Amazon is moving forward with the development of a television series based on the popular video game franchise Tomb Raider, after several failed attempts in the past. This new production will be carried out by Story Kitchen in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios and Crystal Dynamics, who are also serving as executive producers of the project. The series will feature Sophie Turner, known for her role in Game of Thrones, in the lead role. Sigourney Weaver adding a touch of distinction Recently, rumors have emerged about the possibility of the legendary actress Sigourney Weaver joining the cast. According to reports […]
Amazon is moving forward with the development of a television series based on the popular video game franchise Tomb Raider, after several failed attempts in the past. This new production will be carried out by Story Kitchen in collaboration with Amazon MGM Studios and Crystal Dynamics, who also serve as executive producers of the project. The series will feature Sophie Turner, known for her role in Game of Thrones, in the lead role.
Sigourney Weaver adding a touch of distinction
Recently, rumors have emerged about the possibility of the legendary actress Sigourney Weaver joining the cast. According to information from Deadline, Weaver is considering a role in the television adaptation, although no agreement has been finalized yet and the nature of her character remains a mystery.
The series will be written and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, known for her acclaimed creation Fleabag. This team, which includes Story Kitchen, which has also worked on an animated Tomb Raider series for Netflix, suggests a revitalized and conceptually solid approach to the franchise.
In addition to Turner, British actor Martin Bobb-Semple is also linked to the project as a regular in the series, although his role in the plot has not yet been confirmed. The variety of talents involved in this project promises to offer a unique experience that could attract both fans of the video game series and new viewers.
Tomb Raider fans should also keep an eye on The Game Awards, which will take place on December 11, where an announcement related to the franchise is anticipated, which will offer “a look at the future of one of the most iconic franchises in the world of video games,” according to Geoff Keighley. This presentation could provide more details about the direction the series will take.
Another case of the incredible pressure that actors and actresses are exposed to is that of Milly Alcock, as the young actress who plays Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon experienced a complicated adjustment period when she started her work on the series. During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, Alcock shared that her first days on set were not easy, highlighting the pressure and expectations that come with being part of such a popular universe as that of Game of Thrones. The not-so-pretty side of […]
Another case of the incredible pressure that actors and actresses are exposed to is that of Milly Alcock, as the young actress who plays Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon experienced a challenging adjustment period when she started her work on the series. During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show, Alcock shared that her first days on set were not easy, highlighting the pressure and expectations that come with being part of such a popular universe as that of Game of Thrones.
The not-so-pretty side of blockbusters
The young actress, who has been praised for her performance, revealed that she received crucial advice from someone very important within the production: the need to work with an acting coach. This support would allow her to develop her portrayal of Rhaenyra, a character expected to play a fundamental role in the storytelling and who also symbolizes the complicity and intrigue characteristic of House Targaryen.
Alcock also commented on how this professional intervention provided him with tools to face the challenges posed by recordings and the tight shooting schedule. His experience reflects the demand of the entertainment world, where emotional and technical preparation is vital to interpret such complex and historically rich characters.
Since its premiere, House of the Dragon has captured the audience’s attention, and Alcock’s performances have been key in cementing interest in this continuation of the Game of Thrones legacy. Although Alcock had to quickly adapt to a demanding environment, her natural talent and dedication have begun to bear fruit, establishing her as one of the actresses to watch in this new chapter of the world of Westeros.
The long-awaited action role-playing game, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, will be released in early access on Steam on March 26. Developed by Netmarble, this title will allow players to immerse themselves in an original story within the universe of the popular HBO series. After an initial period of at least four weeks in early access, the game will be free, allowing a larger number of fans to enjoy the experience of Westeros. You know nothing, Jon Snow During the early access phase, players will be able to explore the Northern Regions, interact with iconic characters like […]
The long-awaited action role-playing game, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad, will be released in early access on Steam on March 26. Developed by Netmarble, this title will allow players to immerse themselves in an original story within the universe of the popular HBO series. After an initial period of at least four weeks in early access, the game will be free, allowing a larger number of fans to enjoy the experience of Westeros.
You know nothing, Jon Snow
During the early access phase, players will be able to explore the Northern Regions, interact with iconic characters like Jon Snow, and complete various side quests in an exciting narrative arc that spans 50 chapters. However, it is important to note that not all content will be available from the start, as some areas and activities will be expanded in the subsequent free release.
To access the game before its free launch, interested parties must purchase one of the Founder Packs, which include aesthetic items and in-game currency. Additionally, there are more comprehensive options that offer additional benefits, such as mounts and premium battle passes.
Players will take on the role of a customizable heir of a minor lord, choosing from classes such as Sellsword, Knight, and Assassin. Combat mechanics will require specific tactical skills, such as dodging and counterattacking, to face various creatures and enemies in exciting cooperative modes that will be essential for obtaining the best gear in the game.
Once Game of Thrones: Kingsroad completes its early access phase, cross-play and cross-progression functionality will be added between platforms, including mobile devices, which promises a more integrated experience for all players. Warner Bros. Games has indicated that it will focus on four popular IPs, including Game of Thrones, in its future project lineup, suggesting a continuity in its bets on this iconic franchise.
