One of my favorite TV shows is the famous (or infamous) Game of Thrones, based on the novel series by George R.R. Martin. A fascinating aspect of the show is how it continued to film and develop the storyline without new written material. Martin has famously not released a new book since 2011, leaving the show’s creators to move forward without his input. This situation raises many questions about authorship. As soon as the novels were adapted into a show, authorship shifted, partly due to the need to adapt lengthy 800-page novels into episodic television. Yet a more significant change in authorship occurred when Martin distanced himself from the show after Season 5. While we know little about how Martin intends to end his novels, we do know that the show’s finale was poorly received.

Reading Barthes’ “The Death of the Author” made me think about how, in a way, Martin was “killed” in this estrangement from the show. People have great faith in Martin’s storytelling, and the early seasons—closely based on his books—are beloved. However, once his involvement ceased, audiences responded with rumors, grumblings, and dissatisfaction about how the show continued. Barthes argues that by “killing” the concept of the author, we liberate the text to offer multiple interpretations, ultimately empowering the reader. In this view, the reader, rather than the author, becomes the focal point of the text. I think a major reason the show’s ending was poorly received was that, while the books were unfinished, audiences could still suspend disbelief and imagine the depth Martin might bring to the ending. By distancing himself from the show, Martin effectively transferred interpretive control to the show’s creators, who struggled to meet the readers’ expectations.

In the end, Game of Thrones highlights Barthes’ theory in a unique way. The transition of authorship from Martin to the show’s creators shows both the limitations and freedoms that come with “killing” the author. As Barthes might suggest, once the author steps back, the story is freed—but the shift in control also exposes the challenges of creating a unified vision in such a complex narrative.

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