Kit Harington has delved into the perceived “faults” of Game of Thrones’ conclusion, acknowledging that “mistakes were made” in the final episodes.
The conclusion of Game of Thrones in 2019 was met with a wave of criticism, with many viewers and those involved in the series feeling that the truncated final season was overly hasty.
Harington, who has previously spoken openly about his experiences on the show, including his initial “disappointment” over a plot twist involving his character Jon Snow, has now offered a more balanced perspective on the much-maligned finale.
Two years after the final episode aired, he told USA Today, “I’m still processing it all, but I’m proud of what we did. The fact that some people were upset with the ending just shows how much it impacted people, and that’s a wonderful thing.”
The actor, currently starring in the new season of Industry, has become more forthright about his feelings. In an interview with GQ Hype, Harington attributed the final season’s shortcomings to fatigue.
“I think if there was any fault with the end of Thrones, it’s that we were all so damn tired, we couldn’t have gone on longer. And so I understand some people thought it was rushed, and I might agree with them. But I’m not sure there was any alternative.”
Harington confessed that when he looks at photos of himself from that final season, he appears “spent” and felt he didn’t have another season in him.
Addressing the finale directly, he said, “I think there were mistakes made, story-wise, towards the end maybe. There were some interesting choices that didn’t quite work.”
In the same interview, where he also discusses his journey to sobriety, Harington explained the reasons behind the shelving of a planned spin-off featuring his character. “HBO approached me and asked if I’d consider it. My first reaction was no. But then I thought there could be an interesting and important story about the soldier after the war.
We spent a couple of years going back and forth, but nothing got us excited enough.”
Harington ultimately “backed out” of the project, fearing that if they continued to develop it, they might end up with something that wasn’t up to par.
The actor can now be seen in the third season of the HBO series Industry, set to air on BBC One and iPlayer later this year, and he’s also appearing on stage in Slave Play.
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