HBO is fully committed to adapting the works of author George R. R. Martin into big-budget TV shows. They began in 2011 with Game of Thrones, which dominated popular culture through the 2010s thanks to its cutthroat politics, rich characters, and impressive grand-scale battles. Now they have wrapped up Season 2 of its prequel series, House of the Dragon, and dropped the trailer for another prequel set between the two shows, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

As audiences eagerly await more news about stories in the world of Westeros, it’s as good a time as any to look over the season finales of both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon to see how well they hold up. The final episodes are, in some ways, the most important ones of the season, as they need to wrap up the many plotlines of the season while hooking audiences to come back for the next. Some of them are among the most stellar final episodes in television, and others are better left forgotten.

 

10“The Iron Throne”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8, Episode 6

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As Jon Snow (Kit Harington) walks through the dragon-ravaged ruins of King’s Landing, he witnesses Queen Daenerys Targaryen (Emelia Clarke) make a speech to her followers about continuing her wars of conquest beyond Westeros. Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), convinces Jon Snow to turn on Daenerys, and he stabs her in front of the Iron Throne she has long coveted. Afterward, Jon is captured by Daenerys’ followers, and the surviving lords of Westeros must decide his fate and who will be their new king.

Season 8 of Game of Thrones has gone down in history as one of the most disastrous ways to end a beloved show, and “The Iron Throne” was the final nail in the coffin. Along with Daenerys’ story rushing towards an unsatisfactory conclusion, Brandon Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) was made King of Westeros because he had the best story, which is laughable given that Bran was completely absent from Season 5. The best that can be said about it is that the North finally got its independence, but that’s soured by the fact that Sansa (Sophie Turner) does nothing to help Jon once he’s sent into her territory to be banished beyond the wall.

9“Mother’s Mercy”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5, Episode 10

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To escape the clutches of the High Sparrow (Sir Jonathan Pryce), Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) confesses to sleeping with her cousin, Lancel Lannister (Eugene Simon), and agrees to perform a walk of atonement. Meanwhile, King Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane) is wiped out by the Bolton army after sacrificing his daughter, Princess Shireen (Kerry Ingram), allowing Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) to rescue Sansa Stark from Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon). At the Wall, Jon sends away Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) to become a maester, leaving him without friends as daggers sharpen in the dark.

At the time, “Mother’s Mercy” was praised for the shocking death of Jon, and Headey’s outstanding performance during Cersei’s walk of shame. While these elements are still wonderful, the episode does have flaws, such as the arbitrary death of Princess Myrcella Baratheon (Aimee Richardson and Nell Tiger Free) to conclude the scatterbrained Dorne plot, and how the show handled the downfall of Stannis. Other endings, like Daenerys getting abducted by the Dothraki, felt more like the setup for next season.

8“The Dragon and the Wolf”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 7, Episode 7

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After performing a risky mission beyond the wall to capture a Wight, Jon and Daenerys present the undead creature to the council of Queen Cersei in the hopes that she might aid them in the battle against the Night King (Richard Brake and Vladimir Furdik). At Winterfell, the conflict between Sansa and her sister, Arya (Maisie Williams), is revealed to be a distraction to entrap Lord Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen). Meanwhile, Theon Greyjoy gathers the courage he has to convince his men to aid him in rescuing his sister, Yara (Gemma Whelan), from his crazy uncle, Euron (Pilou Asbæk).

“The Dragon and the Wolf” is saved from being the worst episode thanks to its phenomenal acting, and the final scene of the White Walkers breaching the Wall. Unfortunately, a lot falls flat, such as Jon and Daenerys’ romance, and how the show handled the reveal of Jon’s true parentage. Then there’s the death of Baelish: Gillen’s acting was on point, but the fact that Sansa and Arya resolved their issues offscreen, and Baelish had no backup plan for their flimsy accusations, makes it a disappointing sendoff to one of the show’s best antagonists.

7“The Queen Who Ever Was”

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2, Episode 8

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Now that Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) has acquired three new dragonriders, she makes preparations to end the civil war between the Targaryen dynasty, first by going to Harrenhal to control her estranged uncle-husband, Daemon (Matt Smith). Meanwhile, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) tries in vain to control her son, Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), while hoping that she can find a road to peace. Across the sea, Lord Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) negotiates with the Triarchy to smash the blockade of Lord Corlys Velaryion (Steve Toussaint), while Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) prepares to move the injured King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) from King’s Landing.

“The Queen Who Ever Was” disappointed audiences because it ended up being a season finale that does nothing but make promises for a more exciting Season 3. However, there is still quite a bit of good to be found, namely in the performances and how well it juggles all the storylines while setting up for the future. Highlights include Daemon’s final vision, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) chewing out Corlys for being a distant father who only now cares about him when he needs an heir, and Tyland struggling to overcome his meek nature to impress the Triarchy admiral.

6“Mhysa”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 3, Episode 10

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Following the bloody Red Wedding, Lord Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) rewards his collaborators, Lord Walder Frey (David Bradley) and Lord Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton), by giving them control of the castle of Riverrun and the position of Warden of the North respectively. In the North, Ramsay taunts Theon’s father, Balon (Patrick Malahide), with his son’s body parts, while Jon Snow returns to the Night’s Watch from the Wildlings as Bran travels north of the Wall. Across the sea, Daenerys oversees the release of all the salves in the city of Yunkai.

