Nathalie Emmanuel didn’t anticipate the size of reaction caused by the death of Missandei on Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones was a convoluted story that focused on the mixed and often conflicting emotions the characters faced throughout their journey. There were very few characters that stayed good till the very end. One of them was Missandei, played by actress Nathalie Emmanuel. She was the best friend of Daenerys Targaryen, and her personal advisor. Her death was the last straw, and pushed the Mother of Dragons off her edge. The audience resented the scene as well, and the hatred for Cersei grew worldwide. That is one of the reasons why many felt Cersei’s death sequence wasn’t justified. However, Nathalie never anticipated the fans to react so strongly at her character’s death scene.

In a recent interview with Vogue, the actress talked about how she was surprised by the emotional overflow the viewers experienced after watching the episode. She said, “When I learned that Missandei was going to die, I knew that, as the only woman of colour on the show, I knew that people would feel her loss, like the loss of her. Because she’s also just like a really kind, good character. I was not anticipating, I guess, the size of the reaction that happened.”

“I think that really sparked a conversation about, when we make these shows in the future, when we are casting these shows, like, do we just have to have the one person—is there space for more of us? And I think the answer is yes. I know the answer is yes.”

How did you feel when Missandei died on the show? Was Dany’s reaction justified? Tell us in the comments below!

Game of Thrones ended nearly two years ago, and fans worldwide miss it dearly. The prequel to the acclaimed TV series, House of the Dragon was announced by HBO back in 2019. Fans around the world have been hyped about the prequel ever since. George R. R. Martin is actively participating in its development, and keeps updating fans quite frequently. His recent interview by local PBS affiliate WTTW Chicago revealed the approximate date of release of the highly awaited series. And it seems to be sooner than most expected, quite surprisingly.

Martin was in town to receive an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Northwestern University. During the conversation, he mentioned that he hoped the prequel would air in the spring of 2022. He said, “Now I’m developing more shows for HBO, we have a new show — House of the Dragon that’s coming down the pike, filming right now over in London and Cornwall over in England. It’ll probably be next spring, I guess. But then I’m developing other shows for them.”

A spring release would mean that the prequel will air sometime between March -June 2022. The show will be set about 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, when House Targaryen ruled Westeros with an entire fleet of full-grown dragons at its disposal. It will depict a Targaryen civil war known as the “Dance of the Dragons” in Westerosi history.

Martin also talked about his love for Westeros and how he wants to write more stories. Are you excited about the House of The Dragon? Tell us in the comments below!

It has been nearly two years since Game of Thrones wrapped up filming. The controversial final season of the show left viewers divided into two groups, one them loved and supported it, while others who disliked it. There was even a petition to get the final season remade. Some of the cast members like Joe Dempsie (Gendry) made fun of the idea, saying it wasn’t financially possible. Some others, like Miltos Yerolemou (Syrio Forel), found the backlash that the finale received to be illogical.

Speaking to Game of Thrones podcast The Longest Night, Yerolemou explained, “David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss], no matter what you think of them now, are exceptionally talented people who knew exactly why they were making this TV show. They knew what the tone was going to be, they knew the story they wanted to tell and how they were going to tell it. A lot of the exciting stuff came from what they were writing, that wasn’t pulled from the books.”

“Parts of the backlash were nonsensical. I do understand that fans become very passionate about things, but I think there’s a huge difference between fans and people who behave like trolls. I understand why people get incensed about things, but it becomes about something other than Game of Thrones. It becomes about people realizing they have a voice but with no filter… Sometimes it can get rolled up into a ball of anger.”

Do you agree with Arya Stark’s teacher? Talk to us in the comments below!

Game of Thrones was a decade-defining phenomenon. It got people so involved and kept them hooked for nearly a decade. Fans had really high expectations from the series, and had their own theories about various events. That’s why when the final season was released, the massive fandom was torn apart and people began taking sides. Some wanted Jon to kill the Night King, some were happy about Arya being the one to end him. Even the actors had their own opinions. Game of Thrones alum Miltos Yerolemou, who won millions of hearts with his short performance as Arya’s teacher Syrio Forel, shared his thoughts recently in a Game of Thrones podcast The Longest Night.

He said, “I watched every single episode when it came out. I was a fan. And was fascinated to see where the story went – and I was Team Stark, so I was really invested. [Game of Thrones] shows you what happens when a studio believes in the work and is willing to put its money where its mouth is.”

“[The last two seasons] were a little thin. I have no problem with anything that happened in the story – I had theories about Bran being crowned king at the end. Everything that happened to Jon, and Daenerys wanting ultimate revenge – all of that worked. I just think it didn’t resonate as much as they wanted because it was abbreviated. I did find it unsatisfying.”

“Daenerys burning the city to the ground should have had a huge emotional impact on people, instead of leaving us questioning why she was doing it. It’s purely subjective but, comparing [the writing style] to what came before, I don’t think it married up.”

He continued, “I thought “The Long Night” was thrilling, I just wanted more people to die (laughs). I was in Texas at a fan convention, watching the episode with 2,000 people. Literally couldn’t believe my eyes. I had no idea they were going to use the “Not today” line. It was bonkers. I felt proud of Arya [killing the Night King], like a dad. 2,000 people were whooping and hollering – it was such an intense experience. But I liked that it was Arya who killed the Night King, definitely. Jon killing him instead doesn’t sound like Game of Thrones.”

Do you agree with Yerolemou? What’s your favourite moment from season 8? Tell us in the comments below!