HBO juggernaut Game of Thrones came to an end with mixed results. The epic series ended with Bran on the Iron Throne, Jon self-exiled North of the Wall, and Dany dead by Jon’s hand after going mad with power. It was controversial to say the least, ending a strong series with a bit of a whimper. Still, it’s the ending we got, stupid petition be damned.
As part of the season 8 DVD and Blu-ray editions, show runners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff recorded some commentary with stars Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington, offering a little insight into the brutal finale.
Harington explained Jon’s decision making process when he entered the throne room to ultimately kill Danaerys.
“He doesn’t know he’s going to betray her until right at the end. In Jon’s head, it’s a number of [reasons: Dany] doesn’t factor in anyone else’s decisions and it also means [Dany] is going to kill my sisters, so it becomes [my] family vs. her.”
However, the biggest reveal is what happened after Drogon flew away with her dead body. Clarke explained that some fans had told her that dragons often ate the bodies of their masters according to lore, but Benioff shuts that theory down quickly.
“Drogon’s not going to eat you. He’s not a cat. Did you see how gently he was nudging you?”
They also explained why Drogon destroyed the Iron Throne after Dany’s death. Some people wondered if Drogon had a very complex understanding of metaphor beyond normal dragon capacity, but Benioff offered a simpler explanation.
“If [Dany is] not going to sit on it, no one’s going to sit on it.”