'Game of Thrones' star warns fans the final season will be 'heartbreaking'

Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays Daenerys Targaryen's closest confidant, has some counsel for Game of Thrones fans: prepare for a painful goodbye.

In a phone interview with the Hindustan Times, Emmanuel talked about what fans can expect for Season 8 of the cultural phenomenon, and it sounds like none of us are ready for what's to come.

"There are so many characters and stories that haven't found their conclusion. So, this season is going to be incredibly satisfying for people," she told the publication. "It is going to be incredibly exciting and heartbreaking."

Heartbreaking is certainly what we'd expect for the final season of this wild journey. But it sounds like Emmanuel is more specifically referring to what Game of Thrones does best: killing your favorite characters.

"I think what we can expect from the final season of GoT is just a real push. Like in the last couple of seasons, we have seen the pace of the show increase with the stakes getting higher and higher. There are so many storylines that have to come to conclusion. We have to play them out, so the pace of the show is continuing on that sense," Emmanuel said.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Season 7 got some backlash last year for its new breakneck speed. After several years of slow buildup, many felt like its sprint to tie up so many character's storylines came at the cost of its deliberate sense of pace.

It sounds like that'll only ramp up next season -- though hopefully with a little more care. Interestingly, Emmanuel said that this season took longer to shoot than any other, even though it will has three fewer episodes than the usual ten-episode run.

"All of the things that you expect from Game of Thrones, but at the same time since it is the last one, the emotions will be so much more intense," said Emmanuel. "I am very excited for people to see it. We have been working so hard on it."

Season 8 of Game of Thrones premieres early next year.