Many have been unhappy with the final season of Game of Thrones. Over a million viewers signed petitions urging the writers to create a new ending. After centuries of war, lying, cheating and unbelievable death and destruction, the lords of Westeros chose a young, disabled mystic and sage as their king. Bran seemed the perfect choice as he did not want the job nor is he interested in the power that comes with such a position. He is unable to father children, putting an end to kingly dynasties. Weary of war, corruption and betrayal, the Lords of Westeros chose a leader that they hoped would bring peace to the land.
Bran possess several qualities that were right for his time in this magical tale that are sorely needed in our world today. First, he was able to travel back in time to better understand the history of the world, the secrets that laid buried by time and the origins of several improbable myths. We have historians that do this now, but often we ignore their warnings when we race towards policies and actions in which we repeat the horrific lessons from the past. Bran holds this historical wisdom within. Bran’s greatest gift, however, lays in the insights he accrued from his personal struggles and journey into uncharted territories both literally and figuratively. As an active child, Bran was tossed from a window, paralyzing him, lost his father, mother and eldest brother through unthinkable violence and was forced to flee into the unknown to save his life, facing inconceivable dangers and hardships. Through all of these challenges, Bran cultivated a level of equanimity, calm and compassion that is beyond ego and self-aggrandizement. He seeks compromise and peace, has the ability to hold the larger vision and leave the day to day running of things to others. Bran banished his beloved brother/cousin from the kingdom to thwart another war. Today our leaders cannot even support a bill that they advocate, if the other side supports it.
While many clamored for another ending, perhaps the writers gave us a ruler which holds the traits to lead in our tumultuous times. One who is calm, compassionate, and disinterested in power and possesses the wisdom to see the larger picture, by understanding the lessons of the past and what is needed in the future. One does not need to be a three eyed raven to cultivate these abilities. One merely needs to step back from the day to day dramas to view challenges through the lens of a spacious, non-attached mind in which one can perceive the larger context of right action.