Game Of Thrones' Controversial Ending: How The Winds of Winter Can Fix the Bells!
The Bells of King's Landing: A Sound of Confusion and Intrigue
The ringing bells of King's Landing in Game Of Thrones evoke powerful imagery and deep-set emotions: horror, a dead king, a city under siege, even weddings— and of course, that infamous, totally devastating moment: Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon burning the capital. Yet, in "The Bells" (season 8, episode 5), the bells represented surrender, sparking huge controversy over Daenerys' sudden villain turn. This unexpected and jarring moment makes viewers still argue to this day over just why this choice was made. What does it mean, really? Davos Seaworth never really clarified what the bells would mean! But this crucial interpretation greatly affects that overall climax and ending!
The ambiguity really isn't the only issue! Varys’ mentioning those key plot elements related to the bells (“horror, a dead king, a city under siege, even a wedding!”) way back in Game of Thrones season 2, episode 9, (“Blackwater”) raises serious questions as to why those elements remained ambiguous and why such seemingly simple symbolism wasn’t even discussed or resolved in more earlier scenes that may have been impacted! The Game of Thrones writers didn't really develop what was intended from George R.R. Martin’s original plans. It makes people wonder if perhaps these points were even going to make any further development.
A New Theory: How the Bells Will Resound in The Winds of Winter
Many fans believe Daenerys burning King's Landing will still happen in George R.R. Martin’s books – most likely in The Winds Of Winter, perhaps in A Dream of Spring. It is arguably a significant change; Bran becoming king also feels like a crucial plot element that had those creative origins with Martin, making both completely necessary elements which shouldn’t simply be written off! It adds elements completely aligned with Martin's vision for the series which was otherwise missed due to other concerns within that specific adaptation.
Yet this needs to be considered in the context of Martin's work. There is an expectation to see Cersei Lannister’s importance. That makes Cersei a likely candidate for defeat but Cersei’s reduced significance in the books compared to that initial Game of Thrones interpretation! This leaves viewers asking questions as to how significant Cersei’s role really would be within those new releases!
The most obvious substitute becomes that controversial and exciting figure known only as Aegon Targaryen—Rhaegar Targaryen’s long-lost son. He was supposedly swapped as a baby, taken from King’s Landing and hidden until this return; a far more likely candidate, which provides new conflicts that would only really develop fully with Aegon’s arrival and emergence into a prominent political role which may completely restructure that key struggle around this storyline. Aegon's role wasn’t explored enough in Game of Thrones, making the re-exploration of this incredibly important plot device both intriguing and necessary. It further demonstrates what is otherwise lost, if Martin’s original visions are disregarded!
The Battle of the Bells: A Foreshadowing of King's Landing's Fate?
And here’s a lesser known fact that only really hardcore readers might actually know: Jon Connington (Aegon's advisor and mentor) fought in the Battle of the Bells (Robert's Rebellion) – where those bells from Stoney Sept warned of an impending battle. It completely highlights the ongoing relevance and deeper significance found within such small events that impact various other moments throughout the books. The resounding impact that such events have, only fully understood through detailed narrative structure within the context of this very story! Those sounds haunted Jon long after the actual battle – foreshadowing that sound’s reappearance in King's Landing during Daenerys' assault. And these experiences would really highlight why the writer uses these seemingly subtle moments and uses those small pieces of environmental and other elements to generate emotional intensity.
That scene showcases just how deep that emotional damage truly was, demonstrating why the use of sounds is something very special and significant throughout those experiences, particularly regarding this new conflict that completely shifts things.
The Potential of Jon Connington and Daenerys' Conflict
Adding Jon Connington (a POV character in A Dance with Dragons) and highlighting his personal role gives additional opportunities. If that attack actually takes place, using the bells can add powerful emotional weight compared to that rather disjointed use within the television show, which shows various weaknesses with its reliance upon simpler storytelling methods that weren’t developed fully. That scene focuses on his emotional response to that resounding sound of bells; an amazing plot element! A King’s Landing under siege; that agonizing emotional reminder that connects Jon to Rhaegar’s past demise, intensifying those feelings and dramatically affecting him and emphasizing just how emotionally taxing these moments truly become and further highlighting this extremely specific focus and impact found throughout this key scene!
His perspectives and role really creates opportunities within those chapters, adding additional perspectives that would impact the story itself.
A More Nuanced King's Landing Destruction: Building Toward a Darker Ending
The King’s Landing destruction in Game of Thrones was rushed, an almost sudden ending that impacted those earlier emotional arcs that may have built more momentum toward that pivotal moment if things happened more organically and more in line with character decisions and plots surrounding those characters themselves. And The Winds of Winter can greatly improve this!
A more nuanced approach might just work even better than that initial attempt – expanding those plots surrounding that climactic confrontation. Using POV would enhance emotional resonance within Daenerys—exploring that gradual rise in anger, providing rationales that might generate even more significant reasons for that eventual decision she might make; it emphasizes a level of creative insight and use of various storytelling methods! That more ambiguous morality, a Tyrion inciting Daenerys, the popularity surrounding that perfectly-raised Aegon (which is what may actually make him more threatening), these points build towards a far more potent story! These changes show deeper exploration using the strengths provided within this storytelling environment.
Conclusion: The Winds of Winter's Promise for Enhanced Emotional Impact
The Winds of Winter offers huge opportunities; the chance for improvements from Game of Thrones’ questionable choices surrounding many plot and other decisions that made some audiences very angry and caused enormous discussion concerning its various failures! And the bells of King’s Landing can totally gain even more emotional resonance, far more intense impact – Jon Connington’s experiences create powerful symbolism, demonstrating why the seemingly minor plot and thematic elements deserve even deeper critical review. That changed use creates deeper context, emotional layers, further enhancing Daenerys’ story arc and possibly building up toward one of the most impactful story endings the world will hopefully soon get.
