The fandom for Game of Thrones is widespread and passionate, and there are a couple online spaces where members of the community can openly discuss their passion for the show with others who care just as much. Two that stand out are Buzzfeed and the Game of Thrones subreddit. Both of these sites are welcoming of all fans and create the perfect place to fuel the fire of the GoT fandom. Both sites provide fans resources like answers to common confusions or compiled lists of fan theories, “making-fandom”-type ideas like GoT themed crafts and foods, and forums for the community to geek out together.

Buzzfeed’s Game of Thrones community can come together to read articles, take quizzes, and post ideas for just about anything and everything a person could make to create a tangible representation of their love of the show. The site allows fans to compile their knowledge into concise lists, such as answers to common confusions that fans have about the show and theories about the final season. These are excellent ways for fans to share their otherwise wasted bits of trivia and help others in the fandom. Other articles are news-based. When the new season was announced, Buzzfeed was a good place to go for information on the premier date, time, and what to expect. As the premiere neared, so did promotion by HBO and the cast of GoT, and interview began being released. Interviews, like one with the actor who plays Samwell Tarly, allow fans to feel more connected to the show’s actors, and thus the show itself. Perhaps the most popular type of article in the community are GoT-themed activities, crafts, foods, and ideas. These ideas, much like the “Making Fandom” assignment for this class, allow fans to creatively express their love of the show by applying it to everyday life. One article posted on Buzzfeed compiled a list of GoT-inspired food, cocktails, and games for a watch party. Another popular way fans express their love for the show is by creating trivia quizes and “Would you rather?” questions for their fellow fans to take and answer. These activities bring the fandom together in the Buzzfeed community.

Game of Thrones’ subreddit, much like Buzzfeed, welcomes anyone who has an interest. It is group of people who know nothing about each other, but share a mutual interest in Game of Thrones. The posts on r/gameofthrones range from discussion threads to the sharing of GoT-inspired works. The discussion threads can turn into heated debates, like in this post about the extent of Cersei’s love for her children, where users have the opportunity to dissect the actions and intentions of leading characters. Other post are dedicated to users sharing experiences of encountering fellow fans in the community, like the sighting of this veterinary clinic where “a Lannister always spays his pets” or Las Vegas’ Bellagio Fountains GoT special event. Easily the most common posts in the subreddit are posts to show off their GoT-inspired works (most of which are quite good) to fellow fans. From artwork, to homemade quilts, to baked goods, to a piñata of King Jeffrey’s face, redditors love to use their talents to express their love of fandoms, and this subreddit is honestly a very supportive place to do so.

The Buzzfeed community and the Game of Thrones subreddit vary less in the types of things posted, and more in the structure of the community. Buzzfeed shares articles written by authors for fans to view and comment on. While it doesn’t seem very hard to become a Buzzfeed author (standards for good quality writing don’t seem particularly high in this community), it does draw a line between the poster and the commenter. Reddit’s format for who can post and who can comment is very different. Being a forum-style site, anyone with an account can either post or comment, making a more open discussion. As a fan with a lot of opinions, I prefer the emphasis on discussion within the Game of Thrones subreddit, but I still enjoy reading the articles and taking the quizes on Buzzfeed. I think both sites offer fun ideas and opportunities to connect with fellow fans, and thus, I think either could make an excellent argument for being where the fandom lives.