Any Game of Thrones fan knows religion is a major facet of the series. We’ve heard characters namedrop the Old Gods and the New time and time again. We’ve seen the weirwood trees. We’ve watched Melisandre stare into the flames seeking signs from her Red God. But in Season 6 the gods played their most prominent role in the show’s narrative yet.

In a new video essay I explore the various ways faith and religion influenced the characters in Season 6. From the political strategies of the High Sparrow to the resurrection powers of the Lord of Light and the Drowned God, religion was everywhere this year.

(Spoiler alert: The above video is packed full of spoilers for all of Season 6. Watch at your own risk)

We may never actually see the gods of the show’s many religions, or get definitive proof of their existence. But Season 6 revealed how faith in those deities led to the power struggles, political schemes, and magical prophecies that made up this year’s dramatic season. The living characters may be the ones who make the moves, but the gods of the religions across the Seven Kingdoms are the ones who influence just how those moves are made.

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