In 2019, everyone was hyped because Game of Thrones was finally coming to an end. Unlike other shows where people don’t really look forward to the end, GOT was different because there were things and events we wanted to see happen at the end of nearly 4203 total minutes of watching the series.
Events like Arya Stark crossing off the remaining names on her kill list like Cersei, The Hound, and co., Jon Snow or Daenerys sitting on the Iron Throne, and more.
However, season 8 felt like a case of “what we ordered” VS “what we got” because we got next to none of our fan desires, save for the Night King dying.
Still, I’m here to make a claim for season 8 with my unpopular opinion on how the show actually played out better than we wanted, and why we should all accept it for what it is.
Arya discarding her kill list allowed her to become the hero we wanted her to be
The truth is, yes, we wanted Arya to go on a revenge spree and take out everyone on her list using the faceless god techniques she learned along the way.
And while I did want her to be the one to end Cersei, the fact that she dropped the list and focused on helping in the fight against the White Walkers helped transform her into the hero she was meant to be and save the world.
Daenerys was just as bad and mad as her father and brother
Throughout the series, Daenerys saved people, amassed her army, and continually added to her titles, which all helped her claim as the rightful heir to the throne.
However, her destruction of Westeros, killing innocent people even with her army and friends fighting there, was enough proof that she wasn’t worthy of the throne after all. She was just as mad as her father (The Mad King) and her brother, Viserys.
Jon Snow couldn’t rule even though he was a Targaryen
Sure, Jon would have been a better king than Daenerys and all the other Targaryens we saw on the show, but he couldn’t have ruled.
Aside from the fact that “he dun wannit,” the Targaryens had done enough damage to Westeros while in power or vying for power, so why should he come out again as one of them to rule? Will the people truly accept him when Daenerys that everyone thought was a good leader just finished spitting fire all over Westeros?
The essence of Season 8 was for everyone to confront or pay the price for their mistakes.
Ned definitely made a mistake not telling Jon his true heritage, Jamie made a mistake throwing Bran off the tower, and Cersei made a mistake not agreeing to help in the fight against the White Walkers.
Tyrion and Varys, two of the smartest people in the series, made the mistake of thinking Daenerys was a worthy ruler, Theon made a mistake betraying the Starks, Daenerys herself made a mistake going dracarys on Westeros, and more.
From the first episode in Season 1, there had been these big reveals, pockets of moments, and conclusions we had all come to in our minds of these characters and how we wanted their stories, both individually and overall, to play out.
However, these characters ended up facing their mistakes or paying the price of their actions, whether they did so in good faith or not.
And that was the true essence of season 8. That was why Bran was the best person to rule in the end because he was one of the few characters who actually never made a mistake, didn’t want power for himself, nor back up someone vying for power. In fact, in his helplessness, he was the one who put himself on the line so Arya could end the Night King and save the world.
These are my opinions on Game of Thrones season 8 and why I think if you look back at it, it actually was a good season. Sure, it didn’t end the way we hoped it would, but there was more to the season if you looked at it a little deeper.
Like you, I was pissed about the season when it finished airing, but looking back at it now, I don’t think it was a bad season.
What do you think about my unpopular opinion? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.