GoT's 7 Most Disappointing Character Endings, Ranked (Daenerys Isn't Even #1)
Not only could these characters have been better explored, but they could have had more satisfying endings.
George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book saga features one of the largest ensembles of characters. But for all the intrigue, convoluted plotting, and regular name-dropping, each of them is subjected to a fair amount of development and character study, even when they are suddenly written out of the story.
But the same can't be said for HBO's adaptation, Game of Thrones. With Martin's departure from the project, the series fell precipitously into an abyss of lost situational awareness: sadly, the writers failed to provide the compelling story of Westeros and Essos, turning it into a passable mishmash. Much of this affected the characters, whose endings proved incredibly disappointing.
7. Yara Greyjoy
House Greyjoy of Pyke is known for being harsh, ruthless, and free-spirited, and the members of this family have some of the most fascinating arcs in the novels. However, the writers have not done the house justice, destroying the autonomy of the incredibly interesting Yara. An ardent supporter of the rebellion to separate from Westeros, she quickly silences her ambitions when she joins Daenerys, and after her death she is a shadow of her former self, completely oblivious to freedom and her people.
6. Meera Reed
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Meera is an equally interesting character in the show, providing Bran with no small amount of wise counsel. However, the only thing Bran does for his companion as a reward upon his return to Winterfell is to send Meera back to her father without even thanking her or expressing any regret for Jojen's death.
5. Petyr Baelish
On the one hand, Petyr shared a love for Catelyn and Sansa and was willing to go against himself to help first the mother and then the daughter. On the other hand, he was one of the ultimate masters of political intrigue, like Varys, a Grey Cardinal who manipulates powerful people. And it's as if Littlefinger has lost that on the show, pathetically begging Sansa on his knees and helplessly waiting to die at Arya's blade.
4. Varys
Varys is arguably the most dangerous character in all of Westeros, but when he decided to play a double game by joining Daenerys and then secretly supporting Jon, it was as if all his devious scheming had never happened before: once the truth came out, he was just pathetically waiting to die. Even Conleth Hill, who played him, was furious with the way the writers treated the character.
3. The Night King
The Night King has been the main intrigue of the show since Season 1. In the books, this intrigue only grows, as the original HBO character may be related to the ancient Night's King, whose origins may be linked to the Starks. Unfortunately, he turned out to be nothing more than fan service, which quickly ended with an anticlimactic death at the hands of Arya.
2. Daenerys Targaryen
Dany's story is tremendously fascinating and empowering, as we have seen her grow from a slave girl to the unifier of Essos and Westeros. Her villainous turn is justified, but sadly too rushed and unexplored and only devalued by an equally anticlimactic death as the Night King.
1. Jon Snow
The man who became the leader of the Night's Watch, who managed to forge an alliance with the Free Folk, and who even came back from the dead, turned out to be sidelined and had almost no impact on the events that followed, except for the murder of Dany. It is unfair that he was simply sent back beyond the Wall after all he went through.