It’s been years since the final season of “Game of Thrones” aired, much to the disappointment of fans. But the series is in the news all over again as HBO gears up to launch the highly anticipated prequel spinoff, “House of the Dragon” later this year.
Diehard “Game of Thrones” fans were shocked and disgusted when Daenerys Targaryen turned evil and torched King’s Landing with the assistance of her dragon during season 8. Ultimately, her nephew turned lover Jon Snow killed Dany and fled back to The Wall. But cast member Peter Dinklage, who played Tyrion Lannister, said the whole sequence of events were inevitable.
“I know a lot of people were supposedly surprised by the ending, but if you paid attention, the clues were there,” Dinklage told The Independent. “We told you not to name your dog Khaleesi.”
The actor had some advice for prequel creators too, cautioning them not to mimic the original series too closely.
“If you try to recreate it, that feels like a money grab,” Dinklage said. “With a lot of sequels, the reason for them is that the first one made a lot of money, which is why they aren’t as strong.”
Previously, the “Game of Thrones” alum defended the creators’ decision to melt the iron throne, calling the scene one of his favorites from the whole project.
“One of my favorite moments was when the dragon burned the throne because it sort of just killed that whole conversation, which is really irreverent and kind of brilliant on behalf of the show’s creators: ‘Shut up, it’s not about [who sits on the throne],’” Dinklage said during an interview with The New York Times.
“They constantly did that, where you thought one thing and they delivered another. Everybody had their own stories going on while watching that show, but nobody’s was as good as what the show delivered, I think.”
During the same conversation, the actor chastised fans who were still complaining about how “Game of Thrones” ended.
“[Fans] wanted the pretty white people to ride off into the sunset together. By the way, it’s fiction. There’s dragons in it. Move on,” the 52-year-old actor said.
Meanwhile, “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin had some positive things to say about “House of the Dragon” after screening an early copy.
“I’ve seen a rough cut of the first episode. And loved it. It’s dark, it’s powerful, it’s visceral… just the way I like my epic fantasy,” the fantasy author wrote on his blog.
“Ryan [J Condal] and Miguel [Sapochnik] have done an amazing job, and the cast… just as with ‘Game of Thrones,’ most viewers will only have heard of a few of the actors, but I think you are going to fall in love with a lot of them. (Only to have your heart broken later when… but no, that would be telling).”
He continued, expressing support for the story that’s set 200 years before the action of the original series. “I think the Targaryens are in very good hands,” Martin concluded.