Conleth Hill, an actor who was a mainstay inGame of Thronesfrom the very beginning, recently spoke about how displeased he was with the wayHBO’s hit show concluded. The actor portrayed Varys, a character known for hearing whispers around Westeros and turning them into vital pieces of information. Sometimes, knowing the enemy’s next move is more valuable than gold, and Varys used that belief to keep himself alive during the war. In a recent interview withThe Times, Hill talked about how disappointed he was with how the studio handled the conclusion to the story:
I thought I’d done something wrong. Right up until the last two series, I had no complaints at all. I just felt frustrated with the last couple of series because Varys wasn’t the all-knowing character he had been. 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."
When Varys was introduced during the first season of the series, he was established as a quiet member working for the King of Westeros. While being loyal to the Lannisters at first, everything began to change when he helped Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) hide his romantic relationship with Shae (Sibel Kekilli) from the rest of his family. By doing this out of the kindness of his heart, a new door of possibilities opened up for the character. By showing to audiences how Varys was capable of helping relatable characters while looking for his own benefit, it was established that perhaps he wasn’t completely evil after all.
When the second half of the show made its way to television screens around the world, Varys had yet another major decision to make. Thanks to his friendship with Tyrion, he was greeted with an offer to join the personal council of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). The Mother of Dragons knew how valuable Varys' skills for gathering information were, and since she already trusted Tyrion by that point, one more ally couldn’t hurt. Varys would eventually betray the potential Queen, when he no longer believed that she would be the best candidate for taking the throne.
Westeros' Legacy Marches Forward
After the conclusion ofGame of Thronesfelt disappointing to a large portion of the fan base the show built for itself over the course of a decade, the network knew that they wanted to keep the brand alive. Following a few pandemic-related delays,House of the Dragontook audiences back to Westeros, exploring a time period of the universe by created byGeorge R.R. Martinthat hadn’t been seen on television before. The prequel series follows the Targaryen family, around a century before the events of the main series take place. Fire reigns, as viewers wait for the second season ofHouse of the Dragonto be released in the near future.
