Game Of Thrones Star Reveals How They Wanted Their Character To Die
Game of Thrones took the world by storm when it first aired in 2011, and it ended its run as one of the most popular television shows of all time, regularly drawing over 10 million viewers to HBO. Yet, despite a stellar run, many fans believe that the show’s final season was rushed, and the showrunners took some creative liberties that don’t reflect the source material. One of those liberties included the death of Cersei Lannister. In her interview with The Hollywood Reporter, star Lena Headey revealed that she wanted a different end for Cersei Lannister.
Actress Lena Headey Wishes Cersei Met Her Demise During A Confrontation With Arya Stark
Cersei’s death in the final season of Game of Thrones sparked some controversies, especially since the character arc deviates from the source material in that respect. Lena Headey, who did a wonderful job of portraying Cersei Lannister—though not as brilliant as Jack Gleeson’s portrayal of Joffrey Baratheon—wanted her character’s final showdown to be with Maisie Williams’ Arya Stark—which would have been epic in our honest opinion. And the showdown between the two would have been epic.
Headey’s Vision Involved Arya Pretending To Be Jamie Lannister
According to Headey, she and Williams would talk about a Cersei and Arya showdown, in which Arya would appear as Jamie—courtesy of her training with the Faceless Man—implying that she already dispatched Jamie Lannister before taking on Cersei.
However, it would seem that the showrunners had different plans for both Jamie and Cersei. Both characters saw their end embraced by one another and crushed under the rubble of the Red Keep. It’s a rather controversial ending for both characters, considering that they’re still alive in the unfinished Game of Thrones book series.
Cersei Is Still Alive In The Game Of Thrones Novels
However, the fate of Cersei Lannister remains unsolved in the novels. Though she died in HBO’s Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister was pretty much alive in the latest novel, A Dance with Dragons, in which she had just completed her Walk of Atonement, a punishment that was enforced by the Faith of the Seven for her various sins.
As a result, her political power is greatly diminished, and she still awaits trial on the charges of incest and regicide; considering that George R. R. Martin is still to complete The Winds of Winter, Cersei’s fate remains unresolved.
Lena Headey Is Understanding About The Decision To Kill Her Character
Lena Headey, who’s currently behind the camera on the upcoming The Trap—which she can’t promote due to the ongoing strike in Hollywood—also stated that she understands the showrunner’s decision to deviate from the source material and give Cersei an ending.
We think that her ending could’ve been more “glorious,” for the lack of a better term, but when you’re wrapping a decade-old television show, you’re also wrapping all the loose threads. So, the Game of Thrones showrunners’ decision, as controversial as it is, was probably for the best.
Game Of Thrones Continues In The House Of The Dragon Prequel Series
Game of Thrones ran for eight seasons from 2011 to 2019, with the first six seasons receiving critical acclaim. It is regarded as one of the best television series of all time, and its success warranted the release of a prequel series titled House of the Dragon, starring Doctor Who’s Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen.
