'Game of Thrones' Finale: Storyboards Have Us Rethinking Dany's S2 Vision
It might spoil something key about the series finale.
Daenerys Targaryen finally conquered King’s Landing in Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 5, but Episode 6 won’t be the first time she enters the throne room. In a famous Season 2 vision, Dany came face-to-face with the Iron Throne, and a look at the original storyboards may reveal a few key details about this prophetic scene that’s set to come true in the Game of Thrones series finale.
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In this critical scene from the Game of Thrones Season 2 finale, Dany was transported to a decimated version of the Red Keep filled with snow (or maybe ash). She reached out to touch the Iron Throne, but pulled away at the last second when she heard her baby dragons crying out from another room.
Daenerys in the Red Keep during her Season 2 vision.
After Daenerys literally burned down King’s Landing in Game of Thrones Episode 5, fans are expecting this vision to finally happen IRL in Episode 6. We don’t know whether Dany will physically reach out and almost touch the throne or if it’s more of a metaphor for how close she’ll come to ruling Westeros before ultimately failing. However, a closer look at the original storyboards for this scene may reveal a few key details we originally missed. (Click here to pre-order a hardcover copy of Game of Thrones: The Storyboards for yourself.)
After leaving the throne room, Dany is transported north of the Wall where she finds Drogo and their unborn baby.
For the most part, the original Game of Thrones Season 2 storyboards and the actual episode match up pretty perfectly. One small change worth pointing out is that these storyboards really emphasize the blizzard happening inside the castle (you can see the wind blowing in every direction). So despite some attempts to retcon this scene in the aftermath of Season 8, Episode 5, it seems pretty clear that this was always snow and not ash.
Dany’s vision revealed a Red Keep subsumed by winter, a clear allusion to the White Walker threat. So what gives? We’re not sure, but maybe back then the showrunners really did think the Night King would win.
Also, what happened to those bracelets from the 'Game of Thrones' storyboards?
Another interesting difference: In the actual scene, the Iron Throne is also covered in snow, but in the storyboards, it’s not. It’s possible that’s just because the storyboards lack the detail of the final product, but maybe that’s not it. Maybe the Iron Throne was never supposed to be covered in snow and the director of this episode simply messed up. After all, that’s not what happened in Season 8.
The Game of Thrones series finale airs Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. on HBO.
