Game of Thrones reaches its end, with one or two shocks left

After eight seasons and 73 episodes, HBO's long-running smash series, "Game of Thrones", wrapped up on Sunday, with one more shocking demise and an unlikely character named as king. Most notable in fans' criticism was the malevolent turn by Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen, the "Dragon Queen," who used her dragon to lay waste to the show's fictional capital after her enemies had surrendered. Without a ruler, numerous members of the show's noble houses eventually make an unexpected choice of king, settling on Brandon Stark, played by Isaac Hempstead Wright. It became known for unexpected, nerve-wracking moments, including the first season's death of Eddard Stark, the nobleman played by Sean Bean, highlighted in a marketing campaign, and Season 3's "Red Wedding," a massacre in fictional wars that author Martin based on medieval Scottish history.