“Mhysha’s” biggest problem is that it follows in the aftermath of one of Game of Thrones’ best episodes. Everything else in the episode is at the least good, even Jon and Bran, whose storylines end with setup for the next leg of their respective quests. The best scene has to be between Tywin and Tyrion, where the two men debate the ethics of the Red Wedding and the importance of securing a family legacy.

5“The Black Queen”

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 1, Episode 10

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When Rhaenyra learns that her father, King Viserys I (Paddy Considine), has died and her half-brother, Aegon, stole her throne, she is sent into early labour and has a stillborn daughter. As she recovers, Rhaenyra dispatches her sons, Prince Jacerys (Harry Collett) and Lucerys Velaryon (Elliot Grihault), to rally support from the great houses of Westeros. Unfortunately, Lucerys runs into more than he bargained for when he flies on his dragon, Arrax, to Storm’s End.

“The Black Queen” is a pretty good finale for getting the audience hyped for what is to come. There’s plenty of strong acting between Rhaenyra and her allies, but Luke’s journey to and from Storm’s End is the real highlight. It begins with a tense moment of boating from Aemond, then transitions into a deadly game of cat and mouse that reminds both the characters and the audience that the dragons are not toys, but living weapons of war.

4“Valar Morghulis”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 2, Episode 10

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When Tyrion awakens after the Battle of the Blackwater, he is distraught to learn that he has lost his position as Hand of the King to his father, and isn’t even being rewarded or acknowledged for his services. Elsewhere in Westeros, Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) escorts Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) to be traded for the Stark girls, not knowing Arya is in the Riverlands, and Theon prepares to make a final stand at Winterfell. Across the sea, Daenerys witnesses strange visions in the House of the Undying, and beyond the Wall, Jon integrates himself into the Wildings while his fellow brothers of the Night’s Watch are attacked by the White Walkers.

“Valar Morghulis” plays very similarly to “Mhysa,” but has a stronger impact thanks to the multiple gut punches that leave the audience questioning what will come next. Except for Daenerys, every major character is left in a worse position than they began the season: Tyrion has nothing, Jon is surrounded by potential enemies after killing one of his mentors, and Winterfell is in ruins, forcing Bran and Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson) to go on the run. It then caps off with a suspenseful buildup to the official reveal of the White Walkers and a glimpse of just how large their army of the dead has grown, reinforcing them as the greater-scope villain.

3“The Children”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 4, Episode 10

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Beyond the wall, Bran and his companions arrive at the cave of the Three-Eyed Raven, while Jon Snow receives surprise aid from Stannis Baratheon to deal with the King Beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder (Ciarán Hinds). Elsewhere, Daenerys makes the hard choice to chain her dragons after a child is burned, and Brienne stumbles upon Arya in the Vale with Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann). Meanwhile, as Tyrion awaits his execution for the death of King Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson), he is freed by Jaime, but before fleeing the city, has a final encounter with his father and former lover, Shae (Sibel Kekilli).

“The Children” is a powerful finale that sees many major storylines end in brutal and memorable ways. The highlight has to be Tyrion, whose grievances against his father reach a boiling point that sees Tywin’s hidden sins laid bare before he is killed in the most inglorious way imaginable. The episode feels like the closing of one chapter of the story and promises that going forward, things will be shifting to a newer, more brutal reality as people rush to fill the power vacuum.

2“Fire and Blood”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 1, Episode 10

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In the wake of the execution of the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark (Sean Bean), his brothers Stannis and Renly Baratheon (Gethin Anthony), both declare themselves as the true kings of Westeros because Joffrey is the child of Jaime and Cersei. Rather than side with one of them, the lords of the North nominate Eddard’s eldest son, Robb (Richard Madden), as the King in the North to fight for their independence. Across the sea, Daenerys learns that the healer Mirri Maz Duur (Mia Soteriou) has destroyed her family, leading to her performing a blood ritual that hatches the first dragons in centuries.

As the final episode of the first season, “Fire and Blood” does a miraculous job of capping things off and leaving the audience wanting more. While the buildup towards the War of the Five Kings is all well done, this finale belongs to Daenerys, who ascends from a girl sold into slavery to a queen in the making. The final shot of Daenerys and her dragons, combined with the music by Ramin Djawadi, captures the magic and majesty of the fantasy genre and leaves the audience champing at the bit for more.

1“The Winds of Winter”

‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6, Episode 10

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On the day of Cersei and Queen Margaery Tyrell’s (Natalie Dormer) trial, Cersei doesn’t appear, and while investigating, Lancel Lannister discovers a massive cache of Wildfire hidden underneath the Sept of Baelor. It detonates, killing him and all of Cersei’s enemies, leaving her to rule King’s Landing unopposed, though her son, King Tommen Baratheon (Callum Wharry and Dean-Charles Chapman) takes his own life. Elsewhere, Ser Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) confronts the red priestess Melisandre (Carice van Houten), and Daenerys prepares to finally sail to Westeros.

“The Winds of Winter” highlights the best parts of Game of Thrones and, in hindsight, served as a last great hurrah before the show fell into disaster. The opening sequence building up to the explosion is nothing sort of masterful: Djawadi’s music, alongside stellar cinematography by Miguel Sapochnik, creates a growing feeling of dread that eventually culminates in perhaps the single-most destructive moment in the show. Every actor delivers a strong performance, but one who gets overlooked is Cunningham, who does a phenomenal job tapping into Davos’ pain and fury as he calls out Melisandre for the death of Shireen.