3. Subverting Genre Tropes
Game of Thrones, while being the gold-pathed beacon of nerd-service it undoubtedly is, always seems fond of toying with certain aspects of the fantasy genre and deviating from the audience's expectations of how they should play out, not least in its tendency to intercut sequences of pure, War of the Roses epic fantasy with hardcore nudity or anachronistic foul language. Theon's rallying, Lord of the Rings-esque battle speech in season 2, only to be cut abruptly short by a firm smack on the head, stands out as one of the most hilarious examples of this refusal to be predictable, and it is not dissimilar in tone or surprise factor to Thor's amusingly anti-climactic showdown against the giant, stone beast in the opening woodland battle. Furthermore, the creative decision to end The Dark World with a fight that is almost slapstick in its execution - Thor and Malekith bump into and slide awkwardly down glass buildings bereft of any dignity while bemused Londoners look on at the God-fight raging outside their offices. The Battle of Helm's Deep or Hogwarts this is not; it is something far fresher and more entertaining, and the sort of unexpected tonal shift that Game of Thrones episodes revel in.