Game Of Thrones Season 8 Finale: 10 Ups And 3 Downs From 'The Iron Throne'

2. It Nails The Emotional Beats

Dany Drogon Game Of Thrones
HBO

The one thing we've long known about Game of Thrones' ending is that it was going to be bittersweet. This was never going to be a completely happy story, but nor was it going to simply be a case of 'everyone dies, lol'.

For that to work, then the finale needs to be emotionally satisfying, and thankfully it absolutely nails all of those beats.

It gets off to a good start, with Tyrion discovering the bodies of Jaime and Cersei. Peter Dinklage acts the hell out of the scene (and the whole episode, really), and it helps justify so many of his decisions regarding his family. Jon holding Dany is powerful, but even more so is Drogon's devastated response to her death, with that quiet nudging of his mother before the destruction of the Iron Throne. And then when he picks her up and flies off with her body... is it weird to be tearing up at a CGI dragon?

Then we get the final farewell between the Starks, which is beautifully played. Jon's farewell to each of them is loving, moving, and ok it's definitely not weird to be tearing up at this bit because man these Starks have been through so much, and while they're all being separated once again, just like they were at the beginning, at least this time it's with much brighter futures ahead.

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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.