Peter Dinklage has spoken about theGame of Thronesseries finale, “The Iron Throne,” and he’s right when he gives it praise. Five years on,Game of Thrones’ endingremains divisive at best, and is still commonly held up as a prime example of hownotto end a TV show. Elements such as Daenerys Targaryen’s death at the hands of Jon Snow, and Bran Stark becoming king, were derided upon airing and the consensus, such as there is one for a show that tens of millions of people watched, hasn’t shifted.
Still, not everyone dislikes the finale, and as one of the mainGame of Thronescastmembers, Dinklage’s words carry weight. He has previously defended “The Iron Throne,” and when asked about it recently,Dinklage once again supportedGame of Thrones' finale, saying:
Again, just my opinion.I like the finale! You don’t have to agree with me. How about if I said like, ‘Yeah, I agree. I hated the finale. The whole last season was horrible’? I mean, that would sit much worse than if I said I loved it, which I did. I can’t speak for anybody else’s opinion, and that’s what makes what we do fun, because everybody does have a difference of opinion and everybody gets to write about it and chat about it and drink over it and argue about it . It’s great. I mean, I think it means you’re doing something right. It’s like an old Irish way of looking at the world. There’s something wrong if everything’s OK. [Laughs.]
Peter Dinklage Is Right: Game Of Thrones' Series Finale Is Good
“The Iron Throne” Isn’t Entirely Perfect, But It Is Satisfying
Dinklage’s comments are absolutely his own opinion and come from the position of someone who worked on the show for close to a decade, making it more understandable he’d be willing to defend it. It may not be the most popular opinion on howGame of Thronesseason 8concluded, butI can’t help but agree with him. I liked the finale a lot, and absolutely loved parts of it. It wasn’t perfect and, like Dinklage says, there’s nothing wrong with differing opinions (which also shows they didn’t play it safe), but for me, it worked.
13.6 million
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AfterDaenerys burned King’s Landing, her fate was unavoidable. Her villainous turn could have had more time to set it up, but those “fire and blood” aspects had long been part of her arc. Her being killed in an ash-filled throne room, so close to the thing she’d always wanted and dying in front of it - by the person she loves, no less - is a suitably grand and tragic end for one of the show’s best characters. That Jon had to do it was also fitting, tying in neatly to themes of duty, honor, and love that had been prevalent throughout his arc.
Seeing [the Starks] say goodbye makes me genuinely emotional, and the last 15-20 minutes following their respective journeys… comes close to being a perfect way to close out their stories.
Bran becoming king was also a smart choice, albeit if, again, it could have been better. Certainly, it could have explained more about hisThree-Eyed Raven identity(and it definitely shouldn’t have cut him from season 5 if this was the plan), but he’s a strong pick. Being king doesn’t fit Jon’s character, especially after killing Dany;Bran is the one person who can literally see the past and learn from it, and does not want for power. It might not be breaking the wheel, but it’s about as close asThronescould’ve reasonably got.
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As for the other Starks, their fates are my favorite part of the series finale. Seeing them say goodbye makes me genuinely emotional, and the last 15-20 minutes following their respective journeys - Sansa as Queen; Arya sailing West; Jon going back to the far North - comes close to being a perfect way to close out their stories. In the end, “The Iron Throne” is shocking, poignant, and bittersweet, and that’s why I think Dinklage is right about it.
Game Of Thrones Gave Tyrion Lannister The Right Ending
Him Being The Hand Of The King Makes Sense
When looking at Dinklage’s comments onGame of Thrones' series finale, it’s also worth considering his own character.Tyrion’s impact had waned a little before season 8, episode 6, but he influences things in a big way in “The Iron Throne,“from helping Jon realize he must kill Daenerys, to pushing forBran to be made Westeros' king. It’s a last example of Tyrion pulling the strings and using his wit and wisdom to get his own way, or at least do what he thinks is right, and that’s why his eventual fate makes sense.
Tyrion being Hand of the King, and back in King’s Landing, is a good ending for him.
Tyrion being Hand of the King, and back in King’s Landing, is a good ending for him.Tyrion’s best work (and that of Dinklage) came in Westeros' capital: his single best scene is his trial speech in season 4, but his best season-long arc is as Hand of the King in season 2. Tyrion returning to that at the end, but in a way that’s tinged more with tragedy than triumph after what happened with Daenerys, is very much befitting of his journey.
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One part of Tyrion’s role inGame of Thrones' series finale is often mocked, and that’s his line"who has a better story than Bran the Broken?“Even this, though, I think makes sense: for starters, Branhadbeen on a remarkable journey, the problem is more in howGame of Thronestold it to viewers. But more so for Tyrion, who has always had a soft spot for"cripples, bastards, and broken things,“then him supporting Bran and being so fascinated by his story works.
Game Of Thrones' Did Have Big Tyrion Problems Long Before The Series Finale
The Show Didn’t Always Know What To Do With Tyrion In Later Seasons
While I agree with Dinklage’s remarks aboutGame of Thrones' ending, there are problems with looking at Tyrion’s arc as a whole. For as brilliant as he was in King’s Landing, once he left there, it often felt like the show didn’t really know what to do with his character. Part of this comes from going beyond the books, but also from changing them: Tyrion becomes much darker and more hateful in the laterA Song of Ice and Firenovels, andGame of Thronesmostly avoided this.
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Because of that, then it meant Tyrion was sidelined quite a bit.“I drink and I know things"may have become one of Tyrion’s best quotes, but a lot of the time only the first part of that was accurate. Tyrion was stranded in Meereen without the same level of influence, and even when he returned to Westeros, he made some truly terrible decisions - indeed, I’d argue the plot to capture the wight is the single dumbest idea anyone had across all eight seasons.
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He wasn’t always a good advisor to Daenerys, and I think her transformation into the “Mad Queen” would have worked better with the darker Tyrion encouraging her (which I think will happen in the books), rather than trying to sway her from that path. Still, I think they got him back on track by the end ofGame of Thronesand gave him an important role in the finale, which was only right for someone who had been one of the show’s great characters (and Dinkklage one of its greatest actors).
Game Of Thrones
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Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
