Game of Throneswas built on gory character deaths, and one cast member particularly appreciated his. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the HBO show launched in 2011 based on the belovedA Song of Ice and Firenovels by George R.R. Martin. With 89% on Rotten Tomatoes across all eight seasons, the show is widely held a being single-handedly responsible for reviving high fantasy as TV’s hottest property. But evenGame of Thronesepisodes written by George R.R. Martinweren’t resistant to criticism like that made by the cast member who preferred to die on-screen rather than continue.
ThebestGame of Thronesepisodeswere landmark moments in fantasy and in TV in general, setting a standard for visual and practical effects while serving scintillating drama. However, audiences took issue withGame of Thronesseasons 7 and 8 for diverging from the path set byGeorge R.R. Martin’s novelsandfinishing the story in expedient ways that sacrificed the characters' dramatic arcs.Julian Glover noted the worsening state of how his character, Grand Maester Pycelle, was written. and Glover was gladGame of Throneskilled Pycelle off.
Julian Glover Asked For Grand Maester Pycelle To Be Killed Off On Game Of Thrones
Julian Glover Wanted Pycelle To Have A Good Ending
Speaking toIGN, Julian Glover noted that his character could have been written better asGame of Thronescontinued, and that he was glad to go out with a bang. Glover noted thatPycelle was a weakling in King’s Landing, constantly put down by Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) but without a retort, and that as the show went on, his character went nowhere. Read Glover’s quote below:
“I didn’t want to do [Season 6] because I realized I was being completely dismissed as a character and everyone… Cersei ticked me off all the time, and I never had any comeback. So that wasn’t any fun to play, so I went to them and said… “Look, I don’t want to do this anymore, it’s not interesting to go on doing this and go on doing this, and what’s going to happen to him?”
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got the scene, and it was my death scene, which is a damn good scene. And this is exactly the sort of way I wanted to go out.
Julian Glover almost quitGame of Thronesseason 6, but waspersuaded to stay by being shown his excellent death scene. The showrunners knew Glover would appreciate being part of one of the famousGame of Thronescharacter deaths, and they were right.
The Game Of Thrones Star Has A Good Point About Pycelle’s Character
Game Of Thrones Could Have Taken Pycelle Further
Julian Glover was correct when he noted thatGame of Thronescould have done more with Grand Maester Pycelle. At first, Pycelle’s depiction was a stroke of genius - an utterly deplorable caricature of corrupt bureaucracy, bringing cutting satirical humor to a show that was alarmingly reflective of modern politics.
However, asGame of Thronesprogressed,Grand Maester Pycelle was gradually sidelined and forgotten. GivenGame of Throneswasted two of its best villainsby ending up focusing on something else, it’s amazing a character like Pycelle lasted as long as he did. His death came at the right time.
Pycelle’s Gruesome Death Makes Up For His Underwhelming Character Arc
Given howGame of Thrones’villainsmet their ends, Pycelle’s death scene was carried out at the perfect scale and was given due importance. Some heroes were killed unceremoniously, shocking audiences around the world, starting with Ned Stark (Sean Bean). Meanwhile, audiences punched the air when villains like Joffrey Lannister (Jack Gleeson) kicked the bucket horribly. There was both savage injustice and deeply satisfying justice on the show.Pycelle’s death wasa suitable and just endingthat made up for his underwhelming character development.
ConsideringGame of Thrones’character ages, Grand Maester Pycelle was extraordinary. 102 when he was first shown onGame of Thrones, he must have been 107 at his death. The irony of Pycelle being killed by the little birds spoke volumes, symbolizing the unforgiving circle of life in King’s Landing. Rather than the old dying peacefully and babies being born, the old were brutally murdered by children in poverty. This cutting social commentary was everything viewers had come to expect ofGame of Thronesand put Pycelle back in the ranks of the show’s great characters.
Source:IGN
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
