‘Game of Thrones’ slays finale ratings record with Season 4 closer

“Game of Thrones” ended its breakout season with a final smash on Sunday.

HBO’s blood-drenched fantasy rounded up 7.1 million total viewers for its Season 4 finale at 9 p.m., according to Nielsen. That was a 32% climb from the third-season ender a year ago and easily the biggest season finale yet for “GoT.” The first-season ender back in 2011 delivered barely 3 million.

When two additional plays Sunday night are thrown in, the total audience for the finale rose to 9.3 million.

This has been a stellar year for the fantasy series based on George R.R. Martin’s novels. HBO recently proclaimed “GoT” the most popular series in the history of the premium cable network, surpassing even the acclaimed mob drama “The Sopranos.” However, that distinction includes viewings on newer platforms, including DVRs, that were available either not widely or not at all during the heyday of “The Sopranos.”

HBO also said that the new comedy “Silicon Valley” is the most-watched half-hour on its channel, with a gross audience of 5.7 million since its premiere. The acclaimed political comedy “Veep” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus has averaged 4.6 million.

Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT