May 26th 2024.
Five years ago this month, the highly-anticipated series finale of Game of Thrones aired, marking the end of an era for fans everywhere. But the aftermath of this grand finale was far from peaceful, as it was met with harsh criticism and even a Change.org petition calling for a remake of the season with "competent writers." The consensus was clear: the ending was a disaster and the show's creators, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, were the ones to blame.
Looking back now, it's easy to see that we were all sitting far too close to the situation. As the show's production costs increased, the number of episodes decreased, leaving little time for the final stretch of the story to unfold. This condensed timeline may have contributed to the polarizing reactions from hardcore fans, who were not given enough time to prepare for the tragic climax of Daenerys Targaryen's doomed quest for the Iron Throne.
And there were certainly valid criticisms of the final episodes. Jaime Lannister's sudden decision to leave behind his bond with Brienne and return to his toxic relationship with Cersei felt rushed and out of character. Fans who had grown to love Jaime's redemption arc were left disappointed and confused. And let's not forget the unexpected rise of Bran the Broken to the throne, Jon Snow's repeated rejection of ruling Westeros, and the underwhelming fate of the Night King and his White Walkers.
But it wasn't just the plot twists that were met with extreme backlash. Episodes were being review-bombed before they even aired, and the show's stars were being harassed on social media and in their personal lives. Some fans even went as far as creating alternate endings, convinced that they knew the characters better than the show's writers.
But now, five years later, perhaps it's time to reevaluate our harsh judgments. Game of Thrones' legacy remains untarnished, and it's clear that Benioff and Weiss did not take the easy way out with the finale. In fact, the show had been anti-war and critical of monarchy from the very beginning, and this final season stayed true to that theme.
Yes, Daenerys' descent into madness and the deaths of thousands in King's Landing were difficult to watch. But was it truly out of character for her? She had always been caught between two powerful forces – her desire for revenge and her desire to do good. And when her destiny was within reach, the darker of those two forces won out.
But we can't place all the blame on Daenerys' shoulders. After all, the show's ultimate message was that war and power corrupt even the most well-intentioned individuals. And as Tyrion Lannister once said, "You need to take your enemy's side if you're going to see things the way they do." So perhaps it's time for even the most hardened critics to see the value in the show's dramatic conclusion and appreciate the complexities of its characters.
It's hard to believe that it's already been five years since Game of Thrones came to an end. The finale was met with harsh criticism, with some even going as far as to call it the worst ending in TV history. There was even a petition signed by 1.8 million people urging HBO to remake the season with different writers. The general consensus was that the show's creators, David Benioff and Dan Weiss, should be punished for their supposed crimes against the fans. Looking back, it's clear that we were all sitting too close to the show, unable to see the ending for what it truly was.
Of course, there were valid criticisms of the final episodes. As production costs rose, the number of episodes decreased, leaving less time for a satisfying conclusion. Instead of the usual 10 episodes, the penultimate season only had seven, and the final season had just six. This was a major change for the hardcore fans who needed time to prepare for the tragic climax of Daenerys Targaryen's doomed quest for the Iron Throne. Her descent into madness and ultimate downfall at the hands of her lover-turned-rival, Jon Snow, was a lot to take in.
But the criticism went beyond just the condensed timeline of the final season. There were also complaints about certain character arcs, such as Jaime Lannister's sudden return to his toxic relationship with his sister Cersei, leading to their deaths in Daenerys' firestorm. Others were disappointed by the unexpected rise to power of Bran the Broken, Jon Snow's repeated rejection of ruling Westeros, and the seemingly premature defeat of the Night King and his army of White Walkers.
However, the backlash against the show and its creators was extreme. Episodes were being review-bombed before they even aired, and some of the actors were harassed on social media and in their personal lives. Fans even went as far as to create their own alternate endings, convinced that they knew the characters better than the writers. But it's been five years now, and perhaps it's time for even the most dedicated haters to see that the legacy of Game of Thrones remains untarnished.
From the very beginning, Game of Thrones was known for its anti-war stance and its exploration of the flaws of monarchy. Even as the show outpaced George R. R. Martin's books, it stayed true to these themes. So it wouldn't make sense for the show to suddenly endorse these very things by having Daenerys claim the throne through conquest. That would be lazy writing. Her tragic ending may have been hard to watch, but it was a natural consequence of her constant struggle between her desire for power and her desire to do what's right.
And while some may say that Daenerys' character arc didn't make sense, it's important to remember that she was always caught between two powerful forces within herself. In the end, her darker side won out as she became consumed by her quest for revenge. But even then, the blame for the deaths of thousands in King's Landing cannot be placed solely on her shoulders. She was a product of her upbringing and the circumstances that led her to that point.
As Tyrion Lannister once said, "You need to take your enemy's side if you're going to see things the way they do." Perhaps it's time for us to do the same and see the ending of Game of Thrones from a different perspective. The legacy of the show remains untarnished, and the ending, while not perfect, still holds significant value in its dramatic conclusion.
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