The renowned author of the Game of Thrones series, George R.R. Martin, has shared his excitement for the upcoming spin-off titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. On his Not a Blog page, Martin revealed that he has seen all the episodes of this new series, highlighting the quality of the work done by the production team. Ira Parker and his team finished the first season months ago and went straight into post-production, Martin stated. I have seen the six episodes and I loved them. The characters maintain the strong personality that the author gave them A Knight of the […]
The renowned author of the Game of Thrones series, George R.R. Martin, has shared his excitement for the upcoming spin-off titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. On his Not a Blog page, Martin revealed that he has seen all the episodes of this new series, highlighting the quality of the work done by the production team. Ira Parker and his team finished the first season months ago and went straight into post-production, Martin stated. I have seen the six episodes and I loved them.
The characters maintain the strong personality that the author gave them
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is an adaptation of the novel The Hedge Knight, and Martin considers it one of the most faithful adaptations of his work. This focus on fidelity is especially significant for him, given that he has expressed concerns about “toxic” changes in other adaptations of his work, such as House of the Dragon in its future seasons. In his comment, Martin emphasized that the new series is a character piece, suggesting a more detailed focus on character development rather than relying on excessive action.
The author also mentioned his satisfaction with the cast, particularly with the actors who play Dunk and Egg. The actors we found to portray them are simply amazing, he added. The rest of the cast has also received praise, including characters like Laughing Storm and Tanselle Too-Tall.
Martin concluded his analysis of the series by indicating that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms debuts at the end of this year. He also hinted at plans for the second Dunk and Egg story, titled ‘The Sworn Sword’, suggesting that the universe of the series could continue to expand in the future.
After eight seasons of backstabbing, violence, and fantastic spectacle, Game of Thrones has finally come to a divisive conclusion. Though the flagship series may be over, fans don’t have to leave Westeros just yet. Several spin-off shows are in the works, including a few involving George R.R. Martin himself. One of these spin-offs has, in fact, already started filming, so fans won’t have to wait long to dive back into the world of dragons and dictators. Here’s everything we know about the new Game of Thrones show “Bloodmoon.”
Everything we know about the Game of Thrones prequel
The Plot
Image courtesy HBO
The world of “Bloodmoon” is going to be familiar to most “Thrones” fans, but is also going to paint a very different picture of Westeros. According to an official description from HBO, Bloodmoon “chronicles the world’s descent from the golden Age of Heroes into its darkest hour,” and will reveal “the horrifying secrets of Westeros’s history from the true origin of the white walkers, the mysteries of the East, to the Starks of legend.”
The show will be set 5,000 years before the events of the original series, when the mysterious Children of the Forest still roamed the land. We only met a few of these otherworldly creatures over the course of the show, and know little about them. From what we do know, the Children of the Forest once inhabited Westeros in the time before men, and were almost driven to extinction when the First Men appeared on the continent. By the time of “Game of Thrones” the Children of the Forest were apparently extinct (or at least had been driven into hiding), but their actions had grave repercussions even thousands of years later.
Image courtesy HBO
To protect themselves from the onslaught of human invaders, the Children of the Forest created The Night King by driving dragonglass into the heart of a member of The Night’s Watch, turning him into the nefarious entity that became one of the show’s main antagonists. It’s not difficult to imagine Bloodmoon putting a focus on the events that led to The Night King’s creation; perhaps we’ll even get to see who he was before he was turned into the original White Walker, and find out more about his purpose and motivations. This theory holds even more weight when taken together with the fact that George R.R. Martin had originally pushed to title the show “The Long Night.”
Image courtesy HBO
Martin also teased on his personal blog that the show might also cast light on the beginnings of the Targaryen dynasty. Specifically, he pointed to the show drawing some plot details from his Game of Thrones companion novel “Fire & Blood” which focuses on the Targaryen rulers from Aegon the Conqueror all the way up to the end of the Dance of Dragons. Though the timelines do seem slightly off (the First Men came to Westeros years before the Targaryens were on the scene) it might make for an interesting interplay to see the Targaryens rising to power as the White Walkers begin to take hold in the lands beyond the Wall.
Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming (official browser game)
With filming beginning in Belfast a few weeks ago, most of “Bloodmoon’s” cast has already been announced. Though we have few details on who each actor will be playing, the final list makes for an impressive mix of stars and relative unknowns. Here are a few of the highlights.
Naomi Watts: A veteran and award-winning actress, Naomi Watts has appeared in everything from “King Kong” to “The Ring.” The exact name and nature of her character is unknown, but we do have a short official description. Apparently, Watts will be playing “a charismatic socialite hiding a dark secret.” Taken together with her fair hair and blue eyes, could this mean Watts is playing one of the earliest Lannisters? Or perhaps a Targaryen?
Miranda Richardson: Most moviegoers will know British actress Miranda Richardson as the ambitious and nosy reporter Rita Skeeter from the “Harry Potter” movies. Aside from her “Potter” role, Richardson is a BAFTA award winner and two-time Academy Award nominee, and was also known for playing Queen Elizabeth on BBC’s “Blackadder.” Perhaps she’ll be playing another queen for “Bloodmoon.”
Jamie Campbell Bower: Also a “Harry Potter” veteran, Jamie Campbell Bower’s sharp features, pale eyes, and blonde hair also bring to mind Targaryens and Lannisters. With a distinct physical type beginning to emerge in many of the show’s lead actors, it seems safe to say that one of these two families will be a focal point for “Bloodmoon.”
Marquis Rodriguez: American actor Marquis Rodriguez has appeared in a whole host of TV shows from “Law and Order” to “Chicago Fire.” More recently, he appeared in the MCU Netflix shows “Iron Fist” and “Luke Cage.” Though we don’t know too much yet about his character, Rodriguez has been confirmed as a series regular.
