Natalie Dormer, known for her role in *Game of Thrones*, shared insights into her character’s conclusion. Making her entrance in the second season as Queen Margaery Tyrell, Dormer’s character navigated the intricate dynamics of power in King’s Landing with a unique and astute approach, securing the favor of the common folk. Despite her remarkable ability to adjust and maintain influence amidst various upheavals—including the demise of King Renly Baratheon, King Joffrey Baratheon, and the ascent of the High Sparrow and the Faith Militant—Margaery met her end in the sixth season’s finale, failing to make it to the series’ conclusion.
In an interview with *Collider Ladies Night*, Dormer expressed her mixed feelings of frustration and vindication regarding Margaery’s death in the Great Sept of Baelor.
Dormer articulated that much of her frustration stemmed from Margaery’s experience in the scene, as the High Sparrow and other figures ignored her warnings about Cersei Lannister’s trap. She also reflected on Margaery’s final words and her last moments with her brother, Loras Tyrell. Dormer’s remarks can be summarized as follows:
“I felt frustrated by her demise, yet that mirrored her own frustration in the scene. An experienced actor once advised me not to confuse my feelings with my character’s, as emotions can seep into you through osmosis during repeated performances. Naturally, she deserved a better fate. I had higher hopes for her. However, her frustration with the Sparrow in that moment indicated we were doing it right. It felt like, ‘I just need someone to listen to me a bit more.'”
In the end, she found vindication. A few sentences sufficed to convey her realization. I felt a sense of closure as she articulated it.
Experiencing a character confronting their mortality is one of the most distinctive aspects of acting. When a character faces death, the imagination plays a crucial role in conveying that experience.
Why Margaery’s Death Was Effective in the Show
She Mastered the Game of Thrones Until Her Final Moments
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As Dormer highlighted, Margaery’s death was executed with precision. Her final words revealed her as the sole individual within the Great Sept of Baelor who recognized the dangerous trap set by Cersei. Margaery consistently demonstrated greater cunning and insight than many others in the game, ultimately losing only because influential figures ignored her and prevented her and Loras from leaving before the wildfire ignited beneath them.
Surpassing Dormer’s portrayal and Margaery’s poignant, albeit fulfilling, demise in *Game of Thrones* may be a challenge for the remaining books by Martin.
Margaery consistently outshone Cersei in winning over the smallfolk and charming those around her, even exerting considerable influence over Cersei’s son, King Tommen Baratheon. Cersei’s victory required a ruthless approach, and even then, Margaery discerned her scheme, albeit too late to thwart it. This conclusion perfectly encapsulated the conflict between Margaery and Cersei, providing an effective strategy for Cersei to eliminate her adversaries in King’s Landing in a single stroke.
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While *Game of Thrones* has faced criticism for certain aspects of its adaptation of *A Song of Ice and Fire* novels, the portrayal of Margaery in the HBO series stands out as an improvement over the source material. Dormer’s frustration with the death scene is understandable given her character’s cunning nature, though she realized the danger too late. In the books, Margaery remains alive, and her fate is yet to be revealed. It remains to be seen if Martin’s future works will match Dormer’s performance and Margaery’s tragic yet satisfying end in *Game of Thrones*.
Source: *Collider Ladies Night*
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