5 Things To Know About Game Of Thrones Season 5

Meet the New Gods, Not Quite the Same as the Old Gods

Folks in Westeros make no bones about discussing politics whenever possible. When it comes to matters of faith, though, the conversation is often a lot cagier, probably because there are so many Gods and sects to choose from. The Old Gods, worshipped by those in and north of Winterfell, usually only pop up when someone is making a pledge. If you want to let others know you’re super-duper committed to a vow, you swear by the Old Gods and the New. Less popular deities include The Drowned God, prayed to by Iron Born like the Greyjoys, and The Lord of Light, who has made recent inroads into Westeros thanks to Melisandre.

Up until now, the Faith of the Seven, the dominant religion in Westeros, has mostly existed as window dressing for Game of Thrones, mentioned by those uttering a prayer, or blessing an almost-certainly doomed marriage. This changes early in Season 5 though, as the power vacuum created by the stunted Lannister regime makes religion just about the only enduring pillar of society left in King’s Landing.

So, what is the Faith of the Seven? Think of it like super-sized Catholicism, with the High Septon of King’s Landing being the papal equivalent. Silent Sisters are akin to nuns, and in times of crisis, devout followers have formed armed militias called the Faith Militant. Rather than using a septatheistic hierarchy, the Faith of the Seven worships one single God with seven different aspects: The Father, Mother, Warrior, Maiden, Smith, Crone, and Stranger. Each aspect is prayed to individually for help in different daily matters, the exception being The Stranger, a mysterious figure associated with death. This being Game of Thrones, The Stranger is usually the most frequently invoked aspect of The Seven, but the religion as a whole has a major role to play in events to come.