Why Harvard is Basically Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones, the popular HBO series that premiered its fourth season Sunday night, takes place in a world of fantasy where everything is a cutthroat fight for power and money. Exactly like our lives at Harvard! We've drawn a few clear connections that'll make you realize our campus is basically Westeros. Be forewarned that there are spoilers below.

“Winter is Coming”

The Wall By Courtesy of YouTube

 GoT: In Game of Thrones, the people of the North are constantly bracing for winter. They even have a 700-foot ice wall to protect them from the wildlings who live beyond, which is manned by the Night’s Watch, a rugged group of rejects.

Harvard: At Harvard, we also spend our entire time here obsessing over winter. Complaining about being cold and busy is our 43rd varsity sport. And we’re well prepared for any attack from the wildings (AKA tourists). Even if they do manage to sneak in via Johnston gate, they can’t stop us from peeing on John Harvard’s foot and then telling them it’s lucky. And of course there is always our first line of defense—the quad—where we exile all our misfits.

“A Lannister always pays his debts.”

Tywin (the worst) and Tyrion (the best) Lannister By Courtesy of YouTube

GoT: One of the strongest ruling families in Game of Thrones is the House of Lannister. Although they're known for honoring their word, they are mostly known for being powerful and having plenty of gold to go around.

Harvard: At Harvard, there are many parallels to the House of Lannister. There's Adams House, known for its gold and for literally being a House. But the closest thing to the House of Lannister has to be the Harvard Management Company. HMC CEO and President Jane L. Mendillo earned $5.3 million in 2013, and the company’s portfolio includes Harvard’s massive 30 billion dollar endowment. Talk about master of the coin.

Ruthless Leaders

By Alexa I Stern

 GoT: Speaking of scheming for power, in Game of Thrones everyone is constantly battling for ultimate control. Whether it’s arranged marriages between powerful families, alliances, or clever backstabbing, there are no boundaries. A prime example is the Red Wedding towards the end of season three, where the king of the North was killed. So were his wife and unborn child. And mother. And most of his bannermen. And his pet wolf (tear).

Harvard: At Harvard we have our own ruthless leaders, headed by the fearless and cunning Drew G. Faust. She will stop at nothing for world domination—examples include EdX, refusing to divest from fossil fuels, and shafting the UC. And boy does she have a history of backstabbing and blood on her hands. Look no further than former College dean Evelynn Hammonds who was set up and then sacrificed at Faust’s altar of ‘integrity’.  She’s a modern day Khaleesi. And don’t get us started on the similarities between Joffrey and Gus.

Supernatural Phenomena

Daenerys's transformation into the Mother of Dragons By Courtesy of YouTube

 GoT: Game of Thrones takes place in a fantasy land. Dragons, sorceresses who give birth to king-murdering shadow demons, and blue-lipped self-cloning wizards are all examples of the kinds of subtle magic that happen throughout the show.

Harvard: There also are some strange things happening here on a daily basis, albeit on a smaller scale. How can every HUDS meal taste exactly the same even when they look and are named differently? How did 400 people show up to the Stat 104 midterm, when only 40 come to lecture? And how was the architect of the Graduate School of Design hired when all he had on his resume was “cement mixer”?

Rated for Mature Audiences only

That's a lot of letters. By Courtesy of YouTube

 GoT: As viewers of GoT know, barely a minute of the show goes by without a naked body, a few “F” bombs, “C” words (the really bad one), graphic sex, or a gory kill (or usually all of them combined). The show is definitely NSFW and NSFDH (not safe for the dining hall).

Harvard: Similar to the world of Game of Thrones, as anyone who has ever attended a formal (especially Kirkland’s) knows, Harvard turns UP.

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