7 Years Ago Today, Game of Thrones Ended – And HBO Has Proved the Backlash Never Mattered

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It’s been seven years since the final episode of HBO’s Game of Thrones aired. Seven years since major events like Jon Snow killing Daenerys, the Iron Throne’s destruction, Sansa becoming Queen of the North, and Bran being crowned king of Westeros. It’s also been seven years since the incredibly negative reaction to the series finale – a backlash so strong it made the criticism of Lost‘s ending look mild in comparison.

While time usually softens criticism, the ending of Game of Thrones is still widely disliked. As other popular shows like Stranger Things and The Boys have approached their finales, Game of Thrones is often cited as a cautionary tale of how things can go wrong. For a long time, many believed the finale had destroyed interest in the show, and the idea that people had stopped talking about Game of Thrones became a common sentiment online. However, despite the continued criticism of the ending, the franchise as a whole remains popular and hasn’t suffered any lasting damage.

Game Of Thrones’ Franchise Has Defied The Backlash & Will Keep Getting Bigger

No single show has matched the impact of Game of Thrones. Its eighth season drew an average of 46 million viewers per episode, becoming a cultural phenomenon – the kind of show everyone talked about the next day. That level of consistent, week-to-week buzz is rare these days, though shows like Stranger Things can create a similar effect with a full season released at once. While HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series might change things, and TV-watching habits could eventually shift again, currently audiences are more fragmented than ever, spread across numerous shows and streaming platforms.

The success of HBO’s Game of Thrones and its spin-offs, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, demonstrates why the negative reaction to the original series’ ending hasn’t diminished its impact. While neither spin-off has quite reached the same cultural phenomenon status as Thrones, both have performed very well. Season two of House of the Dragon averaged around 25 million U.S. viewers per episode, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has reached 36 million, according to Warner Bros. Discovery. Game of Thrones remained incredibly popular for years after it ended, consistently ranking among the most-watched shows online and on HBO Max, and that popularity continues today.

Success wasn’t a sure thing. Even huge franchises like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings have faced fan disappointment with films like The Last Jedi, The Rise of Skywalker, and The Hobbit trilogy, leading to decreased interest and divisions within their fan bases. If the finale of How I Met Your Mother hadn’t upset so many viewers, CBS might have been more willing to try How I Met Your Dad – a show they later attempted again years later, but ultimately cancelled a second time, partly because it struggled to regain audience interest.

Look, the finale of Game of Thrones definitely disappointed a lot of fans, but it’s clear people still love that world. HBO’s been smart about that, mostly focusing on prequels set way before the original series. They even explored what a Jon Snow spinoff could look like after the finale, and there are other sequels in the works – I’ve heard whispers of a potential series following Arya Stark! That shows a real belief that viewers are willing to go back to Westeros, even after that controversial ending. And it’s not just that one idea; they’re developing several other spinoffs, including an animated series about Corlys Velaryon and a show focused on Princess Nymeria. It’s a clear sign HBO thinks there’s still a huge appetite for everything Game of Thrones.

The franchise’s future plans reflect its continued potential. Warner Bros. is moving forward with Game of Thrones: Aegon’s Conquest as a movie, indicating confidence in its commercial success – a project of that scale, with dragons and large action sequences, requires a significant investment. Despite the controversial ending to the original Game of Thrones series, the world remains compelling, filled with complex characters, family conflicts, political maneuvering, and grand visuals, suggesting the story is far from over and will likely maintain its popularity.

Even though the ending of Game of Thrones was controversial, the show – which recently celebrated its 15th anniversary – deserves to be remembered for its overall brilliance. It delivered some truly unforgettable moments, revolutionized television, and that’s what its lasting impact should be.

You can watch Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO Max.

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2026-05-19 19:40