Well, we most likely still aren't quite over season eight of Game of Thrones.
For the most part, the writing was beyond ridiculous, and fans were so frustrated that some of them even began a petition to remake the final season.
Some of the cast-members showed up to a panel at the San Diego Comic-Con yesterday, and addressed the furious fan reaction to the series finale, which…bombed.
It's only been two months since the HBO hit show ended, but the wounds haven't quite healed yet, it would seem. We're trying to desperately forget that the season ever even happened.
The cast got back together on Friday to talk all things GOT, and referenced the Change.org petition to 'Remake Game of Thrones Season eight with competent writers' that got 1.6 million signatures.
Nikolaj Coster–Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), Conleth Hill (Varys), and Liam Cunningham (Ser Davos) showed up to the panel.
They got candid about the hugely negative reaction to the final season, with Nikolaj mainly addressing the "level of absurdity of the online petition";
"Every season, we had huge controversies. From Ned Stark being killed, ‘I’m never going to watch that piece of shit show again!’ And then there was the Red Wedding. And obviously, the end," he continued.
"I feel so lucky to have met so may fans of the show, and to realise this show has brought so many people together. Watching it, loving it. So obviously, It comes to an end, it’s going to piss you off no matter what."
The Danish actor, who portrayed Jaime Lannister, added;
"It’s the end! But at the end of the day, it’s absolutely fine. If you hated the ending if you loved it, that’s great. Just don’t call people names."
Conleth (the Master of Whisperers) joined in, saying;
"You look at the amount of people who are here. We are here to thank you for watching us all those years. This is the reality rather than a media-led hate campaign."
When Nikolaj was queried on his death scene, he said; “I thought it was perfect for him to end in the arms of Cersei."
Variety reported that some fans in the audience disagreed, and even booed the actor. “It made sense to me – that’s just my opinion," he said.
His co-star Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) previously said she was “gutted” about how her character died under the pile of bricks, and even revealed further disappointment over a crucial Cersei scene being edited out of the show.
Now that Game of Thrones is over, we should really find something else to do with our time. Or…we could analyse old clips and cast interviews to discover even more GOT magic.
An Extra TV interview from June 2017 has resurfaced, with Gwendoline Christie (AKA Brienne of Tarth) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played the golden handed Jaime Lannister.
The pair are renowned for their hilarious love/hate banter and on-screen chemistry, and the interview is no different.
Host Mario Lopez asked the pair who they thought would ultimately sit on the Iron Throne, and Gwen was laughed at for her answer even though she PREDICTED THE ACTUAL ENDING.
While Nikolaj gambled and said either Dany or the Night King would be crowned the winner, Gwendoline guessed Bran, saying the writers always go more left-field than everyone expects. We'll be damned; our gal was right.
The final episode has generated controversy, with Daenerys Targaryen going full-on Mad Queen, Jon plunging a dagger through her heart and being banished to the Night's Watch, Drogon melting the throne, Sansa becoming Queen in the North, Arya pulling a Dora the Explora and Bran becoming King of the Six Kingdoms.
Explaining her rationale for choosing the Three-Eyed Raven as future king, Christie responded: "I'm wondering if it might be Bran.
"Just because we keep seeing the world from his perspective, don't we? We keep seeing the visions. So, is he in the future projecting in the past?"
Coster-Waldau, never one to reject challenging his co-star, immediately responded: "No, it doesn't make sense." Brienne's got brains for days, clearly.
Check out Gwen going full psychic on the whole world two years ago:
Don't 'Dracarys' our asses if you read anything you shouldn't have…That's our final warning.
Now, without further ado, we are in mourning. Mainly because of how absurd that Game of Thrones finale was, but we had to sob when Drogon tried to wake his dragon mama and flew away with her body.
not gonna lie drogon trying to wake dany up ripped my heart right out of my chest pic.twitter.com/qtTNvkPoN9
Honestly, that broke us. What also broke us was how weak the storyline ended, and how pointless Jon Snow's parentage was and Bran's warg skills were. We pretty much just sat there shouting, "WHY?!" every five seconds.
