Summary
- Game of Thrones had incredible highs and lows, crafting a lasting legacy despite missteps in final seasons.
- Season finales were iconic, with standout moments like Daenerys' heel turn and Jon Snow's fate.
- Season 8 is heavily criticized for its rushed conclusions, turning creators into fan punching bags.
Game of Thrones is a series full of incredible highs and saddening lows, but it's a show that fans should definitely watch if they love epic high fantasy stories. Despite its missteps in the final seasons, Game of Thrones has crafted a legacy that still endures to this day.
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The political intrigue and large-scale battles are incredible to watch, with every season ending with a finale that left fans wanting more. There are a few exceptions here, but the vast majority of season finales in Game of Thrones are in a class of their own and show why the series has attained such a loyal and devoted fanbase.
This list contains spoilers!
8 The Iron Throne
A Season Finale So Atrocious That It Destroyed What Little Goodwill Was Left
- Season 8 finale
Season 8 is a chapter of Game of Thrones that fans want to forget, discarding all the carefully constructed stories and world-building of the series in a legendarily bad move. By the time the show ended, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had transformed from two of the most celebrated names in the entertainment industry into the fans' personal punching bags.
The season finale showed the aftermath of Daenerys' disappointing heel turn, with Jon ending her life as the Iron Throne was burned by Drogon. The Great Council in the Dragonpit was equally frustrating, as fans were left with Bran as an unwanted king while things were resolved at a frighteningly fast pace.
7 The Dragon And The Wolf
As Decent As The Finale Was, It Was Also Indicative Of The Show's Growing Pains
- Season 7 finale
Season 7 was when the cracks in Game of Thrones' writing turned into massive fissures that couldn't be ignored anymore. Despite showing some important moments, the pacing of the season finale was all over the place and hard to digest.
Littlefinger's demise, the White Walkers breaching the wall, and Jon & Daenerys being involved romantically were satisfying highlights in the series. Still, one good episode couldn't undo all the damage caused by the show's decline at this point, which set the stage for a Season 8 that caused fans to turn on the series for good.
6 Valar Morghulis
Concludes And Sets Up Several Interesting Plotlines
- Season 2 finale
Back when Game of Thrones paced out its plotlines appropriately and didn't rush things, fans loved its season finales for providing satisfying conclusions to certain plotlines while building the anticipation for later seasons. Such was the case with Valar Morghulis, a simple yet effective season finale that calmed things down after the bombastic assault of Stannis on King's Landing.
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Arya heard an iconic passphrase for the first time, Margaery was betrothed to Joffrey, and Jon Snow became friendly with the Free Folk. It was a satisfying conclusion that didn't exhaust fans and felt like a great way to cap off yet another excellent season that was improving with every single episode.
5 Mhysa
Daenerys Is Acknowledged By The People She Saved
- Season 3 finale
The Red Wedding is one of the most shocking events in Game of Thrones, with fans witnessing the fallout of the same after the death of almost every relevant member of the Stark family. Seeing Robb's body be desecrated by the Freys will spark an anger in fans that they didn't know existed.
This season finale sees The Hound and Arya continue their journey together, but the highlight is Daenerys being accepted by the people of Yunkai as their Mhysa. It showed Daenerys being accepted by the people as a kind queen, which is what makes the events of Season 8 that much harder to fathom.
4 Fire And Blood
The Dragons Finally Hatch, Marking A Major Turning Point For The Series
- Season 1 finale
Season 1 of Game of Thrones was a bit shaky at times, but the incredible storytelling of the series, coupled with some brilliant swerves, left fans wanting more. After the shocking death of Ned Stark, fans couldn't wait to see how the story would evolve in the next episode.
The biggest highlight of Season 1's finale was Daenerys walking into her husband's pyre, only to come out unscathed as her dragons hatched. It cemented her aura as a rightful queen in front of the Dothraki, ensuring that only fools would rebel against her even if they had problems with a woman leading them.
3 Mother's Mercy
Jon Snow's Murder Sent Shockwaves Throughout The Fanbase
- Season 5 finale
Season 5 sees Game of Thrones riding its wave of popularity and success by giving various plotlines time to breathe. It also boasted several shocking moments, such as Jon Snow's stabbing and Cersei's walk of shame.
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2 The Winds Of Winter
The Explosion Of The Great Sept Is A Masterfully Crafted Scene
- Season 6 finale
There's no denying that fans had their problems with Season 6. However, all of these complaints are put to rest when fans witness the tense buildup to one of the most shocking moments in the series.
Cersei finally enjoys her long-awaited revenge on the Sept of Baelor, which explodes and leads to the death of several important characters in the series, including Margaery. This death deeply affects Tommen, who jumps to his death at the end of a beautiful sequence that has made the Season 6 finale legendary in the eyes of many. The cherry on top is Daenerys bringing her army to the main continent to establish her claim as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.
1 The Children
Tyrion Gets His Revenge Before Escaping King's Landing
- Season 4 finale
Season 4 is hailed by many as the best one of the lot in Game of Thrones, which is hefty praise indeed. Almost everything is perfect in this season, including a final scene where Tyrion finally gets his revenge on his father and Shae.
Hodor and Bran's journey is finally at a close, while the Hound gets his time to shine in a brutal battle against Brienne. Every scene is compelling in this finale and shows just how brilliant Game of Thrones was when it was at the peak of its powers.
- Release Date
- 2011 - 2019-00-00
- Showrunner
- David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
- Directors
- David Nutter, Alan Taylor, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff
Cast
-
Kit HaringtonJon Snow -
Isaac Hempstead WrightBrandon Bran Stark
WHERE TO WATCH
- Writers
- D.B. Weiss, George R.R. Martin, David Benioff
- Franchise(s)
- Game of Thrones
- Creator(s)
- David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
