In the wake of the 68th Primetime Emmy’s, there were a handful of things that became apparent.

One, original television from streaming services like Netflix and Amazon are becoming an increasingly popular and competitive market for the mainstream television audiences.

Two, the limited series “The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” was just as much of an Emmy winner as people predicted it to be.

And finally, HBO’s original series “Game of Thrones” still has the same power and prowess that it did when it premiered in 2011.

Walking away proudly with Emmys for directing and writing for the epic “Battle of the Bastards” as well as for best drama, “Game of Thrones” showed the world again why it’s such a massive pop culture phenomenon.

Looking at the Emmy’s themselves (as well as their Creative Arts Emmy counterparts) it’s evident that “Game of Thrones” is going to be a monolith of television to be compared to for years to come. After this year’s ceremonies, it broke “Frasier’s” record of 37 overall Emmy wins by a single show by a single award, leading the pack now with 38. 

However, that number could have easily been 39 had Lena Headey not been given her due with best supporting actress this year. Dame Maggie Smith may have been a very solid choice over Emilia Clarke and Maisie Williams of “Thrones” fame, Lena Headey’s performance as Cersei Lannister in the explosive season six finale alone is deserving of so much more recognition.

Long gone are the days where nerd culture is pushed to the wayside. Going from each noble house of Westeros to another alone is enough to breed a following rivaling the houses from the “Harry Potter” series that many have identified with. Banners of Houses Stark and Targaryen hang in dorms and stores alike, all the while the show draws record numbers worldwide even going far beyond the books in its sixth season.

What’s fascinating to see is that while the series may be drawing to close with two shortened seasons for 2017 and 2018, the spectacle surrounding “Game of Thrones” and it’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” novels is far from finished.

The novels’ sixth and penultimate installment “The Winds of Winter” is rumored to be released sometime in the spring of 2017, but the show will more than likely finish up before author George R.R. Martin does.

There seems to be a clear plan with where the show and novels are going regardless of whichever medium finishes first, and with whispers of a prequel series appearing on HBO after it’s predecessor is long gone picking up shortly after its record-breaking showing at the Emmy’s, there’s so much more that can be learned from the world of Westeros.  

Through both literature and television, the spectacle that is “Game of Thrones” has become more than just a pop culture fad, it’s awards and recognition are a testament to that.

“Game of Thrones” is more than just a television series or a handful of books – it’s a legacy.

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