Game of Thrones fans are accustomed to public figures speaking carefully about the TV series' infamous ending, so it's always a thrill to see a creator addressing it bluntly.
Right now, fans are having a field day with a five-year-old Reddit comment from author Andy Weir (after it was shared by X account @ThronesUpdates) where he said he'd like to rewrite the final season of Game of Thrones altogether. This came from a Q&A with fans back when Project Hail Mary was first released as a novel, and it resurfaced in light of the movie's popularity. Fans are wondering if it's too late to take Weir up on his offer.
Back in May of 2021, Weir signed onto the subreddit "IAmA," where people with verified identities invite commenters to "ask me anything" in an informal text-based group interview. One user asked Weir what book, movie, or TV show he would choose to rewrite the ending of, if he had his pick. Weir responded: "I would rewrite the entire final season of Game of Thrones. That's a given."
Weir's Game of Thrones criticism is unexpected, yet not surprising
It's no secret to anyone that Game of Thrones fumbled its ending, yet fans are still shocked and giddy to see someone like Weir acknowledge it directly. Even author George R.R. Martin himself has rarely addressed the flaws in the finale, despite being pretty open about his dislike of House of the Dragon season 2. Commentary is even more reserved in Hollywood, where writers, actors, and producers hesitate to poke fun at season 8 whether they were involved in it or not.
We can only speculate about why so many people play it safe around the Game of Thrones season 8 discourse. A lot of it could come down to retaining friendly relationships with showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, as well as their friends and colleagues. Writers and actors could find themselves teamed up with Game of Thrones alumni at any time, and it would be awkward if they had a viral quote about the "Battle of Bells" trending.
For authors, the hesitation likely has more to do with respect for Martin, but that didn't stop Weir on this thread. Weir does not have any obvious connections to Martin in his personal life, though as two of the biggest sci-fi and fantasy authors of our time, they may have crossed paths at some point. In context, it looks like Weir's critique was all in good fun, and he didn't answer a follow-up question asking what his Game of Thrones ending might have looked like.
For better or worse, Game of Thrones season 8 is finished, and the best shot we have at a do-over is Martin finishing his novels, A Song of Ice and Fire. In the meantime, Weir's novel Project Hail Mary is available now in print, digital, and audiobook formats, while the film adaptation is now available to rent or purchase digitally at home.
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