Did It Happen On The Walking Dead Or Game Of Thrones?
- by J_Gibson
- – on
- in Movies and TV
When you think about gory, graphic television shows, what comes to mind? For the last number of years, two titles have topped the charts, weaving together gore, sex, the unknown and of course, plenty of camaraderie along the way. We're of course speaking about the two cultural juggernauts Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead.
The Walking Dead premiered on AMC in 2010 to massive fanfare. Based on the comic book series of the same name, it followed the zombie apocalyptic outbreak that most people are fairly sure is an inevitability going forward, especially in today's current climate. The show followed Rick Grimes as he wakes up from a coma in the midst of an outbreak of an unknown disease, and chronicles his journey through this new strange world he has awoken into, and try to stay alive against all odds.
Game of Thrones, also based on a multinational book series that has garnered rave reviews since its release in the early 90s, and was aired by HBO in 2011, to tell the thrilling saga on the small screen. The show follows the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros as they fight for control of the realm, beginning with the death of the General of the Kingsguard of King Robert, and Warden of the North Eddard (Ned) Stark was granted the title. From there, the show evolved into a cultural phenomenon, earning massive viewers and a dedicated fan base.
These shows parallel each other so much that it is quite simple to draw comparisons on them, and it's even more fun to make you guess which one's which. So grab some popcorn and put on your thinking caps, it's time to begin.
A child was thrown out of a window to cover up an affair
This show started off with a bang, literally. The end of the first episode ends with a child being hurled out of a window, because he saw a little bit too much. Like I said, a big bang starts the show off, really drives the point home that this will not be a normal show. In the end, this action did create a very intense and interesting storyline in the newest seasons, but we won't say anything about that quite yet. Which show was this?
A benevolent ruler frees all slaves and punishes their masters
The concept of slavery was still alive and well when this character descended on the territory of Meereen. The slaves were cruelly kept in chains and their masters lived lives of luxury and opulence. That is until our heroine shows up and ends this behaviour where it started, Not only did she break those chains, she also punished the cruel slavers for their crimes, while returning these poor people to their lives before they were entered into servitude. What show was this?
A child's eye gets shot out of his head
Man, both of these shows really like to beat up on the kids. In this vein of show, a child's age is not really pulled into question when it comes to horrifying events. In this show, a horrifying death is happening involving this character, and a gun is pulled. You think that the child's father is the one in the crosshairs until the last minute, when this child's eye is blown right off by a shotgun blast. Which show was this?
A character uses a katana as a weapon
The weapon choices on both of these shows are varied and incredibly interesting to follow. Dragonglass daggers, wildfyre, katanas, shotguns, swords and knives, it ranges from deadly to just plain twisted, and each weapon plays a deadly role in the shows unfolding. One character in particular is partial to an ancient Japanese sword called a katana, and she wields it to a point of absolute mastery all throughout the run of the show. Which show does this character appear on?
A brother and sister have an incestuous relationship
Another paramount between the two shows is their ability to really push the envelope with what the audience will handle before thinking it's possibly a bit too weird, and this one toes the line expertly. A brother and sister romance is one thing, but to have them be so twisted and evil just really drives the point home, this is not right. Not to mention they had children, this is something that really brought the show's audience to it's knees. What show was this?
The group decides to spare a man's life but one man decides to go back on that
A man is only as good as his word, but this one man's word means a bit less than the rest. When a character is accused of a heinous crime, a group decision was made to spare his life for the good of the group. This seemed all well and good, until another character within the group decided to back on that promise and take matters into his own hands, so to speak. He takes him into the woods and ends his life. Which show was this?
A man is brought back from the dead
Death is final. So final, that some characters even get to do it a couple times. This seems to be what's going to happen with our hero of the show, as he was struck down by his brothers in the finale of season 5, but is miraculously brought back due to some quick friends and some casual blood magic. This was a turning point in the show, and a decision that still leaves fans perplexed. Which show was this on?
A man goes outside his home to discover what's beyond his home
With both shows rooted in adventure, the parallels between them continue to surface. This action involves the lead (or at least one of the leads) of the show going off on his own, away from the place he knows and loves, to explore the looming threat ahead of him. This does involve a fair bit of tumultuous behavior not to mention a lot of fighting, but in the end they get back to where they need to be. Threat of war incoming, but at least they're home. Which show did it happen in?
A man runs into an active battle zone because he sees an apparition of his wife
The things we do for love, I can never understand, and I kind of hope I never do. In this show, a man is fighting for his life when he sees an apparition of his wife in the distance. He knew it wasn't her, I think, but overcome with love and not thinking, he runs towards her through a dangerous battle zone, only to discover that of course, it is not her, and he was mistaken, overtaken by grief. Which show was this?
A woman is passed around husbands without a word to her
Especially in a grim time period such as this one, women are really treated...well property is actually a nice way of putting it. This young woman was essentially traded off until she finally had enough and escaped, but before she did she was forced into marriages with people that she couldn't even stand, let alone love. They did unspeakable things to her before she finally reclaimed her power and rose up from the ashes to save herself and hopefully the world. What show was this?
A man is forced to kill his own brother when he is stricken with an incurable illness
We all know what happened here. One of the most emotionally charged moments of the show was when you had to watch a man kill his own brother who had come down with the illness plaguing the show itself. In a scene that both repulsed you and made you feel things, it was indeed a sight to behold, and evoked a great deal of emotions while being altogether disgusting and graphic, a combination that has really defined the show along the way. Which show?