We searched the net to find the most hilarious reactions to the HBO classic show's ending, and there are some absolute crackers, sit back and enjoy while wearing black and signing the petition to have it remade…
1. Arya's faceless men skills will really come in handy when she starts her long career as a landlord…
So Arya became a stone cold killer just to eventually start a bunch of Air BnBs west of Westeros. #DemThrones
Drogon received best character development in this finale—exercising judgement when experiencing blinding anger and grief, destroying the symbol of power and the very source of evil, and choosing to mourn in solitude, now brotherless and motherless. #GameofThronespic.twitter.com/ycjM77PvpX
16. HODOR and MEERA REED are the reason Bran is alive and nobody cares??!
tyrion was praising bran for surviving beyond the wall when meera reed was the actual reason he made it alive. and this girl not only never got a proper sincere "thank you" but also was never even mentioned again and we don't know if she survived, eye
Tyrion: Jon Snow should be the rightful ruler. He deserves to be King. He's the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. He knows how to lead. He's the chosen one. The people love him. Convinces Jon to kill Dany.
Time to choose a King.
Tyrion: Bran#GameOfThronespic.twitter.com/vEQ2ENsule
We really don't know how to feel at this moment in time…mostly p*ssed at how the show-runners misused the character arcs and plot-lines going back nine years but at least we can laugh about it?
It's incredibly difficult to believe that on Sunday night at 2am, the last EVER episode of Game of Thrones will air on Sky Atlantic.
The hugely successful HBO show has broken barriers of television, despite mixed reviews of season eight, and its fan-base is hopelessly devoted to GOT's amazing characters.
We've got plenty of questions to ask ahead of the grand finale that have yet to be answered, and we're not certain that the show can resolve every plot in just 90 minutes.
Time will tell, but after last weeks' mad destruction of King's Landing by Dark Dany (we're devastated for Emilia Clarke), the teaser for next week's final is looking incredibly bleak indeed.
The Mad Queen's reign as arrived, but will it be ended before it truly begins? And by whom?
I mean, Olenna Tyrell did tell her to be a dragon. She just did what she was told…okay?! Some of us clearly haven't come to terms with Dany's downfall yet. We're in Dany Denial over here.
Here's a comprehensive list of all our questions, before our hearts get ripped out this Sunday. Get the tissues out.
1. Why the hell did Danaerys chargrill King's Landing after they surrendered?
Interestingly, the show didn't give visuals of Danaerys' face during the total destruction and murder of innocent people in the city; all we saw was her tear-stained, furious face just before she made the decision which will inevitably change her life.
Most people surmise that Dany pulled the trigger on her logic because she realised that even though the people had surrendered, they would never love her. They would always want to follow Jon, and a man, as Varys pointed out.
Her tragic villain origin story was definitely turned dark way too suddenly, and didn't do her character justice.
She always had a ruthless streak, but who wouldn't after being sold as a mule by your gropey brother, raped, experienced the death of your baby and husband, leading to the inability to have children, imprisoned, laughed at, ridiculed, losing two of her dragons (AKA her babies), her long-time advisor Jorah and her BFF Missandei.
She also must have had the knowledge that her claim to the throne was totally lost, and her lover Jon betrayed her, as well as Tyrion and Varys. She knew that she had to rule with fear, and if the people found out that Jon is the true heir, they'd be too afraid to challenge her.
We're not surprised that she went to the dark side, we've seen her roast her enemies alive on numerous occasions but there was always a reason behind it.
2. Is Arya going to kill Dany?
It's important not to forget the prophecy told to Arya by Melisandre when the pair first met in season three;
“I see a darkness in you. And in that darkness, eyes staring back at me: brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes. Eyes you’ll shut forever.”
The Red Witch later gave Arya that all-important pep talk which led her to kill the Night King (blue eyes), but now fans are speculating that it was never Cersei's green eyes that Arya was meant to shut. It was Dany's.
