Game of Thrones Final Episode Count Update

Before Sunday night’s season 6 finale, many fans were still in the dark about what the Game of Thrones final episode count would be. And while we still don’t have an exact answer, producers Benioff & Weiss have been very clear about one thing: it’s not that many.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers through the end of Game of Thrones season 6, as well as some minor speculation about what the final Game of Thrones episode count will entail.

Of course the first six seasons were each ten episodes long, and although the original goal was for the show to end with season seven, there have long been talks that it would likely extend to at least eight seasons. We still don’t know the answer to the season count, although the educated guess is that there are two seasons left. In an interview with Deadline that was posted just yesterday, Benioff reminded us that originally they planned on completing the show in 70-75 hours, “and that’s what we’ll end up with. Call it 73 for now.” So even though we don’t have an exact number for the Game of Thrones final episode count, Benioff certainly narrowed it down quite a bit.

Although io9 predicts that we might see 15 more episodes, though 13 is more logical, that’s a bit off. Obviously the Game of Thrones final episode count is supposed to meet up with the number of hours Benioff specified, and as the season 6 finale was episode 70, that means we’re more likely to get just 12-14 more episodes. The real question is, are we looking at one lengthy season or two shortened ones? I would personally prefer one lengthy season if only because George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series contains a lot of symbolism revolving around the number 7, and the show hasn’t ignored that symbolism, either – seven seasons just makes sense to me. But with the previous mentions of a possible eighth season, it’s probably more likely that the last 12-14 Game of Thrones episodes will be split up. Two seasons of six episodes, or of seven? I honestly have no idea, but I hope Benioff and Weiss know and simply aren’t telling.

Of course, a lot happened this season – namely, a lot of characters died. Walder Frey and his two oldest sons are gone, as are all three of Cersei’s children and most of the main Tyrell line. Houses Baratheon and Martell are technically extinct; assuming Gendry is alive and didn’t die rowing that little boat, he’s a bastard who carries the surname of Waters, and the current ‘rulers’ of Dorne – Ellaria and her daughters – are also bastards and therefore bear the surname ‘Sand’. By now it’s pretty darn clear that Jon Snow is a Stark by female line only, which means his claim to Winterfell is even weaker than everyone thinks and leaves only Sansa, Arya, and Bran as “true” Starks, with Sansa seemingly written out of her rightful position as Queen in the North, Arya off on a killing spree, and Bran still north of the Wall exploring the weirwood ‘net.

Point being, if they want to stretch the Game of Thrones final episode count to 73-75, we could be faced with a lot of filler or a very strange alliance match up – for example, Daenerys, the Tyrells, the “Martells”, and Yara and Theon Greyjoy against the Lannisters, perhaps the Tarlys, the Vale led by Littlefinger, and possibly Euron Greyjoy. Meanwhile, I’m guessing that the Northerners will be trying to stave off the REAL threat of the White Walkers.

How do you think they’re going to handle the Game of Thrones final episode count? Let us know in the comments!

Author: Tara Lynne

Tara Lynne is an author, fandom and geek culture expert, and public speaker. She founded Ice & Fire Con, the first ever Game of Thrones convention in the US, and now runs its parent company Saga Event Planning.

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