Game of Thrones Season 8 Finale Gives SPOILER a Shocking Death

Eight seasons have been building up to this, the series finale of HBO's Game of Thrones. With the Iron Throne at stake in tonight's eagerly-anticipated ending, fans braced themselves going in for the likelihood that even more beloved characters would die before a new ruler was crowned and the series absolutely delivered on that -- giving one character shocking death that will leave viewers talking for a long time to come.

WARNING! This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for tonight's series finale of Game of Thrones. Read on at your own risk. You've been warned!

After unleashing her dragon on King's Landing last week, Daenerys' path to the Iron Throne was clear. Cersei Lannister was dead as was Jaime Lannister and countless others. However, Dany frames her attack on King's Landing as "freeing" them and declares the new goal to be of freeing the world before informing Tyrion he's committed treason and having him thrown in prison. It's then that things begin to line up against Dany. Tyrion attempts to convince Jon to turn against Dany, telling Jon that his family will always be in danger because their knowledge of his true parentage is a threat to the legitimacy of Dany's rule. It's a convincing argument.

Jon goes to see Dany and finds her at the Iron Throne. He calls her out for her actions, but she defends her actions and says that she's doing everything she's doing for the people. Realizing that there is no way he will be able to change her mind, he pretends to understand where she's coming from and then, when her guard is down, he stabs her with his dragon. Dany dies in the throne room and Drogon comes, destroys the Iron Throne with his fire, and carries away Dany's body, picking her up with his feet and flying away.

And thus ends the life of Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, The Unburnt, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons.

It is a fate that is sure to be a controversial one for fans of Game of Thrones. Over the course of this final season -- and specifically the last few episodes -- Dany has taken a dark turn and tonight's episode saw her finally become the Mad Queen. While Dany did fulfill what she saw as her destiny to sit on the Iron Throne, her reign is extremely brief. There's also that she was ultimately taken down by someone that she loved and who loved her, murdered by Jon Snow. Despite this it's that her last remaining dragon, Drogon, ultimately carries her body away that feels very much like a full circle moment and a somber, yet moving final end for the Mother of Dragons.

What do you think about Daenerys' death in tonight's Game of Thrones series finale? Let us know in the comments below.