Bran becoming king was one of the most controversial developments of Game of Thronesseason 8, but the series set the stage for it five years earlier. The question of who would rule the Seven Kingdoms drove the plot of Game of Thrones forward, but for most of its run, Bran hardly seemed like a contender. Needless to say, it came as a surprise when the series' final episode revealed that Bran's destiny as the Three-Eyed Raven was to rule the Seven Kingdoms — well, Six Kingdoms, with the North becoming independent. 1u2v4i

The "next Game of Thrones" is a phrase that's been thrown around often on the heels of HBO's hit fantasy series, but networks seem just as eager to deliver the next Red Wedding. The Red Wedding is one of the most memorable incidents in all of Game of Thrones. Indeed, Robb and Catelyn Stark's deaths in "The Rains of Castamere" left viewers reeling long after the credits rolled, setting the bar high for on-screen tragedies going forward.

The Red Wedding is one of the biggest tragedies in Game of Thrones, and the HBO series makes a few changes to the book's version of events. The results are the same: Robb and Catelyn Stark are betrayed and killed, giving the Lannisters a leg up in the War of the Five Kings — and rendering House Stark's future bleaker than before. However, one of the changes made to the Song of Ice and Fire books' Red Wedding scene has to do with Robb Stark's final words. They're different in both iterations of the incident, and the distinction is important.

Game of Thronesstar Natalie Dormer made an indelible mark on the world of prestige television with her cunning, politically savvy portrayal of Margaery Tyrell. Introduced in Game of Thrones season 2, Margaery became a fan favorite for her sharp intellect, poised demeanor, and her ability to survive (if only briefly) in the dangerous web of Westerosi politics. However, Dormer’s command of courtly intrigue wasn’t new when she arrived in Westeros. In fact, two years before her Game of Thrones debut, she was already making waves in another royal court - this time rooted in real history.

As many things as Game of Thrones got wrong by the end of the show, they got a lot of things right too, one involving the fate of a well-liked character. It's a bit unusual for actors to ask for their characters to die, but it does happen. Whether because they want off the show, they know it's coming anyway and want to have control, or because they legitimately think it's in the best interest of the character, actors can occasionally come to the creative team with ideas about their characters' demise.

Game of Thronesseason 8 proved a controversial ending for the hit HBO series, and some viewers are hoping George R.R. Martin's books will handle the story's conclusion better. While Game of Thrones diverges significantly from the books after season 4, there are key elements of the show's ending that seem likely to happen in The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring. There's no word on when the final two Song of Ice and Fire books will arrive, andThe Winds of Winter is already taking longer than expected to debut.

Years after the groundbreaking fantasy TV show Game of Thrones concluded, we are still picking apart how the showrunners might have delivered better endings for characters such as Kit Harington's Jon Snow. After nearly a decade as the biggest and most acclaimed show in the world, Game of Thrones' shoddy final season came to be known as one of the most disappointing TV finales in history. However, rare though they may be, there are some faults with the writing in the show's earlier seasons.

It's been years since Game of Thronestook its final bow, and I still can't believe another actress played Daenerys Targaryen before Emilia Clarke took on the role. Daenerys is one of the most important players in Game of Thrones, and she's a character who evokes strong reactions from viewers — whether they're counting her among their favorites or condemning her actions from season 1. Clarke's performance as the Mother of Dragons is partly to blame for this, as she's iconic in the role. Whether you love or hate Dany, there's no denying Clarke is a highlight of the series.

Dallas-based biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences, through genetic engineering, has resurrected the long-extinct dire wolf species, capturing the attention of the veterans of Game of Thrones. Standing out as the most influential fantasy TV series of all time, as well as being widely considered one of the best TV shows ever made, Game of Thrones notably features a pack of fictional dire wolves, who become the companions of the children of House Stark; this house's sigil is also a dire wolf. Dire wolves were once a widespread canine species across the Americas, inserted by George R. R. Martin into his writing.

Game Of Thrones' most intense moments get completely reimagined in new art that gives them a Studio Ghibli flair. Based on the book series by George R. R. Martin, the hit HBO series premiered in 2011, introducing the world of Westeros and the various warring Houses all vying for control of the Iron Throne. Running for 8 seasons in total, the show featured a number of shocking moments over the course of its 73 episodes, with a number of Game of Thrones characters meeting their ends in bloody fashion, in addition to other shocking developments.