The ending of Game of Thrones is among the most debated TV conclusions of our time. Now, one of the actresses from the show is saying that she thinks the fans still got the ending all wrong.
Gemma Whelan, who played Theon Greyjoy’s sister Yara from Season 2 until the final season, is speaking out about the controversial ending that led many to clamor for an alternative. Well, Whelan disagrees. Asked about her “biggest disappointment,” the actress told The Guardian:
The fans’ reaction at the end of Game Of Thrones because I think it was brilliant.
Gemma Whelan was clearly a fan of Game of Thrones’ ending, and the wave of negative reactions that followed it seem to have her feeling somewhat disappointed. And the scathing reactions to the finale can't be understated. Some were even so upset they signed that petition to remake the final season, though HBO’s president of programming confirmed that the company never seriously contemplated doing that.
The fact that Gemma Whelan refers to Game of Thrones' final episode as “brilliant” shows just how much respect she has for what the creators were aiming to do with it. And Whelan is not the only Game of Thrones cast member to speak out on the matter. Nathalie Emmanuel, who played Missandei, has some words for petition signers. The cast also spoke out about the backlash at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con.
Carice van Houten referred to fans who were disappointed as being “ungrateful” given all that had come before. Sophie Turner, on the other hand, said that she had never finished watching Game of Thrones’ final season after falling behind and reading comments online. Interestingly for Gemma Whelan, she almost wasn't part of the show. Whelan told The Times:
The first lesson I learnt was when I first got the job. No one told me to keep quiet about it. I just thought it was normal to pop it in my Spotlight entry, so I wrote on my CV, ‘This summer, Gemma will be playing Yara Greyjoy in Game of Thrones.’ And the internet went nuts. One of the lovely, lovely producers on Thrones called me into his office and said, ‘This is very serious. We almost can’t employ you because of this.’
It's personally hard to imagine anyone else playing Yara Greyjoy. Thankfully, things worked out, so the role was not recast. Speaking of Yara, her Game of Thrones ending turned out pretty well. She went out as the Lady of the Iron Islands. No exile for her. The same could not be said for her brother, Theon, though he died a heroic death during the Battle of Winterfell.
As for Gemma Whelan’s on-screen brother Alfie Allen who played Theon had a three-word response to Game of Thrones ending, he expressed that he's over the show's ending. But for some of us, the finale has still left room for some things that many can't get over.
What do you think about the ending? Do you agree that many fans have gotten it all wrong and that Game of Thrones’ send-off was more than okay? Sound off with your thoughts and feelings by voting in the poll below.
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In related news, Game of Thrones has become a poster show for others, hoping to avoid a backlash situation. The good news is you can still watch Gemma Whelan as Yara Greyjoy on Game of Thrones by streaming the series on HBO Max. And if you want more, lots of summer premieres are also coming to television.
