Winter Finally Came to King's Landing In "Game of Thrones" Finale, But It Disappeared Just As Quickly

Winter finally came to Game of Thrones and then it left... weeks later.

If there's one phrase that comes to mind when you think of Game of Thrones, it's likely "winter is coming" (although, "seven hells" is my personal fave).

Being House Stark's very on-brand motto, it's been uttered throughout every season by each Stark and probably every episode Jon Snow speaks in. I mean, he might know nothing but he does know a thing or two about winter.

**Warning: Game of Thrones Season 8 spoilers ahead.**

While we weren't sure about how bad this winter was or whether it was just a metaphoric way of saying the 'White Walkers are coming', we expected to see some serious snow in the later seasons, but it never really came. We saw some in the Battle of Winterfell but duh, Winterfell's always snowy and miserable.

The finale for Game of Thrones did serve up a winter landscape at King's Landing as Daenerys stomped around the city she just destroyed.

But, just like our hopes for this season, winter left as quickly as it came.

While King's Landing looked arid during the early episodes of Season 8 (and even up to Episode 5), the beginning of Episode 6 saw the capital covered in a fresh sheet of snow. A time jump, which seemed mere weeks later, in the episode showed that winter was a particularly short one and everyone was back to wearing the Westerosi version of shorts and thongs.

Climate change, anyone?

It's not the first time shots of King's Landing have left people scratching their heads. Some viewers noted how Season 8's interpretation of the city and its surrounding geography had drastically changed from the first season's.

Just to demonstrate how confusing that weather change was, we've grabbed some screenshots from the past two episodes centred in King's Landing.

Firstly, we start with the desert-like outer walls of King's Landing looking particularly balmy before Daenerys' massacre of the city. This was near the start of Episode 5.

By the end of Episode 5, after Daenerys has destroyed basically all of the city, we understandably see ash falling in the streets. It's definitely not snow at this point.

The finale picks up where Episode 5 finished, the aftermath of Daenerys' devastation. Though now, there's a blanket of snow (and we assume some ash) covering the city.

The timeline is unclear but what could only be hours later, King's Landing has been transformed into a winter wonderland and snowing quite heavily.

After Jon Snow does the deed, there seems to be a time skip. We know this because Tyrion is walked to The Dragonpit by Grey Worm where he encounters the lords and ladies of Westeros who were definitely not previously there. There's Sansa, Arya and Bran Stark, the Tullys as well as some other old lords that probably featured in an episode five years ago that I've since entirely forgotten.

Naturally, Jon Snow and Tyrion's beard has grown so it seems like at least a week or two has passed. So much for the years-long winter the show's been foreboding since the start.

After Jon Snow is banished to the north, which actually seems like a gift for him, we see more of King's Landings temperate weather.

While it's certainly not the biggest plothole in the series (and, specifically, this season), it's just another jarring one in a season full of 'huh?' moments.

It seems we weren't the only ones to notice the strange weather patterns.

(Warning: Some of these Tweets contain coarse language.)

winter arrived within a single day in king's landing. pic.twitter.com/xDpWKwiR0X

— thabani. (@A_Young_Padawan) May 20, 2019

Also, did it really start snowing in King's Landing. REALLY? After 8 years of winter coming but not really, SNOW? After the walkers are dead? Seriously? #GameOfThonesFinale

— Karno (@realnotbojack) May 20, 2019

#GameofThronesSpoilers
Did the White Walkers bring the winter, or just come in with it? If the former, it should not have been still snowing in King’s Landing after the battle (bare minimum, weeks have passed). If the latter, then winter should have lasted a lot longer.

— Lewis Lopez (@PeacefulPagoda) May 20, 2019

I’m so glad Jon was resurrected to fart around north of the wall while everyone else gets to laugh about brothels in King’s landing where apparently winter only lasts 2 days

— Jennifer (@Jstaff3783) May 20, 2019

d&d please @ me on how they rebuilt king’s landing and ended winter in the span of approximately 1 week

— kelsey. ♥ (@kelseyneww) May 20, 2019

We found one person trying to defend it but it just wasn't convincing enough.

For as terrible as the #GameOfThronesFinale was, I will say this: anyone saying it has to be ash and not snow in King's Landing because it was sunny the day before has obviously never experienced a western Pennsylvania winter. Or spring.

— Siena Noble (@Siena_Noble) May 20, 2019

Goodbye winter, we waited eight long seasons for you to finally come and you left within a week.

Header Image: HBO