Viewers are convinced that the mini assassin's destiny has changed since 'The Bells', and the white horse at the end symbolises death. Essentially, the trailer for next week shows Arya watching Danerys take her lead, and it's looking like a sure thing that Dany's days are numbered.
At the start of episode four, Varys told Danaerys that Yara had retaken the Iron islands, yet she didn't show up at King's Landing for the big battle.
Will she turn up next week? She has had that many scenes over the last while in the show, but we were so excited to see her kill Euron Greyjoy. It would have been far more poetic and just an end than Jamie killing him.
We really hope this isn't the last we've seen of Yara; she's got some of the best lines in the script and is a total badass.
4. Will Dany find out that Jamie escaped, and because of Tyrion?
Jamie is RIP underneath all of that rubble, dying with his arms wrapped around Cersei, the woman he's always loved.
We're sure their deaths will be discovered eventually, but will it be found out that Tyrion let Jamie go to try and save the city? Ser Davos Seaworth would also be in trouble, and he's one of Jon's closest advisors. Killing him would put Jon in a rough position.
With vengeance firmly on the Mad Queen's mind, and her hatred of betrayal, we're fairly sure Tyrion would be BBQ'd by Drogon if she found out.
5. Will Jon's claim to the throne be investigated, if Varys' letter got out before he died?
At the moment, a LOT of people know Jon has the true claim; Sansa, Arya, Sam, Bran, Tyrion, Dany at a minimum. Who was Varys addressing his letter at the beginning of 'The Bells' to, we wonder?
He also tried to poison Dany, in case you missed that nugget at the beginning, which is wild. Sam and Bran appear to have the most information on the claim, which came about as Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark were married in secret and bore a child together.
Ned Stark took care of the child so that Robert Baratheon didn't murder him in one of the great wars, and Jon (Aegon Targaryen) grew up thinking he was a bastard his entire life. When this information gets around, what will the realm do?
6. Who are the new lords and ladies of the lands? Is Tyrion finally the Lord of Casterly Rock
Tyrion's dickhead of a dad Tywin Lannister refused Tyrion his birthright of one day becoming Lord of Casterly Rock, but after Cersei and Jamie died, he's the only living Lannister.
Danaerys (if she lives) would rule the Crownlands, the 'new prince' would rule Dorne, Yara Greyjoy has the Iron Islands, the Starks (Sansa) have the North, Gendry Baratheon has the Stormlands, Robin Arryn has the Vale, Tyrion would have the Westerlands but Highgarden and the Riverlands are unknown.
7. If Drogon dies, and magic officially dies out, what will happen then?
We were absolutely devastated when Rhaegal and Viserion were killed; Rhaegal by Euron Greyjoy in a surprise attack and Viserion by the White Walkers.
Seeing Viserion transformed into a wight demon and blowing blue flames was intense, and we truly felt Dany's pain at losing two of her children. If Drogon dies, who knows if dragons will ever live in the realm again?
Mrs Targaryen shares a type of telepathic communication with her babies, but it's looking more and more likely that Drogon will die alongside Dany in the finale. If Dany dies and Drogon lives, he would fly away, but if Drogon dies, Dany is powerless.
Just like the white walkers, it seems dragons will have to go extinct for this war to end.
8. What will the series finale be called?
The show-runners (DB Weiss and David Benioff) have kept the names of each episode this season a secret until after they've already aired, which is shady. Will the finale be called A Song of Ice and Fire, AKA the name of the Book Series?
9. Will the Iron Throne still exist by the end?
We saw the Mother of Dragons blow King's Landing to rubble, so is the throne even left standing after all of that turmoil? It could be buried beneath the rubble, but the whole seat of power could be erased.
Daenarys once said she wants to "break the wheel," and destroying the throne could be step one of the process.
This theory has genuinely scared us. At the end of 'The Bells', we saw Arya running terrified around the city, with various rocks and buildings falling on her and flames getting caught around her, and she went unconscious.
