Grade: B-

After the now-infamous cultural explosion of the Red Wedding, many Game of Thrones fans wondered if the finale could live up to that superbly executed, deeply disturbing moment. This week’s finale may suggest it cannot be done. Season three’s conclusion has a lack of stamina. It’s hard to be agile with so many shorelines going at once. Do we still need to follow Samwell? After the finale, there’s no reason to see him again because he’s the worst. Same goes for Theon, whose torture scenes became laborious after the third time something horrifying happened to his extremities. More time focused on Daenerys, for example, would have added weight to her final scene. The finale does set up some exciting storylines for the fourth season, but a lack of action and enthralling moments isn’t enough to bide a year’s wait.