The Game Is Over #GOT Recap

I always feel so empty at the finale of a series. Think about it: all those years you put into it, every tweet or discussion with a friend … now it’s over. How will the characters’ lives go on if we can’t check in on them? For some reason, the Game of Thrones ending seemed the biggest of all. I don’t know if it’s because I was actually following along with the rest of the world instead of binging, or if it really was just that massive of a television event. Perhaps the show’s twists, turns, and shocking moments made it the world phenom it was. Regardless, I’m here to talk about it ending … and please don’t start a petition if you disagree with my thoughts.

Sunday night: I know I didn’t feel satisfied, but I also didn’t want to be angry like so many fans seemed to be. Mainly I was confused. Now that I’ve had some time to think about how the characters’ stories ended, I’m not confused or upset anymore. Everything actually makes so much sense, especially after two seasons of rushed storytelling.

So for this final Thrones post, I thought I’d go character by character to see where they landed on the scale of approval or disapproval as far as the writing.

Jon Snow: Initially I felt like, after all he’s been through, he gets banished to the Night Watch by his own brother … when Jon himself is the freaking one true heir to the Throne!? However, Jon never wanted the Throne, that was obvious. Also, I’m not sure if you would call them his happiest, but his days in the Night Watch, plus uniting the Free Folk with the Northerners seemed to be Jon’s most enjoyable (and stable) time. He was brought back to life by the Lord of Light to save the world, which he did in the battle against the White Walkers AND in killing Daenerys. After I really thought about it, I don’t know that I see Jon Snow living out his days anywhere else besides the Wall … or beyond.

Sansa Stark: What a story for this girl, to rise up from a little bird to now a queen! I have never been a Sansa Stark fan until this season and I really would have liked to see her rule the Seven Kingdoms. But, she is nothing if not loyal, and her loyalty to her people and home proves the person she is and the queen she’ll be. I also loved how she proclaimed the North’s independence! The girl is badass and will be as a ruler, no doubt!

Arya Stark: I would have enjoyed seeing Arya a) slit Cersei or Dany’s throat, & b) serve as the hand to the king (who I wish was Jon). But just as she’s not the lady by Gendry’s side, she’s also not an adviser to a ruler. She’s an assassin and explorer. I loved her emotional goodbye to Jon and the ending shot of her on the ship with the Stark wolf banner flying high!

Bran Stark: The. Last. Person. I. Would. Have. Chosen. To. Be. King … but, when I think back to everything he’s been through, mainly falling out of a tower window and watching Hodor die, I can see his story come full circle and his end being to sit on the Iron Throne. I knew there was more to that talk he had with Tyrion back in Winterfell, and I was really surprised Tyrion said Bran’s name when addressing the person who had the most interesting story; I thought for sure he’d say Jon. My least favorite scenes throughout the seasons were always Bran’s warging, but I guess they were important after all. They led him to the Throne.

Tyrion Lannister: I have been ride or die for Tyrion since early on … mostly because I relate to him in that I can’t fight, but would like to believe I could talk my way out of anything (I cannot). Plus he has the best quote of the show: “That’s what I do. I drink and I know things.” He killed his evil father, sided with Dany (before she went insane), and always seemed to see people’s true nature. With all that being said, I could not be happier that he made it until the end, especially when he had countless moments where he could have perished.

I love that a Lannister is now serving under a Stark (has this ever been a thing?), and he’s exactly where he needs to be: Hand of the King. Plus, how crazy that Bran is in a wheelchair and Tyrion is a dwarf, yet they are two of the most powerful men as the show comes to a close. All of it just proves that the strongest don’t always have what it takes to survive and rule.

Daenerys Targaryen: Okay, it wasn’t a huuuuge shock to me that she died. I wasn’t even really shocked it was Jon who killed her. I mean, I was, but I didn’t have a theory as to who would do it. The only way I would have been truly shocked was if she didn’t die at all. Jon killing her made sense; I’m glad he finally wasn’t turning a blind eye to her crazy (I think her speech to her soldiers did it for him; the b’s face was going so cray, I thought her eyes were going to fully pop out of her head).

I also appreciate Jon giving her, at least what seemed like, a merciful death. I mean, it seemed like she went quickly and somewhat peacefully? Omg, but if you want heart wrenching, it was seeing her dragon’s reaction. First, how he nudged her with his little snout, only to then lose it and spit fire. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I didn’t think Valyrian steel could melt by dragon fire? Or at least it seemed that way until Drogon really turned up the heat and melted down the Iron Throne to nothing. Many have theorized that Drogon knew the chair of 1,000 swords was the ultimate killer of his mother and that’s why he burned it down. I like that theory; I’ll take that!

Cersei & Jaime Lannister: Not fair that these two got to die together, however, if any character arc was fulfilled, it was theirs. I can’t believe the incestual twins were the epic love story of the series! While I was heartbroken Jaime left Brienne, it’s way more believable that he’d go back to his sister. I did like seeing Cersei beg not to die, but it would have been way more pleasurable for us fans to see her suffer, bleed out, be tortured, pulled apart by a dragon … ANYthing but go quick with the love of her life. “They came into this world together, and they left this world together.” Ugh, give me a break!

Yet, for some reason, this photo makes me so so sad …

Brienne of Tarth: I loved her ending, especially the part where she completed Jamie’s story in that big Knights dictionary. She took the high road, writing that “he died protecting his queen.” Brienne would never be “the scorned woman” because she’s simply too good of a human, perhaps the only good one on the show.

Additional advisers to the king … aka, the Small Council:

Samwell Tarly as the Grand Maester is my absolute favorite thing ever! Rock that robe Sam!
Brienne of Tarth getting the respect she deserves as the only female adviser AND Lord Commander of the Kingsguard! You go, Glen Coco!
I’m really confused why Bronn of the Blackwater is Master of Coin? Like, he may have came into riches since he got promoted to Lord of Highgarden, buuuut he’s never really had money, soooo I’m unsure why he’s running the budget now.
Ser Davos, aka Master of Ships, is a good man, who deserved to live through everything, although I never fully expected for him to make it to the end.

Ghost: He definitely needed justice after the way Jon literally ghosted him earlier in the season. I’m glad he made it through everything, especially battling White Walkers, to go live happily ever after with Jon in the end! (Wait, is this the most epic love story of the series??)

If I didn’t cover one of your favorites, you can read more about how all the characters’ stories ended here –> https://www.cnet.com/news/game-of-thrones-season-8-where-did-every-character-end-up-in-the-finale/

Closing Thoughts

I don’t think I have any. Maybe I’ll have more once I’ve thought harder, read Twitter longer, and discussed with friends further. I’m so sad the show is over, but I feel like all the loose ends got tied up; I’m satisfied. The writers provided us a satisfying ending! Plus, since I’ve read the first book, I’ll be starting the second one this summer; it’s not like it’s actually over!

For all of you that watched along with me …