The Game of Thrones ending stirred up a lot of mixed reactions, and the same went for the array of responses from the show's main cast. Based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the HBO series quickly garnered a fan following in its early years, and the epic fantasy soon became one of TV's most popular programs. Though the show was set to conclude before Martin's book series came to an end, viewers, as well as the cast, were eager to learn how the various subplots would be tied up.
While much of Game of Thrones season 8 built up the conflict against the Night King and his army of White Walkers, the true battle came in the penultimate episode. Following the win with the Battle of Winterfell, Daenerys Targaryen shifted her focus to Cersei Lannister and King's Landing. The tides of the war had changed, but Jon Snow couldn't stop Daenerys from her reign of fiery terror on King's Landing and its innocent citizens. To prevent the woman from enacting further carnage throughout the Seven Kingdoms, Jon decided to kill her, which ultimately opened the door for Bran Stark to become the new king.
It's no secret that the conclusion of Game of Thrones was met with overwhelmingly negative responses. A large portion of viewers felt that the narrative felt rushed and the character development was lacking when it came to key moments in the final season. Also, Game of Thrones season 8 featured on-screen mistakes, pointing to the show's editing. That said, the large ensemble cast, who simultaneously serve as fans, felt some of the dismay. Others, however, were content with their respective character's fate while defending the overall ending.
Following the Battle of King's Landing, Jon Snow fully realized how far Daenerys would go for power. Through a discussion with Tyrion, Jon concluded that the new ruler of the Iron Throne must be eliminated. Jon assassinated Daenerys, resulting in his imprisonment before King Bran and the new council voted on his exile to the Night's Watch. Without watching the finale, Kit Harington acknowledged the Game of Thrones controversy but claimed the show had the right ending. He also defended the conclusion based on the amount of work everyone put into the show over the course of eight seasons.
As many fans had predicted, Daenerys Targaryen transformed into the so-called "Mad Queen" at the end of the series. After the ambush of King's Landing, the Mother of Dragons' thirst for power grew out of control. Without being able to admit to the atrocities she committed on her journey to the top, Jon killed her before she ever sat atop the Iron Throne. Daenerys' lone surviving dragon, Drogon, then took her dead body to an unknown location. Emilia Clarke had trouble with Daenerys' ending, worrying about how fans would react to the character's descent into madness. While she remained in support of her long-time character, Clarke acknowledged that the reactions would differ from person to person.
Sansa Stark finally came into her own in Game of Thrones' eighth and final season. Serving as the Lady of Winterfell gave the eldest Stark daughter the confidence for something greater. When Daenerys was assassinated in King's Landing, Sansa became a member of the Great Council. She requested that the North be an independent kingdom. In turn, Sansa was crowned the official Queen of the North, a role she was content with. Interestingly enough, Sophie Turner also was content was Sansa's fate. The actress mentioned Sansa's willingness to rule, but she confirmed that the character never had her sights set on the Seven Kingdoms.
Cersei Lannister didn't appear as a prominent figure in the Game of Thrones finale, since the character met her demise in the penultimate episode. Daenerys and her allies attacked King's Landing, which brought an end to Cersei's hope for continued control. Upon reuniting with Jaime, the pair took refuge in the cellars below the Red Keep. With no way out, the duo embraced as the structure crumbled. Cersei was crushed by debris, putting an end to the intimidating figure's arc. Lena Headey hoped for a better death for Cersei, adding that she was gutted by the conclusion. While she acknowledged Game of Thrones probably couldn't please everyone, she insinuated that the mixed feelings come with the territory in developing a major TV show.
Jaime Lannister met the same death as her sister/lover, Cersei Lannister, becoming crushed by the remnants of the Red Keep. Before that, however, Jaime shared a romantic encounter with Brienne of Tarth following the Battle of Winterfell. Rather than stay with her, Jaime left the North to be with his true love. He initially thought that he could save Cersei so the two could have a future together. On a deeper level, Jaime knew that he was the only one Cersei had left, and he couldn't leave her behind. Though some fans were unhappy with Jaime's decision-making in the final season, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau thought Jaime had a great ending. Rather than focus on the details surrounding the death, Coster-Waldau was satisfied that Jaime and Cersei were together until their final breaths.
Tyrion Lannister outlived his siblings, but his fate in Game of Thrones wasn't so simple. The figure remained in Daenerys' service through the Battle of Winterfell. After failing to convince Cersei to surrender, Tyrion attempted to persuade Daenerys to stand down to no avail. Following the destruction of King's Landing, Daenerys had Tyrion arrested, but he managed to urge Jon to take out the new Queen. During the trial, Tyrion suggested that Bran become the new king, and the council agreed. In doing so, Tyrion was made the Hand of the King and presumably the Lord of Casterly Rock, seeing as he was the last living Lannister. Peter Dinklage has shared (via Entertainment Tonight) that Tyrion had a beautiful conclusion, but noted its tragic elements. He also gave a hat tip to the show's writers, claiming they "ended it brilliantly."
Arya Stark had one of the happier endings in Game of Thrones despite the tumultuous journey that her character had to take to get there. After emerging as the character to kill the Night King, Arya traveled to King's Landing during Daenerys' assault. Following Jon's trial and Bran's promotion as the new king, Arya bid farewell to her family. Rather than stick around, the young Stark decided to sail west of Westeros to explore uncharted waters. Not only was it a surprise ending for viewers, but Maisie Williams was also shocked at her character's fate. Williams hoped that Arya would kill Cersei by the conclusion of the show, seeing as that was a motivation for the duration of her arc. Her feelings on the ending seemed mixed, but the lost chance at Arya taking Cersei's life was Williams' biggest regret in terms of major plot points.
The direction of Bran Stark's arc was shrouded in confusion for much of Game of Thrones' final season. While he often sat on the sidelines, it was unclear what kind of role the young Stark was playing among the powerful figures within Westeros. Following the assassination of Daenerys, Bran was voted as the new King since he was reluctant to lead. Aside from making Tyrion his Hand, he exiled Jon to the Night's Watch before embarking on his new journey as the king. Isaac Hempstead-Wright was thrilled with Bran's fate according to his initial reaction (via THR). The actor noted the "extraordinary character arc" while also mentioning the deeper message with Bran's transformation of "a vulnerable character totally dependent on others to the one person who holds all the keys."
Brienne of Tarth's journey as a member of the Kingsguard to the first female knight was a bright spot in Game of Thrones' final season. That arc was diminished a bit by her heart-breaking rejection from Jaime after the pair shared a romantic fling. In the end, however, Brienne regained her independent demeanor before she was named as the Lady Commander of the Kingsguard for King Bran. Initially, the actress was upset about her character's fate connected to Jaime's decision, but Gwendoline Christie shared (via EW) that "a woman can be happy without a companion." Not only was Christie pleased with Brienne's role in the end, but she was also happy with the show's decision in making Bran the new ruler of Westeros.
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