Why Tyrion's Final Line in the Game of Thrones Finale Sounded So Familiar

Evan Romano

May 20, 2019 12:56 PM

Warning: Spoilers below for the series finale of Game of Thrones. Do not keep reading if you haven't seen it or don't want to be spoiled!

Why Tyrion's Final Line Sounded So Familiar

If at first you don't succeed, try and try again.

This timeless proverb has been attributed to both American educator Thomas H. Palmer and English novelist Frederick Maryat, but if the last line of last night'sGame of Thrones series finale is any indicator, Peter Dinklage's Tyrion Lannister is right there with them.

As the episode wrapped up, Tyrion-once again installed as Hand of the King, only this time serving the even-keeled Bran Stark, and not the increasingly violent Daenerys Targaryen -was leading a campaign to re-build Westeros after the havoc that the series had set. With old friends like Bronn, Davos, Brienne and Samwell by his side, we got a glimpse into one of what has to be quite a few urban planning city development meetings that will occur. Our topic of discussion? The importance of brothels, which Bronn, now controlling all of the money in the kingdoms, wanted to make sure got built back quickly.

"I think we can all agree that ships take precedence over brothels," Brienne rebutted.

"I think thats a very presumptuous statement," Bronn said right back.

Tyrion chimed in, for what would turn out to be the series' final spoken line: "I once brought a jackass and a honeycomb into a brothel."

While this might seem like something of a frivolous, throwaway line to end the series on, it's in fact something that Tyrion has mentioned multiple times throughout the eight seasons of Thrones, rooting all the way back in Season one.

The first time Tyrion attempted to tell this joke (or maybe it's an actual anecdote?) was in Season 1, when both Catelyn Stark and her looney toon sister Lysa Arryn were holding Tyrion on trial for the attempted murder of Bran. As soon as Tyrion started the joke, Lysa cut him off.

Tyrion again tried the joke in Season 6, as he was convincing the previously-frigid Missandei and Grey Worm to drink some wine; He starts telling the joke, and his eyes get so big-Tyrion is so excited!-but once again he's cut off, this time by an incoming naval fleet that Daenerys had to attempt to take out.

With a show so known and loved for its immaculate characters and immense attention to detail, it's a fitting end that perhaps the very best and most loved of those characters had the final line-and one that people who had been paying attention know that its one of decent importance.

Evan Romano