Game of Thrones’ final season cut one scene that could have been pivotal to fan’s understanding of one of the show’s most controversial moments: Jon Snow (Kit Harington) murdering Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke).
Jon decided to kill his lover and aunt when she basically committed genocide and obliterated King’s Landing with her dragon, Drogon, after she had sworn to take the city peacefully.
But now, fans are able to glimpse concept art from the planning of the finale for the first time, revealing that another scene leading up to this moment had been cut.
The book The Art of Game of Thrones reveals that the show’s head honchos axed an entire sequence that would have seen the secret Targaryen heir journey through the destroyed King’s Landing before meeting with the Mother of Dragons.
The sketches, signed off by the show’s production designer Deborah Riley, reveal that we would have gotten to see a conflicted Jon journey through the ruins of the great city – before meeting the Unsullied army for a final time.
Seeing the former Night’s Watch Commander so conflicted about his decision to kill his lover – and coming face to face with her most loyal protectors – may have well helped fans to process the tragic decision that was to come.
‘As Jon heads into the Red Keep, struggling with a choice only he can make, he comes upon a huge pile of snow that reveals itself as a sleeping Drogon,’ the scenes caption reads. ‘Recognising Jon Snow, Drogon allows him to pass through the door that leads to the throne room… Unsullied soldiers guard below.’
Fans will know, of course, that the King in the North’s meeting with Westeros’ last dragon was kept in the show, and provided a useful bit of foretelling for Drogon’s destruction of the Iron Throne after his mother’s murder.
Of course, Game of Thrones fans know that there’s a lot from the show that never made onto the screen; from an axed Tyrion Lannister storyline that could have changed the show forever or Daenerys’ murder of her moon and stars Khal Drogo.
Game of Thrones seasons one to eight are available to stream on NOW TV.
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