Though we don’t know a lot yet about “Bloodmoon,” the tantalizing details that have been revealed so far certainly have us craving some more Game of Thrones content. If reports are be believed, we won’t have to wait long: sources point towards a rumored release sometime in the summer of 2020.
With nearly 1.5 million signatures, it has gotten quite a bit of attention. However, these signatures will more than likely prove fruitless as HBO has shown zero-interest in reshooting the final season. Even the actors and actresses have spoken about how ridiculous they found the petition.
Recently, fans of the MCU have created a petition to change the fate of Tony Stark from “Avengers: Endgame.”With only about 40,000 signatures, and the vast majority of fans enjoying the film, fans can’t expect this petition to make a difference either.
Since even petitions that get loads of signatures don’t go anywhere, why do fans think they’ll make a difference? Well, it turns out that sometimes they work.
How Hey Arnold! got a new movie
Arnold, you’re a bold kid
Around 2009, fans of the Nickelodeon series “Hey Arnold!” started to petition to end the series how the creators intended.
Initially, “Hey Arnold!” was supposed to end with a movie about Arnold and his friends journeying to the jungle to uncover the truth about Arnold’s lost parents. Though production started, the project was scrapped, never to be heard from again.
However, fans created a petition that generated about 15,000 signatures for the writers to make “Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie.” In response to the desire to bring back the show, Nickelodeon brought back the creator, Craig Bartlett, and made the movie.
So why did Arnold get a second chance while Daenerys is still cold and dead in the ashes of the city she incinerated? The answer to that might lie in the cost.
For the eighth season, each episode of “Game of Thrones” cost about $15 million. “Hey Arnold: The Jungle Movie” was not released in theaters. Also, since it was animated, it cost a lot less to make.
Another thing to point out is that “Hey Arnold!” was always meant to end with this movie. The only reason it didn’t happen was because it was canceled. The ending fans got from “Game of Thrones” was the ending the writers wanted to give. Clearly, there’s a big difference.
However, there might be more to the story.
Star Trek was saved by a letter-writing campaign
“I’ll never let go, Jack”
After an abysmal second season on NBC, it looked like “Star Trek” would not be returning. However, fans of the series started a letter-writing campaign to get a third season. After literally thousands of letters for fans were sent to NBC, the network realized the Nielsen ratings they were abiding by were not as reliable as they had hoped. As a result, NBC brought back “Trek” for a third season.
After more bad ratings in the third season, the series was canceled. However, since there were now enough episodes, the series entered syndication, where it became a pop culture phenomenon.
So why did “Star Trek” get another season, but “Game of Thrones” didn’t? In this particular instance, “Star Trek” had not been officially canceled, according to an article from StarTrek.com. “Game of Thrones” is officially over. Secondly, Trekkies were able to prove that the Nielsen Ratings were wrong. In fact, according to the same article, the ratings were faulty and doctored by employees at NBC to get the show canceled.
Sure there are loads of fans of “Game of Thrones” who have been bugging the creators of the show to redo the final season, saying that the writers were “incompetent.” However, they can’t prove that anything egregious went into the making of the final season. If they could, they MIGHT have a case.
Firefly: You might not get what you want, but you might get something
In 2002, Fox released “Firefly,” a sci-fi series that was canned after a single season in which a handful of episodes aired out of order. After it was canceled, fans of the series went ballistic. The show left a lasting impact, and fans still want to see it return.
To urge the production of more adventures, so-called Browncoats bought the series on DVD and shared the episodes with friends. The continued DVD sales and word-of-mouth campaign were better marketing than Fox ever managed. Remember, this was before Netflix pioneered the video streaming we take for granted today.
Thanks to the ongoing fanbase engagement, Fox continued the adventures with the 2005 feature film, “Serenity.”
Although we still don’t have a second season of “Firefly,” the love of the fans was what led to us getting the movie. Although fans might not get to bring Tony Stark back to life, or give Daenerys and Jon Snow the ending they deserve, a little persistence might result in something.
If a fanbase is really motivated, there’s also the Kickstarter route. In 2013, fans of “Veronica Mars” shattered records by contributing $2 million in 11 hours to bankroll a feature film. The movie ended up losing money, so maybe the network had the right idea in the first place.
Throwing the Hail Mary
In some cases, fans resorted to more creative methods of getting their favorite shows back. In some cases, fans mailed items related to the show to the studios. When “Jericho” was canceled, fans mailed peanuts. When “Roswell” was facing cancelation, fans mailed Tabasco sauce. After “Friday Night Lights” played its final game, the studio was sent lightbulbs and eye drops.
In each of these cases, the show was kept on the air. Whether or not the weirdest mail call ever was the reason why these shows stayed on the air, we don’t know. However, the studios very well might have kept the shows on just to keep the rest of their mail from getting saucy.
Just like “Game of Thrones,” fans didn’t get their reshoot. Also just like “Game of Thrones,” “How I Met Your Mother” ended on its own volition. The hit show received the ending that writers had wanted for better or worse.
So what can we learn from “How I Met Your Mother?”
As the Rolling Stones have said, you can’t always get what you want.
However, as they later clarified, if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need.
“How I Met Your Mother” did not give us the ending we wanted, but it did give us the ending the writers wanted.
The same goes for “Game of Thrones.” To be completely fair, although there might be endings that more people would like, there is no ending that EVERYONE would like.
Although many fans still dislike the finale of “How I Met Your Mother,” fans have grown to despise it less over the years.
