Game of Thrones‘ most controversial episode continues to be divisive, but there’s one change that could have saved it. There’s a lot that went wrong with Game of Thrones season 8 as a whole, but “The Bells” remains one of the most heavily criticized installments of the HBO series. This installment finally sees Daenerys and her army attacking King’s Landing, but it also features her villain turn.
And the outcome of Daenerys Targaryen’s character arc has been a sore spot for many Game of Thrones fans since it manifested, even if there were signs she’d burn Kings Landing beforehand. In terms of season 8 complaints, Dany’s decision is up there with Bran Stark becoming king and Jaime Lannister undoing seasons of character development.
Needless to say, “The Bells” is probably Game of Thrones‘ most controversial installment, even if the series finale comes close. And there’s one thing that could have helped it land better — a fix that would have helped most of season 8.
“The Bells” Is Game Of Thrones’ Most Controversial Episode, But It Has Redeeming Qualities
The Season 8 Installment Isn’t All Bad
“The Bells” may be the most divisive installment of Game of Thrones thanks to its Daenerys choices, but it still has some redeeming qualities. For one, the cinematography, action sequences, and performances are all impressive, making it a well-crafted episode of television. Indeed, even Dany’s questionable turn allowed Emilia Clarke to turn in one of her best performances of all time.
And Daenerys burning King’s Landing isn’t totally unfounded, as she’s grappling with huge losses throughout season 8, along with the harsh revelation that the people of Westeros are not, in fact, waiting for her return. These could be convincing motivations for her to turn on innocent people, but Game of Thrones season 8 doesn’t handle the journey from point A to point B very well.
The series may have had an easier time selling fans on this twist if it had made one massive change. Of course, this change would have meant waiting longer to see how things played out.
“The Bells” Could Have Worked If Game Of Thrones Had More Episodes Of Setup
The Series Needed More Episodes (Or Even Seasons) To Pull It Off
The fact that “The Bells” has its redeeming moments means that it could likely have worked in its entirety — but Game of Thrones needed way more time to pull it off. Season 8 clocks in at just six episodes, and Daenerys spends half of them fighting against the Night King and the White Walkers. She exhibits some worrisome behavior, but overall, she’s doing the right thing.
Dany’s truly concerning behavior doesn’t start until episode 4, and then things move entirely too quickly. It’s not that Game of Thrones could never sell her as the villain. However, it needed a steadier build-up. The show spent so much time framing her actions as righteous that it fell flat when her motivations turned more sinister.
It doesn’t help that “The Iron Throne” does little to humanize her again; Daenerys hardly even shows signs of guilt for what she’s done, making her feel like an entirely different character. There are better ways the HBO series could have gone about setting up this twist and seeing it through, but they would have required more episodes or seasons.
This is the harsh truth about most of the season 8 developments that weren’t well-received. It all comes down to needing more time, something George R.R. Martin actually requested.
Even George R.R. Martin Wanted The HBO Show To Go On For Longer
The Author Asked HBO To Make More Seasons
It’s not just the response to Game of Thrones season 8 that suggests it needed more time to stew. Even the author of the Song of Ice and Fire books himself felt the show deserved a longer run, something he admitted during an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
In fact, Martin proposed that Game of Thrones should go on for a minimum of 10 seasons, and he felt even 11 or 12 could be more fitting. Given the depth of his books, it makes sense he’d see the vision for this. And another two or three outings would have made a huge difference to Game of Thrones season 8’s biggest shortcomings.
“The Bells” could have had a much longer lead-up, with Daenerys undergoing a full transformation that left viewers more satisfied with her ending. Characters like Tyrion and Jon also could have had more thorough arcs, with the series giving them better reasons for remaining involved with Dany, even after it became obvious what path she was headed down.
Even Varys’ death at the beginning of “The Bells” — which is the result of some truly head-scratching sloppiness on his part — could have been handled with more thought and care. Overall, more seasons of Game of Thrones would have immensely improved this controversial installment. Fortunately, the books still have a chance to get it right.
The Song Of Ice & Fire Books Can Finally Do Game Of Thrones’ Controversial Episode Right
George R.R. Martin Can Handle It With More Care
There’s no fixing “The Bells,” but the Song of Ice and Fire books can still do this divisive installment justice by tackling its events with more care. Assuming Daenerys goes down the same path in Martin’s last two books, her villain turn can be better established throughout The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.
Martin is known for taking his time crafting his narrative, so he’ll likely lay the groundwork for the events of “The Bells” for a longer period of time than Game of Thrones. Even with so many arcs and storylines to wrap up, Martin can ensure that Dany burning King’s Landing doesn’t feel too sudden or out of character. And he can treat the aftermath with the appropriate weight and depth.
Game Of Thrones
10/10
- Release Date
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2011 – 2019-00-00
- Showrunner
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David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
- Directors
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David Nutter, Alan Taylor, D.B. Weiss, David Benioff
