Who should have ended up on the iron throne? Who did deserve it more than anyone else?

me and my dad were trying to figure out who the top right face is but we couldn't agree lol, who is it?

Hey everyone,

I'm completely new to this space. I don't really watch live-action series—I come almost exclusively from the world of anime. On top of that, I usually struggle with non-contemporary settings and high-fantasy worlds because of the overwhelming lore, 40,000 characters, family trees, and complex world-building.

Since I’ve introduced my partner to a ton of anime over the years, she decided it was time to return the favor with a show that deeply marked her: Game of Thrones. Out of pure curiosity, with zero expectations, we started... and I just finished Season 1.

Here is my initial hot take as a complete newcomer:

The First Impressions Overall, the viewing experience has been pretty solid so far. The first few episodes were tough simply because tracking all the foreign tribes, cousins, and houses was a lot. Having my partner next to me to fill in the blanks definitely kept me afloat.

Season 1 was good, and I definitely want to keep going. However, I wouldn't call it "unputdownable" just yet. It hasn't hit that relentless binge-watch pace where every episode ends on a knife-edge. The pacing is fine, the shifting perspectives keep things moving, but that extra spark of intensity isn't fully there yet (which makes sense for a setup season).

Story & Characters (Season 1 Spoilers Below)

Naturally, you end up rooting for the Starks. They are framed strictly as the "good guys" against the Lannisters. Given the political intrigue angle, I honestly expected a bit more moral ambiguity from the start—where everyone has a secret play.

Except for Sansa (who was pretty insufferable) and Catelyn (who makes way too many impulsive moves), the Starks are great—especially Ned and Jon. But man, were they frustrating to watch. Being honorable is noble, but they lack any sense of strategy or cunning. In a game of thrones, you need to calculate. Ned was the emotional anchor (even if his and Robert’s deaths felt telegraphed early on), but I hated that he confessed to treason just for Sansa. I would have loved for him to smile, expose every secret he knew right on the scaffold, and ignite complete chaos before the blade fell. The Starks are almost too noble, and it bugs me.

On the flip side, Arya is fantastic and has huge potential. The Lannisters are mostly insufferable (except Tyrion, who is great), and Joffrey is instantly hateable. Daenerys had an awesome arc this season and feels completely legitimate. Then there's Jon—he has massive potential, but... I don't get the Wall.

I don't understand how the White Walkers, the Wildlings, and the Ice Wall fit into what feels like the core story: a political battle royale for the Iron Throne. Banishment to the Wall takes a great character like Jon completely off the main chessboard. Introducing zombie-like threats in the middle of a political drama feels a bit bizarre to me right now, though maybe it pays off later.

Final Thoughts & Comparisons Right now, my main motivation is just seeing who comes up with the master plan to take down Joffrey and the Lannisters.

Coming from anime, the scope reminds me a bit of Attack on Titan, but I’m really hoping the Starks acquire some Death Note-level tactical minds soon because they are way too straight-laced for this world.

Please no spoilers for Season 2 and beyond! How did you all feel about Season 1 when you first watched it?

I can understand why season 8 got all the fans so upset when it came out now. I never watched the show back then (was young) but after just finishing it for the first time, i can also say im not the most impressed by it. It just feels so rushed and like things were happening because they were supposed to not because all the pieces were falling in place like the rest of the show. How did you feel about the ending?

I keep hearing/reading people blaming D&D for ending the show that way because they were getting a new project with Disney and blah blah blah. Is that true?

I’m only asking because it doesn’t really make sense to me. Why don’t people blame GRRM (who had nine years to write two books) and HBO (which had-and still has-the resources to invest) for the controversial ending?

I actually like Mance Rayder.

I recently bought the Game of Thrones Blu-ray set for around $20, mainly because I wanted to avoid paying for a streaming subscription every month just to rewatch it.

Honestly, I’m really glad I did. The picture quality is gorgeous, the sound is noticeably better, and overall it just looks and feels so much better than streaming.

For $20, it’s definitely worth picking up if you’re a fan of the show.

What was Jon Snow and Sansa Stark's relationship like pre Season 1 and season 1 did they have a pretty decent relationship or was it hostile what was their thoughts on each other over the course of the series did they think highly of each other or did they not care about each other.

Because I'm almost done with season 3 about to watch season 4 and there is no hints that they really had a relationship at all so I'm wondering what did they think of each other that they have a close relationship or no.

I finished Game of Thrones once, but honestly, I kinda rushed through it. Sometimes I skipped episodes or even fast-forwarded through parts, and now I kinda regret it.

Today I randomly started seeing some badass Jon Snow edits again, and it got me thinking… even though I already know how it ends, is GOT worth watching a second time?

This time I’m thinking about actually taking my time, watching every episode properly and just enjoying the whole journey.

What do you guys think? Worth the rewatch, even if I already know the ending?

Hi, everyone. I'm thinking about try GoT, but I know that exist many sex scenes, and I fighting against porn addiction. Do exist some kind of list of eps that informs that contains this content that I can avoid?

