Are we supposed to root for them?

Agree. I choked a little when when Marco described Kublai ad someone whose greatness outweighed his flaws. No, not really. And then when Kublai started bawling that Ahmed "made" him kill the boy.... yes, that one underling forced you to do that, you couldn't possibly have listened to... well, absolutely anyone else, since every other character in the show was telling you not to kill him.

I don't know that we have to root for anyone in this series. It seems that every faction portrayed is evil in some way or another, not just Kublai Khan and his crew. Were there any "good guys" to root for at all in this?

Perhaps the show is trying to demonstrate that everyone was evil back then, and the only way to get to the top was to be the most evil of all.

However, it was interesting to see some of the dynamics of their internal politics, which gives some insight as to how their internal infighting would eventually lead to the break-up and dissolution of the Mongol Empire. At the peak of their power, no one could defeat them - they were untouchable. But their own internal squabbles would lead to their downfall.

It's just like asking if we're supposed to root for Vito Corleone. The short answer is no, but that doesn't mean it can't make for an interesting story.

You're looking at the definition of evil from a modern point of view. If anything the show only touches mildly on the horrific fates rulers subjected their rivals and subordinates to in those days. We only got a wiff of it when Kaidu's mother reminisced what Kublai's mother did to her mother. Back then they skinned and boiled people just for resisting their authority. Genghis, who is so revered in this series, beheaded entire populations after defeating them. Killing a child that could pose a threat to your lineage and raping and drowning a bride to save that leneage were common practices in pretty much all monarchies around the world.

As for whether or not we're supposed to root for them, I don't believe this is the type of show that wants the audience to root for anyone (exept perhaps Hundred Eyes.) It's just trying to show how people lived back then and in that sense I think it's doing its job. If you read the history of any part of the world, even that of great men and admired rulers, you'll see there's little to root for based on today's standards for human rights. simply because those rules were not much of a thing back then when it came to gaining and keeping power.

Well at least Kublai knows he is doing bad things...or the hard thing as he calls it. Many rulers...then and know actually thought and think they are doing the right thing while killing thousands....millions. Kublai is honest about it and in those days rulers had to be tough. At least he doesn't use faith or a god as a reason for his actions. He is not the big evil...just a ruler.

I think Kublai himself said he had to do the hard stuff so others have someone to blame or something like that. Just like when Mei Lin and Marco are escorting the kid, they both know he'll probably die but they do it anyway. I guess you're meant to hate him, especially having a "behind the scenes" look at him.

Game Of Thrones: Essos

www.DronesOverLouisville.com

I'm routing for individual characters more than particular factions (which all have their fair share of *ssh*les).

Both of the Khan's biological sons, Marco, Hundred Eyes and the wrestling girl are all fairly decent characters which I root for.

The concubine that got separated from her daughter is cool too (yeah, she can be ruthless at times, but given the desperate situation she's been in since the beginning, you got to give her a break... she's been in survival mode for most of the series). She earned major points in my book based on how she treated Marco which I find hinted at the fundamental decency of her character when her back is not against the wall.

did you root for Michael Corleone?