Game Of Thrones: The Ending We Deserve

Cassidy Kylin 
Contributing Writer

*Spoilers ahead*

The series finale has finally come and there are many mixed reviews. Some fans would argue that the writing in the entire season has been lackluster and that we deserve more from the show we have come to love over the past 10 years. However disappointed you are, I think that this finale was fitting for the themes and objectives of the show. Throughout the eight seasons, there have been numerous plot twists and unexpected character development, so it is not a surprise that the finale is just that.

After last week’s episode and the destruction of King’s Landing, fans did not know what to expect for the final episode. Daenerys finally got the revenge she’s been looking for, but in the process she turned mad and lost the faith of the people who had been supporting her. There are many people out there who think this turn of character was unexpected and unlike the Daenerys we have come to love. However, I think that this path was the only path for the writers to take because if she had not turned there would have been no development in her character during the entire show. Daenerys’ only motivation the entire series was to win the Iron Throne and when a character is on a quest for power it is inevitable that it will get them in a power-hungry way, which is exactly what happened.

For Jon Snow, his loyalty and care for the well-being of the kingdoms shines through in this final episode because of the difficult choices he had to make. There are many different ways he could have gone since he is the true heir to the throne, but Jon never wanted to be king so he keeps his true identity a secret even after he makes the choice to kill Daenerys. He knew that her plans for the world would only bring more violence and death to each kingdom she entered, and even though Jon loves her with all his heart, he knew that this was his only option so there would be no more death. This results in the decision to send Jon back to the Night’s Watch, which is only fitting because that is where he started. He made a full circle and realized that the Night’s Watch is where he belongs.

When the high lords and ladies gathered to discuss what the next step was, no one knew what the right decision should be. One major theme throughout the show was to break the wheel of power that has been in place since the beginning of time. This wheel only promoted poverty and violence for those who were not born into high-ranking families. These families held all the power because of the name they were given. Daenerys wanted to break this wheel, so Tyrion suggested a way to do just that. Tyrion has always been one to tell stories and in these final scenes he discusses how important stories are for the common people. There is no other character that has a better story than Bran the Broken, so he was chosen as the new king. Since the lords and ladies all voted on choosing Bran as the new king, they decided that there would be no more heirs. Instead, they would gather to vote on a new king so there would not be any more violence over who should have power — thus breaking the wheel.

Not only does Bran get a new title, but Sansa does as well. Since the Northmen are extremely loyal and have already lost so much, she explains that it would be very hard to get them to bend the knee again. She declares that the North will remain an independent kingdom with her at the throne. This claim from Sansa shows how much she has grown since the beginning. She has always wanted to be queen, but throughout the show she went through many hardships and through these hardships she learned many valuable lessons that led to the woman she is at the end of the show. She found that her home is in the North and not King’s Landing, which is where she started. There are also some parallels between her and Cersei that have been noted throughout the last few seasons, and the crown that she is given in the final scene of this episode is very similar to the one Cersei wore, which suggests that Sansa obtained the good qualities about ruling that Cersei had.

This episode allowed the characters to fulfill their character development and become who they have been working to be. Arya sets out to explore new worlds, which is something she has done since the beginning. Sansa finally found her voice and has proven her loyalty to and power in the North. Jon found his home in a place where names don’t matter and the only thing that matters is the relationships one builds with one’s brothers. Bran finally gets to use his Three-Eyed Raven powers for the people. This episode definitely leaves us with many more questions and did not give us everything we wanted. However, with a show that has this big of a fanbase, who’s to say that the story is really over? One could argue that it has only just begun.                 

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