Stark & Splett: Plato’s Philosopher Kings Take T.V.

Richard Splett and Bran Stark - TV’s Philosopher Kings (Veep Fandom and Wikipedia)

I did not spend hours watching back to back episodes of Game of Thrones AND Veep for NOTHING. Let’s put that (tragic) investment to some use shall we.

For my readers who make better use of their time, here’s a brief recap of the two shows.

Game of Thrones, hereafter referred to as GOT, takes us on a bloody, sexy journey through a medieval civil war of sorts. A slew of hot young men and women with varying proclivities for morality vie for the seat of leadership, the Iron Throne. But they aren’t just fighting each other, as the Night King leads his army of zombies into the realms of men as winter approaches.  

VEEP brings us back into the 21st century, following the political triumphs and many failures of fictional Vice President of the United States, Selina Meyer. It is a comedy mirroring our contemporary political challenges, sometimes hitting a bit too close to home (for fellow VEEPers, think Jonah Ryan’s presidential bid…).

From a medieval world of fantasy to a very real portrayal of our current one, these shows seem like they could not be more different. Yet, as I hope to show, they are variations of the same. They are stories of power struggle where the power hungry lose and the ambivalent prove the most meaningful leaders. And what is this but a reflection of Plato’s argument for rule by philosopher-kings.

Plato contends that “until philosophers rule as kings…until political power and philosophy entirely coincide…cities will have no rest from evils” (Republic 473d). Peace can only be achieved through the union of politics and philosophy.

But why should philosophers rule? Because of their unique knowledge of the Forms.

 As Plato illustrates through his famous Allegory of the Cave, true philosophers are those who ascend from the cave, or the visible realm, and are exposed to the sun, or the Form of the Good. Those of us remaining in the cave are prisoners, shackled by our sensory perception. We only see images of the Good or the Beautiful, while philosophers are illuminated by their true Forms, or the truth and reality of ideas like the Good.

Why does this matter for political rule?

 Since non-philosophers do not know the Form of the Good, they are prone to seek it out through political power. Competition for power in turn, leads to civil war and unrest. In contrast to the power-hungry common man, philosophers with knowledge of the Forms do not seek out power. They know the true Forms and do not seek out illusions through political competition. Yet because they are the ones with true knowledge, they are best suited to rule and guide a people. Plato likens a Philosopher King to a true captain of a ship, who “must pay attention to the seasons of the year, the sky, the stars, the winds, and all that pertains to his craft if he’s really to be the ruler of the ships” (488d). Yet, those who win political competitions are mere navigators, who are really only best at “persuading or forcing the shipowner to let them rule” (488d). It follows that good governance requires rule by those who do not wish to rule, the Philosopher Kings. To summarize, “it is those who are not lovers of ruling who must rule, for if they don’t, the lovers of it, who are rivals, will fight over it” (Republic 521b).

To return to our most pressing content –

Bran Stark and Richard Splett are Plato’s escaped prisoners. Both are portrayed as incredibly wise and far more knowledgeable than their peers. Bran through his magical capacity to see and know everything there is to know. Splett through his quiet, subtle, and humorous intelligence (the man has doctorates in both veterinary medicine and constitutional law).

Yet neither Bran nor Splett seek out power.

In GOT’s finale, Bran is appointed King by the leaders of Westeros. Bran never vies or volunteers for a title. The contrast between himself and the people of Westeros is drawn out by Edmund Tully’s attempt to volunteer himself to rule in the finale. Bran is a rare character in a sea of wannabe rulers. Jon Snow fans might note, that when offered to be King of the North, Snow responds with his meme-able “I don’t want it.” If he too rejects office, why isn’t he named King? Because he lacks the true knowledge that Bran alone possesses. What can this be, but Plato’s vision come to life? Splett too keeps stumbling into political roles by good deeds unadulterated by political strategizing, ending the series as the President and with a Noble Peace Prize.  

It must be intentional that both Bran and Splett only becomes leaders in the show finales. Bran brings peace to Westeros, and Splett to the American people, but only once GOT and VEEP cease to grace our TVs, laptops, or iPhone screens. Societies (or shows) can only have rest, once philosophy and politics are one.