In Game of Thrones, House Stark has been through hell. They don't have dragons, they aren't the richest and it's always cold where they live. For seven seasons, we have watched them crawl back from near-extinction to kick ass and take names. Throughout it all, they've overcome obstacle after obstacle proving that they're here to stay. Here are five reasons as to why House Stark is one of us.
1. The White Walkers Symbolize White Supremacy
A horde of pale, blue-eyed undead creatures hell-bent on taking over the world, murdering everyone in their path and killing off thousands of years of culture is the real antagonist of the show. The white walkers aren't diverse. And they are united for one cause: world domination. It is also notable that they are better at violence than anyone else in Westeros. I will leave it there.
2. The Women Are The Strong Ones
Two of most badass characters on Game of Thrones are girls that didn't know how to play in the first season. Let's run down all of the stuff these two have been through. They both witnessed King Joffery behead their father, Ned Stark.
Sansa was emotionally abused by Joffrey, tormented constantly by the Lannisters and sold off to the Boltons by Littlefinger. Roose Bolton's bastard, Ramsay Snow, raped her and continually reminded her of family's slaughter. Joffery tormented constantly by the Lannisters and sold off to the Boltons by Littlefinger.
Arya, on the other hand, had a different experience. She was on the verge of reuniting with her mother Catelyn and brother Robb Stark when she found out they were killed by Walder Frey. This tiny dynamo had a list of people who were responsible for her family's torment. And was going to kill them all.
So she went to Braavos, trained to be a face-changing assassin to get revenge. It wasn't easy, people. She went blind y'all. Her teachers were monsters and the food was probably nasty. Even after all of that, Arya murdered Walder Frey after feeding him a pie made of his relatives. She also destroyed House Frey without lifting a finger.
When it comes to Sansa, she escaped the Boltons, reunited with Jon Snow and saved his ass by creating a loose alliance with the treacherous Littlefinger. They went through it all, but they still fight.
Like black women are the backbone of the black community, the Stark women are the backbone to House Stark. Black women face some of the greatest odds. They are less likely to get tech funding, they are repeatedly put down by society and they are repeatedly told they are not beautiful by men in and outside of their race.
Sadly, black women are killed at almost three times the rate of their white counterparts — the highest rate of all ethnicities in domestic disputes, according to the “Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence" report from the CDC. Black women are too important to be treated like trash on the streets. Stark women are too important to be underestimated and undervalued.
3. They Are Learning To Get Over Petty Differences To Unite Against External Enemies
Even though a horde of dead things are coming their way, the North is having a hard time getting over their differences and united. In some ways, this is true for black folks. Hoteps, Ankhs, conscious folks, womanists and everyone in between seem to fight over petty differences missing the point that white supremacy — I mean the white walkers — grow stronger by the second.
Petty squabbles over weaves versus natural hairstyles, going vegan, debating the value of voting and whether or not people should be Christian isn't helpful.
It goes without saying that there are some issues we can't deny are problematic AF. (For example, claiming that only white women are supposed to have periods or eating the right foods will stop black women from menstruating nature supposedly intended.) But if we don't unite and refocus that anger, it is over fam.
4. Jon Snow Is A Civil Rights Leader
A bastard united the north, defeated the Boltons and became king. Jon Snow is the MVP of this show. He has had to overcome some insurmountable odds — like dying. He was taken captive by wildlings, he lost the woman he loved, he lost his family, he killed to protect his friends and went toe-to-toe with the white walkers.
The newly anointed King of the North did all of this while playing diplomat and bringing together people who murdered each other for thousands of years to fight off the impending doom. Jon Snow is an unlikely leader because of his parentage and his Targaryen blood. The north hates Targaryens. Nevertheless, he forged alliances with disloyal houses to fight the Night's King.
5. The Starks Did All The Work That Allows For Westeros' Existence, But Get No Respect
It is safe to say that the Starks get the worst of the punishment on the show. Ned Stark was beheaded in front of his children. Ned's dad was roasted alive by the Mad King also known as Daenerys' dad. Robb, Catelyn and Rickon Stark were murdered by enemies. But people keep sh*tting on them even though they need them. THE STARKS BUILT THE WALL THAT PROTECTS EVERYONE BEHIND IT. (It was built by Bran the Builder.) Black people built the United States' monuments, farmed crops, raised the children of their masters and are treated like second class citizens. Like black folks, the Starks originated from the first men and they are responsible for civilization. The Starks get no respect for their contributions in Westeros.
