Reporter's Comic-Con notebook? 'Thrones' dragon torched it

SAN DIEGO – To reverse a popular phrase, I am dead to Westeros.

That's the only conclusion I can arrive at after having been scorched by a dragon, transformed into a whitewalker and seen my swordfighting liabilities on full display this weekend at HBO's Game of Thrones' Experience the Realm exhibit at Comic-Con.

I'm afraid I'm going to be keeping company with Ned Stark, Tywin Lannister and – ugh! – that awful King Joffrey in whatever afterworld serves the Seven Kingdoms.

It all started pleasantly enough, with assistants telling me to stand on a spot, go about my business – until one of Daenerys's dragons decided I was to become toast. The flamethrowers turned on and I went to ash city.

Next, they took me to a whitewalker installation inside a non-descript building surrounded by a protective shell of Comic-Con fans who waited in line for hours to get their chance to be destroyed (Because that's what Comic-Con is: lines, lines and lines to help you get into other lines).

I struck some fearsome poses – OK, as fearsome as I could do – and suddenly I was turned into a whitewalker, glowing eyes and all. I'm not sure where that puts me on the life-death spectrum, but I was feeling a little more energetic. You saw what those guys did at Hardhome, didn't you?

Then, in a tribute to noble Arya and her weapon of choice, Needle, I went off to test my swordfighting skills. I took full swings at digital targets that appeared before a Thrones-like portrait of me. I struck slowly at first and then picked up the pace. I'm not sure how many targets I hit, but I missed a bunch, too. It reminded me of my "good field, no hit" baseball career. Kingslayer, even with one hand, would have slayed me.

Nevertheless, I had a fun time. I received a video of my scorching, a picture featuring my glowing whitewalker eyes and a Thrones portrait embellished by the targets I exploded.

I even got to sit in the Iron Throne, although, come to think of it, that doesn't usually turn out well for the occupant.

Oh, well. For my next Thrones experience, I think I'd prefer just having a drink with Tyrion.