Mother of drones: Game of Thrones heel turn sparks viral US foreign policy meme

The spectacular meltdown in this week’s episode of hit TV show Game of Thrones has inspired a meme that perfectly encapsulates how US foreign policy is portrayed and the reality on the ground.

Spoiler alert: If you don’t want to know what happened in this week’s episode of Game of Thrones, stop reading now!

Daenerys Targaryen’s decision to lay waste to King’s Landing and torch thousands of civilians in the penultimate episode of the outrageously popular TV show has ignited a furious debate online with many fans unhappy with the show runners’ handling of one of the story’s main characters.  

However, the fiery volte-face also prompted many to ponder the nature of power and to draw similarities between the show and real life. One tweet comparing the public perception of US foreign policy and the reality of the situation has already garnered more than 22,000 likes.

“Not gonna lie, one of the most disturbing things (to me) is how much rhetoric defending Dany’s actions in King’s Landing mirror arguments defending US imperialism in the Middle East,” one commenter said in response to the juxtaposed images of Daenerys being adored by her subjects and her dragon unleashing an avalanche of fire on terrified people.

The US wasn’t the only country to get the meme treatment as Britain’s blood-soaked history, and its routine glorification of its appalling past, also got a shoutout.

“One of the most apt tweets I’ve ever seen,” one person said in response.

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