King's Landing is pretty unimpressive. Why does everyone want that throne.
The dragon slut has already conquered more interesting lands.
What's the end game?
Basically, becoming king or having aot of power over the king was the only way that the seven great families could keep the six other great families from fucking them over. Some want to rule because they love power, some want to rule because they believe the gods and the law have appointed them (Stannis and Dany)... But some are motivated by fear, the politics of Westeros are so rough that being in charge was really the only way to ut your family in a defensible position.
Of course if you're not part of one of the great families, you just get fucked over. But having your liege-lord in power probably leaves you better off than having your Lord's enemies in power, so you support his efforts to take power away from the other big cheeses.
Like any other story it's about power and wealth, but for me as a non-reader of GRRM's books and only a show watcher, I am confounded by the actual power wielded by King's Landing as they really don't control anything outside of their city border. Look how easy it was for the Faith Militant to subdue the royals and sway the boy king into inaction, all at the doing of a stupid queen mother Cersei. That made no sense to me, and the power structure that's suppose to inseminate itself across the lesser subserviant Kingdoms seems only ceremonial, not political. I never understood why the Night's Watch were so dedicated when it was pretty clear that the rulers in the South didn't give a rat's ass. They seem to be operating under a veil of fear, denial, and superstition more than honor as their station there was more of a punishment than a duty. I can see how GRRM utilizes Medieval customs and old European notions of nobility but without a Pope in Rome and an organized religion keeping the masses in check I just don't "get" how any of the Royal Houses of Westeros stay afloat.
shareExactly. The hippie sparrow took over and yet this is supposed to be one of the great powers. I've seen no evidence of great power.
The northern kings also seem to accept King's Landing rule for some reason.
So what's the big deal about the iron throne. The dragon girl has already amassed greater lands and forces. As soon as she gets there, she's gonna think... wtf! Why did I bother?
The Sparrows took over during a time of chaos and civil war, when half the seven kingdoms were rebelling. Plus there had been a series of really bad kings, so not only were the Seven Kingdoms all fighting each other, none of them had any faith that Aerys, Robert, Joffrey, or Tommen was someone to be trusted or obeyed. Normally the central government had more power and influence, but obviously that's not going to change under Cersei.
If someone sane or intelligent had been ruling things might be a bit different, or even if there was a sane or intelligent Hand in charge.
What rebellion was this and how did it ever affect King's Landing's inability to quell the Sparrow usurping power from the King (Lannisters)? That's the part the series never played out for us. Instead, it played out like a parlor mind trick where the Sparrow took advantage of Cersei's incompetence at trying to play "the game" and turned the tables on not just her but the entire power structure. Also, it took only took Qyburn's mad scientist machinations of resurrecting The Mountain and plotting the mass murder of the Sparrow utilizing dragon fire to help Cersei.
You say there's a rebellion, okay then how is it that we see this massive military force ready to help Cersei do battle with Dany, the North, and the South, and her Dragons? Unless the trailer is deceiving us and the battle should only take a few minutes, it doesn't explain how this same military force could no NOTHING to quell the Sparrow rebellion, and don't tell me it was because Tommen raised his little hand commanding restraint.