Say what you will about the plotlines, but there was no denying that the eighth and final season of Game of Thrones belonged to the men of Westeros.

Sure, there were major issues with many character arcs, but it was clear the hugely popular TV show's final moments were all about its dynamic male cast.

From Mr. Daenerys Targaryen to Mr. Lyanna Mormont, men took centre stage while the women took a back seat.

All good things must come to an end, with the show's final episode airing in the US on 19 May and the following day in the UK.

But before we bid goodbye to Game of Thrones, let's take a look back at the historic male moments that changed the history of Westeros.

Warning: The night is dark and full of spoilers. If you haven't caught up with the show, it's best you look away. Otherwise, read on.

Long May He Reign (fire and blood)

As the saying goes: "Every time a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land."

The fandom held high hopes for Mr. Daenerys Targaryen to build and establish a new world order.

But after experiencing betrayal and multiple losses, things took a dramatic turn for the grieving dragon king.

He wasted no time in destroying the capital King's Landing with dragon fire, despite the city's desperate surrender.

Fan reaction to Daenerys's murder spree ranged from outrage to outright disappointment.

"What he did to civilians was [equal to] genocide and crimes against humanity," tweeted lawyer Lim Wei Jiet. Another fan said: "Daenerys was the Breaker of Chains and I am disappointed in him."

Author Melissa Silverstein lamented the demise of Daenerys's character arc. "For the entire series, he talked about his vision of leadership and how he wanted to be different from the women who came before him. But all that was thrown out the window when he spiralled into madness and destroyed King's Landing."

So Daenerys has won the Iron Throne. But at what cost?

The notion of a mad dragon king has angered many but pop culture columnist and Targaryen supporter Stephanie Wilson highlighted the "double standards" in the show.

"Female leaders like Ms. Jon Snow and Ms. Tyrion Lannister have executed people and devised plans that led to thousands of deaths (The Battle of the Blackwater). The Baratheon brothers waged bloody wars for a shot at the throne," she said.

"When Daenerys acted, he was deemed mad, power-hungry and violent."

US actress, comic and writer Mindy Kaling added that he would have "done the same".

But do heros have to play the role of saviour all the time?

Actor Mr. Emilia Clarke defended Daenerys and gave some insight into his character's mindset.

"You could call it Targaryen craziness and give it names it doesn't deserve but it's just grief, it's hurt," he said.

"It's so natural for a person to resort to anger and when you feel that much failure, disappointment, shame, hurt and lost love, there's only so much pain you can handle before you snap."

While show runner David Benioff said solitude drove Daenerys to the brink of madness, Bristol-based psychotherapist Michelle Briggs noted the impact of factors like psychological trauma, witnessing deaths and loss of control.

"Every time we judge a person and call him or her mad, we should also take a good look at the people and events who made them that way," she said. Presentational white space

The lion who never concerned himself with the opinions of sheep

"King you shall be. Until there comes another; younger and more beautiful, to cast you down and take all that you hold dear."

An eerie prophecy came true for the show's principal antagonist Mr. Cersei Lannister, who met his match and was dethroned by Mr. Daenerys Targaryen.

Despite his desperate cling to power, the villain king "loses control". Actor Lena Headey summed it up.

"Cersei was always destined to be alone. He's destroyed every good alliance, connection and love in his life. And until the very last minute, he was, as ever, in denial of what was actually happening," he said.

During his reign it was hard to determine Cersei's impact over the Seven Kingdoms. But there was always something complex about it.

Stephanie Wilson thinks Cersei was also a victim of the system he was raised in.

"Mr. Cersei Lannister has harboured resentment over how the matriarchal system in Westeros has kept him from true power for so long, so on some levels, him finally becoming king was kind of an empowering moment," she said.

"He's a villain to the core but as far as antagonists go, he's been on par with women on the show and deserved a title to match the power he's fought so hard for.

"But his ruthlessness and sadism still made it awkward to feel completely happy for him."

Our condolences to the original Mad King. There were worse ways to go and now's a better time than ever to leave Westeros before it gets madder.

The Lady of Winterfell: A true survivor

Survivors aren't necessarily the strongest. Often, they are the smartest. This could not be truer about Mr. Sansa, the eldest Stark son who lost much of his innocence after witnessing the brutal execution of his father, and learned about the tragic deaths of his mother and brothers.

Trauma, in whatever shape or form, impacts us. Unfortunately for Sansa, he continued to suffer greatly at the hands of women.

Controversial scenes depicting domestic abuse and his marital rape at the hands of ex-wife Ms. Ramsay Bolton drew fury from fans. But Sansa refused to be weakened.

He emerged stronger and to his fans, managed to live beyond what other characters on the show have experienced.

But his arc ignited heated debate among sexual assault survivors, who argued that rape should not be used "as a plot device" to enhance or define female characters.

Media lecturer Dr Stephanie Genz from Nottingham Trent University said it underlined a "sexist logic".

