Who *Really* Won the Game of Thrones?

Written by Guest Contributor, Kat Hammond

WARNING: SPOILERS

I have to admit, last week I was very much on the bandwagon of everyone who was mad about how rushed this last and final season for Game of Thrones has felt. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was not going to feel any closure on the series after Sunday night. But after watching it, conversations with friends, and re-watching it, I realized I am not supposed to feel any closure. I am supposed to want to reach for the books by George R.R. Martin to find out how this all really went down. Now I feel like D&D actually did a service to the author that brought us all the world of GOT that we love so much. But enough about that – let’s get to the final episode.

Dany’s State of the Union Address

Watching Dany give her final speech to what was left of her remaining soldiers signified to me that the conquest was never for the people of Westeros—it was for her and the people who chose to follow her. If it would have actually been about liberation she would have been addressing the people she supposedly just liberated. That is kind of hard to do when you burned them all to death. This very much felt like a Hitler-esque address to the soldiers who she needed to commend and ask more of in her decision to continue to “liberate” the world. In other words, more fire and blood.

Romeo Must Kill His Deranged Juliet

When Jon walked into the throne room while Dany was finally touching the Iron Throne I knew that he would be the only one to walk out. I knew that he would choose to do the right thing…which would be to end the life of the tyrant who he just happened to be in love with. I felt so much sadness for Jon that he always has to do the right thing, whatever he thinks that is. But he stayed true to his character. Although the emotion of losing my favorite character hit me when Drogon took Dany’s body away after burning the throne, I am glad that Dany is at peace with everything that she lost. The iron throne would have never brought her the happiness she wanted – it was the love of the people that she wanted and she lost all of those who truly loved her.

The “Broken” Plot-Twist

Bran the Broken. When did he get that title and could we have had a bit more time to understand why he was chosen as the king?? He became the king out of nowhere! This is where the writing failed this season. After Bran became the three-eyed raven, we saw nothing more added to his character arc. I was not unhappy that he became king; I was upset that I couldn’t imagine him as a ruler. His character seemed to have just become nothing the past two seasons.

Who Really Won the Game of Thrones

My final closing thoughts: I am happy that Jon ended up in the North with ghost. It is where his heart seemed to be the whole entire series. As far as the actual Game of Thrones, the person who really won was Tyrion. Afterall, Bran said that he would live out a lifetime fixing the mistakes he had made, which indicated that he would be making decisions that would affect the six remaining realms. For Bran, being king is just a title. Tyrion will be the one to rule and lead Westeros into peace. Long may he reign.