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What went wrong for Game of Thrones?
(Part 1)
The series finale of Game of Thrones aired about a week ago, and like most people I talked to and a lot of people online I had a lot of mixed feelings about it. Coupled with the release of Avengers: Endgame, to me it represents the culmination of a decade of universe-building and a significant cultural moment for me and my generation. Both franchises were a huge part of my young adult life, and despite both having spinoffs and sequels in the works, I can’t help but feel like it’s the end of an era.
But in contrast to Endgame, which I felt gave me exactly the closure I needed, Thrones left me wanting. Something about the way things ended felt hollow, meaningless and arbitrary. Like they ended things the way they did just because.
And I’m not alone in feeling let down by the season. Not a single friend or family member has said they were extremely satisfied by how it ended. No one in my social media sphere or at work has expressed better than mixed feelings. And any online search will show that it was the lowest-rated season both for critics and audiences.
It’s been tough to put my finger on exactly what is wrong with it, which has been troubling because I know it’s impossible to make everyone happy in a finale. Because they are so final by nature, it’s bound to wrap up plotlines in ways that…
