Some thoughts on Game of Thrones.

Some thoughts on Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones is done and immediately the complaining began. After waiting for months, the anticipation for the final season had built for us to an all time high. A high that I quickly realized the writers could never top.

So I watched this last season and felt bad, not for the characters but for the writers.

They were given an impossible task, six episodes to wrap-up years of character development, multiple plot-lines, and watch as they dove into unknown territory. What also didn’t help was the lack of source material. The last two books in the series are not out, and the direction Martin planned was unclear. Even though he gave some input, Martin’s past writing proved a perfect crutch for the writers to lean on, during the earlier seasons, not so this year.

Most people are complaining that the show didn’t end they thought it should. Many were upset with Dany’s dark turn, even thought it’d been foreshadowed throughout the entire series. Many complained that not enough characters were killed during the Battle of Winterfell, despite the fact that we saw a lot of deaths. Thing is, if every show ended the way we wanted, why bother watching it?

Surprises and plot turns are what make complicated stories like GoT great. We’ve loved them earlier in the series, so why hate them at the end? Is it because it is the end? I think so. We can handle an unpopular plot twist in early seasons because we know that the writers will explain or correct things in the seasons to come. Good writing can explain why that surprise in past seasons was needed and necessary. But they can’t do that with the last season or the last show.

I read several posts, after the show ended last night, where people complained about the writing. Some said they could do better.

Really? If that’s the case, why aren’t you writing? If you think you can do better, give this simple exercise a try. Write an outline for season eight that does the following, concludes all aspects of the story in six episodes, wraps up all the plot-lines that’d built up since season one, continues the character development of all the characters and uses that to the final season’s benefit, and most importantly, end the series in a way that carries on the show’s tradition of shocking plot twists and surprises, while not upsetting anyone. And that final part, I think you’ll find is impossible. Trust me on this, you’ll never be able to make everyone happy.

So as for me, I’m happy with the ending. Things didn’t go the way I’d hoped and that’s okay. I’ve enjoyed this ride for years and now, I’ll look forward to the next series that captures our hearts.