Some fans believe that she died in the city after all, and the white horse at the end symbolised her own death. This explains why the ending seemed so strange and spiritual, but then again she's seen in the trailer for next week.
The show does seem to have a knack for bringing people back to life, so there's that idea too.
11. Where is Brienne? And will Bronn end up killing Tyrion Lannister?
Our gal loves a good battle, so why did she stay behind? We're furious that they turned her into a weeping woman after Jamie left, they should have left that at a respectful friendship. As for Bronn, perhaps he'll wipe out the last member of the Lannister family?
12. What will happen to the Night's Watch?
Seeing as all of those pesky White Walkers are dead and dusted, thanks to Arya, and the wall is wrecked (bold Viserion) will there be a need for a Night's Watch any more?
13. What will be Bran's role in all of this?
Ah Bran. There have been countless theories about the three-eyed raven's role since the very beginning, even some fans guessing that he'll be the new Night King.
Seeing as Bran can time travel, it's thought that he could represent all of the Brandon Starks in history, from old Nan's tales. That means the Brandon Stark that built the wall.
Bran may warg back in time, and try to stop the White Walkers from being created, but accidentally get stuck there with the Children of the Forest.
He then may have travelled in time to have the wall built, and have Arya kill the Night King with the dagger that was used to try and kill him when he was only a boy.
Both Bran's vision and Danaerys' prophecy came true in 'The Bells'; Back in season six, Bran saw flashes of the Night King's death as well as the Mad King Aerys screaming, "Burn them all!".
He was referring to his daughter, who ended up fulfilling his mad wish. Shots of a dragon flying over King's Landing can be seen, echoing Dany's dark destruction of the city last week.
Dany's vision in the House of the Undying saw snow in the Red Keep, but actually it was ash from her dragon's burning of the city. We wish they had adequately portrayed Dany's downfall over the last two season.
The foreshadowing is mind-blowing, but will Bran have more to offer? He could be the key to unravelling the future of the realm, and whether magic lives on.
14. Finally, will Ghost get a hug from Jon before the show ends?
We're guessing not. If Jon gets the Iron Throne, he'd be the perfect hand to the king (or would it be paw to the king?).
The countdown is officially on for the final season of HBO's hit show Game of Thrones.
The fantasy franchise, which is based on the George R. R. Martin book series, has fans in a FRENZY awaiting the return of their favourite (and most likely doomed) characters.
The season eight cast list how now been leaked by HBO and there's a very noticeable key player missing from episode one, according to metro.co.uk.
The broadcaster unveiled which of our token loved ones wil be popping up on April 14, as Westeros comes together (let us pray) to fight The Night King.
They may have to sit tight, as Vladimir Furdik, AKA The Night King and leader of the white walkers, is ABSENT from the season eight premiere, but don't relax yet.
It's been almost two long years since the season seven finale, and there are just six episodes left to go until we see who sits on the Iron Throne. There will be plenty of action, with the Night King or not.
Season seven saw the army of the dead blasting the wall down with their new phantom ice dragon (RIP), so we're surprised that the Night King seemingly has no feature at all in episode one.
Furdik mentioned in an interview that the biggest battle television has ever seen will begin two episodes later, so his screen time is more than secure.
He spoke to Hungarian website Sorozat Wiki and let the GOT cat out of the bag:
"In the third part of the last season, there is a battle that the creators intend to be the biggest in television history. Almost the full episode will be about the battle, it will take about an hour."
The GOT cast list has since been deleted, but two surprising faces are returning to bring joy to many fans; Tobias Menzies and Lino Facioli, as Edmure Tully and Robin Arryn. Menzies is about to star as Prince Philip in The Crown.
Entertainment Weekly somehow managed to watch filming one of the key scenes, and confirmed that some very unexpected old names are in the mix;
There are characters in the finale that I did not expect, I gradually begin to piece together what has happened in Westeros over the previous five episodes and try not to look like I’m freaking out."
Game of Thrones returns to HBO and Sky Atlantic on April 14, get ready for the most drama you'll see in our lifetime.
