It’s been six years since Game of Thrones’ controversial series finale, but Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is still sharing his feelings on the fan backlash.
Over the years, Coster-Waldau has been asked about the finale a lot and a recent interview had him once more giving his view on how the show that made him a star wrapped itself up.
Speaking to The Independent to promote his upcoming historical drama King & Conqueror, Coster-Waldau noted the similarities between GOT and the BBC series showing the events leading to and following the Battle of Hastings in 1066 that changed the course of Britain forever.
Coster-Waldau plays William the Conqueror, the Norman king who led the conquest that shaped the England we know today. It’s a role well-suited for the Danish actor involving battles, stunts and political games, all things he’s used to from GOT.
The conversation naturally turned to the Game finale with Coster-Waldau giving his honest opinion that any attempt to produce a finale the entire fandom would accept was doomed.
“It was expected. How are you ever gonna make an end that’s gonna satisfy everyone? That’s a very difficult thing. I absolutely think people are entitled to whatever opinion they have, but it’s a television show. Someone told you a story and you didn’t like the ending. It’s really annoying, but…”
Since Game of Thrones concluded in 2019, the debates in the fandom over its final season have overshadowed the previous seven. The consensus is that the finale was a letdown, rushed too much in plotlines, with Daenerys' sudden turn from flawed but promising leader to cruel, murderous tyrant seemingly coming out of nowhere.
Among those given short shrift were Jaime (Coster-Waldau) and Cersei Lannister (Lena Headley). The siblings with their complex relationship seemed brushed aside, as much had been made of Jamie striking out on his own, only to race back to his sister and them dying together. Killing off two of the show’s key characters in a seemingly lazy way added to the ire fans felt toward the finale.
The backlash was massive to the point that a fan petition with over 1.8 million signatures was built demanding HBO completely reshoot the final season. That obviously never happened, but it shows why the ending wasn’t what fans had expected.
Coster-Waldau is correct that no matter how the GOT finale unfolded, there would be detractors. The fervent fandom had its own views on how the tale should have ended, many pushing their favorite characters to the forefront. That's not to let the writers off the hook, as the finale still had major flaws and a lot that could have been improved. Yet Coster-Waldau seems to think many fans are taking this way too personally and the constant arguments over it are tiring.
Coster-Waldau isn’t lingering on it, as his words indicate he’s accepted GOT as just another acting job and moved on, so perhaps it’s time the fandom does as well.
Game of Thrones streaming on HBO Max. King & Conqueror to premiere on Prime Video this fall.