By Surabhi Pandey

FYI: Major Spoilers Ahead

We have loved Game Of Thrones and hated it, made theories and debated over conjectures. We have lived by and grown with our favourite characters, mourned their deaths and celebrated their victories. After ten years of ups and downs, the last season of the GOT saga has finally concluded. From record-breaking TRPs to coffee cups in Winterfell, this six-episode finale was in the news for some expected and some totally unexpected events.

When the final episode premiered this week, the internet had an imbalanced reaction- some people hated it, some hated it even more while some absolutely loved it. Having been an ardent follower of the show, I personally loved the conclusion- it was unpredictable yet lived by some very early prophecies and had several moments that had me crying like a baby. 

Assuming that you have already seen the last episode that is why you are here, I am not going to talk about the chronological details of what happens in the eighty-minute episode. If you saw it you know that Dany dies, Bran is the King of six (not seven) kingdoms, Sansa is the Queen in the North and Arya embarks upon a journey to explore the West. Jon Snow goes back to the Nightwatch where he is reunited with Ghost. 

Drogon and Tyrion Lannister: Heroes Of The Finale 

For me, Drogon was one of the true stars of the show, especially the finale. From being a war hero to growing into a compassionate pet who is sincere and loyal beyond imagination- Drogon has had a journey of his own. 

In the last episode, when Jon Snow approaches Dany’s castle, he gets up sniffs Jon and then lets him go. In those few seconds of silence, Drogon and Jon’s chemistry gives away an understanding of something big that is about to happen. A few scenes later, inside the castle, the second Jon kisses Danaerys holding her tightly in his arms, I knew something was wrong (or rather right).  Jon stabs Dany.

Seeing his mother lying almost dead on the floor, Drogon impatiently nudges her several times and then he looks up and cries out loudly. I had goosebumps during that scene. When Drogon looks at Jon with tears in his eyes, pain on his visage and fire within, for a minute, I almost convinced myself that Jon was going to die. But instead Drogon directs his wrath to the iron throne and it melts leaving a void in the castle- that scene is symbolic and deep on so many levels. 

As far as Danaerys Targaryen’s death is concerned, it was a shame for her character to lose everything like this but after episodes four and five there did not seem any other way for the people in the GOT world to have a chance. 

Another winner for me in the finale was Tyrion Lannister- from encouraging Jon to do “the right thing” to selecting Bran as the King of the Six Kingdoms- he stole the show. I might not have been very happy with Bran’s election had it not been for Tyrion’s pitch where he says that “who better than Bran the Broken, the keeper of our past stories, to lead us into the future”.

Some Other Memorable Moments

Game Of Thrones has always been about intricate details and symbolism, which they have not only conveyed through dialogues and character arcs but also in costumes and styling. The most evident example of this is Sansa Stark. In the past seasons, when she was inspired by Cercie, she dressed and braided her hair like the Queen, and when she was influenced by Margaery Tyrell, Sansa’s hair was braided similarly to her. 

In the finale, as Sansa is crowned the Queen in the North, her hair is free without any braids. She dresses up in a silver-white gown with embroidered details of the weirwood tree leaves.

The candid moments where all the Lords are sitting and discussing matters like restoration of ships and brothels in the country with the Hand of the King Tyrion Lannister also gives a sense of normalcy to the world of GOT.

From Jon’s unison with the wildlings and the unsullied’s decision to sail Naath- almost every character gets closure in the finale. We see the Dothrakis living in King’s Landing with other civilians and Samwell Tarly becomes a maester. 

Am I completely happy with how the show ended? Well, as Little Finger once said-“It doesn’t matter what we want. Once we get it, then we want something else.” So, I have decided to make peace, what about you?

Share how you feel about the finale in the comments below.