This is absolutely the ending GRRM had planned. The showrunners bumbled around and f**ked up a million plot details with lazy writing and fan service, but Arya killing the NK and Khaleesi razing King's Landing was always gonna be the ending. NK being defeated should have ended season 7, Dany losing her mind should have been season 8.
There was than fan theory going around that the night king took Kings landing and made them all zombies and went up north It would have been better than this mess
I said the same thing a few pages back after the great war episode. Unlike the Dexter series, Ill finish this one, only cause its a short season, yet it seems to get longer and longer somehow.
Story is still great....its just that we're seeing how shitty the show runners Benioff and Weiss really are. Once they ran out of books to convert to television, they got lazy and decided to rush things over the last 2 seasons and we see the results. Someone mentioned how there was no signs of Dany flipping to insane so quick. That's the type of thing a longer story arch and more episodes would have helped with. But they had to cram it all into 1 episode and of course it seemed rushed. But when you think about it, the following happened in that 1 episode. She lost her 2nd dragon (child). She lost her best and most loyal friend (Missandei). She was betrayed by Jon, Tyrion and Varys. Her act of kindness to allow Cersei's surrender is spat upon. She comes to the realization she will not be beloved. She recognizes Jon might be better suited to rule......all of the above making her life ultimately meaningless and a lie. And then there is the whole Targaryen "coin flip" thing. Yeah, Dany going nuts makes sense. But they did it over the course of like 45 minutes of show time in a series that's 8 years long. That don't make as much sense. I have no quibbles with the rest. I'm sure most wanted a "showdown" death of Cersei, but dying in fear and amazement with Jamie knowing how utterly wrong she was to think she could stand up to Dany was a fitting death. Clegane bowl was also pretty true to about what I figured would happen. I mean, how do you kill an undead Mountain anyways? You know nothing Jon Snow right to the end eh? Too damn much Ned Stark in Jon in that he takes loyalty and vows so seriously he turned a blind eye to Dany's growing madness until it was impossible to ignore. Get it now Jon? Prediction. Dany either kills or sentences Tyrion to death for his betrayal. Jon ultimately confronts Dany over it...says the killing has to stop. Dany sentences Jon to death. Arya saves Jon (or tries to) by killing Dany but is in turn killed.
Tyrion told Jaime to have those bells ring before releasing him. The bells weren't a surrender signal to Dany, it was Tyrion's plot to free his sister with his brother. At first glance Dany/Drogon looked like they were on a mad queen rampage but razing the red keep also trapped Cersei in it. Too bad for Ellaria if she was still in the dungeons.
Absolutely. The Dany vision happened while they still had book material and in that vision she's in the throne room but there's ashes. Definitely this is his ending. The difference is that it will feel less rushed.
Action was fabulous. The city crumbling with each dragon blow was seamless and powerful, good close up and distance views. All of that was decidedly high quality film stuff. The dragon was awesome. Liked Cersei walking right past the Hound on the stairs because she didn't matter. Liked when the spy realized he was found out. Was ok with Dany's mad turn because I think the moment people betray you in real life you flip in an instant. And that happened to her number of times this season plus she lost two of her children. That's a big deal. And then you are about to lose power and you sense that too. All reasons to blow. That came across to me and wasn't rushed. I also liked Jon and the black guy. Both played their role great, withJon in an awkward situation of having to fight when he didn't want to. Did not like Euron showing up on the beach miraculously to fight Jaimie, who should have died right there. Did not like Arya having gone all that way just to turn around, however, liked her journey through the city visually. That was compelling action. Overall thought it was pretty darn good time.
I thought that was one of the more interesting revelations in last nights episode... that in Dany’s vision it wasn’t Snow on the iron throne... it was ash. But yeah this is definitely GRRM’s “intended” ending. This has always been a huge anti war poem. You were never supposed to get an ending that glorified the path to ultimate power through bloodshed. It’s also the answer to Tolkien’s LOTR where he asked the question “what if Aragon was a terrible King?” and how the aftermath of destroying the ring was the most interesting part of the book series to Martin. The big question though is whether GRRM is changing the story now after its essentially already been spoiled? That inevitably has to have some consequences.
Had they done it this way it would have been infinitely better. They definitely should have made season 7 ten episodes ending in the battle of Winterfell and then made season 8 ten episodes with Dany descending into madness.
I guess it was a good thing Emilia Clark went to Rockets game before last night's episode. Clutch might not have been so eager to bend the knee. On the other hand maybe she could've taught the Rockets something about never slacking and crushing your enemies...