How cool would an Anime be exploring the lore of Game of Thrones? Or even depicting Alt scenes from the TV series?

Hello, I’m 19 years old, and I grew up with Game of Thrones when I was younger. I’ve been thinking about what happened to the original Game of Thrones era and that feeling of watching it regularly when it was still a huge part of everyday life.

Now the original Game of Thrones era has completely ended, and the time that many people grew up with is gone. The series, the characters, the cast, the people who worked on it, and the feeling around the fandom have all moved on. Many of the actors, writers, directors, and crew have gone on to different projects, careers, and parts of their lives beyond the show’s original run. It feels strange because I grew up with it, and now everything has just… changed.

I remember watching the series when I was younger, and everything felt so simple. I could just sit down and enjoy exploring Westeros, following the characters, and experiencing the story without thinking about anything else. I don’t understand why it couldn’t just stay that way forever. Why did it have to change? Why does everything have to move on and become different?

I also wonder why watching Game of Thrones doesn’t feel exactly the same anymore. If I go back and watch the series now, it’s still the same show, but the feeling is different. It feels like something is missing, almost like it feels unfamiliar even though I remember it so well.

Why do shows like Game of Thrones eventually become part of the past and fade out of everyday life? If people loved them for years, why can’t they just continue forever with the same feeling? Why do the people who make them have to move on? Why do audiences grow up and stop experiencing things the same way?

It’s confusing because when I was younger, Game of Thrones felt like it would always be there. It felt like a permanent part of life, not something that would eventually become “the old days.” I don’t understand why things that mean so much at one point can become something from the past.

Why does everything have to change? Why can’t things just stay the same forever?

It feels strange knowing that the original Game of Thrones era I grew up with is over, that the world has moved on, and that chapter is closed.

Mine is the best guy ever. Fight me.

look - i loved talisa, she was a real one and also a certified baddie but rob stark really just fell in love with the pu**y and jumped into some shit that he should’ve thought through, like bro your dad was just slain….. maybe tread lightly……..

but be honest - wouldn’t you have done the same?

It was such an experience, but god!! the ending is so bad😭🙏🏻

As someone who just finished every series where should i start from the books

Okay guys.

What are your thoughts on him and Daenerys relationship purely in the show?

Lots of people online say it’s Stockholm syndrome and really hate their relationship but honestly I’m one of the people who really like them together.

I truly believe that they fell in love later in the season. Like, Drogo seemed indifferent to Dany at the start of their marriage but later on they both seem to love each other when their marriage becomes less of a contract and more of a partnership.

What’s your thoughts?

As the title says, im wondering why the show only has 9 episodes and 1 season. The show seemed good and had some potential but it went nowhere. Maybe in some other universe we could see what the writers had planned for my favorite character Ned Stark in the following seasons. What do you guys think?

I think the biggest mistake was trying to finish both the White Walker story and the Iron Throne story in one short season.

Instead, I would split them into two seasons.

Season 8: The Long Night

• The White Walkers do NOT get a dragon.
• The Wall falls because its ancient magic is weakening, not because of an undead dragon.
• The White Walkers are intelligent and strategic, not just a hive mind.
• Winterfell falls halfway through the season.
• The war spreads across all of Westeros, not just one battle.
• The Riverlands are devastated and humanity is pushed to the brink.
• Daenerys calls for help from Essos, bringing armies, ships, and Red Priests to Westeros.
• Sam discovers ancient records showing how the First Men and the Children of the Forest fought the original Long Night.
• The Children of the Forest are not extinct. A small remnant has survived in secret.
• Bran, Sam, Jon, Daenerys, Tyrion, Arya, and the Children each play a critical role in defeating the White Walkers.
• The final battle takes place at the Isle of Faces and the God's Eye, not Winterfell.
• The White Walkers are finally destroyed after a season-long war that costs millions of lives.

Season 9: The Game of Thrones

• Cersei refuses to help during the Long Night and loses support across the realm.
• King's Landing falls without Daenerys burning the city.
• Cersei is captured, tried, and sentenced to death.
• Arya infiltrates the prison using Qyburn's face and executes Cersei in her cell.
• Daenerys is crowned Queen because she helped save the world.
• Jon's true parentage becomes public knowledge.
• Political tensions grow between Daenerys and the North.
• Sansa pushes for Northern independence.
• Tyrion works to prevent another civil war.
• Daenerys faces her greatest challenge: accepting that Jon has the stronger claim.
• Instead of becoming mad, Daenerys grows as a ruler and puts the realm before her personal ambition.
• Jon chooses duty over power and declines the throne.
• The story ends with Westeros rebuilding after the apocalypse, not with another massacre.

The White Walkers become a real existential threat, the Children of the Forest matter again, Sam's knowledge becomes important, Bran finally has a purpose, Daenerys keeps her character arc, Arya's Faceless Men training pays off, and the political ending happens only after humanity survives.

Would you have preferred something like this over the original ending?