despite its horrifying nature, remains a monumental moment in that character’s evolution. The audience shares in that evolution through her pain, but not without the forced nudity.
Hopefully Indian fans were able to see the scene in its original form. Except for that guy the Mountain kills later. He’s the worst.
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h/t The Wire