‘That’s Now How It’s Supposed To Go’: George RR Martin Finally Reveals His Disappointment With Game of Thrones and We Couldn’t Agree More

Advertisement

The incredible and epic journey of Game of Thrones came to an abrupt end with 2019’s series finale, Season 8 and not only did it not break hearts but left the fans shattered with the controversial ending of it all. Although the characters followed through on the path best suited to their narrative, the accelerated and maddening end that redeemed the war and all its chess-board pawns felt somewhat inevitable and yet hollow.

Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones
Featured Video

Also read: Game of Thrones Remains the Most Pirated Show in 2022

Advertisement

The author and the creator of the epic fantasy, George R.R. Martin has an opinion resounding the same, and given he is the godly hand that birthed, shaped, guided, and scripted the characters and their stories, Martin’s words hold above all the rest when he says he is unsatisfied with a particular aspect of his work’s adaptation.

Related article: ‘What’s This Show With the Short, Dumpy Girl?’: Australian Millionaire CEO Patrick Delany’s Sexist Game of Thrones Remark on Emilia Clarke Sparks Massive Outrage

Game of Thrones Fails to Live Up to the Vision of its Creator

The HBO adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire was undertaken by David Benioff and Dan Weiss and thus was born one of the most brilliant cinematic storytelling in the history of television to date. Every character cast was perfect on their part and no matter how redundant, played a role that lingered till the end. But what started off great failed to match up to the genesis of the saga in the vision of the author, George R.R. Martin.

The enduring impact of Master Syrio Forel
The enduring impact of Master Syrio Forel
Advertisement

Also read: 5 Best Houses To Be Born and Raised In, Based On Reddit

In a recent interview with The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon, the author reminisced about his perception of how the series had progressed from “exciting” to “frustrating”.

“I remember… I came to visit the set and they were still working on the first episode, the pilot. And David Benioff showed me a clip of the scene with Arya and her father Ned on the stairs where she was standing on one foot trying to balance. And it was great. I had seen rehearsals with these actors but I hadn’t seen them in character and seen them do it. It was my scene come alive. These were my characters. And nothing felt better than to see that happen.

But of course there’s always the flip side of that is where suddenly you’re seeing a scene and saying, what the hell have they done here, that’s not how it’s supposed to go. My character would never do that. My character would never say that. And that can be frustrating. So like anything else in life, it’s complicated.”

Also read: Game of Thrones: George R.R, Martin Talks About Future TV Franchises

George R.R. Martin Mirrors Audience Reception of GoT Finale

Advertisement

With what went down in the final run of the HBO series, there can only be a handful of arcs that can match the disappointment in Martin’s tone. Perhaps it would be Jon Snow’s sudden rejection of righteousness in the company of Daenerys Targaryen or it could be an experienced Littlefinger falling prey to the manipulations of Sansa Stark. It could also be the self-sacrificial end of Cersei Lannister since she is one to never go down without a fight.

George R.R. Martin with Peter-Dinklage
George R.R. Martin with Peter Dinklage

Related article: “It’s like Succession with dragons”: House of the Dragon Explains How Prequel Series is Different From Game of Thrones, Says Succession and The Crown Were Major Influences

Whatever the scenario might be (and there could be thousands considering it is Game of Thrones, after all), the disappointment of the author at his character’s sudden incompatibility with the source is what contributed to the generic feeling of criticism and disappointment that followed in the aftermath of the series’s controversial ending. It remains to be seen whether the author can redeem the televised ending with his closure of the saga of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Advertisement

Source: The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon

Avatar

Written by Diya

Articles Published: 1460

With a degree in Literature from Miranda House, Diya Majumdar now has nearly 1500 published articles on FandomWire. Her passion and profession both include dissecting the world of cinema while being a liberally opinionated person with an overbearing love for Monet, Edvard Munch, and Van Gogh. Other skills include being the proud owner of an obsessive collection of Spotify playlists.