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Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama series developed by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO based on George R. R. Martin's series of novels, A Song of Ice and Fire. Game of Thrones premiered on April 17, 2011, and ended on May 19, 2019, and comprises 73 episodes spread over eight seasons.
From the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, the show interweaves a plethora of plot threads. The main storylines include the struggle for the Iron Throne among competing noble houses, the efforts of the last member of House Targaryen to reclaim her house, and the Night's Watch protecting Westeros from the threats beyond The Wall.
Game of Thrones captivated audiences for years, yet some seasons confused fans. Arya failed to use her Faceless Men abilities, Bran's abilities were never clarified, and Jon's Targaryen reveal went nowhere. And finally, Bran's twist coronation raised more questions than answers, leaving fans confused and divided.
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Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
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Arya's underused face-changing skills and 6 other Game of Thrones plot holes that make fans lose their minds
1) Arya Stark's limited use of her Faceless Men training
Arya Stark's Game of Thrones season 5 arc is her sojourn at the House of Black and White in Braavos, where she hunts down Jaqen H'ghar and trains with the Faceless Men, an order of Many-Faced God assassins.
By torturous conditioning, such as becoming blind and surrendering her identity as a proud member of House Stark to become "No One," Arya masters her combat skills and learns to switch bodies by adopting others' faces, a skill that may be the ultimate Westerosi wild card.
While this ability is at its best use, Arya primarily employs her face-shifting ability for a single act of vengeance—when she takes on Walder Frey's identity to assassinate the authors of the Red Wedding.
While her fighting skills are utilized later in Game of Thrones as she kills the Night King, the face-stealing aspect of her training is not and does not contribute much to her task of killing Cersei or anyone else on her list.
2) Bran's warg powers aren't fully explored
After Bran Stark falls in Game of Thrones season 1, he learns he can warg, which is the ability to be inside animals' and even humans' heads and see through their eyes and move their bodies. Bran demonstrates his warging capabilities through Summer, his direwolf, the ravens, and Hodor.
Although warging is presented as an important skill up front, it is not particularly highlighted further into the series, especially once Bran develops into the Three-Eyed Raven.
As the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran wargs all the time, presaged by his white eyes, but the show never quite tells viewers what he is doing, whether he is flying through the past or simply flying around Westeros.
This power, which can be utilized for much larger accomplishments, such as commanding dragons, is never fleshed out or connected to significant moments in the narrative by the time Game of Thrones concludes.
3) Jaime gives up his redemption journey to reunite with Cersei
Jaime Lannister is one of the most fascinating characters on the show. He and his brother Tyrion have provided viewers with some much-needed comic relief, but also some of the best character development.
Initially, in Game of Thrones, Jaime is arrogant, egotistical, hopelessly infatuated with his sister, and cold enough to push a little boy out a window.
Over the course of the series, Jaime is faced with a number of challenges that toughen him and make him more sympathetic to the audience, all the more so because he falls for Brienne of Tarth, who saved his life.
His final decision to abandon this hard-earned redemption and return to Cersei at the same time King's Landing is about to be toppled comes across as a step in the wrong direction. It negates all that he has learned, leaving him destroyed in the wreckage, showing that love sometimes leads people to make terrible decisions.
4) Revealing Jon Snow’s Targaryen heritage creates plot inconsistencies
Fans have been aware right from the start of Game of Thrones that Jon Snow is more than the bastard offspring of Ned Stark, especially considering the show's reminders of his "Snow" heritage throughout.
The season 7 finale ultimately reveals that Jon is actually Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen's son, making him both a Stark and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne since Lyanna was Ned's sister and Rhaegar was King Aerys II's heir. This disclosure comes at an inconvenient moment as Jon is getting close to Daenerys, creating tension amongst the characters.
While his leadership skills rendered Jon a possible ruler of Westeros courtesy of his Targaryen blood, the season finale takes Game of Thrones fans by surprise with the coronation of Bran the Three-Eyed Raven as king and the banishment of Jon to the Night's Watch for killing Daenerys.
Game of Thrones' ending leaves viewers asking why Jon's Targaryen lineage was even emphasized if it never became a factor in his destiny.
5) The true "prince that was promised" in Melisandre’s prophecy remains ambiguous
The Red Priestess Melisandre makes prophecies in Game of Thrones, one of which concerns a "prince" who is going to supposedly rescue Westeros from eternal darkness. Though fans have long speculated what this can mean in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, there is not much tie-up about it in the series.
Over the seasons, Melisandre's understanding of the "prince" varies. First, she assumes it to be Stannis Baratheon, then Jon Snow, and finally, perhaps Daenerys, as she reiterates the prophecy at Dragonstone.
So, who is the true savior? It is still unclear. Jon plays a key role in the Night King's fall, but Bran also fits the prophecy. On the other hand, Arya is the one who ultimately kills the Night King. Game of Thrones fails to provide the answer to this question.
6) In the end, the Three-Eyed Raven fails to achieve victory
When the last episode of Game of Thrones premiered, not many anticipated that Bran would end up as the king of the Seven Kingdoms. Bran encounters the mystical Three-Eyed Raven in season 6, who demonstrates to him important events in the past through an ability which only the Three-Eyed Raven possesses.
The audience learns important secrets, such as the identity of Jon Snow's parents, by this. When the first Three-Eyed Raven passes away, his power is transferred to Bran, and he is also able to perceive the past, present, and future like his predecessor.
Later in Game of Thrones, Bran is seen to be remote and mystical, highlighting his new position as the Three-Eyed Raven over and above Bran Stark. Having no obvious heir to the throne, the council elects Bran as king, but in practice, it seems that the actual ruler is the Three-Eyed Raven himself, an all-seeing king.
7) Daenerys Targaryen suddenly abandons everything she fought for
Perhaps the largest plot turn in Game of Thrones is the fall of Daenerys Targaryen during season 8. From a weak girl married to Khal Drogo, Daenerys develops into someone powerful, with dragon fire and a purpose to end the cycle of conquerors and to bestow justice upon the Seven Kingdoms.
She is seen emancipating slaves and fighting for what she believes is a better world. Though her position on violence is evident. After all, in Westeros, "you win or you die."
In season 8 of Game of Thrones, Daenerys suddenly burns a city full of innocents even after their surrender, a drastic shift that feels out-of-character to many viewers. Her turn to cruelty shocks audiences and leaves them questioning where it suddenly came from.
Interested viewers can watch Game of Thrones on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu.
