All good things must come to an end, including the beloved series ‘Game of Thrones’. On April 14th, the eighth season – the final season – premiered. This season only has six episodes and has been keeping each title from being revealed until the episode premieres in order to reduce spoilers. As the season progresses, each episode will have a longer episode than the previous, majority being extended. This is good news for die hard fans, but it is still bittersweet as the impending end is near. SPOILERS!

With the ending of season seven being the reveal of Jon Snow’s true Targaryen lineage, fans were left wondering for over a year about how Jon would react once he found out. The reveal came in the season premiere, which garnered 17.4 million viewers. The episode met with many reunions and was overall a good beginning of the end start. The second episode was a set up for the Great War with the Night King, one half of the villains our heroes are set to battle this season. Many great moments happened in this slow but character built episode, ranging from the return of Theon Greyjoy and his reunion with Sansa Stark to the escalation of Arya and Gendry’s relationship to Brienne of Tarth finally getting knighted. These two episodes were certainly needed to set up the tone of the big Battle of Winterfell in episode three.

The most recent episode, directed by the great Miguel Sophicnik who also directed episodes like “Hardhome”, “Battle of the Bastards”, and “Winds of Winter”, marks half of the season, dealing with the defeat of the Night King and his wights. Even after he is ultimately killed by Arya, there were still many questions left unanswered. For many, the Long Night came prematurely and was expected to be the final battle after defeating Cersei Lannister fo the Iron Throne. There were many theories about it involving the prophecies and for some expectations were not met. However, the viewers have watched the Iron Throne and Cersei evolve. Even though the Night King was “the big bad” over the course of the series, or at least Jon Snow’s arc, the threat for the throne was right there all along. It makes sense to focus on who will ultimately win as the real end of the series. Also, Arya does seem right in some aspects. Many have paid attention to a prophecy of “The Prince that was Promised” that was fledged out in the books, A Song of Ice and Fire, however, it wasn’t fully addressed in the show. Much like many shows based off a work of literature, there will be differences, and people should expect the unexpected.

Game of Thrones has grown as a cultural phenomenon. It’s been a show that hasn’t been afraid to kill off main characters, especially in earlier seasons. Among all platforms of social media there has been reactions, jokes, and reviews, both positive or negative. The show is highly entertaining and one of the greatest works of television in history that everyone should experience. Many people create these ideas or theories that may not happen, and if they don’t, they get disappointed. It is important to go into every episode with an open mind, ready to experience great work from writing, directing, and acting. Fans are highly appreciative of the wonderful work the cast and crew creates. In particular, the third episode took 55 nights to film and was the longest battle in the history of cinema/television. The idea of Game of Thrones and being set in a fantasy world of knights and dragons might turn people off, but don’t fear. It may start off slow but it is crucial for the plot’s main points that come gradually. Watch Game of Thrones, read the books, enjoy this revolutionary work of cinematic arts even after it is completed for years to come.