Sure, a bad finale can sting. However, as the years go by, you might appreciate the finale for what it was.
Wrapping up
A petition and persistence can sometimes make all the difference. However, sometimes they’re a fool’s errand, and sometimes you need to think outside the box.
Maybe writing a petition is too bland. Maybe, if you really want HBO to remake the final season of “Game of Thrones,” you should mail them plastic dragons and bottles of wine.
New video supercut recreates “Ice Ice Baby” with dialogue from the show.
Courtesy of HBO
The fire from the “Game of Thrones” may be dying down, but what is dead may never die. For the foreseeable future, we’re going to be treated to memes and remixes and supercuts. We just discovered this gem, where clips from the series have been woven together to recreate Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby.” Check out the hook while our DJ revolves it:
“Game of Thrones” is finally over. The revolutionary fantasy TV show has left audiences with 8 seasons worth of deep characters, huge plot twists, and memorable moments. Some of the most iconic moments on Game of Thrones were the character deaths. In a world where one wrong move could have serious consequences, even the most beloved characters weren’t safe from the Grim Reaper. Here’s a look back at the show’s 15 most memorable deaths.
Note: The deaths below are presented in chronological order.
Ned Stark was one of the first major deaths on Game of Thrones, and it was a twist that many audience members didn’t see coming. After discovering that Joffrey Baratheon was the secret child of Jaime and Cersei Lannister, Ned and his personal forces storm the Throne Room in an attempt to keep the Lannisters from seizing power for themselves. Unfortunately for Ned, he’s betrayed by Littlefinger, his forces are slaughtered, and he gets condemned to death. After being set up to be one of the show’s main characters for most of the season, Ned is publicly beheaded for treason on the orders of King Joffrey. It’s easily one of the show’s most shocking moments, and the audience holds out the hope that Ned will somehow survive right up until the blade passes through his neck.
14. Viserys Targaryen
Image courtesy HBO
Viserys Targaryen is the cruel and spiteful older brother of Daenerys Targaryen. He regularly abuses his younger sister while harboring ambitions of returning to Westeros to seize the Iron Throne for himself. As part of his plan to do so, he arranges Daenerys’ marriage to Khal Drogo. Unfortunately for Viserys, the Khal ends up liking his sister a little too much. In a drunken fit of frustration and rage, Viserys storms into one of the Khalasar’s most sacred spaces and threatens Daenerys at swordpoint. He’s swiftly subdued by Khal Drogo’s men, and Daenerys sentences her older brother to death. As she watches on, Khal Drogo dumps a pot of molten gold onto a screaming Viserys, giving him the crown that he always wanted.
13. Robb & Catelyn Stark
Image courtesy HBO
The Red Wedding has doubtless left an indelible mark in the memories of every Game of Thrones fan. After the death of his father, the young Robb Stark takes up arms and launches a rebellion against the Lannisters. Together with his force of northern lords, Robb wins essentially every battle he fights. Everything’s looking up, and it seems like nothing can take Robb down… until he makes one fatal mistake. He renounces his arranged marriage to the daughter of Walder Frey to marry Talisa, the daughter of a foreign noble.
The spiteful Lord Walder conspires with Robb’s ally Roose Bolton and the Lannisters to betray and slaughter Robb’s forces in a surprise attack during a feast at The Twins. The pregnant Talisa is stabbed to death, Robb is shot with several arrows and stabbed by Roose Bolton, and Catelyn Stark’s throat is viciously slit in the ensuing bloodbath. Bolton’s chilling whisper of, “The Lannisters send their regards,” echoes in the heads of many “Thrones” fans to this day.
12. Joffrey Baratheon
Image courtesy HBO
Cruel, petulant, and just all around hated, Joffrey Baratheon’s comeuppance was a long time in the making. After abusing Sansa Stark and keeping her in the court as a hostage in everything but name, Joffrey sets her aside in favor of an arranged marriage to the ambitious Margaery Tyrell. What Joffrey doesn’t know is that she has no intention of being his wife. At their wedding feast, Margaery’s grandmother Lady Olenna slips a vial of poison into Joffrey’s wine. Joffrey chokes to death, his face turning purple as blood pours from his nose and eyes. It’s an immensely satisfying moment… despite the fact that Tyrion gets blamed for the murder.
Lysa Arryn was the jealous and temperamental sister of Catelyn Stark. Together with her secret lover, Petyr Baelish, Lysa conspired to murder her husband Jon Arryn. This betrayal kicked off the events of the series and eventually led to The War of the Five Kings. After Littlefinger and Sansa flee King’s Landing, they take refuge with Lysa at her mountaintop castle, The Eyrie. Sansa’s presence causes her to become increasingly unstable, as she harbors suspicions that Sansa and Baelish are lovers. Eventually, she attempts to murder her niece in a fit of rage. Littlefinger then betrays Lysa, pushing her through the castle’s Moon Door. Sansa and Littlefinger watch on as Lysa plummets to her death on the rocks below.
10. Oberyn Martell
Image courtesy HBO
After Tyrion is imprisoned on suspicion of the murder of King Joffrey, he invokes his right to trial by combat. He enlists Prince Oberyn Martell as his champion, going up against the fearsome Ser Gregor Clegane. Martell and Clegane have a personal history: The Mountain brutally murdered his sister, Princess Elia, and her children after Baratheon forces invaded King’s Landing during Robert’s Rebellion. A skilled warrior, Oberyn dances circles around the much larger Mountain during their fight. Landing several brutal blows against Clegane, Oberyn’s victory seems assured.
