Jon Snow has apologized for Game of Thrones season 8, courtesy of a fan-edited video. Based on the best-selling series of novels, the fantasy epic debuted on HBO in 2011. Quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon, the series ran for eight seasons before concluding earlier this year. Despite its overwhelming popularity, many fans were unhappy with the final season - and not just because Bran, of all characters, ended up becoming King of Westeros. The season had been plagued with various complaints, ranging from criticisms of the lighting, the overall pace and plotting, and even the inability to remove a Starbucks coffee cup from a pivotal shot. Some even went as far as to create a petition, demanding that season 8 be remade entirely.
The response from the cast proved equally divided. Sophie Turner (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) revealed that she was content with Sansa Stark’s fate. Lena Headey, meanwhile, wished Cersei had received a better death. Likewise, Maisie Williams (New Mutants) regretted that Arya Stark never got to have a final showdown with the Lannister queen. Jon Snow, meanwhile, was left with little choice but to kill the newly mad Daenerys Targaryen. For that perceived crime, Jon was sent back North to join The Night’s Watch. Last seen venturing beyond The Wall with Tormund Giantsbane and his direwolf Ghost, his ultimate fate was left up in the air.
Edited and posted by the YouTube channel Eating Things, a new video reimagines an important scene from midway through the eighth season. Following The Battle of Winterfell, which saw a number of remaining characters battle The Night King and his army of the dead, the victors gathered to memorialize their fallen. Leading the proceedings, Jon Snow delivered a poignant speech before he and his fellow survivors burned the mass of dead bodies the battle had produced. The fan-edited video, however, makes season 8 itself the focus of his speech. “It’s time for some apologies,” he announces. “I’m sorry we wasted your time.” The speech is then edited further, comparing the final season to the oft-derided ending of Lost, and referencing both the infamous Starbucks coffee cup and his own distinct lack of lines in season 8. Check it out below:
Despite the season’s poor reception, Game of Thrones isn’t finished entirely just yet. The show will return for a final Hall H panel at SDCC. Also, despite the video declaring the final scripts worthy of burning, they’ve been submitted to The Emmys in the writing category. The world of Westeros is also set to continue, with a prequel series already filming. Currently referred to as Bloodmoon, the series will be set thousands of years before the main show, and will star Naomi Watts, Miranda Richardson, John Simm, and Jamie Campbell Bower.
Regardless of people’s overall enjoyment, there were clearly many issues with the final season. And while such things as petitions will ultimately prove futile, the potential for parody is endless, and will serve much more of a function in helping distract fans from their various disappointments. Many of the season’s fiercest critics lay the blame at the feet of showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Seeing Jon Snow take the blame on their behalf - stating that the season was written in “six days or something” - is sure to provoke some chuckles. Beyond that, as the edited version of Jon Snow himself says in the video, maybe it’s time to forget about the show - if not forever then at least until the inevitable rewatch.
More: 10 Game of Thrones Fan Theories Better Than The Show
Game of Thrones can now be viewed in its entirety on HBO.
Source: Eating Things/YouTube
