The connection between Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings

They’re both fantasy series and both beloved by millions of fans all over the world, but that’s not where their connections end.

Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings fans don’t have the same rivalry that some of other “either/or” allegiances have – like Star Wars and Star Trek or Backstreet Boys or *NSYNC.

You can secretly like Star Trek or Justin Timberlake, but in public, the “force is with you” and you “want it that way.”

But George R. R. Martin recently exclaimed there is no rivalry between the two fantastical franchises. In fact, Lord of the Rings served as a major inspiration while writing A Song of Ice and Fire — the books series in which the television series is based.

According to Cinema Blend, Martin said,

"“And then Gandalf dies! I can’t explain the impact that had on me at 13. You can’t kill Gandalf. I mean, Conan didn’t die in the Conan books, you know? Tolkien just broke that rule, and I’ll love him forever for it. The minute you kill Gandalf, the suspense of everything that follows is a thousand times greater because now anybody could die. Of course, that’s had a profound on my own willingness to kill characters off at the drop of a hat.”"

There you have it. The reason Ned Stark died is that Martin felt inspired by the Lord of the Rings series. The hero died. And then the next hero died (The Red Wedding!). Anyone could be the hero now, but anyone can die, too.

And while his death stung when we watched it, if he had lived it would be a much different story. And we wouldn’t be speculating who will die in Season 8. Because anyone could go at any moment.

I think Game of Thrones is giving a new narrative to storytelling and raising the bar when it comes to television and even film series.

For instance, in the latest Avengers movie (SPOILER ALERT) literally, half of the Marvel Universe is killed off. That’s a heck of a lot of superheroes.

I know I can’t wait to see how it all ends next year and who survives.