Oberyn takes an opportunity to gloat, demanding Gregor confess to the murder of his sister. The wounded Clegane seizes the moment and takes Oberyn by surprise, landing a hit that knocks most of his teeth out and sends him tumbling to the ground. Clegane then drives his thumbs through Oberyn’s eye sockets before crushing his skull with his massive hands.
9. Lord Tywin Lannister
Image courtesy HBO
After losing his trial by combat, Tyrion is sentenced to die by his own father, Lord Tywin Lannister. Fortunately for Tyrion, he’s freed by his brother Jaime. Before fleeing King’s Landing, Tyrion takes a detour to exact revenge on his father. He heads to Tywin’s chambers to find his former lover, Shae, in his father’s bed. The enraged Tyrion strangles her before continuing on to find his father sitting on the toilet. As Lord Tywin tries to talk him down, Tyrion takes revenge for a lifetime’s worth of cruelty and abuse, shooting his father twice through the chest with a crossbow. It’s an ironic end for the proud, noble Lord Tywin.
8. Ser Barristan Selmy
Image courtesy HBO
It’s hard to call Ser Barristan’s death anything but heart-wrenching. The aging knight was once a hero, a celebrated member of the venerated Kingsguard. In spite of his heroism, he’s publicly embarrassed and excommunicated in front of the court by Joffrey and Cersei. Ser Barristan then sets off across the world in search of Daenerys Targaryen. Finding her, he offers a heartfelt apology for having failed to protect her father and family, and offers her his sword in the hope of making things right. He becomes one of Dany’s most loyal protectors, and dies doing just that. He meets his end facing down the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen. The old knight fights honorably until the bitter end, taking down several of the fighters before finally succumbing to his own wounds.
Robert Baratheon’s older brother Stannis is known for his pride, iron will, grammatical prowess, and a strict-but-fair interpretation of justice. After Robert’s death, he goes to war with the other factions making claim to the crown. By the time Stannis meets his end, he’s a broken man. Having murdered his younger brother Renly, burned his daughter alive, and witnessed his wife’s suicide in his pursuit of the Iron Throne, Stannis recklessly marches his forces into battle against the Bolton troops occupying Winterfell. His army is wiped out in the ensuing fight, and Stannis is also severely wounded. In the aftermath, he’s found by Brienne of Tarth. Formerly Kingsguard for his brother Renly, Brienne accuses Stannis of Renly’s murder. Stannis admits to the deed, and willingly allows Brienne to execute him.
6. Hodor
Image courtesy HBO
Hodor’s name is the only word he’s capable of saying. The gentle giant makes it through six seasons as the companion and protector of Bran Stark before fulfilling his destiny. After gaining his powers as the Three-Eyed Raven, Bran goes back in time to impart a message to Hodor: “Hold the door.” As Bran, Hodor, and company are pursued through the northern tundras by hordes of undead wights and White Walkers, Hodor does exactly that. He uses his tremendous strength to hold a door shut and buy Bran the time he needs to escape, saying “Hodor” over and over again as the wights tear him apart. It’s easily one of the saddest deaths of the series.
5. Ramsay Bolton
Image courtesy HBO
Like Joffrey Baratheon, Ramsay Bolton’s death is a cathartic moment. Responsible for sadistic acts of cruelty and torture against both Theon Greyjoy and Sansa Stark, Ramsay is a verifiable psychopath. Among his other sadistic hobbies, one of Ramsay’s favorite pastimes is hunting humans in the forests around Winterfell with his pack of hounds. After going into battle against forces led by Jon Snow, Ramsay is defeated and imprisoned in Winterfell’s kennel. While Sansa watches, his own starving hunting dogs rip him to shreds.
For most of Season 6, Cersei Lannister finds herself scrambling as her enemies threaten her from all sides. Chief among them is the Tyrell family, with Margaery Tyrell at the helm. Margaery displays Machiavellian levels of cunning that give Cersei a run for her money, and the Tyrells are poised to become the true power behind the Iron Throne. Unfortunately, both Cersei and Margaery underestimate the power of the High Sparrow and his sect of religious zealots. Due to stand trial at the Sept of Baelor, Margaery and the Tyrell family arrive to see Cersei receive her punishment and finally seize power. Cersei, however, doesn’t show.
Cersei watches from The Red Keep as her agents ignite the vast stores of wildfire stored beneath the Sept. The building explodes in a massive green fireball, eliminating The High Sparrow, Margaery, Loras, and Lord Mace Tyrell in one fell swoop.
3. Lady Olenna Tyrell
Image courtesy HBO
Matriarch Olenna Tyrell outlives her family, but not for very long. Cersei sends Lannister forces commanded by her brother Jaime to confront The Queen of Thorns at Highgarden. Jaime faces Olenna alone, giving her the option of a peaceful death by poison. Not one to beat around the bush, Lady Olenna nonchalantly downs the poison in a single gulp. She also seizes the opportunity for one last dig at the Lannisters, and Olenna uses her final moments to confess to Joffrey’s murder. She specifically requests that Jaime tell Cersei that she was the one who did it. Olenna was an iron-willed woman who died as she lived: her own way.
