I gave the Game of Thrones another shot, and the finale felt completely different this time

**Disclaimer: This Game of Thrones article is based on the writer's opinion and contains major spoilers. Readers' discretion is advised.**

When Game of Thrones originally premiered on HBO in April of 2011, it was more than your run-of-the-mill fantasy program, a cultural revolution. Written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, based on George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, the program swiftly became a global sensation.

It reset the expectation for what TV was able to accomplish. With its television series production standards, sophisticated political Machiavellianism, ethically nuanced characters, and jaw-dropping plot revelations, Game of Thrones broke genre conventions and captivated millions of viewers each week.

Over the course of eight seasons and 73 episodes, the series followed the bloody battle for the Iron Throne on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos.

Its star-studded cast, headed by performers such as Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark), brought to life a sweeping, multi-stranded tale full of betrayal, ambition, war, magic, dragons, and White Walkers.

Led by a roster of A-list directors such as Miguel Sapochnik (Battle of the Bastards, The Long Night) and Alan Taylor (Baelor, Valar Morghulis), the show won 59 Emmy Awards during its course, and four of which were for Best Drama Series.

Despite all its awards and achievements, however, the last season of the show, particularly its final few episodes, was the subject of furious controversies, dividing fans and viewers alike.

It's been a few years now since Game of Thrones broadcast its last episode back in May of 2019, and after allowing myself some space from the initial hype and backlash, I went back to the world of the Seven Kingdoms. Viewing it all once more, from Ned Stark's death to Daenerys' demise.

I discovered something unexpected: the finale, once criticized and brushed off, hit very differently the second time around.

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Back then, the Game of Thrones ending felt rushed, now it feels earned

Following the initial viewing of the finale, many viewers, including myself, were left feeling annoyed. Season 8's pacing was frenetic, with significant character developments making sudden turns. Daenerys's sudden fall to tyranny felt abrupt. Bran's ascension as king felt arbitrary, while Jon's banishment felt like a letdown.

All that had been established over nearly a decade just seemed to disintegrate within minutes. However, watching the show again with a new vision and knowing the ending, something snapped. The clues were always present. Daenerys's conviction in her own goodness had always walked a razor's edge between absolutism.

Her brutal killings in Meereen, her insistence on destiny, and her constant repetition of breaking the wheel all suggested the potential for her to destroy in the name of freedom. The finale didn't betray her character; it realized the darker possibility she had always contained.

Jon's exile felt different this time, too. It wasn't punishment, it was liberation. From the start, Jon Snow had never wanted power. Coming back to the North and being reunited with Ghost, his dire-wolf, marked his return to where he belonged. There was a simple poetry to it that I didn't appreciate the first time.

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The emotional payoffs land better on Game of Thrones rewatch

One of the virtues of the Game of Thrones finale is the way it wraps up emotional trajectories, as opposed to political ones. Tyrion's confrontation with Daenerys, and his breakdown as he discards the Hand of the Queen pin, is more impactful when you recall their years-long trajectory together.

Arya's decision to go exploring rather than avenging herself feels empowering. Sansa asserting her identity and her throne seemed like a quiet victory for a character who suffered the most and came out to be a leader.

And yes, Bran the Broken wasn't necessarily the fan-favorite choice to be king, but his ascension is a testament to another form of power, one based on knowledge, neutrality, and legacy. In a world scorched and shattered by ambition, maybe selecting someone who doesn't want the throne is precisely the point.

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Why it didn't work the first time (and why it does now)

The first reaction to the finale wasn't about twists, it was about expectation. Game of Thrones had conditioned us to anticipate sudden deaths, jaw-dropping betrayals, and paradigm-shifting politics. We were expecting a mind-blowing finale. What we got was a quieter, more muted, nigh-on melancholic finale. It was disappointing at the time. However, with hindsight, it feels like the right call.

The tale concludes not with fireworks, but with introspection. Westeros doesn't become peaceful through great triumphs, but through exhausted compromise. The characters aren't crowned or hailed, they're scattered, scarred, and looking for meaning. It's not a fairy tale conclusion, but a human one.

Was the last season flawless? No. Certain arcs were definitely rushed. Some of the character changes needed more space. But watching the show many years later, disconnected from the cultural chatter, it was possible for me to look at the big picture. The ending wasn't a betrayal of what the show had been, but rather the inevitable, albeit agonizing, conclusion to it.

Game of Thrones never was about giving us what we want. It was about the cost of war, the weight of legacy, and the consequences of power. And when you see it all from that perspective, the finale isn't a letdown, just closure.

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Interested viewers can re-watch Game of Thrones on HBO.