ANOTHER cast member has spoken out against fans’ criticism of the Game of Thrones finale.
Clive Mantle, who played Lord Greatjon Umber in season one of the HBO fantasy drama, has defended its controversial final season amid widespread fan backlash.
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Many claimed that Daenerys Targaryen’s (Emilia Clarke) decline into bloodlust was rushed and unfounded, while others claimed Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) being crowned king was uninspired.
Mantle began by recounting the grillings he received from fans.
“Yeah they really do [talk about the show] and especially with the series having just ended,” he said.
“In these situations when you do fan conventions you talk to them and people are really split about the ending,” he continued to Express Online.
However, Mantle said that amid all the action, it’s easy to overlook a major signal of hope in the saga’s closing moments.
He referred to Jon Snow leading a community north of the fallen Wall armed with new knowledge and unimpeded by fear of the White Walkers.
“I loved the ending, I thought it was fantastic because it was gentle, kind and hopeful because Jon Snow seemed to be leading a group of people to create a new race who would hopefully learn from mistakes of the past and be a kinder society,” he went on.
“That’s what I read into it, whether it’s true or not I don’t know. I’d like a nicer and kinder world than we live in at the moment but a lot of people wanted more blood and guts and thunder.”
Mantle concluded that it was impossible for show bosses to please everyone, echoing the words of Emilia Clarke.
This, he said, boiled down to there being so many loose ends to tie up and simply not enough time to do so.
“I don’t know how you would have followed the previous seven or eight series with some ending that satisfied all of those different story lines, it’s virtually impossible, so I think a really gentle ending was perfect,” he concluded.
Elsewhere in the Game of Thrones cast, Nathalie Emmanyel addressed the backlash over Missandei’s brutal execution at the hands of Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey).
Meanwhile Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played Jamie Lannister, backed ‘p****d off’ fans’ issues with the final season.
In exciting news, Melisandre actress Carice Van Houten teased appearance in Targaryen spin-off series House of The Dragon.
