Hodor actor Kristian Nairn has defended the ending of Game of Thrones five years after it aired, explaining why he enjoyed the final episodes of the show. The ending of Game of Thrones became one of the most polarizing events in TV history, with many unhappy due to major character changes, such as Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) becoming a tyrant and burning down King’s Landing. While the series finale didn’t dissuade the franchise from expanding with the ongoing House of the Dragon, it made the original series less beloved for many due to its controversial choices.

Speaking with Screen Rant, Nairn revealed he enjoyed the final season of Game of Thrones, and was disappointed by the overall reception it had received. The actor explained how he believed the seeds of Daenerys burning King’s Landing had been planted throughout the show, justifying her character turn once it happened. However, he did concede that the series should have had more episodes to flesh out the event, comparing the later episodes to the works of director Michael Bay.

He also warned that House of the Dragon will likely be taking its time with its own dragon-based action, warning the delivery of Daenerys’ destruction is likely what made the ending so polarizing. Even so, he believes the last episode had incredible shots, comparing Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) walking through a crowd of the dead to a Renaissance painting. Check out what Nairn had to say below:

It’s not perfect, no. But also keep in mind I’m not a scriptwriter, neither are 99.99% of people. There are some who think they are, but I do know I’m not, so I have that. So [the response] disappointed me really. I don’t feel responsible for it obviously, because I was long since dead. But it disappointed me because the show had been held in such high regard, and I don’t think it deserved it. I don’t think there was a way they could have ended it to keep people happy. There’s never been a show in the history of television, I believe – maybe Breaking Bad, maybe – where people had been so invested in their characters and I think everyone had their own final fantasy of what was going to happen at the end with Daenerys, and any deviation from that, especially such an extreme one, it’s going to piss them off.

Although people say that Daenerys acted out of character and stuff and so quickly, but I just don’t understand how they didn’t see that throughout the show. I was waiting for it to happen the whole way. The signs were there guys. She actually said at one stage that as soon as Drogon’s big enough, she’s going to burn the ass out of King’s Landing. And what happened? She did exactly what she said. The only criticism I have, and it’s not really criticism, because I understand budgetary issues and stuff, but I just wish it was longer.

I don’t think those longer episodes worked. I think it would’ve been better to have more episodes. The Michael Bay thing, that’s how I explain it. There was a little of a sprinkling of Michael Bay put over the last season with the explosions and lots of dragons. They’d given us some of that, which had given us a hunger for them, and then all of a sudden, they were ‘you’re dinner’s here, maybe it’s not as appetizing as you thought.’ Sometimes the thought of dinner is better than dinner.

They’re doing something similar now with House of Dragons as well. Everyone’s waiting for the dragon fights and I’m trying to warn people. Obviously, I know the Game of Thrones franchise, and you may be be waiting 20 years for this, you realize, but maybe it’s going to be next season, who knows? But I wouldn’t set my watch. I mean I wouldn’t set an alarm for it. I just wish people were happier with it, because I really enjoyed it. The scenes with Peter [Dinklage] walking through the rubble and people said, ‘oh God, I really wanted Cersei to get a really horrible death.’ And what about their death? It was like a Renaissance painting. It was art. So much beautiful work, the music and stuff, and people are going ‘that’s s**t.’ What are you talking about?

What Nairn’s Opinion On Game Of Thrones’ Finale Says About The Show

The Final Episodes Still Have Redeeming Qualities

Nairn’s opinion reflects how some did enjoy the direction of the final episodes, praising the cast of Game of Thrones for their performances. However, his critique of how the series should have slowed down to allow better justification of Daenerys’ antagonistic turn reflects the mixed opinions of audiences and critics alike when the final episodes aired. As of writing, season 8, episode 5, “The Bells” holds a 49% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the series finale, “The Iron Throne,” comes in at 47%.

While the show’s final episodes have been critiqued by viewers and professional critics alike, season 8 was still praised for its high production value and for offering a definitive ending to the characters’ stories. In retrospect, it also laid the foundation for House of the Dragon to improve upon it, setting a high bar for the quality expected from shows set in Westeros. With the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms expanding the franchise further, it’s clear the final episode of the main show didn’t permanently damage stories within its universe.

Our Take On Nairn’s Game Of Thrones Finale Review

The Last Episodes Just Needed More Development

Custom image by Debanjana Chowdhury

While Nairn defended the final episodes of Game of Thrones, it appears clear the show needed much more development for its story to feel justified and make sense with the direction it took. Even so, there are redeeming qualities to the story, such as its many twists, that could have felt earned had they been given a bit more time to develop. This makes the actor’s stance on the final episodes more understandable, with their developments simply being muddled by a lack of time spent ensuring they flowed properly.

Game of Thrones seasons 6 through 8 were not based on any books in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series.