The Unsettling Reaction Emilia Clarke Had To Daenerys' Last Scene

Dany watching Viserion being shot down

There are few shows on TV quite as popular as Game of Thrones. HBO's award winning fantasy drama is the quintessential water cooler talk, with generations of fans tuning in to watch how the war for Westeros ends up. All will be revealed soon enough, as the upcoming eighth season of GoT will be the last. The pressure is on to deliver a satisfying conclusion for the beloved characters and setting, with fans particularly interested in who eventually ends up on the Iron Throne. One of the top contenders is Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen who has been gaining power for the show's run. Clarke recently revealed that she's filmed Dany's final scene, and it apparently took a big emotional toll on her.

It fucked me up. Knowing that is going to be a lasting flavor in someone's mouth of what Daenerys is.

Looks like Emilia Clarke is nervous about saying goodbye to her signature character. Because after Season 8 draws to a close, there will be no footage of the Mother of Dragons. Dany is one of the favorites of the entire series, so it's going to be hard for fans to part with her. And with Clarke's comments are any indication, it might not portray her in the best light.

Emilia Clarke's conversation with Vanity Fair certainly does have an ominous tone to it. For one, hearing that Dany's final scene in Game of Thrones messed her up makes it seem like the breaker of chains might not have an easy journey in Season 8. Plenty of character deaths are expected, and Dany seems as likely as any other series regular to bite the bullet. While we've been conditioned to expect her on the Iron Throne, Game has always been a show that was purposefully subversive, almost to a point of cruelty.

If Daenerys doesn't end up perishing in Game of Thrones' final season, she'll instead end up going down a different dark path. Dany has always operated on her strict moral code, freeing slaves and vowing to bring fair equity to the people of Westeros. But war is dirty, and now that she's reached the mainland and is playing opposite cunning characters like Cersei, maybe she'll end up becoming a more villainous presence. Could Dany with the crown, only to be as cruel and ruthless as Cersei or her father? That would certainly be a twist no one saw coming.

Since Game of Thrones won't be returning to the small screen, the writers and showrunners will have the ability to do whatever they want with the beloved pool of characters. Without worrying about George R.R. Martin's books or a future season, the consequences and stakes of Season 8 can be even higher. And I'm ready.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays on HBO, although it's unclear when Season 8 will premiere. In the meantime, check out our summer premiere list to plan your next binge watch. Plus our superhero premiere list and Amazon premiere list to ensure you don't miss a single episode.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.