Game of Thrones Star Defends Battle of Winterfell Episode As Genius

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Former Game of Thrones star Iwan Rheon calls the polarizing Battle of Winterfell one of the best episodes of television he's ever seen. Rheon joined the HBO series in season 3 as the twisted and sadistic Ramsay Bolton. In no time, Ramsay was seen by many as the most hated character on the show, largely because of how he tortured Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner). Ramsay's end came in the widely praised season 6 episode "Battle of the Bastards," which was a high point for Game of Thrones' battle scenes.

On the opposite end of the battle spectrum, for many, is season 8's Battle of Winterfell. Game of Thrones' final season featured the long awaited fight between the living and the dead, something that had been hyped since the series first began. Ahead of the season's premiere, the Battle of Winterfell was touted as the biggest thing Game of Thrones had ever done, leading to very high expectations among fans. However, when the battle finally arrived in the third episode "The Long Night," the majority of fans were disappointed by certain twists and poor lighting that prevented viewers from fully seeing what was happening.

In a new interview with NME, Rheon became the latest Game of Thrones star to share his thoughts on the controversial final season. First, Rheon admitted he knew it wasn't going to please everyone, because it just isn't possible. "It was always gonna be divisive. I don’t think it was gonna be any other way, to be honest. Obviously, you can’t please everyone," he said. Overall, though, Rheon counts himself among those who actually enjoyed Game of Thrones' ending, particularly in the case of the Battle of Winterfell. Rheon said:
 

 

Beyond the Battle of Winterfell, Game of Thrones season 8 was greeted with extremely divisive responses from fans, with many actually disliking the ending. Disappointed fans cited rushed storylines, abandoned character arcs, and, yes, poorly-lit battles as reasons why Game of Thrones failed to stick the landing. A petition was even created with the sole purpose of getting HBO to remake the entire season, an effort that unsurprisingly failed and drew some varied responses from Game of Thrones cast members.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and if Rheon enjoyed Game of Thrones season 8, that's wonderful for him. There's rarely a definitive way to decide a show's quality, as it ultimately varies from person to person. Game of Thrones' finale will likely always be debated among fans, and it'll be interesting to see if time alters how the majority of viewers feel about it. Perhaps more distance between season 8 will change fans' perception, or perhaps Game of Thrones will always remain a controversial topic. Still, Rheon considers himself a fan of the ending, and he certainly isn't the only one, even if he might not be in the majority.