Game of Thrones: Stars say goodbye to the 7 kingdoms

The Game of Thrones emotional roller-coaster has shut down. And no fans are more invested than the principal actors, who have loved and lost – some many times over – in the span of eight seasons (over eight years).

Sophie Turner, who plays Sanza in GoT, has found herself at the cusp of change in the past few months; she married long-time fiancé Joe Jonas, her X-Men movie The Dark Phoenix finally has a release date and she’s come clean about her eating disorder. Ahead of the season finale, Turner, who we saw grow up from the ingénue to the politically-savvy Lady of Winterfell, paid homage to her character on Instagram. She writes: “I fell in love with you at 13 and now 10 years on.. at 23 I leave you behind, but I will never leave behind what you’ve taught me.”

Her new arch nemesis – now that Cerci seems quite doomed – the Mother of Dragons, First of her Name (and so on), Daenerys Targaryen is flying swiftly into the ‘mad’ space. But before she does, Emilia Clarke, who’s seen her character through fire and ice, through brain surgery and scary recovery has a word to say about what Khaleesi means to her. “Game of Thrones has shaped me as a woman, as an actor and as a human being.”

Meanwhile, the social media account of one Maisie Williams, who’s battled stereotypes through the show, killed some important people – goodbye Night King – is conspicuous in her absence on social media. What’s going on Arya? Have you truly become ‘No-One’?

The man with the oddest stories from beyond the Wall, Tormand (Kristofer Hivju), is maintaining character long after the last battle. On Instagram, he posts a picture with Gwendoline Christie - whom he commends for her performance as the warrior, the knight and the beautiful human being Brienne Of Tarth - and his wife, Gry Molvær Hivju.

Christie , on the other hand, channels her inner fan, making us laugh with a meme-worthy post where she looks horrified because…well for all those who hate spoilers, this is probably what you look like when someone gives the plot away.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Lena Headey, who have played the incestuous Lannister twins-turned-foes-turned-who knows, kept mum after season 8 episode 5, neither confirming nor denying death by falling rocks. But they did post a picture together, in full make-up (blood on forehead, check). Coster-Waldau captioned the image: “The best, sweetest most wonderful sister from another mother.”

Finally, Jacob Anderson, or Raleigh Ritchie – that’s his Rapper handle folks – plays the leader of the Unsullied, Grey Worm, had much to say about his retirement from the role. After being by a tsunami of emotion that saw the loss of his love, Missandei; the general charring of all on King’s Landing, see episode 5; and the blood bath that followed his march into the home of the Iron Thone, Anderson aptly called his growth trajectory a “six-year adventure weekend.” He wrote: “Grey Worm. You went from a robot to a real boy.”

Meanwhile, John Bradley, who has if not inspired but added to the ‘Everyone-needs-a-Sam-meme’, dug up his script from his first walk onto the rehearsal space as Samwell Tarly, in tribute.

For these actors, who say goodbye to green screens that trans mutate into dragons and dire wolves, and plot twists enough to give most people a neck ache, we bid adieu in GoT style. (No, not by blood and fire). As Jon Snow actor Kit Harington writes: Their watch is about to end now. . .The time of dragons is over.

The time of dragons is over.