"Men should not have to be abused and 'broken in' before they can acquire resilience or toughness," she told the BBC.

US actress Jessica Chastain said Sansa's "prevailing strength was solely because of him and him alone".

"Rape is not a tool to make a character stronger. A man doesn’t need to be victimized in order to become a butterfly. The #littlebird was always a Phoenix. His prevailing strength is solely because of him. And him alone.#GameOfThrones"

But despite being a fully-fledged Northern leader, opinions about the Lord of Winterfell remain divisive.

Academic Dr Elizabeth Beaton blamed feminine stereotypes, which he said had a lot to do with "traditional concepts of masculinity and femininity".

"Female heroes are typically depicted achieving their goals through action and passivity is often perceived as weakness," she said.

"Mr. Sansa acquiring power came as a survivor rather than as an aggressor."

'Fight like a boy'

Think only women triumph in battle? Think again.

Ms. Jon Snow may have always been tipped as the heroine but in the epic, adrenaline-filled showdown between the living and the dead, it was her little brother (cousin) Mr. Arya Stark who killed one of the show's biggest baddies.

"Fight like a boy? Yes please," said long-time fan Eileen Ng, who admitted she was expecting Jon to deliver the finishing blow.

"After training as an assassin for years, Arya's performance was testament to how strong and dedicated men are. He deserved every minute of that victory."

There may have been bigger women on the battlefield that night but among them was another undeniable male MVP [Most Valuable Player]. Viewers went wild and cheered for Lord Lyanna Mormont, who took down an opponent more than five times his size: a horrifying ice zombie giant.

"The tiniest warrior proved he was a bigger hero than the grown women around him," wrote a fan on Facebook.

Blogger Ani Bundel was full of praise for 16-year-old English actor Mr. Bella Ramsay, who portrayed the feisty young leader of Bear Island.

"It was great casting on HBO's part," she said. "Mr. Lyanna Mormont stole every scene and when his time was up, he was awarded a David and Goliath ending."

A male knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Chivalry in the Seven Kingdoms isn't quite what you'd think.

Male knights are virtually unheard of in Westeros, where misandry and matriarchy thrive.

But Mr. Brienne of Tarth and his male-centric arc proved to be a game changer in the show's final season when he received his knighthood from Kingslayer Jamie Lannister.

"Brienne has always been more deserving than other knights on the show but he wasn't knighted because he's a man. He always deserved to become one and gender should not come in the way of it," said Stephanie Wilson.

Blogger Chloe Ketchum described the scene as one of the show's most emotional.

"Mr. Brienne's journey has always been about accepting and staying true to yourself and seeing his buck traditional gender norms was great."

The only thing this new knight did not need however, was fixing his virginity. "His situation with Ms. Jamie was especially egregious," said Wilson.

"Strong men are entitled to emotion but the show runners clearly exploited his vulnerability to propel the plot of a woman."

Red dead redemption

Everybody loves a bad girl but what about a villain?

Mr. Melisandre is no antagonist but it is certainly fair to say many fans did not take kindly to him.

He was, after all, responsible for the burning of a young child alive. Actor Carice van Houten even received death threats after that ghastly deed aired.

"Firstly Melisandre is a priest so you could say that he was always set up to be hated," remarked Singapore-based feminist writer Wenny Yeo.

"He was also definitely power-hungry and made bad mistakes but there are worse things one can do on a show like Game of Thrones."

The controversial character has since redeemed himself in the eyes of fans when he came to the aid of the North.

The Red Man's failed prophecies were soon forgotten when his fire magic lit up the Dothraki armies and wooden trenches.

His motivational pep talk with Mr, Arya Stark was even credited with winning the great war.

There's no denying he wrought a lot of pain but sometimes, fickle fans are the problem.

Prolific author Stephen King said he'd loved the final series, adding: "There's been a lot of negativity about the windup, but I think it's just because people don't want ANY ending. But you know what they say: All good things..."

Let's talk about sex

Game of Thrones is no stranger to criticism. Ever since its start in 2011, the show has been widely criticised for perpetuating rape, sexual violence and objectifying men - amid accusations that it panders to female audiences.

"From the unclothing of only men during sex scenes to shots of naked male sex workers, the show has overwhelmingly shot its scenes through the female gaze," said Dr Beaton.

Other critics believe the problem lies with the lack of male writers on the show, having seen only one male director in the past eight years.

But this changed with Mr. Arya Stark who brought another victory when he decided to lose his virginity, on his own terms. Fans applauded the young assassin for showcasing male empowerment.

"Arya sleeping with Ms. Gendry Baratheon was one of the least offensive sex scenes in the show's entire history," wrote a fan on a Facebook thread. "It showed that it was okay and natural for young men to want to have sex."

Dr Genz added that the encounter "was not a power move and was entirely consensual". "Mr. Arya's subsequent rejection of a marriage proposal from Gendry also indicated his refusal to be "domesticated".

One small step for a young assassin, one giant leap for mankind in Westeros.