The series finale for Game of Thrones has
finally aired, and that means spoilers are
flying everywhere - including here. But for
one person in particular, being able to discuss
the ending of Game of Thrones is a massive
relief. Isaac Hempstead Wright has revealed
that he’s been waiting for months to crow
to the world that his character Bran Stark
shockingly ended up as ruler of Westeros.
As he enthusiastically put it to Entertainment
Weekly, quote, "I just want to shout: 'King
motherf---ers!'"
Of course, Game of Thrones is a series famous
for its twists, having shocked fans before
with scenes like the Red Wedding, the gruesome
battle between Prince Oberyn Martell and the
Mountain, Jon Snow's impermanent "death,"
the haunting sacrifice of Shireen Baratheon
by her own parents, and many more.
But that didn't prepare Hempstead Wright for
the reality of Bran becoming King. In fact,
when he first read the script for the finale,
he thought the scene where the gathered nobles
of Westeros elect Bran king was actually an
elaborate prank.
"When I got to the [Dragonpit scene] in the
last episode and they're like, 'What about
Bran?' I had to get up and pace around the
room. I genuinely thought it was a joke script.”
According to the actor, his first thought
upon reading the script was that showrunners
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had sent each
cast member a script with their own character
ending up on the Iron Throne.
Once he realized that Game of Thrones really
would end with The North becoming its own
independent kingdom and the so-called "Bran
the Broken" rising as the ruler of the remaining
Six Kingdoms, Hempstead Wright got to thinking
about whether it all made sense - and from
the actor's perspective, he feels Bran is
a fantastic fit for the job.
Bran may not be strictly human anymore, given
his otherworldly status as the unemotional
Three-Eyed Raven. But his psychic omniscience
and separation from the petty squabbles of
his fellow man is also beneficial, letting
him potentially keep Westeros safe like no
one else can. He's all logic and reason, without
the dangerous emotions that led to the disastrous
reigns of previous terrible monarchs like
King Robert, King Joffrey, Queen Cersei, and
Queen Daenerys.
Hempstead Wright said,
"I think he'll be a really good king actually.
Perhaps there will be something missing in
having a real emotive leader, which is a useful
quality in a king or queen as well. At the
same time, you can't really argue with Bran.
He's like, 'No, I know everything.'"
The actor assured fans that despite his initial
shock, he’s happy with the way the Thrones
finale worked out. But he did share his thoughts
about an alternate conclusion he might have
enjoyed even more. Thinking about other ways
the series ending could have gone, Hempstead
Wright shared,
"I kind of did want to die and get in one
good death scene with an exploding head or
something."
It’s a relatable desire, but come on - no
one can beat the Viper in that department.
Of course, not everyone is happy with Bran
becoming king, or the events that led up to
it, like Jon killing Daenerys. After the finale
aired on May 19, fans flocked to social media
to vent their outrage and frustration - which
is, after all, the primary use of social media.
Even Thrones actors themselves have expressed
frustration with how the series ended, though
most of those gripes centered more on each
star's respective character arcs and less
on the larger picture.
“Are you happy with how things ended?"
[Nervous laughter]
“Yes.”
“Best season ever!”
[More nervous laughter]
When all is said and done, though, Hempstead
Wright is confident that the ending of Game
of Thrones - as shocking and polarizing as
it is - is exactly how A Song of Ice and Fire
author George R.R. Martin would have drawn
the story to a close if he had gotten there
first. Speaking before the finale aired, the
actor shared a prediction about the fan reaction
that turned out to be correct, saying,
"Not everyone will be happy. [...] I don't
think anybody will think it's predictable
and that's as much as you can hope for. People
are going to be angry. There's going to be
a lot of broken hearts. It's 'bittersweet,'
exactly as George R. R. Martin intended. It's
a fitting conclusion to this epic saga."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Looper videos about your favorite shows are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.
