You don't need us to tell you about the controversies surrounding Game of Thrones season 8. It's been documented enough. Whether you liked it or not, the overall reception of the season was met with plenty of strong opinions.
By the end of season 8, the Iron Throne was ultimately destroyed and Bran was declared King of the Six Kingdoms, while the North was given independence under the rule of his sister, Sansa. After being exiled, Jon Snow harkened back to the Night's Watch where he'd live out his days. Arya travelled west of Westeros in search of new lands. And Tyrion Lannister, pardoned by Bran, remained in King's Landing as Hand.
In the years since the finale, a few cast members have weighed in on the final season. One of the most notable quotes came from Kit Harington (Jon Snow), who has admitted that the series didn't stick completely the landing. “I think there were mistakes made, story-wise, towards the end maybe,” he toldGQ in 2024. “I think there were some interesting choices that didn’t quite work.”
One star who was quite pleased with her character's ending is Sophie Turner, who saw Sansa Stark get crowned Queen in the North. Her arc from a shy and naive young girl, to a strong and capable leader who ushered in independence for the North, represented one of the best character developments in the entire series.
"I was very happy with the way Sansa ended her story in Game of Thrones, and no one else was really happy with their ending," Turner told The Direct. As for whether Sansa's ending lends itself to being continued in a future spinoff, Turner is unsure about reprising her role for a sequel spinoff. "I feel like I got a good one, and so I don't know if I could revisit it."
She continued to ponder a future return: "Maybe it would be an utter joy, or maybe it would be trying to cling on to something that was magic back in the day that can't be recreated. I would have to see a script."
Of course, the Game of Thrones universe has a bright and fruitful future ahead. The new spinoff A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is just around the corner, and House of the Dragon will return for its third season in Summer 2026. Beyond that, there's talk of potential sequel spinoffs in the pipeline, which would no doubt have to feature a couple of familiar faces.