Always on the Peripheral

I was in grade 11 in 2011 (the irony) when I first witnessed anything GoT related.

Confession, I only watched that one season (and read book one). But still to this date, GoT is everywhere. It has never left me alone. GoT is always trying to seduce me into finally sitting down and watching the rest of it. But I resisted—more on that note later on.

You see, my late blooming, innocent self was a bit shocked, to say the least, for the first few episodes. Prior to this, I hadn’t seen such action (to put it politely) in any other show. But was I ever intrigued.

This show made me research marital rape, orgies, patriarchy, Stockholm syndrome, and who remembers what else.

I lived in a small apartment where my parents and grandmother came to talk with me at the most inconvenient of times. You may say I was just being a moody teenager. But I beg to differ.

Internet data at that time was limited. There was only that lone TV in the family room. And I had to change the channel because it would shock the ever-living daylights out my mother if she ever crossed by GoT. Trying to politely tell her to leave, but annoyingly she would seem to be right there with the TV forever. Out of all our free time, she had to choose to sought me out only then? Mothers have weird intuition, I tell you.

At the time, it was awkward and annoying. Now that I think back on it, it would make for quite a laughable and relatable scene.

Furthermore, my laptop was under parental control. Yes, those pesky things. And then there was my dad. He always liked to have the cable disconnected every now and then. HBO was an extra cost on top of that. But I was not earning a dime. No one else watched HBO in my home.

And God knows how, but I still managed to finish watching season one. Public library for the win, I say. Until even they, I guess, put restrictions in place. But at least I had finished the season by then.

I am pretty sure you realize where this is going now. Season one broke my heart to pieces. Losing Khal Drogo was not easy. It was even harder to see such a great actor as Jason Momoa to be gone.

Not that I can blame the show producers. But at that time I had, not knowing that this series was based on a book series. But once I realized season one was truly the end of Khal Drogo, I was totally okay with having only watched the first season.

It did end on a very strong note. It felt like a story of its own had been completed. I guess I felt that way because, at the time, my romantic versus feminist heart was only invested in Daenerys and Drogo. And their story was already finished.

Low and behold, I was then in grade 12. And school got so hectic, that even when I had full-fledged internet, I could not get around to watching GoT. Later, my mind whispered.

Then I was in university, and one day I got to talking with a relative from India. I forget who exactly, but I do remember the gist of that conversation. They asked me if I watched GoT, and how it was a family favourite.

I was totally surprised. I was still living with my stereotype about (all) Indians being prudes. But that conversation got me curious as to where the show was now? And you know, university internet—nothing is off limits. I feel for those boys in the university’s IT department. If you get my drift. Moving on.

I researched GoT and to my surprise (and annoyance), it was then I found out that the show was based on a book series. The proud bookworm in me was horrified at having missed what seemed to be a very important detail.

So I found book one, I read it, and I enjoyed it. But I seriously did not have the time to commit to a book series or the show. Because if I hadn’t controlled myself, I would have been eating through the books and episodes. Rather than getting any schoolwork done. Plus, if I am left at an incomplete spot and forced to wait for months for the show, that gives me serious anxiety. Even waiting for week between episodes pisses me off.

I would rather watch a completed series than an ongoing one. Because my impatience always makes me forget an ongoing series.

So again, GoT went on the back burner. After I graduated, I was working two jobs. For a while, I didn’t even have the time to sleep.

But after I graduated—apart from reading—I picked up another quicker hobby. Not as obsessed with it, but it still entertains me. And that was the beauty industry. I started wearing makeup and liked how I looked in it.

At at the time, I had no idea that makeup could have themed packaging. But my, oh my, there were so many GoT references in the makeup industry.

There was Beauty Bakerie’s "Game of Cones" palette, and there were other a few brands, whose names I cannot remember for the life of me. There was rumour about my ride or die brand, Storybook Cosmetics and a GoT collaboration. And last but not the least: Urban Decay announced their collaboration with GoT few months ago.

And all of a sudden, most of my favourite beauty channels did nothing but talk about GoT. And about how much they loved GoT. And how much they loved certain characters.

I went to Sephora there was GoT. I went to Walmart there was GoT. I went on Tinder, there was GoT. I went on the Gram, there was GoT. I go on Vocal and there’s GOT. Always in the peripheral. It won’t release me.

I finally concurred to the ghost of GoT and started watching it from the beginning. Now the question is: Who reaches the last episode first.

Me or the show-makers? Godspeed to the both of us.

Note: I hope they win, so I won’t have to wait.