From the get go, Game of Thrones established itself as a family un-friendly show. Based on George R. R. Martin's decidedly not-for-kids fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones is ripe with adult themes, complicated plot lines, sex and nudity, and gore galore. There are plenty of fantasy films and shows to watch with young children, but it's safe to say that Game of Thrones might not be the best choice for a family TV night.
As such, it might surprise some A Song of Ice and Fire fans to hear that a Pixar film makes a subtle reference to Martin's masterpiece. Pixar, much unlike Game of Thrones, specializes in films suitable for the whole family, so their newest movie might not be the most likely outlet for a shoutout to Westeros. Still, this small reference displays the cultural staying power of Game of Thrones, and how Martin's world has cemented itself into the zeitgeist.
The Hand of the King
Throughout Martin's works, he often discusses the Hand of the King. This fictional title refers to the king's chief advisor. Many prominent characters in the franchise, including Ned Stark (Sean Bean), Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), John Arryn (John Standing), Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), and Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvell), adopt the mantle throughout Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, or A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
In many ways, the Hand of the King is a thankless job, especially when serving an irresponsible king, such as Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) or his successor, Joffrey (Jack Gleason). As Martin writes, "the king eats, and the hand takes the sh*t." The Hand will often have to take matters of actually governing the Seven Kingdoms into their own, well, hands. Still, the position is a major honor, and many Westerosi citizens long to serve as the next Hand.
Hoppers' Paw of the King
Disney Pixar's newest film, Hoppers, follows Mabel (Piper Curda), an animal rights activist working to save the local forest glade from destruction at the hands of her town's mayor, Jerry (Jon Hamm). Mabel discovers the "Hoppers" program, which allows her to transfer her consciousness into a robotic beaver, and uses this new discovery to attempt to convince a real beaver to move back to the glade, thwarting Jerry's plans
In her animal form, Mabel meets the Mammal King, a fellow beaver named George (Bobby Moynihan). Mabel and George quickly become friends. She constantly impresses him thanks to her bravery, knoweldge of the human world, and out of the box thinking. As such, George asks Mabel to serve as his "Paw" of the King, placing a muddy paw print on her chest.
Any fan of A Song of Ice and Fire in the audience would be quick to pick up on the reference. "Paw of the King" is a cutesy, kid friendly take on Hand of the King. Both royal advisors serve similar functions in their respective universes. George's paw print even loosely resembles the Hand's badge on Game of Thrones. Given that Hand of the King is an entirely fictional title, never an exact historical title, it can be inferred that Hoppers managed to sneak in a reference to Game of Thrones. Additionally, could it be just a coincidence that the character who introduces the concept of "Paw of the King" is named George, or is the Mammal King's name a reference to the author of A Song of Ice and Fire?
What does this reference mean for Game of Thrones?
Since it first made its biggest splash with the airing of Game of Thrones back in 2011, Martin's works have added several idioms to our cultural vernacular. For example, the phrase "sweet summer child" originates from a line from Old Nan (Margaret John) back in the first A Song of Ice and Fire book, 1996's A Game of Thrones. Additionally, the iconic, oft-repeated Stark house motto, "Winter is Coming," has since taken on a meaning of its own outside of the show, including acting as the namesake for this website.
Hoppers' utilization of an important term originating from Game of Thrones further illustrates the staying power of the series. Hoppers spoofing the notion of "Hand of the King" around eight years after the series finale of Game of Thrones showcases that the show remains in the cultural conversation even long after its conclusion. While the harshest critics of the series argue that Game of Thrones has fallen out of favor after its controversial final episode, all but disappearing in terms of its relevance thanks to a widely regarded as disappointing ending, Hoppers proves that the show's influence is still going strong, even after its conclusion.
Make sure to catch Hoppers in theaters, and stream the newest HBO show based on Martin's work, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1, on HBO Max.