Biblical imagery in GOT - Sodom & Gomorrah is like Old Valyria and Targaryans are like Lot

I started a new thread about GOT 7 biblica symbolism b/c the other major thread seemed more like a gossip thread and it is LAFA!! (long as... already) Maybe this belongs more in the TV forum, IDK but it seems to fit in either.


I was thinking about the symbolism that GRRM has been using in GOT and some say it's WWII dressed up for the feudal period, but IDK about that. I was thinking about the stories I heard about why the Targaryens fled Old Valyria before the fall (cataclysm in a single day) and the one daughter was given a dream years before and she told her dad and they listened to her, b/c Magic was strong then (faith in prophesy as well) so they fled. Now the Targaryens, while they conquered an entire continent, were a minor power in Valyria, some say one of the smallest (IDK if that means weakest, but it seemed to imply thus, as well as lower importance) and Valyria was in a "fallen state" or extreme debauchery, human sacrifice, human/animal chimera's/monsters, slaving (using & selling slaves), incest (for keeping "royal" blood lines pure b/c of a "power" in certain families - maybe similar to something like mitochlorians in Star Wars..) and all kinds of magic, especially fire magic/fire mage's to control the volcano's which were the source of their wealth (minerals) and power (dragons & literally power/energy). Well their control waned over time and I think the volcano's were like a pressure cooker that cracked, and boom - Valyria was gone.

Now the Targaryens, while they had some bad rep in Westeros, they had different customs - more "progressive" some would say, while the native Westerosians were on a whole more conservative/traditional and this may have been b/c they had to always worry about the Wall and "Winter is coming" so even Dorne in the South couldn't go all hog wild and bring down their neighbors - there was a center of strength/honor in the north which was DEMANDED to keep life on the continent Alive (by demanded I mean a covenant between the dead and living..) So those further removed from this demand (namely Dorne w/ the "free love" vibe - but nothing like old Valyria..) were also the most removed from the conservative values/traditions which kept the covenant in tact.

Now the Targaryens were saved by "the powers/Gods" because they might have been needed to later help "the North" when the wall fell - bringing armies from other continent & life/fire(Dragons) magic back which is the opposite of the death/ice they were fighting. The Targaryens were (I'm supposing here) the least fallen and maybe most "pure" of the Valyrians b/c they hadn't fallen into the trappings of political/magic power/abuse like the larger houses. I think this singled them out for saving.

I think this parallels to biblical themes of Sodom and Gomorrah with the destruction of the cities (by instant fire). The Angels sent to Lot were similar to the Prophesy - served as a heeded warning & protection. Their purity and faith led them to believe the "signs" and take proper action, and we see those who turned back to Valyria (after cataclysm) to try to rebuild/extract whatever, completely destroyed and never heard from again - this is similar to Lot's wife. Then we have the incest with Lot's children & their progeny the Moabites & Ammonites (one of which spawned worship of Moloch IIRC - Ammonites??) and their line "perished" supposedly even though Moloch is still "known" (their religion practiced child sacrifice & o

en.wikipedia.org...

There is also the story of how the fall of Old Valyria (basically global empire) allowed many "free" "states"/nations/countries to form, one being of all former slaves - which is named Bravos & they are basically still a world power in many ways, as they have the largest bank & we know where that goes. They also fund enemies when debt isn't repaid (same old, same old), and also the source of the oldest & baddest assis assassins and "freedom fighters" - kind of like a Spartan mentality in many ways - but they also had their more posh types, the social/power climbers - ALA Littlefinger.

After the fall we have stories of wretched monster people, people with 2 heads (one smaller like a shrunken head off the neck..) and all other types of deformities that come from the people who survived the cataclysm. It's like they were the ones too stubborn or too powerful/knowledgeable to die but they had a "devils" bargain sort of where it was a living hell. Then they also had the "stone people" with that skin disease that was supposedly put on them because of the slavery of the "water worshippers" and was a "water" curse or a disease of wettness. IDK how these really tie into biblical stories other than a lesson of the fruits of "sin" I guess.

Finally we have faith of the "seven" and then the "old gods" & the opposing god of death (controlling the Night King & reigns above the wall - in which there has to be balance and a constant fight). I'm not sure where magic fits in but maybe it is like extreme knowledge or overly exploited knowledge? Dragons are a creature of magic and flourish when magic is strong & the opposite. I think I can maybe see a correlation between Dragons & nuclear weapons & maybe nuclear energy (fission & fusion??) as having a dragon was like using a nuke to win a battle - more or less, it could be used tactfully or mercilessly. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned here on the weapon not necessarily being bad, but how it is wielded - especially at the end when John is asked if he would have burned the city, a city & person he had just as much reason to hate as Danny.


There are so many other extremely valuable stories layered within the series there are probably books on it (explaining them, not the real books, lol). Love being the death of duty for one character and duty being the death of love for others & the meaning and strength of sacrifice. I wonder how many people see the different layers of the show, especially if they haven't read the books b/c it gives a lot more time to absorb & ponder, deeper explanations, etc. If you liked/loved the show, I suggest reading the books, I'd like to read more of them.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

The books are a story based around the war of the roses. They do take into account other stories and historical facts, but it is not hard to find that GOT is a retelling of European history (granted with magic and dragons).

It is interesting that we can find parallels from writings earlier than the historical times the series is based on.
Almost seems humankind ignores the past failings of ideals.

I knew it.

People started worshipping a damn TV show.

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

the targaryeans continued incest etc after leaving valaria

a reply to: DigginFoTroof

So what? I can literally read the title of your... Quality threads and sigh, do it every time I'm auto logged out and can't see your name lol.

What a sad shell of its former self ats is thread quality wise.