‘Game Of Thrones’ Writer George RR Martin Weighs In On The Controversial Series Finale

Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin has weighed in on the controversial series finale, one which left several fans disappointed, The Hollywood Reporter details. Unfortunately for fans hoping that he’d conclusively state whether he liked it or not, the fantasy author left that question unanswered.

Martin’s groundbreaking novel, A Game of Thrones, was first published in 1996. The first of a planned group of seven novels that would make up his series A Song of Ice and Fire, A Game of Thrones was followed up by sequels over the years, as planned. However, the first book was published over 20 years ago, and the final two books of the series have yet to be published.

That reality created a problem for HBO. At a certain point in the show’s production, the narrative on the TV screen caught up with the plot in the books, and the show would have to go on, without Martin’s novels as a starting point.

In other words, there are two different Game of Thrones narratives — the one shown on TV, and the one George has in mind for the books.

Do they match? Martin won’t say.

On his personal blog, Martin essentially confirmed that the HBO series and the book series are two separate works of art, both based on the same basic premise. And as for the ending of the TV series — and the planned ending of the books — and whether or not they match up, Martin was deliberately vague.

“The same ending as the show? Different? Well… yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes.”

He went on to note some key differences between the books and the TV series, characters that died in the books live on in the series. Characters that died in the series live on the books. One character, Catelyn Stark, died in both the books and the series, but came back from the dead in the books (as Lady Stoneheart), while remaining dead in the series. Key characters from the books never made it to the series.

Further, Martin promises that the books will not ignore the characters that never made it to the series.

“If nothing else, the readers will learn what happened to Jeyne Poole, Lady Stoneheart, Penny and her pig, Skahaz Shavepate, Arianne Martell, Darkstar, Victarion Greyjoy, Ser Garlan the Gallant, Aegon VI, and a myriad of other characters both great and small that viewers of the show never had the chance to meet.”

Meanwhile, Martin tells his readers that arguing over whether the TV ending or the book ending is the “real” ending is a pointless exercise. “How many children did Scarlette O’Hara have,” he wrote.