Game Of Thrones season finale leaves fans shaken and elated

A major plot twist in the dramatic Game Of Thrones season finale had viewers both flabbergasted and delighted, but the sense of mourning for the fantasy series was all too palpable for most.

Sunday night saw the last episode of the seventh season air in the US, and it could be the last one until 2019, which is when the popular show is rumoured to be returning for its final outing.

Viewers were elated to see Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) finally become intimate in the episode, titled The Dragon And The Wolf, but they were also horrified as it became apparent that the lovers were related.

While they had sex, it was revealed in a series of flashbacks that Jon is the son of Daenerys’ brother Rhaegar Targaryen with Lyanna Stark, meaning he is her nephew.

The bombshell caused many fans to feel slightly queasy at the sex scene, which had been a highly-anticipated moment throughout the entire season.

One viewer wrote on Twitter: “When you’re super happy that Jon and Daenerys finally hooked up but then remember its incest.”

Another said, using a crying emoji: “There is nothing like happily ever after in #GoT, now we have to accept that Jon and Dany are related.”

“I have some serious mixed emotions about what happened between Jon and Dany… its like adorably gross,” one said.

One described it as “beautiful and horrible” at the same time.

The explosive extended episode, which aired for 80 minutes instead of the usual running time of around an hour, also saw Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) abandon his twin sister and partner Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) after she fails to keep her promise about sending her fighters to help in the Great War.

Cersei had agreed to back Daenerys and Jon with the fight, but it was revealed she had no intentions to do so.

The collection of cliff-hanger moments left fans bereft as the series came to its conclusion.

“I was ecstatic to view a new episode of GoT. But now I’m sad, left with an empty feeling because this season is over,” one commented.

Another said: “What an episode man, gutted I need to wait til 2019 for next season.”

One viewer declared it would be an “excruciating” wait until the next season airs, while another said: “I don’t know what to do with my life anymore since #GameOfThronesFinale season 7 has ended”.

Game of Thrones airs in the UK at 9pm on Monday Sky Atlantic.