Highlights
- The Game of Thrones series finale was disappointing, with rushed and predictable moments that left viewers unsatisfied.
- Conleth Hill, who portrayed Lord Varys, felt his character's end was unjust and lamented the decline of Varys' intelligence and importance in the final seasons.
- Varys, a character-driven by his desire for peace and the greater good, deserved a better ending than being killed off and was overshadowed by the cunning Littlefinger.
No one was particularly satisfied by the end of Game of Thrones, and no more Lord Varys actor Conleth Hill, who believed his role was character assassinated in the final seasons.
The Game of Thrones series finale was a letdown for many viewers who anticipated an ambitious conclusion to the beloved fantasy series. But what should have been an episode many years in the making was a rushed hodgepodge of predictable moments that didn’t satisfy anyone. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) went mad in only a few episodes, forcing Jon (Kit Harington) to kill her in a move that was a little too much like one of the worst X-Men movies. Jon became exiled, and the Starks were okay with never seeing each other again. The discourse surrounding the final season was not necessarily new but did support one actor’s claims that the end for his character was unjust.
In a heartbreaking admission to The Times, Hill admitted that he initially thought he was to blame for his character's turn in the final Game of Thrones seasons. After eight seasons of portraying the calculating and empathetic spymaster, Varys, he was set on fire by the Mad Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Conleth explained that he was, “Absolutely gutted to get so close and not make the end.”
Hill elaborated on why he was unsatisfied with Game of Thrones' final seasons. "I just felt frustrated with the last couple of series because Varys wasn't the all-knowing character he had been,” Hill noted. “I think the writers wanted to do one thing to end it, and the studio HBO wanted to do another. I felt that last series was a bit rushed. I was inconsolable, but now I'm fine about it."
If there was one Game of Thrones character who wanted to do what was best for The Realm, it was Varys. He believed so strongly in doing what would garner peace that he was willing to make an example of Ned (Sean Bean) to do it. Though it would have been a lie, Varys encouraged Ned to say that Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) was legitimate, all so the realm would stop bleeding. Ned could join Jon on The Wall instead of starting another civil war. Of course, things didn’t end up with that somewhat happy ending, but Varys never stopped trying. Unlike his counterpart, Baelish (Aiden Quinn), Varys was earnest and selfless.
Varys was the last person deserving to be fodder for dragons. His main attribute was his intellect, and trusting in the wrong people with no recourse was extremely out of character. After so much death and destruction and even the Starks not getting the ending they deserved, someone should have. Varys deserved better treatment than the ruthless Game of Thrones character Littlefinger, who thrived off political chaos. Being pure of heart was rare in Westeros, and Varys' end is only one crime on a long list.
Games of Thrones seasons 1-8 are currently streaming on Max.
Source: The Times