Isaac Hempstead Wright Shares His Verdict Of The Game Of Thrones Finale

The Internet is currently awash in Game of Thrones hot takes.

This was a series finale loved and loathed almost in equal measure, resulting in outrageous petitions and in-depth analyses of the show’s apocalyptic swan song. And boy, was it apocalyptic.

As Daenerys Targaryen surveyed her troops, ash rained down from the sky, and the remnants of King’s Landing could be seen in the distance, still smoldering from the recent inferno. And that shot of Drogon’s wings emerging from behind Dany? Phenomenal, really, and further proof that season 8 wasn’t beyond saving – even if the writing at times left much to be desired.

One member of the cast that’s now weighed in with his own reaction is Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), who reflected on his crucial role in season 8 during an extensive chat with Entertainment Weekly.

Getting to do those night shoots when the Night King gets [killed] was pretty powerful. Seeing the end of one of the most important powerful characters come to an end. There was a moment between Bran and the Night King where Bran almost feels sorry for him. He didn’t ask to be the Night King. We saw him being strapped to the tree and get that Dragonglass plunged in his heart and he’s been on a hellbent mission of destruction. That was probably my favorite thing to shoot.

Wright was also in disbelief that Bran Stark wound up as the newfound king of Westeros. Thanks to the enraged (and still wayward) Drogon, the Iron Throne is no more; instead, the Six Kingdoms have come together to elect a leader on their own merit, irrespective of the family he or she hails from.

When I got to the [Dragonpit scene] in the last episode and they’re like, ‘What about Bran?’ I had to get up and pace around the room. I genuinely thought it was a joke script and that [showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss] sent to everyone a script with their own character ends up on the Iron Throne. ‘Yeah, good one guys. Oh s—, it’s actually real?’

Game of Thrones has come and gone but HBO still has business in Westeros. As a matter of fact, filming on the planned prequel series is already underway, and it’ll seemingly journey north, where the Children of the Forest begin.