Game Of Thrones Finale: How Each Major Character Ending Was Setup (& Why They Work)

Game of Thrones' ending was divisive, but it was also true to its characters.

Game of Thrones Daenerys Iron Throne
HBO

Winter has come for the last time. There's no more of knowing nothing. All shows must die, and this one has. The Song of Ice and Fire has been sung. Game of Thrones is finished, for good.

The HBO series drew to a close with The Iron Throne, and both a bang and a whimper from a fanbase that has been very much divided not only by the 73rd and final episode, but all of Season 8. It's true there have been issues to get us to that endpoint, with the truncated season leading to a lot of rushing in the last six episodes, but there's been a lot to praise as well.

In George R.R. Martin's initial plan for the series, the five most important characters, the ones it would come down to, were Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister, and Bran & Arya Stark. The series finale of the TV show does the same, with Sansa Stark thrown in for good measure (reflecting her growth on the show, and also how Martin's plans for the character have changed too).

It's through these characters we get the end of Game of Thrones. Each one has a key part to play, and each one gets their own ending to wrap-up the arcs we've been following for the past eight years. And while there may have been some stumbles on the journeys, there should be much less quibbling about the destinations. They're all exactly where they needed to be.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.