Lackluster “” finale Stark-ly disappoints

graphic by Elise Ko-Davis On the night of May 19, as the dramatic HBO countdown flashed across the screen, 18.4 million people congregated in front of their television screens to witness one of the most monumental entertainment events in the history of the small screen: the final episode of “Game of Thrones.” This record-breaking audience — made up of both dedicated fans who have tuned into every Sunday for the 73-episode saga and latecomers wondering what all the hysteria about dragons, zombies, and dwarves is about — tuned in for the finale of a show with unprecedented cultural significance. Finally, there would be an answer to the now 28- year-old question:whowillwintheGameofThrones?Buttheseason poised to serve as the crown jewel of HBO’s television lineup left fans unsatisfied and without closure. The eighth season of “Game of Thrones” was by no means boring or unentertaining. Season eight was filled with stunning visuals, like the Dothraki torches silently disappearing into oblivion during the battle of Winterfell and Drogon’s wings creating the illusion that Daenerys had wings of her own. And the shocking twists that came to define “Game of Thrones” over its first seven seasons were not missing from season eight either, with moments like ’s fiery entrance at the Battle of Winterfell and Daenerys’s death at the hands of her lover, Jon, causing viewers’ jaws to drop to the floor. But what was meant to be the season that cleanly and justly provided closure to its many beloved characters and storylines turned out to be a messy rush to tie up loose ends: an unwelcome departure from the artful storytelling of the earlier seasons. The final season’s largest issues can mostly be traced back to its sloppy pacing. Years of plotting, planning, and politics done by the power-hungry families of Westeros formed a smooth buildup to the conclusion of a story eight years in the making. ’s now Lackluster “Game of Thrones” finale Stark-ly disappoints

infamous quote, “winter is coming,” from the pilot episode kicks off the long and mysterious arc of the Night King. By the time episode three of season eight, “The Long Night,” aired, the arrival of the Battle of Winterfell meant that numerous storylines could finally merge back into one, and the many questions fans had about the white walkers, the Night King, and his posse of advisors could finally be answered. But the Night King’s death was anticlimactic and underwhelming. Out of nowhere, buried her dagger in the Night King’s gut, causing him, his army of the undead, and his dragon, Viserion, to instantly disappear into thin air. Even for the very capable and well-trained Arya, the suddenness of this scene seemed unrealistic and out of place compared to the brutal murders and shocking deaths “Game of Thrones” is famous for. What was, for seven seasons, hyped up to be the ultimate battle of the “Game of Thrones” universe was over in an instant, and there were still three episodes left to fill. This is a small part of a larger issue with pacing throughout the season — a grievance that many fans and critics shared. HBO and George R.R. Martin, the author of the book series on which the show is based, both wanted at least 10 seasons consisting of 10 episodes each to allow for the character development and slow but methodical build-up that the show had developed a reputation for. “Game of Thrones” creators and long- time writers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff (colloquially referred to as D&D) disagreed. This decision was made by a duo with such a very prestigious resume of critical successes such as “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2013) and “Stay” (2005), which received Rotten Tomatoes scores of 37 percent and 26 percent respectively. They decided only 13 episodes for the final two seasons combined were necessary to conclude the character arcs of 22 characters in the main cast and the story that had only grown more complicated with each new season. Lady , the stoic and loyal warrior who had so bravely protected the Starks with her life was transformed into a teary, lustful, and male-serving character in season eight; she wasn’t even present in the Battle at King’s Landing when she was needed most. Arya Stark, the young girl who, according to the Red Priestess, would forever shut “brown eyes, blue eyes, and green eyes” never fulfilled her prophecy. Character arcs that were years in the making were thrown out the window, and the very nature of characters with well- established personalities and storylines were outright ignored. All these issues could have been overlooked if the season delivered the ultimate denouement that fans had theorized about for decades. According to them, it didn’t. A Reddit-Based petition to “Remake Game of Thrones Season Eight with competent writers” — the largest online petition in history — garnered over 1.6 million signatures, sending a hostile message Lackluster “Game of Thrones” finale Stark-ly disappoints

to D&D. Obviously, fans’ efforts to force a do-over of the final season are futile, and were even met with backlash from cast members who called the petition “disrespectful.” But the millions of angry names that make up the petition are a clear indicator of an audience disillusioned by the much anticipated ending of “Game of Thrones.” No review of the final season of “Game of Thrones” could be complete without a mention of the beverages that had cameos in season eight. Episode four of this season, “The Last of the Starks,” with its slow development and seemingly nonexistent plot may have gone down as the least memorable episode of the season if it hadn’t been for the Starbucks cup sitting on the dinner table in the opening scene of the episode. And in the finale, as the lords and ladies of Westeros deliberated about who should rule the seven kingdoms, fans noticed a plastic water bottle behind the foot of . These blunders, while fun to point out, only exemplify the sloppy nature of the final season. They are indicative of the plummeting production value season eight showed that caused viewers to scoff, and became a larger topic of conversation than even the storyline. Mistakes like these, while small, are easily avoidable, and because of them, Monday morning conversations reverted their focus away from the incredible acting of the cast and the plot itself. Season eight of “Game of Thrones” was undeserving of the previous seven seasons, but even at its worst moments, “Game of Thrones” was a show with ambitious twists and turns, ruthless family feuds, and endless vulgar and provocative one-liners — all of which helped it to gain one of the largest and most devoted fan bases in television. Its ending left much to be desired, but was not enough to tarnish “Game of Thrones” legendary status in the world of entertainment. Its dedicated fans will always be sad to see the show come to an end, but the disappointing ending to season eight will not, or at least should not stop “Game of Thrones” from being considered a masterpiece in entertainment.