LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 07: Emilia Clarke celebrates the opening of "The Seagull" at The Harold Pinter Theatre on July 07, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
TV - Movies
The Controversy
Behind Daenerys'
Big Game Of
Thrones Twist
Explained
By NINA STARNER
THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR "Game of Thrones."

SPOILER WARNING!

The final season of “Game of Thrones” may have seemed rushed to some, but showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss claimed it was always in the works, taking shape early in the series. Weiss said, "We didn't know the details until after the third season, but Dany's trajectory was implicit in the first season."
Though the showrunners and many producers knew what lay ahead for Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), some of the creative team actually had no idea. Nathalie Emmanuel, who played Daenerys' right hand woman Missandei — and whose murder at Cersei Lannister's hands spurs Daenerys' murderous rage — was dismayed and disappointed by the decision.
In the end, Daenerys paid a tragic price and died in her lover's arms before she could ever take the throne, in a fitting yet devastating ending to her story. Clarke, who had to portray Daenerys' descent into tyranny, ultimately stands by the decision. "After ten years of working on this, it was logical, because where the f**k else can she go?" Clarke said bluntly.