The final season of Game of Thrones...well it didn't go so well. Some fans were happy with it, but like many major franchises nowadays, fan expectations tore through the series' swan song, questioning every creative decision made. One that somehow set people off was during the much debated third episode of the season, "The Long Night". While the storyline itself was highly praised, particularly the pacing and tension of the battle at Winterfell that saw Jon Snow and his allies fight in a climactic conclusion to the series-long subplot of the White Walkers, the episode came under fire for the darkened look that made several scenes hard to see.
Another one that was debated was the Night King's ultimate demise being at the hands of Arya (Played by Maisie Williams). Some felt it didn't make sense for it to be her primarily due to her having little no participation in the larger White Walker storyline compared to Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, or even smaller characters like Samwell Tarly. Arya, who had spent much of the show away from Westeros and her family, did seem like an odd choice, perhaps in an attempt to be unpredictable. And, as it turns out, that wasn't the original plan either. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Williams herself addressed the Night King scene, revealing how audiences weren't the only ones shocked to see her be the one to do the deed. As it turns out, Jon Show himself, Kit Harington, was just as shocked as fans that it wasn't him. This was Williams' full quote:
"[Kit Harington] expected it to go [Jon Snow’s] way, too, and he even said, ‘It was going to go that way. Someone told me in season three that I was going to kill The Night King.’ And then, he read the script, and it was Arya the whole time. (Laughs.) Yeah, I think it would’ve been too obvious. I’m glad that it was Arya, honestly. I think I had the best storyline of the final season."
While some were happy that Arya was given such importance, particularly after much of the previous seasons saw her grow from a goofy kid to a warrior, many still hold somewhat of a grudge against this decision. And while it's all said and done on the screen, many are hoping that if and when George RR Martin releases the final two books of his series he will make more appropriate creative choices that fans will be more unanimously happy with.
But it continues to reveal why general crowdpleasing blockbusters are taking over the big screen and small more and more. With films and shows that simply give audiences what they want, there is less chance of the blowback that GOT suffered. Even if the choices weren't bad, if it's not what fans expect, the show (Which had a near perfect critical reception in it's first seven seasons) suffered for it. Maybe in hindsight that will change, but one thing is certain...we really need to stop taking things so personal. Or nothing will ever be good enough. Stay tuned!
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