10 things nobody wants to admit about Game of Thrones

3. “The Long Night” is a good episode, despite the darkness

I won’t say I don’t understand the criticisms of Game of Thrones season 8. I personally was so disappointed in the season when it was airing on HBO, and I still don’t love a lot about it. Though I’ve gotten over some of my gripes, there’s just really bad stuff in there. It’s unfortunate. All of that being said, I don’t think the episode “The Long Night” is as weak as people say. My one annoyance with it is the fact that it’s so dark, but otherwise, it features a really entertaining battle.

This episode sees the long-awaited Battle of Winterfell when the undead arrive in Westeros and our central characters must band together to defeat them. And while many people believe Jon Snow should be the one to have killed the Night King (especially if he’s the Prince That Was Promised) I don’t think Arya being the one to do it is so bad. People really overreact about that choice, I have to say.

There are better battles in Game of Thrones, but “The Long Night” gets a terrible rap when I don’t think it deserves it.

2. Tyrion is useless in the later seasons

Ah, I hate this one. Even I don’t want to admit it! Tyrion Lannister is one of my favorite characters from both the book and the show, but he’s really done dirty later on in the story. Thinking back, his arc goes downhill after he kills his father and escapes King’s Landing. That’s such an important episode for him, and unfortunately, it’s when he peaks. It’s a shame because he’s such an intelligent, funny, and overall interesting character, but he just doesn’t do many impressive things after this.

Tyrion’s arc plateaus once he leaves his lifestyle of political maneuvering, and sadly, his role becomes less important in the grand scheme of things. His change in motivation makes him less of a compelling character and not getting to see him interact with his siblings kind of takes away from his likeability.

Tyrion makes a lot of mistakes as the Hand of the Queen to Daenerys, and his strategies don’t always work. While he seems to be a very smart and cunning person in the earlier seasons, he’s not depicted this way for the entirety of the show.

1. Game of Thrones wasn’t ruined by its ending

Say it louder for the people in the back! Let me start off by making it clear that I dislike the ending of Game of Thrones. It’s inconsistent, disappointing, and honestly, at times, completely random. I don’t understand the thought process behind many of the decisions made, and it really feels like the writers were just phoning it in at that point. I agree with many fans who believe it’s one of the worst series endings ever.

But taking that into consideration, one episode does not ruin the whole show. I’ve seen Game of Thrones fans recommend that new viewers skip the final season entirely, while other people have admitted to not even wanting to start the show because of the finale. Come on, that’s a little ridiculous! Sure, the ending isn’t good. I get that. But the journey we see throughout the seasons is far more important than how it concludes. It’s still a fantastic show regardless of how the last episode plays out.

All eight seasons of Game of Thrones, along with the first season of House of the Dragon, are streaming on Max.