The Only Game of Thrones Character Whose Arc Wasn't Butchered in the End
With how many character arcs were ruined in the finale, we’re positively surprised this fan favorite received his satisfying and well-fitting closure.
Game of Thrones has never been about happy endings, and Ned Stark’s execution taught that to the most innocent of us pretty early on. Still, the finale butchered some of our favorite characters’ arcs way more than they deserved…
And it’s nothing short of a miracle that this fan-beloved man’s growth throughout many seasons actually led him to a satisfying bittersweet conclusion, unlike his many colleagues.
The Hound Changed a Lot Throughout the Series
Sandor Clegane aka the Hound definitely didn’t begin his Game of Thrones journey as a fan favorite. Brutal, cynical, and rude, the Hound looked like a tool in his master’s hands — and overly bloodthirsty and terrifying, but still a tool. You needed to be a unique person to genuinely like the facade Clegane Jr. was putting up.
Later into the series, however, we started catching occasional glimpses of the man behind the armor. The Hound’s journey with Arya Stark was especially educational in this regard — both for us viewers back home and for the warrior himself.
We all learned that behind the decades of serving the Crown and doing despicable things, there was still a hurting man who desperately tried to not get attached to anyone.
The Hound Got a Fitting Ending to His Character Arc
Sandor Clegane’s bitterness and cynicism didn’t appear out of nowhere: he was hurt repeatedly by the man who was supposed to be his closest person. His own brother, Gregor Clegane aka the Mountain, abused young Sandor, scarred him for life, and left the man with two deepest fears: the fear of fire and the fear of trusting others.
But Sandor’s journey across Westeros proved to be a spiritual one, too. After all that time, the Hound set his head straight: he began protecting those he cared about, and he stood up for what he deemed right, not what was most profitable to him.
Sandor Clegane’s finale was bittersweet but most fitting for him, considering his seasons-long character development. In his final moments, he chooses to once again protect Arya Stark and finally stand up to his terrifying elder brother Gregor. The Hound’s last act was that of sacrifice and revenge, and we find it poetic.