‘Game of Thrones’ Stars Admit to Being ‘Conflicted’ Over Series Finale: ‘Not Everyone’s Gonna Be Happy’

The stars of Game of Thrones are well aware of the criticisms of Season 8, and they admit that the finale may not be universally loved.

Warning! Spoilers for Game of Thrones through Season 8, Episode 5 lie ahead!

The reviews for the final season of Game of Thrones have been mixed to say the least. The series has seen some huge shifts in pacing, resulting in character development that felt rushed and unearned to some fans. The show’s cast has been cautious in their statements on the season, accepting that not all fans will be happy with what they get.

You have to remember a lot of people that look at the show, they think we’re the participants, but we’re all real fans, it’s an ensemble piece,” Liam Cunningham, who plays Ser Davos, told Entertainment Tonight last month. “…I was desperately concerned about how the show was going to finish as a fan and I kind of almost skipped past myself.”

“But listen — not everybody’s gonna be happy, not everybody’s gonna be sad,” he went on. “You have to remember we’re a bit like real life. We’re not gonna put a pink pretty ribbon on this show — it’s probably not gonna happen.”

Other actors admitted that they were conflicted about the ending their characters got, although they showed deference to the writers behind the show. Actor Jacob Anderson, who plays Grey Worm, said that he had a lot of mixed feelings to sort through.

“I felt really conflicted about Grey Worm’s last appearance. I felt really satisfied with his story, but also I was kind of like, there’s — I felt very conflicted,” he said. “I felt all of the things you could possibly feel. And hopefully that’s what people will feel when they see it.”

There were other actors with fewer words to say the season, and fans are reading a lot into their sparse statements. Social media has filled with compilations of interviews with cast members who seemed to be expressing disappointment in the season without saying it outright, presumably for fear of angering the network or the writers.

“There are no better writers in television than [showrunners] Dan Weiss and David Benioff,” Peter Dinklage told ET last fall, in what some fans think is a sarcastic, deadpan tone. They ended it brilliantly. Better than I could have imagined, and you people are in for it.”

“It’s the best. It’s the best season ever,” said Emilia Clarke in an uncomfortable, high-pitched tone.

Still, no matter what fans think, it is clear that the cast and crew worked tirelessly to bring them this season, and no one denies their amazing contributions. Even the person who created a petition to remake Season 8 — now at over a million signatures — conceded that the cast, crew and producers did an amazing job.

The Game of Thrones series finale airs on Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.