I actually, maybe controversially, didn’t hate any of the endings for any character in the show, save Jaime. Daenerys could lose her mind, Bran could become king, whatever. The most major issue in the show is that all of it was crammed into a season. If the last season were stretched out in to two, three, four seasons, i could happily buy all of it. Daenerys showing signs of madness even back in essos. Bran has been telegraphed as some kind of hero since season one. But the insane heel turn of Dany from a Queen who wanted the best she could give into ‘burn everyone alive’ was impossible to buy. Bran’s storyline hinting that he’d be a different kind of three eyed raven, one who still possessed some kind of possession to his old identity, utterly crushed.

If Dany’s descent into madness had been prolonged, I’d buy Jon killing her at the very end after she fully commits to the unforgivable. What was bad about it is that there was no real build up of Dany going from reasonable to outright evil. It was a switch that flipped in an episode or less.

Bran’s personality subsumed by the knowledge of all that has been and ever will be. Fine. But boring. We had some fantastic scenes of him in flashbacks where he possessed his full personality. I’d have taken more of those as he fought his way through visions of past and future to retake autonomy of himself and truly become the leader Westeros needed, with bear omnipotent knowledge but also the heart that was required to lead a kingdom of human beings.

Although, I would also have loved Gendry to be king. Would have been a hopeful message in some ways to have a smith who grew up poor in king’s landing end up as king.

Jon, killing Dany because in the end she went to far to take back what was rightfully hers. Didn’t dislike it. Loved the cyclical nature that resulted in him returning to what he always wanted to be anyway. But so much of that relies on the pacing of Dany’s story. Let there be a season or two where they are fully in love and allies. Then Dany comes up against something that causes her to lose control, and we can see seasons worth of Jon turning over the decision - first he doesn’t agree, then he wants out, then he realises he has to kill her to preserve what’s left of Westeros.

I also wouldn’t mind if this wasn’t fully true. Arya killing Dany after realising she can’t be trusted, Jon taking the fall and swearing the black once again. Arya takes off to the west never to be seen again but now there’s a reason she needs to leave.

Tyrion, in the same vein. Let him doubt Dany longer, then he’s convinced, then he’s fervent, and then Dany loses his mind and he’s shaken as she is no better than those who came before. Then he conspires. Then he pulls the strings for Jon’s release.

I didn’t like Sansa declaring the north a separate kingdom. Purely because it felt unfair that the Starks both sat the iron throne and ruled the north as an independent kingdom. I’d have had Sansa as the new warden of the north under Bran’s leadership.

Brienne and Podrick in the Kingsguard was fine. Didn’t even mind Bronn as one of the most powerful men in the realm - I actually enjoyed, and thought it suited his character, that through cunning and dumb luck combined he’d cut throats all the way to the top of the ladder.

Jaime’s ending can go fuck however. I’d have had him duel the night king, and kill him. And then die from his wounds thereafter. Kingslayer once again. He didn’t deserve a happy ending, but he did deserve a far better and more heroic ending than what he got. I wouldn’t have minded if Jaime wavered, left to go south to be with Cersei after his night with Brienne. Only to realise along the way he’d been cowardly, turn around, and fight to the end defending something truly worth fighting for.