The 5 stages of 'Game of Thrones' grief: Is anyone still excited for the finale?
As the death of their favourite show approaches, 'GoT' fans are taking social media on an emotional rollercoaster ride with memes
SPOILER ALERT! This article contains spoilers for 'Game of Thrones' season 8.
Is anyone still excited about the Game of Thrones finale on Monday?
Based on the comments that have flooded social media after the penultimate episode, The Bells, it would seem that for many the answer is no.
But is it because the eighth season of GoT is not playing out as they'd hoped, or are they just grieving because it's the end of an era? After all, they've been in an intimate eight-year relationship with the characters of Westeros.
If you think about it, the finale episode spells the death of their favourite show.
Psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross famously outlined five stages people go through when dealing with bereavement in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying.
These stages perfectly correspond with the emotional responses GoT fans seem to be going through in the run-up to the finale:
1. DENIAL
I'm just going to pretend this man died at the Battle of Winterfell and his character arc ended right here: pic.twitter.com/PSR9FsXSr0
— Riley McAtee (@RileyMcAtee) May 13, 2019
— Ritstweets (@Ritestweets) May 14, 2019
2. ANGER
Character development? #gameofthrones pic.twitter.com/ggMPPht7dq
— Karen (@Khallion) May 13, 2019
Thank you for Destroying one the best shows on TV ever in 6 episodes #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/oaiO3aQWDi
— HH_Toronto 🇨🇦 (@HH_Toronto) May 14, 2019
Me remembering Queen Daenerys said she’ll protect the innocent and create a better world #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/pzgnhWD5CP
— King Cesar Alejandro (@cesarhpa26) May 13, 2019
millions of people: I'm so excited to watch the final season of Game of Thrones I've been waiting 2 years for it
— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) May 13, 2019
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss: pic.twitter.com/hBbad8cgcp
3. BARGAINING
Hundreds of thousands of furious fans are petitioning HBO to remake season 8, protesting that the "series deserves a final season that makes sense".
With the #GameofThrones petition going around, this seems fitting. pic.twitter.com/muCMcxkUnf
— Nerd & Lace (@nerdandlace) May 15, 2019
HBO when they get the petition signed by thousands of game of thrones fans. pic.twitter.com/HVsZZjdwF9
— Moose Onda Loose (@todd_cantrall) May 15, 2019
4. DEPRESSION
I thought Cersei was going to die in the worst way possible, but instead, it was some rocks that took her out. #GameofThrones #DemThrones pic.twitter.com/Giw46m7Msz
— Nique2Jazzy (@JustJazzy87) May 13, 2019
us: we want Clegane Bowl II!
— kyle *cue doves* (@kyle_thatisall) May 13, 2019
also us: pic.twitter.com/nZfbdxO3YX
This show. This fucking show! So yall just gonna go up and kill Missandei like that, uh? She was supposed to retire on the beach with Greyworm you assholes. I can't take anymore of this 😭😭😭 #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/6eAn6f4j01
— Sarah Montella (@Sarahm29Sm) May 6, 2019
5. ACCEPTANCE
— mustafa (@Mustafa1231231) May 14, 2019
— MoeSchaloff (@MoeSchaloff) May 14, 2019