https://twitter.com/DSilvermint/status/1125856091261136896
tl;dr
Figuring out why characters would do something and arriving at the conclusion you planned "naturally"
vs
working backwards from the conclusion because at this point even GRRM can't figure out it so the characters have to do what they have to do for the plot, no matter how random and unexpected it seems.

Need some predictions on who sits on the throne after tonight's final episode.

They have always hit us with "the best rulers don't want the crown" type talk. Only 2 characters have said that, and are still alive, are Jon Snow and Bran Stark. I think Jon dies tonight so I am going to pick Bran Stark sitting on the iron throne.

Daenerys sits on the throne only to be killed by Sansa shortly thereafter. Jon takes the throne only to split it into 4 independent Realms: The North, The Riverlands, The South Lands, and Dorne.

Then he fucks off to reconnect with ghost, idc at this point

jon has to kill Daenerys (fulfills azor ahai kills his lover thing)

bran is elected democratically (break the wheel)

jon goes north of the wall (reuinite with his dog)

oh god im so happy its all going to be over in like an hour and 10 minutes!!!!

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

At least Jon pet his good boye.

Oof.

gg

but did anyone else notice that in the last episode we saw the entire building crumble on top of Jaime and Cersei and then this episode Tyrion can just waltz down into the place that's supposed to be in complete ruin and the only spot with rubble is conveniently where they were standing..........so ur telling me they could've stood like 10 feet back and lived LOL

also https://twitter.com/univofchrisippi/status/1130334389865525248

The Samwell inventing democracy joke was my favorite part of the season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ftdu8yrKOw

So... the end is basically that nothing changed?

The kings are all still there, the iron throne 'super-king' is still there, only now he is elected every time (which is a good long-term solution obviously, this has never gone wrong ever), the elite still rules their lands and inherits father to son.
All the same functions from season one are basically still there, except the people are different.

And what about other places? Mereen and the other cities probably still have slavery because nobody will enforce the abolition, the Dothraki sea will be the happy 'rape and pillage everything' game again, north of the Wall is still icey and the wall itself and even the night's watch are still there even though the wildlings helped them out and supposedly aren't enemies anymore.

Oh well, I guess everything that ever happened was completely pointless after all.

Didn't think there was anything particularly wrong with the final episode in itself but given how underwhelming the entire season was it does feel like the whole show just kind of petered out, going through the motions to hit some necessary but poorly executed story beats and then rounding off in more or less the conclusion everyone was expecting. There wasn't nearly as much emotional involvement for me with the final outcomes of the characters as there should have been given how much I've loved the series until this point because it felt like they all got there through plot armour anyways due to the shoddy writing the rest of the season.

overall disappointing season but i liked the ending for the most part

To put this in perspective, Bronn of the Blackwater is now the second most powerful person in Westeros, and he and his sons will control who becomes king for generations after Bran's death.

Same as other stated before me, despite the season being weak overall, I feel this episode fits well as a "finale".

Those saying nothing has changed are being a bit harsh I think, the sole fact that kings will now be elected is an actual big game changer in the long run. Obviously we cant see it in this episode cause not nearly enough time has passed but on paper, it means that the ruling family will plot less for the weel being of their kin, and more for the good of the realm. That's an ideal scenario of course.

The only thing that really bothers me is Jon going back to the Night's Watch. There shouldnt be a need for it anymore, as now the relationship with the wildlings is supposedly better. Being sent to the Wall is basically "go be bored your whole life".
I guess this too can be changed in the near future, as at the moment of the show people are still stuck in their old way of seeing the world.

Arya going to the West is a potential seed for a spin-off Im guessing.

Sam: What if the person to rule over everyone was chosen by.. everyone?
...
entire cast in hysterics
cameras pan off screen into the filming crew
all sound completely stops
DB Weiss turns to the camera and just says "fuck each and every one of you"

Remember Stannis died for this