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what would you have liked to have seen if the last season had been longer?

posted 5 years ago by ADBruno1985 (3536)
13 replies | jump to latest

Obviously we all know the final season (or final two, rather) were rushed. Had we gotten full seasons, what kind of scenes would you have liked to see, or what storylines would you have liked filled out more?

In general I feel like showing more of their traveling would've been good. Season 1 got a whole episode for traveling the Kingsroad, Season 8, just *boom* they're there.

I feel like it was a decision to "cut the fat" so as not to kill momentum, but still a mistake

[–] Obifuntoknowme (1144) 5 years ago

S1 was when things were fresh, when the writers were full of passion and daring. In S1 and it’s subsequent seasons the makers didn’t hesitate to bring their visions to the screen and we, the audience, lapped it all up hungrily. A great pity then that by S8 the source material has dried up, the writing had become lazy and nobody really seemed to care anymore. It could’ve been so amazing, it could’ve and should’ve been the most epic finale in television history. Shame (pun intended).

[–] ADBruno1985 (3536) 5 years ago

I feel like it's a case in point of why books shouldn't be adapted for screen until the book series is finished. Though, had they waited on GRRM, it may never have happened, so I guess strike while the iron's hot.

I think something that irks people about the finale is it wasn't that epic, it was more quiet, after Dany dies anyway. But I think we need to realize that often happens on HBO. Plus, let's take into account proper story structure. The climax isn't the end. After the climax there's denouement, conclusion. Considering a story broken into 73 parts, it does make sense enough for 72 ("The Bells") to be the climax, and 73 to be the wrap-up.

Wasn't nit-picking at you, just seemed a good place to drop my further thinking

[–] Otter (24464) 5 years ago

I'd have liked to seen an entire season devoted to the War Between the Living and the Dead, with a final battle that's actually coherent and intelligently planned out. AND a ninth season where the conflict between Jon and Dany developed into yet another civil war, with all the major characters taking sides.

And absolutely anyone else on the Iron Throne. Not just the sensible candidates like Tyrion, Jon, or Gendry, but ANYONE. I mean, Sam would have made more sense. Or Pod. Or Meissandre's corpse with the head sewn back on. Really, King Bran is THAT bad idea.

[–] ADBruno1985 (3536) 5 years ago

Agreed on all counts, sounds interesting. I know, always gets me cracking that Bran is chosen on the basis of "best story," when that's so untrue; his story was so boring and directionless that they benched him for a season.

[–] Otter (24464) 5 years ago

Gendry had such a superior "story", that whole speech was ludicrous!

Plus, Gendry is a known quantity who'd leave the ruling to professionals like Tyrion, while Bran might sit there like a lump for his entire reign, or he might be a insane immortal god-king who slaughters people without trial or explanation because he forsees them doing something bad in one of his visions. Littlefinger would have made a much better king!

[–] spurtle467 (1551) 5 years ago

I too would have liked seeing a whole season dedicated to the Living versus the Dead. They had built it up for the past 7 seasons so it's worthy of getting a season long climax to justify it. They could have the Dead at King's Landing having pushed back the Living from Winterfell. I'm still not comfortable with having the 'Dany turns evil' plot as the main finale, and want it to concern the Night King and the White Walkers, although over a season they could always combine storylines together or have them overlap and intertwine.

[–] ADBruno1985 (3536) 5 years ago

The Dany turning evil really has never bugged me, and I feel like I get what they were trying to do with it. But I'd anticipated a Dead v King's Landing episode as well and was bummed we didn't get it, and they could've brought winter with them. Heck they still could've gone the way they did and included the Dead, that could've been Dany's surface motivation for burning down King's Landing even.

[–] Otter (24464) 5 years ago

Ooh! I have not heard the idea of Dany burning down King's Landing to defeat the Armies of the Night's King, but I like the idea! That could have been a hell of a "bittersweet ending", with Dany both saving Westeros and ruining it, and finding herself Queen of an ashheap!

Not quite as much as I like my own ideas, of course, but then I like the idea of dead Melisandre with her head sewn back on proclaimed as Dany's heir and propped up on the Iron Throne, more than I like what they actually did.

[–] spurtle467 (1551) 5 years ago

Not saying I would have excluded that storyline altogether (not sure whether I like it or not in all honestly) just that I wouldn't have it come after a battle with the Night King. I mean I like that idea of combining the two and having Dany's motivation for destroying King's Landing be about destroying the Dead.

In addition to what else I'd have in the final season, Bran and his warging and Arya and her faceless skills should have featured more than they did. Bran's warging ability and time jumping could have served some very significant purpose in the fight against the Dead. What a waste all that turned out to be in the end, using some crows to spy on the Night King's and Drogon's whereabouts. Pointless.

[–] Quasimodo (16388) 5 years ago

In season eight here is what I would have liked to have seen:

1. At the battle of Winterfell Arya goes free ranging, using all her skills and one by one painstakingly picks off the Night King's White Walker lieutenants. Each time one goes down a percentage of the undead collapse taking some of the pressure off the defenders of Winterfell. This is a deliberate plan of Arya's as she will have heard from Jon what happened when they killed a White Walker beyond the Wall.

2. Sansa, Tyrion and everyone else in the Crypt die as they make a last ditch stand against the undead.

3. Jon Snow goes after the Night King and engages him in single combat as the wounded Daenerys and Jorah look on. The Night King slowly gets the better of Jon and disarms him and takes up Longclaw. Jorah then throws Jon Heartsbane which turns out to be Lightbringer and when Jon catches it the sword bursts into light. After a suitably epic fight Jon defeats the Night King.

4. Everyone praises Jon to high heaven and Arya and Daenerys get mostly ignored. They form a mutual admiration society of two and console each other. Arya helps to heal Daenerys with some special Shakespeare magic salve she got from what's her name the Thespian and part time abdominal surgeon and a full on (and the only) lesbian relationship in GoT blossoms between Arya and Daenerys.

5. When Daenerys is flying to Dragonstone Drogon is killed and Daenerys falls with him into the sea. She, not Missandei, is captured by Euron. Cersei then beheads Daenerys in front of the Army of the North. Rhaegal goes berserk and torches King's Landing. And Arya sees red and goes after and kills Euron, Jaime and Cersei in that order as well as anyone who gets in her way on her way. Then as Arya soaked in blood leaves the Red Keep Sandor and Gregor land on top of her and kill her.

6. Bran is kidnapped by what's left of the Children of the Forest and gets absorbed into a tree like a proper Three Eyed Raven and is never seen or heard of again.

7. Jon as the only one left standing is proclaimed the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

8. Sam goes back to the Citadel to complete his training. And then and only then does he get to be a Maester.

[–] Sandman81 (1510) 5 years ago

I wasn't a fan of Bran being made king, but if that's the way the show wanted to go, then they could have gone deeper into his powers. What can they do, and what can't he do. Maybe show how he can benefit the kingdom by using them. Also spend a little more time with him and Tyrion, so it would make more sense for Tyrion to name him King.

I'm assuming that it was G.R.R.M's plan to have Bran be named king at the end of the books.

[–] ADBruno1985 (3536) 5 years ago

And for Bran to name him Hand. Good point.

I've read a few places that is his plan, we'll see if the books ever come out.

[–] Volley (3433) 5 years ago

Season 7 should have ended with Cersei and Lannister armies finally being defeated by Daenerys forces.

Season 8 should have been about the Night King’s armies marching southwards, with total annihilation all but certain.