Stop it. The Game of Thrones finale was perfection

It’s an emotional time for us all. And, if you disagree, then you’re either not a Game of Thrones fan or you’re just heartless. However, there may also be another reason that you’re not feeling particularly gushy – the season finale just didn’t work for you.

If you relate to any of the above, you’re wrong.

For the past nine years, our lives have been impacted by dragons, bizarre sibling relationships and a whole load of stabbing. But, Game of Thrones is so much more than that.

Although we love a good slaughter, Game of Thrones has spent eight seasons creating complex characters, interwoven storylines and intricately drawn-out twists and turns. On top of all that, it has created some of the most iconic pieces of dialogue ever to hit our screens, spoken by some of the most multi-faceted characters, almost like they are actual human beings.

If action sequences were purely enough to keep us hooked for almost a decade, we’d all be able to remember what Nicholas Cage looks like.

But, Game of Thrones is not Sharknado, it’s clever, intricate and character-driven and we’ve been building up for years to a moment that has been predetermined and intelligently crafted.

As such a huge part of our lives, we have become attached to the characters who we’ve watched overcome strife and evolve into their present-day selves. Almost like they are actual human beings. We’ve watched Arya go from a mischievous little girl into a badass, Night King slaying warrior and we’ve watched Tyrion go from an outcasted lost-cause to the King’s Hand.

The ones who didn’t really veer away from their original personas are Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen. In fact, in season 2, Dany pretty clearly stated her intentions for the final season, stating, “When my dragons are grown, we will take back what was stolen from me and destroy those who wronged me! We will lay waste to armies and burn cities to the ground! Turn us away, and we will burn you first!” So, we probably should have seen what was coming. Till the bitter end, Dany was fulfilling her destiny, like a Queen.

Broody and continuously inactive Jon also comes full circle, after continuously saying he did not want to be king. In fact, he returns to the only position he ever chose, with the Night’s Watch. However, realising that there’s nothing threatening the Wall any more (relief!), he takes his place amongst the Wildlings, the only place he truly belonged.

Our allegiance falls with said characters, that’s where our journeys started and that’s where our journeys ended. As a huge part of people’s lives, the characters deserved the focus at the end so that’s what we got, an homage to how far they’ve come and how far we’ve come too. I guess people just prefer murder.

It’s safe to say, like the wounded soldiers we are, we’re all pretty heartbroken that the show had to end in the first place. We’ve invested a lot into it so we have every right to feel a little robbed. We all had our own ideas of how we wanted things to pan out. I personally would have loved a little Jaime evolution in which he realises that Cersei is his personal plague and returns to Brienne, but I suppose his character didn’t evolve much either and she remained his Kryptonite until his dying breath.

In my opinion, the characters ended up exactly where they should have. The orchestrator of pretty much the entirety of the show’s events post-Night King discovery, Bran Stark took over the throne as the only person who didn’t completely NOT want the role, Sansa continued her father’s legacy by protecting her beloved Winterfell, Arya, being the independent woman that she is, set sail for more adventures, Tyrion was recognised for his best asset – his mind and even strong, powerful, invincible Cersei broken and reduced to rubble. The list goes on really. (Sorry, Dany.)

Moving away from what actually happened in the single last episode and focusing on the other 72 episodes, Game of Thrones has continuously delivered. From the acting, to the writing, to the set-design, the special effects, the costumes and even down to Cersei’s wig, we’ve all witnessed some of the greatest moments in TV history. Although some of us are walking away thinking that the show could have done a bit more to round-off, we have to show major respect to everyone who put blood, sweat and tears into creating something epic purely for our entertainment. So while you’re ranting about Bran’s lack of linguistic flare, remember the journey.

“Life doesn’t have neat, happy endings; it is ambiguous and ultimately inconsequential. To end Game of Thrones with uncertainty is perhaps the most honest way to end a story so vast and complex — and that uncertainty is what we all feel as we begin our life after Thrones.” – Isaac Hempstead-Wright.

For the tears, for the laughter, for the camaraderie and for the North, Game of Thrones, we thank you.