Game of Thrones Finale: fans left divided over plot twist

The final episode of Game Of Thrones has been perhaps one of the most divisive TV finales of all time, with fans torn between loving and feeling disappointed by the ending.

***WARNING: Spoilers ahead***

The epic fantasy drama came to a close in America on Sunday evening after 73 episodes, with UK-based fans able to watch the finale at 2am yesterday.

Reaction to the feature-length episode – which included a controversial plot twist before the fate of the Iron Throne and who would rule over Westeros was revealed – is very mixed.

After eight years of shocks and twists, Game of Thrones left its fans stunned  and bitterly divided  over the final episode of the fantasy drama as it aired yesterday.

Internet personality Tim the Tat Man tweeted that Game Of Thrones “will go down as one of my favourite series ever”, before adding: “Love the show, love the series, but I can’t help but feel disappointed.”

Stranger Things actress Shannon Purser said she was “at a loss for words” over the finale.

One fan joked that the programme’s writers, David Benioff and DB Weiss, were the “true villains of season 8”, echoing a sentiment felt by many on social media that the writing had been a disaster.

The show, starring the likes of Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage, debuted in 2011.

It is based on George RR Martin’s series of fantasy novels, A Song Of Ice And Fire, and adapted for television by Benioff and Weiss.

The critically-acclaimed fantasy drama has picked up dozens of awards over the years, and is the most-awarded TV series in Emmy Awards history.

However, despite being one of the most popular programmes of a generation and one of the most talked-about on social media, the final season has encountered criticism, and a petition demanding a remake of series eight “with competent writers” gathered a million signatures ahead of the show’s finale.

A prequel to Game Of Thrones, reportedly titled Bloodmoon, is rumoured to be in the works, and there are also calls from fans for a spin-off focused on Arya Stark, played by Williams.

Clarke told of her concern that pop singer Beyonce will “hate” her now that the final season of Game Of Thrones has come to an end.

The actress’s character, Daenerys Targaryen, took a dark turn in recent episodes, with fans shocked at her violent rampage at King’s Landing in the penultimate instalment.

Having previously been seen as a feminist hero, she turned into a villain, and Daenerys – otherwise known as the Mother of Dragons and, more recently, as the Mad Queen – was killed by her former lover Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in the dramatic last episode.

Clarke has said that her character’s story arc may be a disappointment to Beyonce, who she met earlier this year at an Oscars after party, and that she wants her to still think she is representing women in a “fabulous way”.

Clarke, 32, said: “my absolute idol in life is saying that she likes me, and I know for a fact that by the end of this season she’s going to hate me.”