Everything You Need to Know Before Watching the Game of Thrones Series Finale
Winter is about to come to an end.
After eight seasons, Game of Thrones is closing out with what should be an epic final episode — and possibly a few surprising deaths.
After last episode’s fiery revenge of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her dragon Drogon on King’s Landing, the remaining survivors will have to decide if their “rightful queen” is an ally or a threat.
So who will end up on the coveted Iron Throne … if anyone? Here is everything you need to know before HBO’s epic fantasy drama finishes its incredible ride.
When Is It Airing?
The sixth and final episode of the series (73rd episode total) will air on Sunday, May 19th at 9 pm ET.
Viewers should prepare for a long night, as the closing episode will clock in at a total of 79 minutes, just like “The Bells” last week. The final two episodes ultimately tie for the longest running episode of the season, closely behind the third episode, “The Long Night,” which ran for 82 minutes total.
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Who’s Left to Take the Iron Throne?
Despite having arguably the largest cast in television history, there is only a limited amount of players left for the final episode. After Dany’s vengeful attack on King’s Landing, Cersei (Lena Headey), Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), The Hound (Rory McCann), The Mountain (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson), Qyburn (Anton Lesser), Euron Greyjoy (Pilou Asbæk) and Varys (Conleth Hill) all failed to make it out of the chaos alive.
Having survived the King’s Landing massacre, Jon Snow (Kit Harington), Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage), and Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) will have to come to terms with Dany’s destruction. Will Jon be able to forgive his Queen (and lover) for her actions?
Meanwhile, in the North, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) await reuniting with their allies — and Sansa will surely have choice words for her rival Dany, especially after the events of last episode.
Remaining key cogs in the series finale include expectant parents Sam (John Bradley) and Gilly (Hannah Murray), as well as recently knighted Brienne (Gwendoline Christie), Tormund (Kristofer Hivju), Bronn (Jerome Flynn), and Gendry (Joe Dempsie), who was rejected by Arya after she told him she could “never be a lady.” But hey, as the bastard of Robert Baratheon, he could have a claim to the throne.
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How Will the Series End?
Fans have come up with countless theories of how the hit show could end — and they certainly haven’t been pleased with how it’s going so far — but it is truly anyone’s guess for what can happen. While Dany currently stands as the most powerful in the realm, Sansa, Tyrion, Arya and the remaining players could mount a resistance against the queen of dragons.
However, Jon Snow, the true Targaryen heir to the throne, may play the most pivotal role in the finale, as his choice between justice and his loyalty to Daenerys will almost definitely come into play. Will he side with his sisters, or the queen he kneeled for? Let the predictions begin.
The series finale of Game of Thrones airs Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.
