5 Things That Ruined Game of Thrones Season 8 (That the Sequels Can Fix) md20

6 years since Game of Thrones Season 8 premiered, fans still can’t get over what an epic disappointment it was. In its glory days, Game of Thrones was considered the best show in the world, but a slow downfall turned into the worst final season in the history of television. However, it looks like HBO is making reparations.

The release of multiple GoT sequels has given fans hope for improving on the mistakes of Season 8. From the inexplicable placing of Bran Stark on the Iron Throne to the rushed madness of Daenerys Targaryen, Game of Thrones made some egregious mistakes that just cannot be overlooked. House of the Dragon, which has a third season upcoming, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is set for a 2026 release, can fix some of these problems for the franchise.

The Most Important Characters Acted Out Of Cowardice

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What was meant to be a triumphant end to an arduous struggle for the Iron Throne turned into a confusing one for fans, because their favorites showed absolutely no spine in the last few episodes. Game of Thrones always had flawed characters who were often in the wrong, but viewers had come to expect heroism from some of them. Jon Snow, who had always shown good morals, turned into a cowardly assassin who stabbed Daenerys when she was at her most vulnerable.

Daenerys herself, known to break chains and give a voice to the unspoken, burnt down thousands of innocents for no reason. Her Hand, Tyrion Lannister, also lost his faith in her and started to believe that Jon Snow was more fit for the Iron Throne. For a medieval show, there was a serious lack of heroism, even from the characters who had previously shown it. In fact, they acted purely out of cowardice.

Fans are hoping to see some good old-fashioned heroics in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is a lower-stakes story set in Westeros. It revolves around Dunk, a hedge knight, and a young boy named Egg who decides to squire for him. This spin-off will offer a more grounded look at actual life in the Seven Kingdoms, and since Dunk does not owe his allegiance to any House, his actions will be different from other GoT characters. Jon, Tyrion, Daenerys, and Jaime really disappointed fans with their lack of courage in the final season, but hopefully A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms can fix it.

Game Of Thrones Ran Out Of Source Material

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There were many factors involved in how terrible Game of Thrones Season 8 was, but the biggest one was that the showrunners ran out of source material. The show outpaced the books, and by the time it was time for David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to conclude the saga, they had no framework to work off of. George R.R. Martin still has to write and release the last two books, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, which would actually tell fans how the tussle for the Iron Throne ends.

The earlier seasons of Game of Thrones leaned on the books for their plots, even if they weren’t followed exactly. The showrunners added their own spin to Martin’s stories, even deviating from them, but they had a great frame of reference to work off of. Sadly, Benioff and Weiss meandered without the source material for Season 8, and the writers weren’t able to come up with a greater ending for one of the greatest shows.

This has not been a problem for House of the Dragon, which is based on Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin. This single, history textbook-like account of the rule of the Targaryens is not a narrative, but Ryan Condal has managed to glean a pretty great story out of it, along with Martin. Similarly, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on the novellas Tales of Dunk and Egg, so this spin-off won’t run out of source material either. This will hopefully result in more cohesive shows.

Daenerys Going Mad Happened Too Quickly

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Daenerys Targaryen was descended from a line of Kings and Queens who were known for their madness, but that wasn’t enough to justify her twisted arc in Season 8 of Game of Thrones. Earlier in the series, she had freed the slaves in Astapor and Meereen, and also rescued Jon, Jorah, and Missandei. Daenerys had a strong moral compass within her, which was why her spontaneous descent into madness left fans shellshocked.

Even as the bells rang from the Red Keep, Daenerys chose to ravage it in flames and kill innocents who had personally done nothing to her. Had there been some kind of buildup, this wouldn’t have felt jarring, but there was none during the season. Fortunately, House of the Dragon has been mindful about this. While Rhaenyra does not go mad like Dany did, she certainly underwent a moral evolution where she accepted the brutality that came with war.

Rhaenyra tried her best to avoid war, but when it became unavoidable, there was a slow change in her worldview. This could be seen particularly in Season 2, where she allowed Dragon seeds to burn and run amok as the dragons chased them down, so that she could find riders for her faction. In that moment, there was a subtle transformation in how she viewed herself, almost like a messiah, while condemning men to fiery deaths. In comparison, Daenerys’ madness seemed like childish writing that indicated that the creators just didn’t know what to do with the plot anymore.

All Character Development Went Out Of The Window

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Not only did Game of Thrones bomb its last season, but it also undid all the wonderful character development from earlier seasons. Jaime Lannister was the biggest example — a man who had managed to gain perspective when he stayed away from his sister, and found humanity and empathy in Brienne of Tarth’s company. Sadly, Jaime abandoned all his character development and returned to Cersei at the Red Keep, where they died together.

Differently, the Night King had been built up over the years as a formidable character who would need armies to defeat him. His threat was considered the biggest threat to all humanity, but when the final fight with him actually came to be, his collapse was almost amusing. He was killed easily and with a single stab by Arya Stark, which made no sense. Then, Arya took off to go travelling, which was even more out of character for the young Princess who had been away from Winterfell for so long. Game of Thrones particularly messed up Stark storylines in the last season.

Conversely, the sequels are now known to be more careful with how they handle their characters. House of the Dragon has been very mindful in solving this Game of Thrones problem, as it dedicated its entire second season to Daemon, Alicent, and Rhaenyra’s development. Even if it slowed the show down, it was ultimately beneficial to the entire franchise.

Daemon’s journey, in particular, has been an absurd yet rewarding one, as he abandoned Rhaenyra initially. His stint in Harrenhal was not the action-packed one that he thought it would be, but one where he was plagued with visions. His motivations, his thoughts, and his final decision to stay with Rhaenyra were painstakingly shown in HoTD, which left no doubt in people’s minds.

Game Of Thrones Abandoned Important Plot Points And Prophecies

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A series like Game of Thrones thrives on audience satisfaction, and embedding prophecies in the show was one of its USPs. Azhor Ahai and The Prince That Was Promised were ancient prophecies that held the show up from the start, and viewers were visibly excited when these started coming to fruition. When Jon Snow’s real parentage was revealed, it finally seemed like everything was falling into place — except that it was not.

Jon did not kill the Night King, and neither was Daenerys allowed to sit on the throne. This meant that the predictions that had been so crucial to the show had absolutely no meaning, and the earlier seasons had only wasted audience time by harping on about it. If Game of Thrones had followed through on these prophecies, Season 8 would have improved greatly, mainly because viewers would feel that elusive satisfaction of seeing them come true. It’s clear that House of the Dragon is revisiting these prophecies, and while they may not show them coming true, they are being taken seriously.