In the concluding season of Game of Thrones, Arya Stark emerged as the one to kill the Night King. But, the showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss considered several other characters who could have delivered the final blow, including the Hound, Brienne, and even the seemingly destined Jon Snow.
The decision to subvert expectations by having Arya kill the Night King, rather than the more obvious choice of Jon Snow, was met with so much criticism. Rather than opting for Jon Snow to kill the Night King, which was deemed too predictable, they explored alternative options. This deviation from the anticipated outcome has sparked discontent among fans, with some expressing dissatisfaction at this decision for the series conclusion.
It Could Have Been a Worse Ending the Way the Showrunners Had Planned Initially
As revealed in James Hibberd’s Fire Cannot Kill A Dragon: Game of Thrones and the Official Untold Story of the Epic Series, various characters were initially contemplated for the pivotal role of killing the Night King in the concluding season of Game of Thrones.
While Jon Snow, with his significant history with the Night King, was a natural consideration for the role, the show’s creators were hesitant to revisit that storyline. “It had to be somebody with believable access to Valyrian steel,” showrunner David Benioff explained. “We didn’t want it to be Jon because he’s always saving the day.”
He continued:
“We talked about the Hound at one point, but we wanted his big thing to be Clegane Bowl. Ultimately it wouldn’t have felt right if it was Jon or Brienne or the Hound.”
While Sandor Clegane, the Hound, undoubtedly lent Arya Stark a hand during the fight against the Night King, his role went far beyond the battlefield. He was instrumental in shaping Arya into the skilled warrior she ultimately became.
Fans of The Show Are Quite Upset
This decision has made Game of Thrones fans disappointed and they feel it was a crime of them not to let Jon Snow kill the Night King.
It should have been Jon and Jaime vs the night king and his strongest attendant…with Danny and Arya/Brienne/hound/everyone on clean up taking out the strongest white walkers even teaming up of they had too.
Fire and Ice. Arya can have the final blow for all I care lol
— monarch the great (@OneMonarchTwo) December 19, 2023
So they spent years hyping up a Jon snow vs night king battle, only for Jon not to be the one to end it 🤦🏾♂️
— ṭяıẓẓʏ (@TrizzyDigital) December 19, 2023
Man, this was dropped sooooo hard. smh, criminal.
— dabigmoist (@dabigmoist599) December 19, 2023
Makes no sense, he was the ‘main’ character why not him?
— Petterson (@Gachuguh) December 19, 2023
Those 2 are not allowed to speak of what they ruined. Their opinions are moot.
— Tiago (@romancerr420) December 19, 2023
Many fans believe that the conclusion of the TV series stands out as one of the most disappointing in television history. The ending not only fell short of the expectations but also detracted from the essence of the show and the qualities that initially made it exceptional.
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