Game of Thrones wasn’t just a television series — it was a worldwide fixation. For eight seasons, we debated theories, were fixated on dragons, and speculated about who would sit on the Iron Throne. But when Season 8 arrived, the anticipation turned quickly to anger. Fans who had been hot with anticipation were suddenly left out in the cold. Here’s a countdown (because drama requires it) of the 10 most gigantic blunders that made the last season a legend… for all the wrong reasons.
10. Daenerys’s Lightning-Fast Fall from Hero to Villain
For the majority of the series, Daenerys Targaryen was the hero of the downtrodden — liberating slaves, punishing tyrants, and, sure, sometimes indulging in a bit too much dragon fire. But throughout two episodes, she veered from liberator to mass killer, reducing King’s Landing — innocents and all — to ash. Yes, the seeds of cruelty were planted, but the abrupt turn felt like narrative whiplash.
9. Melisande’s Silent Fade-Out
The Red Woman had some of the series’ most startling moments — resurrecting Jon Snow, calling down shadow assassins, and committing gruesome “sacrifices.” But after assisting at the Battle of Winterfell, she just walked out into the snow, removed her mystical necklace, and passed away. No showdown, no heart-stopping moment of accountability — just… lights out.
8. Arya’s List Goes Nowhere (and Cersei Sneaks Away)
Arya’s notorious kill list was one of the most rewarding plot threads throughout the series. Of course, viewers assumed Cersei would be her crowning achievement. Instead? Arya walks away, and Cersei perishes in a burning building with Jaime — no knife, no revenge, no payoff.
7. Tyrion Suddenly Forgets He’s a Genius
Witty, shrewd, and politically lethal — Tyrion was the ultimate survivor. But in Season 8, his brilliance seemed to vanish. He placed blind trust in Cersei, underestimated Daenerys, and stumbled from one strategic blunder to the next.
6. Jaime’s Redemption Erased
Jaime’s transformation from villain to honorable knight was one of the show’s most satisfying arcs. But just as he seemed free of Cersei’s hold, he went straight back to her — only to die together under a pile of rubble. Years of growth, undone in one final choice.
5. Forgotten Lands and Loose Ends
What became of Essos when Daenerys passed on? Of the cities she liberated? Of Daario Naharis, the Unsullied, or the Dothraki? The show never even bothered to tell us, as if the rest of the world didn’t exist once the attention turned to Westeros.
4. The Faceless Men Mystery Left to Rot
Arya’s gruesome training in Braavos with the Faceless Men looked like it was going to pay off big time. But once she left, the House of Black and White was never heard from again, and Jaqen H’ghar’s ulterior motives are still unknown.
3. King Bran, Out of Nowhere
Bran Stark spent the majority of the last season removed from humanity, declaring he “wasn’t human anymore.” So when the lords of Westeros declared him king with barely any setup, the response was less amazement and more bewilderment.
2. Jon Snow’s Destiny Ignored
The fate of the “Prince Who Was Promised” hung over the show for years, and Jon Snow was the obvious choice. He came back to life, rallied the living, and went up against the Night King — only for Arya to dispatch the leader of the dead as Jon took a backseat.
1. The Night King’s One-Episode Exit
The Night King was hyped from episode one as the big bad — the unstoppable threat rallying the living against him. And when it came time for his showdown, he vanished in an instant, not bothering to explain his motivations or backstory. Chilly twist? Absolutely. Fulfilling? Not really. Ultimately, Season 8 reduced a cultural phenomenon into a cautionary tale: regardless of how wonderful a story is, a hasty conclusion can incinerate it quicker than a dragon on King’s Landing.