How long is the Game of Thrones series finale?

Game of Thrones’ very last episode won’t take up more time than fans have become accustomed to over this shortened season.

Whatever this sixth episode of Game of Thrones season 8 is (and believe us, there are a lot of different ways this could go), one thing is for sure: It’s not going to last two hours. In fact, it’s not even going to last 90 minutes.

As previously reported right here on Culturess, this week’s episode of Game of Thrones — the last time we’ll ever be able to say that — will last 1 hour and 20 minutes. After last week’s “The Bells,” we’ve learned that that amount of time is enough to kill several major characters (including Cersei and Jaime Lannister, leaving only Tyrion alive to represent a family that lays claim to the title of Warden of the West), destroy a city, and see a character perhaps rise as the final antagonist of them all, depending on whose point of view you’re looking at.

In other words, just because it’s shorter than “The Long Night” doesn’t mean much, especially when there’s no need to play a teaser for the next episode. This is the series finale, the final 80 minutes we’ll spend in this period of Westeros and Essos, assuming we see anything of Essos. It’s a little odd coming to grips with all of that, especially since we’ll be able to return anytime we like and have a new series already working on its casting and pilot.

Perhaps it’s safer to say that this is the last time we’ll get updates from lives of characters we’ve spent years with, unless one of those other shows in development ends up being a true sequel series. That seems really unlikely, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

In other words, this isn’t a farewell so much as it’s a good-bye for now to the world of ice and fire. Culturess will be right there with you, bringing you all the updates and analysis.

Game of Thrones’ final episode airs this Sunday, May 19 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

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