'Game of Thrones' Director Michael Sapochnik Finally Clears Up That Huge Dany Issue From the Final Season

Of allll the remaining questions that season 8 of Game of Thrones, the one that fans are most confused/frustrated about is why. Why did Dany burn down all of King's Landing? Michael Sapochnik, who directed the pivotal episodes 3 and 5 of the final season of the show, finally gave some more thoughts on Dany's thought process, and it makes a ton of sense.

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Spoilers for all of Game of Thrones. Of allll the remaining questions that season 8 of Game of Thrones, the one that fans are most confused/frustrated about is why. Why did Dany burn down all of King's Landing, when there were plenty of signs she was trying to be a good person? What happened with the sudden break and the (seemingly) rushed conclusion to her narrative? Michael Sapochnik, who directed the pivotal episodes 3 and 5 of the final season of the show, finally gave some more thoughts on Dany's thought process, and it makes a ton of sense—if still being really, really frustrating, in my opinion. 

So, if he had had the chance to direct episode 4, as was originally planned, he wouldn't have given us Dany's reaction to Missandei as soon as she was killed at the end of episode 4—he would have started episode 5 with that shot of her in her chambers, hair tousled and skin pale, clearly losing her mind. “We said, ‘You’ve never been like this,” he told IndieWire. “It was this idea of us trying to piece her back together, but something’s broken.”

For him, that moment was absolutely pivotal to Emilia Clarke's character, and critical to her downturn—it is, in essence, what makes her mad. “She’s not questioning herself anymore, which is the difference between somebody who, I think, has kind of lost their mind.” So there you have it: Dany really did go mad. It's not just that she makes the decision to have revenge on Cersei/everyone on behalf of her family, it's that she has become unbalanced at the loss of her friend as well.

Also, the decision not to show Dany atop the dragon amid the flames was a deliberate choice. “At that point, you don’t need to see her,” he explained. “We decided not to cut back to her. When she makes that decision, she and the dragon become one.”

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Oh, and also, in case we were wondering, the Dany/destruction arc was also aimed specifically at the audience to subvert our wishes and expectations.

Which, I guess I get, but still. Way harsh, Tai.

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Katherine J. Igoe
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributing Editor

Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award. 

Katherine has a BA in English and art history from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in art business from the Sotheby's Institute of Art (with a focus on marketing/communications). She covers a wide breadth of topics: she's written about how to find the very best petite jeans, how sustainable travel has found its footing on Instagram, and what it's like to be a professional advice-giver in the modern world. Her personal essays have run the gamut from learning to dress as a queer woman to navigating food allergies as a mom. She also has deep knowledge of SEO/EATT, affiliate revenue, commerce, and social media; she regularly edits the work of other writers. She speaks at writing-related events and podcasts about freelancing and journalism, mentors students and other new writers, and consults on coursework. Currently, Katherine lives in Boston with her husband and two kids, and you can follow her on Instagram. If you're wondering about her last name, it’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.