A character is kidnapped across many lands for the greater good
When the going gets tough, the tough get going, or, the tough kidnap the less tough to help them in their quest to get their lady back. If this doesn't make any sense to you, don't worry, the logic is lost on us too, but this is a plot line from a show discussed in this quiz. In this scenario, in order to further the agenda of the woman he loves and get back into her good graces, he kidnaps a member of the royal family to use as leverage. Which show is this?
A family pet is killed in front of the family due to an error
The bond between a human and their pet is unbreakable, and is always such an amazing part of TV shows, is how they show a person's relationship with their furry friend. Is it a begrudging sort of love as they got saddled with the animal? Are they their stand up companion, there to the bitter end, or any number of combinations, the love between humanity and animals knows no bounds. Which is why in this show, watching a girl have her pet ripped away from her due to an error was so heartbreaking. What was this show?
A forgotten character makes a shocking reappearance long after their "death"
When a character dies, it's generally not well received. Unless said character is a real pain in the butt (*cough* Joffrey *cough*) no one wants to watch a character they've become attached to go out the window. But sometimes, that final scene isn't always the last, as both of the shows set out here have a fun habit of bringing back a character once thought to be dead, and this reveal was no different. Which show brought a long loved character back?
A character is discovered to be lying about their sexuality
A secret is the ultimate way to a viewers heart, keeps them entertained, engaged and it makes them feel smarter than the characters on their screen, a three part way to make an audience get and stay engaged. One of the most popular is toying with the audience's view of a characters's sexuality. One minute a popular ladies man is at the top of the heap and next you see him in a tender embrace with a person who looks an awful lot like he does. What show does this take place in?
A character is named The Governor
When it comes to subtle, understated character names, these two shows take the cake. Sometimes not even needing a given name, some of these characters exist in the shroud of mystery, referring to themselves only as a title, and an ominous one at that. There are characters in both camps who fit the descriptor, but this is the only one who earned it. Clad in an eyepatch and a scowl, The Governor is no exception, but where did this character come from?
A man loses his farm due to an invasion of infected people
A man's home is sacred. It keeps them safe, sheltered from the elements, and in this case, a horde of infected people hell bent on killing you. Fun! Well unfortunately for Hershel that last part proved to be a little bit too difficult, and eventually his family home, his livelihood, was taken over by ravaging invaders, much to his chagrin. Having to abandon that farm was likely a very tough decision, and it was harder still to watch! What show?
A girl is taken from her family and sold to the highest bidder
When a family bond is broken, it can cause immense problems on the show. Which is why this particular situation worked nicely, as you never saw this young lady with her family. She was plucked from her parent's care (for reasons we find out later) and thrust into a life of servitude, eventually being sold to the highest bidder as a child bride. But, as we all know, it ends up being pretty alright for this firecracker. Which show was this?
A man is infatuated with a woman who gets killed
Ah unrequited love. So much harder when it's not actually unrequited, they just can not be together. Bound by the code of this father, this lead on the show fell deeply in love with a woman far below his stature and his father would not allow it. They attempted to carry on their affair in secret but it ended badly for the young woman, and she met her eventual demise all the while still being passionately in love with this character. What show was this?
A deadly virus causes immeasurable damage to a society
When this particular show begins a man awakes from a coma to find a world ravaged and a city destroyed, and not just his city, every city. This causes crazy panic within the man's already addled brain, and thus begins a saga of insanity and pain that was caused all by one freak strain of a virus that was released, and turned the world upside down. This is an easy one, figured we'd give you a small break for doing so well! What show?
A man and his family are slaughtered at his wedding
When a show like this one starts exhibiting...let's call it normal behaviour, one gets worried. Things like happiness, happy endings, things wrapping up nicely, it's very much concerning. Which is why when we saw this character headed towards the aisle we were so happy...and then very very worried. Well, looks like our fears were absolutely founded, because right at the end of the episode is one of the most brutal and honestly unnecessary scenes on television. Which show had this brutal bloodbath?
A religious leader had to abandon his flock due to the outbreak
Religion is a touchy subject in all TV shows, but in these veins, it sometimes gets a bit more intense than usual. In this case, a preacher is discovered to have abandoned his flock when an outbreak hit, and is feeling intense remorse and guilt from it. Unfortunately these are the decisions that have to be made in times of war and strife, and the decisions made stay with us, but it doesn't mean they didn't have to be made. What show was this?
A woman watches her son be poisoned in front of her
A mother's love is forever. Nothing can change that, even being a horrible beast of a human being. That's why with this particular death, the audience and everyone around didn't exactly treat this as a loss, but the look on his poor mother's face certainly proved that she did. Watching this scene with a grim sense of satisfaction sure made you look like a bad person, but the action itself is not only warranted, but it was kind of nice to watch. Which show?
A man names a weapon a woman's name and uses to beat a known character
Every time a major character dies, there's always a horrible situation behind it. Especially in these shows, when a character dies it's not due to some small illness or happenstance, it's brutal, it's bloody, and it's usually due to another character messing up massively. In this case, it's a fan favourite, with a baseball bat, named Lucille. Covered in barbed wire and ending the life of one of our favourite characters, Negan catapulted himself to the top of the bad list. Which show was this on?
A boy suffers an accident and is left with mystical abilities
When a child is hurt, something happens to the dynamic of the show. Especially since Bran was so young and the circumstances so muddled, it only made sense that this sent him to a different path than the rest. One day he's a common boy, playing around Winterfell, and then after being thrown from a window, he finds himself able to manipulate past and present and see into days long past. This earns him the title of three eyed raven. Which show is this?