Random thoughts:
I generally enjoyed the entire Epic story from start to finish. I thought it was a good story to tell, and lots of interesting characters along the way. I found it was believable within the construct of the world.
I think most would agree that the TV show suffered when the source material dried up. As many have said, the showrunners were good at adapting, less good at creating original content. I used to blame GRRM for this - but in reality, I think he built a world so immense that it paralyzed him - it was too grand and detailed, and even GRRM could not see his way through it all.
For the final couple of seasons, it felt like the show was trying to land a space shuttle on an aircraft carrier - and given what they had to work with, I think the managed to pull it off. My guess is that if GRRM had finished the books, there were still 4 seasons worth of material left for the final 2 seasons.
If I had to quibble - it would be that I wanted more background on a few details - Night King in particular - why now? What was the goal? Kill all men? Kill Bran? Was there a connection to the Starks specifically? The books would have been better able to explore the breakdown that Daenerys went through as she obsessed with anyone that stood in her way. There were certainly some TV-only moments that would only be created in TV-world (where audiences respond to characters/actors) - such as Lady Mormont killing the giant, or Bronn showing up at the end of the series.
I did find it ironic that the Stark kids who survived, got the ending they audience thought they deserved - given that in the early part of the book, the Stark's were getting slaughtered, literally and figuratively. Arya has always been my favorite character, but I always struggled to see how she fit in a post-GOT world - I think heading west of Westeros was the perfect ending for her, and, in theory, the beginning of a new adventure. Yet, despite the "happy" endings for the Starks, unless I am mistaken, the Stark name will die out - with no male heirs to continue the name. (Sansa will probably force her future husband to take her name...)
As for the final episode itself - it played out pretty much in the only way that made sense - Daenerys had to die, there had to be consequences to that, the wheel was going to be broken, and the survivors would pick up the pieces.
I generally enjoyed the entire Epic story from start to finish. I thought it was a good story to tell, and lots of interesting characters along the way. I found it was believable within the construct of the world.
I think most would agree that the TV show suffered when the source material dried up. As many have said, the showrunners were good at adapting, less good at creating original content. I used to blame GRRM for this - but in reality, I think he built a world so immense that it paralyzed him - it was too grand and detailed, and even GRRM could not see his way through it all.
For the final couple of seasons, it felt like the show was trying to land a space shuttle on an aircraft carrier - and given what they had to work with, I think the managed to pull it off. My guess is that if GRRM had finished the books, there were still 4 seasons worth of material left for the final 2 seasons.
If I had to quibble - it would be that I wanted more background on a few details - Night King in particular - why now? What was the goal? Kill all men? Kill Bran? Was there a connection to the Starks specifically? The books would have been better able to explore the breakdown that Daenerys went through as she obsessed with anyone that stood in her way. There were certainly some TV-only moments that would only be created in TV-world (where audiences respond to characters/actors) - such as Lady Mormont killing the giant, or Bronn showing up at the end of the series.
I did find it ironic that the Stark kids who survived, got the ending they audience thought they deserved - given that in the early part of the book, the Stark's were getting slaughtered, literally and figuratively. Arya has always been my favorite character, but I always struggled to see how she fit in a post-GOT world - I think heading west of Westeros was the perfect ending for her, and, in theory, the beginning of a new adventure. Yet, despite the "happy" endings for the Starks, unless I am mistaken, the Stark name will die out - with no male heirs to continue the name. (Sansa will probably force her future husband to take her name...)
As for the final episode itself - it played out pretty much in the only way that made sense - Daenerys had to die, there had to be consequences to that, the wheel was going to be broken, and the survivors would pick up the pieces.