2. Jorah Mormont
Image courtesy HBO
Jorah Mormont first met Daenerys Targaryen when she was a young girl, at her forced wedding to Khal Drogo. The exiled Westerosi lord soon fell in love with the young princess. Though Daenerys never reciprocated Jorah’s feelings, she soon came to look to him as one of her most trusted advisors, protectors, and friends. The two stayed together through betrayals, separations, and conquests. Jorah never wavered in his love and faith for his Queen, and watched as she grew from the meek young girl who married Drogo into a capable and powerful woman.
He sailed back to Westeros alongside Dany’s forces to lay claim to the Iron Throne, but they soon found themselves faced with a potentially greater threat. The Night King and his armies were marching south from The Wall, threatening to wipe out all life in the realm. Jorah fought with Dany and her troops at Winterfell in a last ditch effort to stop The Night King’s forces. In the battle, Dany was separated from her dragon and found herself facing down hordes of the undead alone. Just as her death seemed certain, Jorah appeared, using his Valyrian steel sword to protect Daenerys even as he sustained mortal wounds. As the battle came to a close, Jorah died in Dany’s arms as she sobbed, mourning the man who had been at her side her entire life.
1. Daenerys Targaryen
Image courtesy HBO
As a young girl, Daenerys grew up hearing stories about the kingdom her family had lost. Her life was not an easy one, as she endured hardships and abuse of all kinds in pursuit of her goals. She grew from a meek girl to a Khaleesi, the mother of three powerful dragons, and the conqueror of several cities. She also became known for her compassion, freeing slaves from their oppressive masters wherever she went and striving to make life better for the common people. Though her path took many turns, her ultimate goal never wavered: returning to Westeros to claim her birthright as ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Daenerys’ most heartfelt desire is to be loved by her subjects, but she soon realizes that won’t be possible after her arrival in Westeros.
She soon finds out that her lover Jon Snow is really Aegon Targaryen, the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. This, combined with years of trauma and hardship, causes Dany to finally snap, and she incinerates King’s Landing and the Red Keep on dragonback. Appalled by the death and destruction, Jon Snow confronts her in the throne room, but Daenerys doesn’t waver. She truly believes that her way was the only way, and begs Jon one last time to rule by her side. The two share a final kiss, and Jon stabs Daenerys in the chest. The Mother of Dragons dies at the foot of the Iron Throne, the goal she spent her whole life pursuing.
So, did we miss anyone? Let us know in the comments, and check back with Softonic for more Game of Thrones content.
Unless you’re a fan of another HBO show like “Barry” or “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” there might not be much of a reason to continue paying for your subscription.
If we’re being honest, that new Watchmen series doesn’t look all that great either. Basically, if you’re looking for a reason to keep your subscription, you might be hard-pressed to find one.
If you’re already paying for subscriptions like Netflix or Hulu, HBO might be a bill you don’t want to pay anymore. If you don’t know how to cancel your subscription, we’ve got you covered.
How to cancel your HBO subscription
For both methods of cancellation, there are no cancellation fees. HBO recommends that you cancel your subscription at least 24 hours before it renews so it has time to process.
Canceling on phone or tablet
1. Open the HBO NOW app on your phone or tablet and sign in
2. In the upper-right corner, choose Settings > Billing Information.
3. Switch the auto-renew toggle to Auto-Renew Off.
4. Confirm the change. This will cancel your subscription.
5. Take note of the date that your subscription expires. You can continue streaming until your subscription expires.
Should I cancel HBO?
If you have Amazon Prime Video, you can get a free one-week trial of HBO. If you’re unfamiliar with the service, you can use that time to determine whether or not you think HBO is the streaming service for you. You can also use that time to watch “Game of Thrones” if you haven’t already.
If you are familiar with HBO, you probably know whether or not you want to keep it. Along with the new Watchmen series, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” will be returning for its tenth season. If you haven’t seen that show, it’s prettay good.
The departure of “Game of Thrones” has left many of us with a sour taste in our mouths. If you don’t want that taste to linger that much longer, it might be time to stare down HBO and say “Dracarys.”
A great beginning is hard, a great ending is nearly impossible. Why?
Credit: Helen Sloan/HBO
In the aftermath of “Game of Thrones,” fans found themselves in a familiar position, sifting through the events of a final episode, weighing whether they liked how it ended, considering whether the story as a whole was worth their time. Some of the greatest TV shows in history have stumbled horribly at the finish line, either due to fatigue, a lack of planning, or indecisiveness. While we’ve been treated to many wonderful shows, you can probably count the number of highly praised finales on one hand. Why is that?
Spoilers below…
The job of a finale
A proper finale needs to accomplish several critical tasks:
Answer any lingering important questions
Provide closure
Nod to the past
Hint to the future
Fit with the rest of the series
If a finale fails at any of those points, you can be sure the fanbase will revolt.
The best TV finales
If we’re lucky, we get one near-perfect finale per decade. “M*A*S*H” is often cited as a great ending. The comedy-drama series focused on the Korean War. Considering the frame of the war, the end of a conflict is a natural reason for our characters to part ways. Wars never end at a particular point in a character’s evolution – it’s always an abrupt and arbitrary development. The characters have a clear reason to say goodbye, bury the hatchet, or make amends. And because we know that all of these characters had lives before the war, we know they’re returning to those lives. They’ll be forever changed, but all of them will return to a version of their previous existence.
According to Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey, we are all predisposed to anticipate that after a great battle, the hero returns home with something he or she gained, now prepared to share it with those who have not yet ventured forth for their own great battle. The hero becomes the mentor. The heroes of our stories become the leaders, and the next generation must step forward. That homecoming or return is often a tricky thing to pull off, so it’s often neglected or ignored. But it usually boils down to a simple rule: the end is in the beginning. At least one character must return to a familiar place, now changed by what has happened.
