“Nothing could console me”: Even the Actor Was Pissed at the Way Game of Thrones Killed off One of the Show’s Most Brilliant Characters

SUMMARY

• Lord Varys played a major role in the politics of Westeros, but the character did not reach his full potential in Game of Thrones.
• Actor Conleth Hill was disappointed at how Varys was treated in the last few seasons of the show.
• Varys remains alive in the books, and fans never got to see his most interesting side as the series omitted his best story yet.

With a contentious series finale, Game of Thrones seemed to have disappointed not only the fans but also some of the actors who dedicated their lives to their onscreen roles. Conleth Hill, the actor who played Lord Varys, was not completely satisfied with how his character departed from the series.

Conleth Hill in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

The Irish star confessed to taking Varys’ fate personally and, in some way, felt that he failed as an actor. It’s quite an interesting opinion from the show’s alum, and it’s also understandable because Varys is one of the most brilliant characters that never survived in the series.

Conleth Hill wasn’t happy with Game of Thrones’ treatment of Varys

Fans are already aware of Lord Varys’ tragic fate in Game of Thrones after he was executed by dragonfire for betraying Daenerys Targaryen. For Conleth Hill, he felt that this decision was rushed, and he didn’t have enough time to process it while he was still part of the project.

In his conversation with Entertainment Weekly, he expressed massive dismay over Varys’ death. Upon learning about his character’s demise, he could not help but doubt himself.

At the time, nothing could console me. I kept thinking: “What did I do wrong?” There wasn’t any pre-warning.

The actor reflected hard on his exit from the show and, at one point, believed he might have unknowingly failed to live up to the expectation for the character. He said that he was able to experience what he had only heard from stories before when actors were taken out for a meal or received a phone call to tell them that they weren’t returning for the next season.

Conleth Hill in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

Lord Varys managed to make it to Season 8, which is a major victory already. What bothered Hill was how Varys changed over the last few seasons. “Varys wasn’t the all-knowing character he had been,” he told The Times. The star supposed that the showrunners didn’t know what to do with the character anymore. He also agreed that the final installment felt a bit rushed.

Varys is presumably alive in the books and still causing chaos between the Lannisters and the Tyrells in hopes of putting Aegon Targaryen on the Iron Throne. Fans were not able to see this side of the eunuch as he was drastically changed in the show to appear less threatening.

Lord Varys could have been more powerful

Kit Harington and Conleth Hill in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO

While Hill was unhappy with how Varys turned out in the series, he has finally made peace with it now that he had time to let it sink in. The Master of Whisperers stayed true to his word throughout the story, and all he wanted was for the right person to sit on the throne.

Varys had so much potential to be more than how he was handled in the show. For a fact, his best storyline in George R.R. Martin’s book was omitted to, perhaps, streamline the plot.

Game of Thrones is currently available to watch on HBO Max.

Written by Ariane Cruz

Articles Published: 2856

Ariane Cruz, Senior Writer. She has been contributing articles for FandomWire since 2021, mostly covering stories about the latest movies and series. With a degree in Communication Arts, she has an in-depth knowledge of print and broadcast journalism. Her other works can also be seen on Screen Rant and CBR.