Matching 50 Game of Thrones characters with each of the 50 states

Wisconsin: Gilly

The Badger State has a simple, one-word motto: “Forward.” The motto was chosen to represent Wisconsin’s ambition to grow and eventually become a national leader. It’s a motto loaded with positivity and optimism, a word that reflects a desire to move on and move up in the world. It represents not only the attitudes of the people of Wisconsin, but also that of the young wildling mother Gilly.

Gilly’s life started out pretty rough. She was one of Craster’s daughters, and also made to be his incestuous wife when she was old enough to bear children. When she got pregnant with Craster’s son, she was saved by Samwell Tarly’s mercy and whisked away to the Wall for protection.

From that point on, Gilly — like Wisconsin — chose to just keep moving forward. She wanted a better life for her son and to leave the pain of her past behind. “The thing about Gilly that’s so interesting,” Sam said of her, “is that after all that Craster’s done to her, she’s still got hope that life might get better.”

Beyond this powerful shared motto, I think Gilly would also favor Wisconsin because of its resemblance to her home in the far North. Wisconsin can get very cold, and it’s well-known for having a great natural landscape, a hunter’s dream. It’s the perfect spot for anyone well-trained for the outdoors. In other words, Wisconsin is a little on the wild side, just like Gilly.