Ahura Mazda in the TV Series 'Game of Thrones'

In the sixth season of the series 'Game of Thrones', one of the characters in this fictional world named 'Azor Ahai' will play an important role. This character possesses the traits of Ahura Mazda, the god of Zoroastrianism. The sixth season of the television series 'Game of Thrones', based on the fantasy stories of George R.R. Martin, began airing on April 24 on HBO. According to an article in the opinion section of the Washington Post, no one has precise details about the story of the sixth season of 'Game of Thrones', but based on George R.R. Martin's book and the previous five seasons of this popular series, 'Azor Ahai' is a god-like warrior from ancient times who triumphed over darkness in a great battle and possesses a weapon blessed by the god of fire or the lord of light. It is speculated that he will reappear in a critical and similar situation in the sixth season of 'Game of Thrones'. In part of George R.R. Martin's second book, it is stated: 'After a long summer, a day will come when the stars will bleed and darkness will overshadow the world. In these critical moments, a warrior will draw his burning sword from within the fire. That sword, the red sword of heroes, which will bring light, will be in the hands of 'Azor Ahai' who will reappear and drive away the darkness.' The messianic stories that speak of the return of saviors are universal. Many religions around the world have such myths and they have always been an important factor in stimulating human imagination. However, among fans of the television series 'Game of Thrones', there is special attention to the legend of 'Azor Ahai' and the historical origin of this character. George R.R. Martin himself has stated that he created it based on the myths of Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism, which emerged thousands of years ago in the land now called Iran, played a significant role not only in establishing the purifying element of fire but also in formulating a worldview based on the dual principle of good and evil (virtue and wickedness), which later influenced the philosophy of religions that emerged in the Middle East. In Zoroastrianism, God is called Ahura Mazda, who is the omnipotent and absolute creator. In older religious traditions in the Iranian plateau, it was believed that Ahura Mazda created two spirits of good and evil. The spirit of good is called Spenta Mainyu and the evil is called Angra Mainyu or Ahriman. However, in Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda is only associated with Spenta Mainyu, who is a life-giving creator, while Ahriman is a being that must be defeated. The Britannica Encyclopedia states: 'Ahriman created a host of demons to attack the light, which symbolized jealousy and similar traits. Despite the suffering and chaos caused by his invasion of the world, believers expect that ultimately Ahriman will be defeated by Ahura Mazda. The demons will flee to their realm where they will devour each other, and the existence of Ahriman will come to an end.' This eternal struggle against Ahriman is not exclusive to Zoroastrianism. In the television series 'Game of Thrones', although in a comic form, the storyline progresses towards a battle where 'R'hllor' and 'Azor Ahai', who collectively possess the traits and powers of Ahura Mazda, confront a ruthless Ahriman symbolizing darkness. So far, five seasons of this series have aired, and the sixth season will continue until mid-summer. Plans for the production of the seventh season of this series for airing in 2017 have also been made. The creators of 'Game of Thrones' predict that the complete series of books has the potential to produce about 80 hours of film, which is enough time to produce 8 seasons. Last year, the fifth season of 'Game of Thrones' set a new record by receiving 12 awards at the Emmy Awards, known as the Oscars of American television.