It’s been a little more than eight years, but it’s finally upon us. Later today, the Game of Thrones series finale will hit the airwaves. With over 70 episodes under its belt, HBO’s (arguably) most-popular show – adapted from George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Fire and Ice novels – has run its course, and fans can’t wait to see how it’ll all wrap up.
Even amidst all the excitement, the show’s eighth season – its shortest yet, at just six episodes – hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. While a few battles, not to mention one shocking sex scene, received praise, longtime viewers heavily criticized the rather rushed pacing, specific character decisions, and questionable writing.
Though fans – and some of the show’s actors – expressed their displeasure with the most recent batch of episodes, those who’ve worked on the series are emotional heading into tonight’s finale, and Emilia Clarke (who plays Daenerys Targaryen) shared a heartfelt post on Instagram to explain how she’s feeling.
In her most recent share, Clarke attached a handful of photos, two of which show her hanging out with some of her fellow co-stars, including Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Kit Harrington (Jon Snow), and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark). Generally, it looks like everyone is having a good time, whether they’re in-costume or just goofing around off-set. She also penned a heartfelt message, which explains how her role on the show has shaped and impacted her life.
“Finding the words to write this post has left me overwhelmed with how much I want to say but how small words feel in comparison to what this show and Dany have meant to me. The mother of dragons chapter has taken up the whole of my adult life. This woman has taken up the whole of my heart. I’ve sweated in the blaze of dragon fire, shed many tears at those who left our family early, and wrung my brain dry trying to do Khaleesi and the masterful words, actions (and names) I was given, justice.
Continuing on, she wrote:
“Game of Thrones has shaped me as a woman, as an actor and as a human being. I just wish my darling dad was here now to see how far we’ve flown. But to you, dear kind magical fans, I owe you so much thanks, for your steady gaze at what we’ve made and what I’ve done with a character that was already in the hearts of many before I slipped on the platinum wig of dreams. Without you there is no us. And now our watch has ended. @gameofthrones @hbo #love#motherofdragonsoverandout”
Unsurprisingly, Emilia’s Instagram post – which she shared a few hours ago – has proven popular with her legion of fans, having racked up well over 3 million likes and 65,000 comments at the time of writing. Regardless of what longtime Game of Thrones viewers might think about the latest season, it seems the actress’ supporters certainly appreciated her heartwarming message and behind-the-scenes photos.
