Skip to main content

The finale of Game of Thrones proved to be one of the most controversial endings to a popular show in recent memory. There were quite a few reasons why fans were disappointed by how things played out in the finale, and they were not afraid to voice their opinions about it on social media. In fact, some fans even started an online petition to get HBO to remake the final season – and well over a million fans have already signed it.

'Game of Thrones' stars Maisie Williams, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Isaac Hempstead Wright
Maisie Williams, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Isaac Hempstead Wright | Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

While fans openly hated on the Game of Thrones finale, producers squeezed in a surprising number of hidden messages in the final act. Here is a quick rundown at all of the hidden gems fans may have missed in the finale.

‘Game of Thrones’ opening credits

Producers made a number of changes to the opening credits for the series finale. The most obvious change was removing the lion sigil above the iron throne. The absence of the lion was an indication that the Lannister family’s hold over the throne had finally reached an end.

In the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones, we watched as Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) burned most of King’s Landing to the ground. With nowhere to hide, Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) retreated to the dungeons of the Red Keep, where they were killed by falling rubble.

Speaking of the Red Keep, it was still shown as a standing structure in the opening credits. But other parts of King’s Landing reflected what Drogon had done in the previous episode. This includes showing a huge crack in the ground, a spot we later watched Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) walk across.

Daenerys’ callbacks

In her final moments on screen, Daenerys had several callbacks to previous seasons and characters. The shot of her standing before the Dothraki and Unsullied was very reminiscent of a scene in Lord of the Rings, where Saruman (Christopher Lee) spoke to his army while standing inside Isengard. Daenerys’ speech, meanwhile, was a callback to what Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa) promised her in the first season of Game of Thrones, bringing her story arc full circle.

Daenerys, of course, also fulfilled a vision she had a few seasons ago. As fans will recall, Daenerys had a vision of the destroyed Red Keep while looking for her stolen dragons. In the scene, Daenerys walked through the throne room, which had been completely destroyed.

The only difference is that in real life, Daenerys touched the Iron Throne, while in her vision, Drogo’s voice called out before she had a chance to grab one of the swords.

Sansa’s coronation gown on ‘Game of Thrones’

Sansa’s (Sophie Turner) coronation gown featured quite a few references to House Stark. According to Buzz Feed, the most notable element of Sansa’s dress was the weirwood leave pattern, which is a reference to the famous trees in the north. She also donned a one-sided cloak, something Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) frequently wore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQoMH6-TKVQ

The grey color of Sansa’s dress, meanwhile, represents House Stark while her crown is very similar to the one Cersei wore during her reign on Game of Thrones. This could be a subtle message that Sansa learned a thing or two from Cersei and is just as strong a leader.

Other hidden gems in the ‘Game of Thrones’ finale

There were plenty of other hidden gems sprinkled throughout the final episode. This includes Brienne (Gwendoline Christie), who is the new leader of the king’s guard, wearing a raven sigil on her breastplate. The raven is a symbol that represents Bran, who is also known as the Three-Eyed Raven.

We also got to enjoy some playful banter between Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham) and Bronn of the Blackwater (Jerome Flynn) during the small council scene with Tyrion. In their humorous exchange, Bronn makes a joke about Davos being a grammar expert. When we first met Davos, he couldn’t even read and was eventually taught by Stannis Baratheon’s daughter.

The last hidden message was in the final scene of Game of Thrones. The last clip showed Jon Snow (Kit Harington) leading a bunch of wildlings north of the wall, which is exactly how the series started.

Best in Entertainment