Friday, May 17, 2019
By Justin Dennis
jdennis@vindy.com
CANFIELD
What: Final episode of the landmark series
When: 9 p.m. Sunday
Where: HBO
The finale is coming.
Who will be sitting on the Iron Throne on Sunday night when the credits roll on the final episode of the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones”?
Most likely Sam of House Fleming, first of his name, wielder of nail guns and builder of thrones.
The 56-year-old Canfield mechanic and general handyman built a replica of the show’s iconic seat – which is forged entirely from the swords of conquered warriors and melted by dragon fire – but he did it out of recycled pallet wood, using a router, nail gun and table and chop saws.
“I wouldn’t make a big deal about this if this wasn’t the coolest thing he’s ever done,” geeked Fleming’s 26-year-old son Josh, who showed his dad’s handiwork to The Vindicator. “It looks so cool. People have already offered to buy it off of him.”
Sam’s Iron Throne will be the centerpiece of his family’s series finale watch party Sunday at his daughter’s Pittsburgh home. Sam has built set pieces for Josh’s theatrical productions – including a throne that doubled as a balcony for Shakespeare’s Juliet – so naturally his kids, “Thrones” fans all, urged him to do it.
“They thought, ‘There’s no way dad’s gonna’ do that,’” Sam said, grinning.
He started beveling the centers of the pallet-plank “sword blades” and fashioning hilts and handles until he had about 100 each, then “he just started sticking them to the chair,” Josh said.
Anthony Vechiarelli, Sam’s neighbor and a professional painter, and his assistant, Donald “Duck” Murphy, painted the throne dark-gray, then brushed on a faux metallic finish so it gleams in the light.
The garage project took less than a month, Sam said.
“My dad is my hero, and the small things he does for his kids make me feel very lucky,” Josh said.
On Sunday, the Flemings’ partygoers also are dressing the part. Sam’s wife, Joyce, 60, is going as the show’s ruthless “Queen of Thorns” Olenna Tyrell, played by Diana Rigg. Sam even grew out and dyed his all-gray hair a light-brown tinged with red to play Eddard “Ned” Stark, patriarch of the show’s Stark family, portrayed on-screen by Sean Bean.
The retired military man joked he has “never had hair over his ears.”
Sam started reading the high fantasy novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire” after its debut in 1996 and hasn’t missed an episode of its HBO adaptation since it first aired eight years ago.
Since then, the show has grown into a cultural phenomenon. An estimated 10.7 million people said they plan to call off work Sunday for the final episode, and another 2.9 million said they’ll show up late Monday morning, according to a study reported Wednesday by Business Wire. More than a third of the employed adults who responded expect to watch the finale Sunday, “making it one of the 10 most-watched series finales in television history.”
Much like on the show’s fictional continent of Westeros, the titular “game of thrones” became a family affair for the Flemings.
“We watch it every Sunday. We don’t miss it,” Josh said.
“There’s so many episodes that lead you up then shock the hell out of you,” Joyce said, such as season three’s infamous “Red Wedding” scene.
Spoiler alert: Joyce said she doesn’t like “evil Dany,” echoing the sentiments of many “Thrones” fans who were shocked to see one of the show’s longest-surviving protagonists, Daenerys Targaryen – played by Emilia Clarke – suddenly turn into the villain in the show’s latest, penultimate episode.
“I like the way the show is set up where there is a conflict amongst the different kingdoms,” Sam said. “They’re all different people. I like the conflict more than anything.”
Like most “Thrones” fans, Sam and Joyce know who they’re rooting for and theorize about who will reign Westeros’ Seven Kingdoms by the show’s end.
“It’s either going to be Jon Snow or Robert Baratheon’s bastard son [Gendry],” Sam said.
“I think it’s Tyrion [Lannister],” Joyce rebutted.
They do agree on one thing:
“I think it’s sad it’s coming to an end,” Joyce said, but added they at least have a second binge marathon to look forward to.
“No matter how it ends, you’re going to want more.”