Con of Thrones 2019, Day 3: Celebrating Cersei, wondering what’s next

The final day of Con of Thrones 2019 was a little more mellow than the first two, as fans prepared to head back home and in some cases to shake off partying from the night before. Unsurprisingly, Game of Thrones fans are down to have a good time.

But it was a big day for me, since I was on two panels. Let’s run down the last day!

Making Sense of Magic

First up, I attended a panel about the mechanics of magic in A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones, or the lack of magic. The panelists intelligently discussed figures like Melisandre, the powers of the Three-Eyed Raven, and more. What are the rules of magic in Westeros? Are there any?

I’ve always admired the way George R.R. Martin keeps the specifics of his magic system vague, even to the characters. Is that a clever way to hint at greater mysteries or an abdication of narrative responsibility? This was a fun, thoughtful panel.

At Journey’s End: Cersei Lannister

I was privileged to be on a panel discussing the life and times of Cersei F*cking Lannister. Here I am at work, making a ridiculous face:

Obviously, this was a blast. We talked through our favorite Cersei moments, from “You win or you die” to “Call me sister again and I’ll have you strangled in your sleep” to that time she blew up a church to that other time she brutally killed a couple of her enemies in a dungeon and immediately bounded off to have sex with her brother. Cersei was never left than a deliciously enjoyable character, even when she was doing unspeakable things.

What effect did Cersei’s Walk of Shame have on popular culture? What in her life drove her to be the kind of person she was? How did season 8 wrap up her arc? This was an easy-breezy panel with a lot of laughs. Thanks to everyone else on the panel and everyone who attended!

Spotlight: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

After taking the stage with several of his costars yesterday, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau got it all to himself for a relaxed interview full of behind-the-scenes anecdotes (Sophie Turner is a cryer, as suspected), empathetic rebuttals of some of the criticisms of season 8, and one memorable moment where he took a call from his wife onstage.

This guy is interview gold. We’ll have video of this panel soon!

The Game of Thrones Effect: How GoT Changed TV Forever

This was my second panel, this time on the main stage. Thanks to my fellow panelists for making it fun and easy!

So how did Game of Thrones change TV forever? Let’s count the ways:

• Inspired a new wave of fantasy shows, legitimizing genre entertainment like never before.
• Precipitated a huge influx of money into the industry, which will result in splashy, impressive-looking shows and a lot of jobs.
• Created a new generation of TV writers and a spoiler-hunting culture that seems like it’s here to stay.
• Set a high standard which other shows will be trying to meet for years, while we reap the benefits.

We discussed all of this stuff in a lively exchange. The video will be coming along soon enough.

The Age of Heroes

HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel will take place thousands of years before the main show, during the Age of Heroes. So what’s that? These panelists discussed the major events of the time (and what might have been major events but it’s hard to tell because it’s so long in the past) and outlined some of the Heroes we might meet.

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Thanks to everyone who helped organize Con of Thrones, to my fellow panelists, and to everyone I met while there! This has always been an affirming, positive fan experience, and the third go-round was no exception.

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