Game of Thrones Gave All the Characters Perfect Endings
I have spent the last eight years worshipping this show through ups and downs, shock and delight. Few TV shows have ever made me scream at the TV or cheer out loud during viewing like this one has.
And for someone who loathes endings, I have to say this one was stunningly perfect. If I took the time to really pick it to pieces, I might find flaws, but honestly, nothing is perfect.
But don’t let me spoil the fallout of this show. Before you read this, you really have to watch the entire thing through to the end, then come back and tell me what you think.
Greyworm of Naath
“Naath. I’d like to see the beaches again.”
Greyworm’s ending is bittersweet and stunningly beautiful. The war is over, and he has lost the woman he loves and the woman he follows without question. With no one left to command his heart or mind, Greyworm takes his Unsullied on the ships to leave King’s Landing.
Before the Long Night, Missandei wanted to return to Naath when everything was over and the wars were done. Sadly she doesn’t survive that long, but Greyworm does, and he fulfills his promise to Missandei.
“My people are not peaceful. We will protect you.”
Though he lost Missandei, he still takes his people to protect Naath, just as he promised he would.
Tyrion Lannister – Hand of the King
“He’s made many mistakes. He’s going to spend the rest of his life fixing them.”
Tyrion has always wanted one thing — to survive and ensure that the people are not mistreated. The burning of King’s Landing acted as a tipping point, and he realizes all of his mistakes have led to this moment. But when Bran is named King, he calls on Tyrion to continue as his Hand. Tyrion says no, refuses, insists that he is unfit for the position. Greyworm agrees, wants to see him dead. But Bran reminds them that he is king, and justice is being served. It’s a great ending for Tyrion — and a great chance to fix his mistakes and start a new beginning as well.
Samwell, Brienne, Bronn, & Davos – King’s Council
First of all, Brienne finishing Jamie’s page objectively with the words — Died protecting his queen — teared me up. How hard it must have been for her to write those words. But her place as the Commander of the King’s Guard makes perfect sense.
Samwell becomes Archmaester in King’s Landing, which is also perfect for him. He left the Night’s Watch to become Maester for the Wall. Now he gets to hold a lofty Maester title in the capital instead, while keeping his life with Gill, Little Sam, and the new baby. A fitting position for his character arc.
Ser Davos becomes Master of Ships. A fitting title for a former smuggler/pirate.
Ser Bronn gets Highgarden and the Master of Coin title. Tyrion did promise him Highgarden in exchange for his services, and it’s nice to see that Bran agreed to carry out Tyrion’s promise. I’m not sure about him as Master of Coin — someone better keep an eye on him.
Bran The Broken – King of the Six Kingdoms
“Why do you think I came all this way?”
Who saw this coming? Bran. In fact, I’m sure he’s known this was his fate for at least two seasons, if not longer.
Bran on the throne made me feel uneasy at first, but I came around quickly for two reasons. First of all, who better to lead the kingdoms than the man who can see everything past, present, and future? No unexpected uprisings. No mistreatment of people anywhere in the kingdoms. Bran knows the mistakes of the past and how to avoid them in the future. Where Jon Snow knew nothing, Bran knows everything. Having someone with that sort of vision and complete lack of favoritism is actually a brilliant idea. So way to go, Tyrion.
Secondly, there are theories that the Three-Eyed-Raven can live an unnaturally long life. Some even believe that the old man who trained him was the future Bran. Perhaps the books explain this better, but the show doesn’t journey far into it. So there is a good chance that Bran could live for a very long time … if not forever.
Long live the King indeed!
Arya Stark – The Explorer
“What’s west of Westeros?”
Arya never would have been happy staying still. From the very beginning she knew that she was never meant to be a Lady, so settling down was never in the cards for her. (Sorry fans of the Arya-Gendry wedding, but it wasn’t in the stars.) Arya has traveled all of Westeros and to Essos. But way back in Season 6: Episode 8 Arya asks the same question. What’s west of Westeros? Now that balance has been restored, traveling across the sea feels like the only logical conclusion for Arya. Will she return? Maybe. Maybe not. We will never know. Though I will admit, I wouldn’t mind watching an Arya the Explorer spinoff.
Sansa Stark – Queen of the North
“Ned Stark’s daughter will speak for them. She’s the best they could ask for.”
Let’s face it, we all knew that Sansa was going to take control somewhere, and there must always be a Stark in Winterfell. It only makes sense that it would be her. There’s also a really rich history of independence in the North, which makes her proclamation — risky as it was — fitting. With Arya leaving, Bran the new King, and Jon a prisoner of war, it only makes sense that Sansa would be the Queen of the North. We all expected it in the 7th season, and it was obvious she wanted it when the Northerners declared Jon their king.
I also think that if the Lords and Ladies of Westeros had chosen her she would have taken the throne and merged the kingdoms. In fact, I think she even suppresses a surge of jealousy when Bran is nominated instead of her. If she were named Queen, she would not have declared the north its own kingdom.
But the North Remembers… and so does Sansa.
Jon Snow – Night’s Watch Beyond the Wall (And Tormund)
“You have the North in you. The TRUE North.”
Jon had a chance to be reunited with Tormund — one of his few remaining best friends — and Ghost. It was a stunning conclusion to his story.
All Jon ever wanted was to serve the realm and become a brother of the Night’s Watch. He said as much several times throughout the series. Jon accomplished so much in the Night’s Watch and saved thousands of Wildling lives. Tormund tells him that he has the true North in him, and it’s only fitting that Jon leads the Wildlings back beyond the wall, thus fulfilling his completed character arc.
Yes, he is a trueborn Targaryen, but Jon never wanted to be. All he wanted was to be accepted as a Stark and to serve in the Watch. By the end of the series, Jon gets both. It’s perfect and beautiful, and I teared up a little watching him ride beyond the wall with Tormund. Looks like we know who will become the next King Beyond the Wall… maybe. Or maybe he’s had enough of the games and will just be happy being.
Danerys Targaryen – Breaker of Chains
“I will break the wheel.”
What a journey this poor girl went on. From a timid little sister being married to a barbarian, to a powerful queen with thousands of troops at her back. All throughout her journey, Danerys promised to take what was hers with fire and blood — which she did — and that she would break the wheel — which her death accomplished. What a stunning story arc. I don’t care what anyone else has to say about it.
Jon was the only one who could kill Dany without raising suspicion from her and Drogon. Tyrion knew it. Varys knew it. Arya knew it. All three of them put Jon on the path that would lead to the inevitable choice. And they were right, Jon had a choice. He was the shield that guarded the realms of men, and killing her was another chink in his shield — for better or worse.
Dany died in the arms of a man she loved, and her vision for the future was brought to full fruition by those who followed her. They broke the wheel like she wanted and eliminated the need for tyrants. The only way her vision could have been realized while sparing the lives of the people from the wheel was with her death. Drogon melting the throne ensured that no one could ever fight for the Iron Throne again.
The Ending and Beginning Merged
I give this point an honorable mention in this post. The first scene we ever get in Game of Thrones is of a group of Rangers beyond the wall. It seems only fitting that it’s also the last scene we get. No more fights with Wildlings. No more Walkers beyond the wall. Where in the beginning there was danger and chaos, now the land beyond the wall is in peace.
The last images brought everything full circle again in an overwhelmingly satisfying way.
To those who are upset by how this story ended, I call shenanigans. A beautiful story with a beautiful ending needs to have character goals realized — even if not in the way we wanted or imagined. Game of Thrones accomplished this with precision.
And now our watch has ended.