“M*A*S*H” is also notable for a real shock turn for one of the main characters. Hawkeye Pierce suffers a nervous breakdown as he remembers the extraordinary step one woman took to prevent discovery and capture by the enemy.
A war between nation-states makes it easier to pull the plug than something like a battle between good and evil. One presumes that evil never rests. At the end of “Game of Thrones,” we’re meant to believe the decisions made will put an end to generations of conflict, yet the new king points out the necessity for a Master of War. So much for utopia.
Another finale cited as one of the best is “Newhart.” Sitcoms, by their nature, have less to do with continuity and more to do with simply making us laugh. Too many sitcom finales get bogged down with sentimentality, leading our characters to behave in ways they’ve previously never behaved. A sitcom usually only functions because of its characters’ lack of growth. We crave the reliability of their flaws.
“Newhart” wisely side-stepped this pitfall. The comedy focused on a man and his wife who operated a small inn in Vermont. In the final episode, a visiting Japanese tycoon buys out the entire town. Like “M*A*S*H,” the show’s framing device is eliminated, so it provides a natural opportunity for everyone to say goodbye. Also like “M*A*S*H,” the decision is taken out of the hands of the protagonists. That’s also crucial since the finality of the development removes any scenes of characters waffling about the decision. By using an external force to close the show, fans won’t find themselves second-guessing a character’s decision to leave. The decision was forced upon them.
“Newhart” transcended all other comedy finales with an audacious stunt. When Bob Newhart’s 1990 character is whacked in the head with a golf ball, he wakes up… on the set of his beloved 1970s sitcom, “The Bob Newhart Show.” He tells his wife from that show about the crazy dream he just had. It was subversive and meta and groundbreaking and satisfying all at the same time. And, importantly, it doesn’t negate what happened. Even if all those seasons were part of one crazy dream, they were still enjoyable. By reframing the entire series as a dream from another, similar character, it plays fair.
The best TV finale in recent memory is “The Shield.” The story of a rogue cop unfolds like a perfectly laid trap. All of the secrets in the series are laid bare, and everyone is shocked. Because that show always dealt in a wide grey area between right and wrong, the 2008 finale’s last shot is a perfect fulfillment of that promise. It’s concrete enough to hint to the future, but vague enough to allow the viewer to make their own conclusions.
The ending of “The Shield” is also notable because it followed a logical path. Shakespeare tells us that Romeo & Juliet are going to die right at the beginning of the story. He then weaves a story so compelling, you forget the promise made at the outset. Either that, or the dread informs your consumption of this story of young love. Telling the hell out of a story is more important that shocks or u-turns or deus ex machina or mind-blowing revelations. Shakespeare says, “Watch me kill these young lovers.” We watch anyway and it’s great. And no one feels ripped off when they die.
The most disappointing TV finales
“Lost” is an example of a show that rocketed out of the gates, then stumbled, and stumbled, and stumbled some more on its way to a much-reviled ending. Where did “Lost” get, well, lost?
That show made lots of promises to the audience. If you tell us that everything is happening for a reason, you should have that reason figured out before you launch your show.
Too often, showrunners promise an equation where 2+x=4. Part of the joy, then, is giving the audience enough clues so they can eventually discover that x=2. But this often ends up overcomplicating things. Instead of doling out x in small doses, we start adding other variables: red herrings and narrative dead ends that only exist to prolong the solution of the equation. So you end up with a final equation that looks like 2+0.1+z+3-2/5+∞=4? And you, the viewer, say, “This doesn’t add up to four at all!” The showrunners fire back, “It was never supposed to add up to four.” And you say, “Look at your first season! All you talked about was four!”
Supernatural shows often fall prey to this trap. Ditto for Stephen King novels. We are so intrigued by the possible reasons for the mystery, our imaginations fire off multiple solutions, each more satisfying than whatever we’re given. Was there really any way “Lost” could pay off a polar bear on a tropical island, the magic numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, the smoke monster, and The Others abducting Walt because he was “special?” No. It was all nonsense. Fans worked furiously to find one solution to these riddles, but even the showrunners had no idea what they were doing. So the solution was that the characters were dead all along and they were just puttering around in purgatory and the island was somehow a container for evil. It’s just more nonsense.
If you have a supernatural story, the most important thing you have to do is establish a set of rules. Absent these rules, anything can happen for any reason at any time: people can come back from the dead, witches can birth smoke monsters (one time only, apparently), time travel is possible. The audience will swallow a lot as long as there are some boundaries involved. The moment you toss out the rules, your show falls apart.
“Lost” could never decide on its rules and drowned itself in a sea of false starts. Nearly the entire second season focused around the survivors from the tail section of the plane, and those characters did nothing to propel the overall story. If you can skip the majority of a season and the story doesn’t seem radically altered, that’s poor storytelling.
Another much-loathed finale was “The Sopranos.” When that show was at its best, it was a strange cross between violence, comedy, and psychiatry. When that show was at its worst, it was self-important (ugh, the dream sequences!), ponderous, and pretentious. The ending was the worst example of this. In a brazen, audacious move, the screen simply cut to black. Nearly every fan had the same reaction: “Did my cable just go out? That wasn’t the end, was it?”
