Despite multiple Game of Thrones spin-offs, this one creative problem about the OG show's ending remains unresolved 

Game of Thrones has continued to be a very popular and widely used concept in recent years. HBO has many new shows based on the Game of Thrones universe and continues to develop additional series and spinoffs. The popularity of House of the Dragon remains strong among fans, and other potential options apparently continue to appear in reports every couple of months. Though the original series concluded in 2019, the entire Game of Thrones franchise has remained very strong since that time.

Since the original series ended, there have been many conversations about how many fans were unhappy with the final outcome for many of the main characters in the story. Some believe that as time passes, fans will be able to look back on the ending of the series and no longer find the ending disappointing or unimpressive, and that the ending will not have the same level of disappointment for them as it did at the time of its airing. The opposite appears to be true, as the disappointment continues to be at the same level or, better yet, has become clearer to fans.

The most recent statements made by actors related to the original series, such as Sophie Turner, have reopened the conversation surrounding the topic. Sophie's open discussion about her feelings on how the show concluded is an example of how the majority of fans' concerns expressed back in 2019 are still relevant today.

What has Sophie Turner said about the final season of Game of Thrones?

One of the most talked-about comments came from Sophie Turner, who played Sansa Stark. Sansa was one of the few characters who had an ending that most viewers considered strong. She became Queen in the North, and her final scene showed her leading her people with confidence. For many fans, her story was one of the few arcs that felt complete.

But even Turner has said that she is unsure about ever returning to that story. She said she is happy with how Sansa's journey ended, but she also feels that going back to that character could be risky. She explained that her ending of Game of Thrones felt right, but trying to continue from there might weaken what was already done. This shows that even the more successful storylines from the final season feel too delicate to explore again.

Turner confirmed earlier speculation that the majority of the cast of the show was not happy with how their characters' story ended. Many members of the cast expressed that the final episodes of the series were progressing too quickly for their characters to have had enough time to feel satisfied with how their characters' stories were concluded. This matches many fans' opinions when the series concluded, that it felt rushed.

Why do new sequels of Game of Thrones continue to face challenges?

HBO has shown interest in continuing the main story of Game of Thrones, especially through sequel shows. One of the most well-known ideas was a planned show centered on Jon Snow. According to reports, this sequel moved into early development but did not move forward after some time. The reason, as many sources have explained, is that continuing from the original ending is harder than it seems.

The problem is not that there are no characters left to follow. Westeros is full of important figures like Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Jon. The issue is that the ending of Game of Thrones Season 8 closed their stories in a way that makes it difficult to build new ones. Jon Snow's exile, Bran becoming king, and Sansa ruling the North all felt final but also somewhat limiting.

If a sequel shows Sansa ruling the North, it risks feeling repetitive. If it continues, Jon's life beyond the Wall may struggle to find a new conflict that feels meaningful. And revisiting Bran's rule might bring back all the debates about whether that choice made sense in the first place. Instead of opening doors, the original finale closed most of them very firmly.

This is why HBO has focused more on prequels like House of the Dragon. Prequels avoid the problems caused by the original show's ending. They let writers explore new characters and older stories without fixing or changing anything from Game of Thrones Season 8. They also let the audience return to Westeros without reopening old arguments.

Many entertainment writers have said that a direct sequel to Game of Thrones would need an extremely strong script to succeed. Even Sophie Turner suggested this when speaking about Sansa. The fact that everyone feels a sequel could only work if it is "perfect" shows how sensitive the ending still is.

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It is rare for a show as big as Game of Thrones to leave such a strong impact and still face this kind of hesitation. The ending did not grow softer with time. Instead, it became something that actors, writers, and fans all feel nervous to revisit.

Seven years after the final episode, one thing has become clear. No matter how many spin-offs HBO produces, the major creative problem left by the original show's ending has not been resolved. The ending did not create space for a natural follow-up. Instead, it created a barrier. And even with all the new stories in the Game of Thrones universe, the original ending still stands as something almost no one wants to reopen.

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