'Game of Thrones' Series Finale Review

The episode picks up right after Daenerys sets Kings Landing ablaze, burning the city to ashes, and killing the civilians within. It is with Tyrion we spend the first few minutes, walking through to the Red Keep, where he finds Jaime and Cersei laying dead underneath the rumble. Then, Jon has a disagreement with Grey Worm over executing the remainder of Cersei's army before going to face the new Queen herself.

In my opinion, one of the best parts of the show was when Daenerys is walking towards her loyal liberators as Drogon's wings extend behind her while he takes flight. It was amazing to see the Targaryen legend come to life in a great cinematography metaphor.

While the episode, admittedly, was not the most interesting, the ending to the series wasn't terrible.

Now, hear me out!

The show constantly proves to do the unexpected. Daenerys wanting to take the throne had been built up throughout the entire show that would have made that ending too cliche. Jon seizing the throne through his birth right would have been too predictable. Both scenarios were what most of the viewers wanted anyway, and the show also proves to deliver the exact opposite of that as well.

Bran was not only unexpected, but he was also the only choice. He was the only person with no real desire to rule; therefore, he was the best fit for the crown. He stated earlier in the show that he didn't "want" anymore. He wouldn't ever fall victim to humanly aspiration. And, as the Three-Eyed-Raven, he had the power to understand what was truly best for the realm.

A lot of us are saddened, or, even, outraged, at Jon being sentenced back to the Wall. I, myself, had wanted better for Jon. But, being back at Castle Black was the best thing for him. Being free was something Jon had wanted from the very moment his Lord Commander revealed he knew of the wildling giving up his sons as offerings to the White Walkers, and had done nothing about it. While I believed he deserved the throne, he didn't want it. He wanted to be King Beyond the Wall, and that's what he got. Can we not just be happy that he's happy?

I did not like Sansa from the start. She betrayed Arya to appeal to Joffrey and Cersei. Even after that backfired, and her dire wolf, Lady, was executed in the place of her sister's, Nymeria, for biting Joffrey, she still loved and wanted to marry him to be queen. That's all she wanted. She went through a lot after that; realizing the monster that her beloved really was, then, being forced into the abusive marriage with Ramsey. When things were finally looking up, however, she questions Daenerys, which, at the time, caused me to dislike her even further (because, like many others, the Dragon Queen was one of my favorite characters). But I understand her methods. The North had been fighting for independence for years, and, after declaring a rebellion with first Robb, then Jon, her brother was about to give it all up for some foreigner none of them knew. I did not like that Sansa got what she wanted in the end, but she really did deserve it for finally freeing the North like her father had envisioned.

As much as I would have loved for Arya and Gendry to end up together, it would have been out of character for her to accept his proposal. She wasn't a lady; she never has been, and never would be. She said this several times throughout the show. She may have loved Gendry, but she wasn't in love with him. And there's a difference. She couldn't be tied down to any person, or even land. Sailing west was something that made her happy.

Finally, the death of Daenerys. A sensitive subject. A lot of people think she went mad in a matter of seconds in order to tie up the show. But, if we look back on the entire series, she slowly becomes more and more keen to execute anyone who stood in her way, and less and less advisable. She set Varys on fire, because Jon told Sansa who told Tyrion who told Varys about Jon's true identity. She lost her husband, her baby, two of her dragons, and both of her best friends. Her Hand was starting to fail her countless times, and betrayed her in the end. Although Tyrion did with good intentions, it was still betrayal. Her newfound lover was a newfound threat to her throne—the one thing she had been fighting for, the one thing she lost so much to gain. She wanted justice for her loss. When the bells began to ring, she realized she would never get her well-deserved justice, and she couldn't take it. She went full on mad; something that had been building up throughout the whole show. Yes, it was sad, and I wish she hadn't. But it was a long time coming. And Jon was the only one who should have ended her life. Not only was he the only one she would have allowed close enough to kill her, but he was also the only one "pure" enough to kill our Khaleesi.

Drogon burning the throne was the other best part of the episode. It was nice to see he understood that the desire for the throne inevitably killed his mother. Although I would have loved to see Drogon try to burn Jon and have him stand amidst the flames unharmed, like a true Targaryen.

All in all, it wasn't the ending I had initially wanted, but it was the ending the show deserved. It was unexpected, but everyone got what would make them happy. It ended as it began:

Daenerys was Aerys, the Mad King; Sansa was Ned, fighting for freedom for the North; Arya was Uncle Benjen, traveling the world; and Jon was Aemon, a Targaryen banished to the Night's Watch.

But Bran... Bran was the broken wheel.