Memories
You ever find the moment your life went completely wrong??? pic.twitter.com/LALkqt2AC4
— angelina 😖 (@whyangelinawhy) November 30, 2020
THIS IS WHO I AM NOW, LINDSAY
— angelina 😖 (@whyangelinawhy) November 30, 2020
YouTube critic Angelina was recently faced with a tragic “memory” post on Facebook of the moment she first decided to give Game of Thrones a try. Angelina would go on to co-write an epic two-part post-mortem on the series with Lindsay Ellis in 2019.
Dropped Plots
Arya spent an entire season learning to become a faceless person… for no reason. She used it ONCE.
Jaime had an almost perfect character arc and then fucked it at the last minute for no reason.
The White Walkers didn’t even fight anyone, only the wights did. Why.
— 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 | 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 (@ItsMeLydiaa) November 28, 2020
Don’t writers understand that people want character progression?
— 🇳🇿 Liz, usually horizontal 😴 (@crims0nl1z) November 29, 2020
For some fans, the dropped plot points of Game of Thrones are now like intrusive thoughts that come up out of no where to bother them. This includes Jon Snow’s parentage as a secret Targaryen, Arya’s extensive training as a Faceless assassin, and the entire White Walker threat, which was wiped out in a single battle.
Fan Theories
Drogon took Daenerys to Volantis after she died
Kinvara, who was a supporter of Daenerys, is the High Priestess of The Red Temple in Volantis
The Red priests are known to successfully practice resurrection pic.twitter.com/av0PsSZHYw
— Game of Thrones Facts (@thronesfacts) November 30, 2020
Season 9, Episode 1? #GameOfThrones (via @celinde_louisa) pic.twitter.com/eeQL3QxCXd
— House of the Dragon Fans (@HOTD_fans) November 29, 2020
Left unsatisfied by the series’ ending, many fans have turned to fan theories over the last year and a half, either to fill in the gaps left by the show or extend the series beyond it. One theory that gained a lot of traction this week suggested that, when Drogon flew away with Daenerys’ body, he headed for Volantis, where red priests worshipped Daenerys. They speculate that these magic users could have resurrected Dany just like Jon Snow and Beric Dondarrion were resurrected.
Persistent
I think about this every. single. fucking. day. https://t.co/jEEmunOKah
— Baby (@120vsss) November 30, 2020
WE CAN’T MOVE ON FROM THAT SHITY WRITING, I MEAN LOOK AT THIS TWEET ALMOST 100k likes 💀 https://t.co/WWMDQwf86R
— dracarys them all (@clarkedominance) November 30, 2020
While the revival of Game of Thrones complaints seemed random, many fans got in on it, and many commented that their outrage has never really gone away. More than a few said that they still think about the show’s hasty ending often.
Directing Anger
We were a captive market at that point, we had Stockholm.
But it had begun to decrease in quality since season 5
— Attempted Chemistry Nobel Award (@DracarysBanner) November 29, 2020
One thing that set Game of Thrones apart from other shows with reviled endings was that the outrage was aimed almost entirely at the writers and showrunners themselves — not the actors or other crew members. However, in hindsight some fans were prepared to direct their anger at HBO for allowing the showrunners to carry out a plan that seemed doomed to fail.
Laziness
Game of Thrones forgot to edit a Starbucks cup out of one of its later episodes and we shrugged it off as a harmless gaffe, unaware of the laziness to come. I’m still mad.
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) November 30, 2020
Fans reminded each other that the “laziness” of the final season of Game of Thrones extended past the writing process to the shooting as well, where anachronisms and visual mistakes were common. Many argued that this never would have happened when Martin’s source material was in place.
Rewatchability
I’ve never seen a franchise so big, become so irrelevant in the mind of so many people as quickly as Game of Thrones did man. If that show stuck the landing, you’d still have folks starting from the beginning. HBO wanted another 3 seasons. The bag was fumbled so hard.
— DENNY the VILLAIN🦉 (@DennyVonDoom) November 28, 2020
Foreal though, I see Bran pushed out the window and flash forward to his smug ass face being named king and it’s done for me lmao
— DENNY the VILLAIN🦉 (@DennyVonDoom) November 29, 2020
Finally, one of the most tragic parts of the series’ ending for some fans was that it invalidated the success of the earlier seasons, in some ways. Many fans commented that they used to re-watch the early seasons often, but knowing how the show ends, it is hard to enjoy them now. Game of Thrones is streaming on HBO and HBO Max.