To this day, people argue whether that means Tony Soprano was killed or the show picked that random moment to stop. When we rewatch it, we suspect the final scene is packed with mundane details because that’s the whole point of the show: as terrifying as mob life is, you still have moments of boredom, and you’ll be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life. You might disagree with that assessment, but that does not mean that this finale was an artistic masterstroke. It means the show failed in its duty to elicit an intended emotion. It just copped out. “Here, you decide what happens,” is incredibly lazy. The easy fallback for the creator is, “Well, maybe you don’t understand it because you’re not sophisticated enough or you didn’t pick up on the clues that I did a terrible job supplying.” Nonsense.
To be clear, “The Sopranos” and “The Shield” both have ambiguous endings. But “The Shield” presents two clear timelines. “The Sopranos” presents infinite possibilities, each equally valid. Why not end the show 10 minutes earlier or 10 minutes later? If an abrupt ending is supposed to be the point, it could happen anytime. So why then? And what are you trying to say?
“Mad Men” is another prestigious TV series that fumbled its ending. That show was always at its best when it used the frame of the advertising agency to explore social dynamics. Because the main character hit the road, separating himself from that environment, we missed out on the crackling dialogue and character-driven tension that made the show sing. Don Draper’s disappearing act would be like buying a ticket to the NBA Finals, only to learn that Steph Curry has decided he’s going to skip the game to launch his career as a forensic pathologist. Steph might be a great forensic pathologist, but we just want to watch him jack up threes, preferably alongside his teammates.
“Seinfeld” is an example of a disastrous finale in the comedy genre. Instead of leaning on its observational strengths, the final episode felt more like a glorified clip show as they brought back dozens of guest stars, and finished with the four leads stuck in prison. What? That show picked a weird time to become introspective. Again, we were robbed of what made the show great – interactions between the four main characters. Also, the episode wasn’t particularly funny.
“Breaking Bad” is another series on TV’s Mount Rushmore, but the final episode had the unenviable task of coming on the heels of the third-to-last episode. “Ozymandias” is perhaps one of the most perfect hours of television ever filmed. It offered gut-wrenching payoffs to nearly every secret in the “Breaking Bad” universe. Walter White came in direct conflict with everyone he loved. So the last two episodes suffered by removing Walt from those characters. While the finale offered satisfying moments, we were starved for those rich moments of 1:1 interaction that made the series great. It also doesn’t help that a group of random Nazis can’t hold a candle to the series’ greatest villains. For that reason, something like Season 4’s “Face Off” finale against Gus Fring felt more satisfying.
Fans tend to love or hate the end of the “Battlestar Galactica” reboot. Again, it fell into the supernatural trap, not laying out the rules by which the show would play. If you’re willing to make some pretty big leaps of faith, the series plays out like a tone poem to evolution, both personal and biological. If you insist on answers, you’re not going to get them here. Because the show always dabbled in the mystical and unexplained, we liked the ending. (Baltar’s emotional breakdown was especially powerful.) In some cases, a show is better off shrugging its shoulders and acknowledging powers beyond its understanding, rather than trying to shoehorn an unsatisfactory explanation into the mix. (Remember, we like The Force, but nobody likes Midichlorians.)
“The Wire” is probably the greatest television show of all time. Season 4 is a peerless dramatic masterclass. But Season 5 featured an uncharacteristic logical leap required because the show had made its primary villain (Marlo Stanfield) too powerful to take down fair-and-square. “The Wire” had an incredible grasp of the big picture, but its low ratings meant HBO was reluctant to greenlight a Season 5. Had the showrunners known they’d only get five seasons, it’s likely they could have orchestrated a clean landing. Since they had no assurance beyond one final season (and a shortened one, at that), they took some narrative shortcuts that show nearly always avoided before the end.
The issue with “The Wire’s” finale isn’t what happened to the characters. All of them got fitting ends. It’s the path that got them there that was so frustrating. In that way, it shares some DNA with “Game of Thrones” – you know how great that show can be, so it’s frustrating to see it underachieve in the finale.
How to ask for a movie or TV show to be added to Netflix
In the case of “Game of Thrones,” we watched the quality degrade as soon as the show surpassed its source novels. With most of these shows, the lack of a defined endpoint means that the showrunners have no idea how to pace the series. Just look at “The Walking Dead.” AMC has apparently commanded that it run forever. So the writers need to come up with juuuust enough threat to keep its viewers intrigued, but not the full-tilt narrative violence that a successful zombie story requires. If you can’t kill important characters in a zombie show, why even have zombies on your show? Writers are forced to saddle characters with plot armor so they don’t jeopardize the longevity of the series.
In an age of streaming, it would be great to see Netflix, Amazon, or HBO make a multi-season order and stick to it. If creators know they have 70 hours to tell a story, that allows them to build the story correctly. As it stands, showrunners might be building toward a three-act structure, only to be told they’ll have to wrap up in two acts… or extend to seven. Guessing at your story structure is an impossible feat, and only leads to the messes we’ve seen so far.
An alternative is to follow the sitcom model and make every story stand on its own. “Black Mirror” follows an anthology model to great effect. The first season of “True Detective” was great because the story was constructed in eight chapters with a definitive end. But fans crave the mythology and character growth that comes with a sustained series, told over several years.
Yes, it’s true that stories can evolve in the telling. Jesse was supposed to die at the end of the first season of “Breaking Bad,” but the showrunners were so taken by Aaron Paul’s performance, they changed course. But you should have a destination in mind before you pull out of the garage. Detours are fine as long as the scenery is worthwhile, but you always need to be driving to the end.
