All Game of Thrones fans are going through their best and worst times. While the worlds of ice and fire have collided in a thrilling way, it is hard for fans to accept that the end is here. Game of Thrones has only one episode left in season 7 and six more in the series.
D.B. Weiss and David Benioff the recent episodes are pure muscle. The chess pieces are not just being put in their place, but they are being hurled across like the Night King’s spear. These events are still worlds apart from the tempered approach that seduced all Game of Thrones fans.
When compared to the seasons inspired by the books of A Song of Ice and Fire, the seventh season has steered away from the vision of George R. R. Martin. HBO has done a job in keeping the pieces together. Game of Thrones we have known for the last two seasons is its own entity. Without GRRM’s guidance and the final two books, it is inexplicable why HBO chose to accelerate rather than protract the narrative.
THE ISSUE WITH GEOGRAPHY
Fantasy worlds rarely rely on real world logic but the most recent season of Game of Thrones defies the internal rules. Geography has become a clear nuisance to the writers. They have their characters teleported from one location to the location other without any explanation.
First Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth spent months traveling through Westeros, weeks where Tyrion Lannister was kept captive, months where Jon Snow wandered and an entire season where Dany was in a desert.
In season seven, however, Gendry dispatches a raven from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and that reaches Daenerys Targaryen within minutes and compels her to fly to the north in seconds flat
Geography has been crucial to GRRM’s story has been disrespected. The detailed map of Westeros has given the show a sense of scale. But also makes it harder for characters to get to places. Before “Beyond The Wall,” the ravens were the most common means of communication.
THE COLLAPSE OF CHARACTER LEGACY
For the first time in seven seasons, Game of Thrones has put an end to the characters’ continuing growth in favor while moving the plot from A to Z. Tyrion Lannister was once a respected advisor and strategist. He single-handedly saved his kingdom. But in season 7, he is a fool. He has given Daenerys military advice that devastated the armies. His idea to capture a wight gets Viserion killed. And this also endangers Jon Snow’s suicide squad.
Then his brother, Jaime. He has spent several seasons running in circles. Game of Thrones has done a great job in developing his character arc as he moved him from a child-paralyzing sister-lover to a sympathetic man.
But he backslides time and time again. It is a Sisyphean trait, but the show has stripped the character of his agency.
Varys, the famed Spider survived genital mutilation as a child. He then went on to amass blackmail to bury every leader in the Kingdoms. But in season 7, his character suffered a second castration. Rather than dealing the punches, he takes the slights of Melisandre, the threats of Dany, and stands around with one hand in his coat and the other on a cup of aged wine.
He is a listening-ear to Tyrion. And Littlefinger who is the only character who could outsmart Varys has been demoted to a schemer who bears no resemblance to his Machiavellian.
Game of Thrones was confidently presented as an adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire. Showrunners made it clear that a bigger picture would be preserved by making alterations along the plot. Changes like leaving Lady Stoneheart behind, wrapping Victarion and Euron Greyjoy into a hybrid are understandable. But what fails to be comprehended is that the show dives into arcane parts of Westeros for six seasons and then sacrifice those pursuits in the grand finale.
Why did they make a big show of Sam’s voyage to The Citadel when they finally had him leave the city without having accomplished his goals? As ASoIaF aficionados know, The Citadel is the center of secrets. The Hightower is built on a mysterious foundation and knowledge of The Long Night is just a hop away.
Yes, Gilly encountered her reading, but it appears that the seasons-long diversion was so that Sam could learn about Jon’s true heritage.
How can season 8 and the six episodes tie up the loose ends of what Arya encountered at Braavos? How can it explore the extent of Bran Stark’s powers? How can it show the fans the nature of the Lord of Light?
THE END OF THE BUILT ENIGMA
Game of Thrones was a show that was filled with complexity and one that inspired hundreds of message boards. But now, the mysterious and magical aspects of the show have been jettisoned in favor of a good-versus-bad play. The White Walkers and the Night King were once enigmatic and now that they can walk on fire. What?!
And he can hill down a dragon from 1,000 yards with a flick of the wrist.
Benioff and Weiss have said that they knew the exact number of episodes that they needed to finish the story. A season consisted of 10 episodes, but season 7and season 8 will only have 13 combined.
It feels like the writers, before the cliff hit the accelerator and barreled over the edge.
Game of Thrones hauls in about 10 million viewers per week and is the network’s most popular show. If it does go for 12 seasons and continues to perform at a high level, fans would surely eat it up
So, why the eagerness to wrap up the story so fast?
Do they fear a failure or an eagerness to play it safe?
So, ASoIaF readers who have been with the series since the beginning in 1996 have been most affected. They are a couple that has been dating for more than ten years, had dreams of their future, but missed their wedding day and read about it online.
In the Endgame of Thrones, the storytelling we have all come to love has flashed before our eyes. Winter is finally here and we are unprepared for the end.
