Game Of Thrones: Why Was Olenna Tyrell Killed Off? - Daily Express

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Game of Thrones on HBO featured a number of dramatic death scenes that did not feature in George RR Martin’s books. An iconic example of this was the death of the matriarch of House Tyrell, Olenna Tyrell (played by Dame Diana Rigg) who was killed by poison in season seven.

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Lady Olenna Tyrell was one of the best-loved characters on Game of Thrones, appearing as the head of her house from season three.

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Known for her smart comebacks and her brutal manner to protect those she loved, she played a huge part in a number of storylines.

However, this all came to an end in episode three of season seven when Lady Olenna was killed in an iconic scene after she had outwitted Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau).

As the Lannister troops led by Jaime approached her rooms, she knew her time was up.

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Game of Thrones: Why was Olenna Tyrell killed off? (Image: HBO/GETTY)

Game of Thrones: What happened? (Image: HBO/SKY)

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After discussing Jaime’s misguided obsession with his sister Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey), she drunk a cup of poison.

Then in her final face-off with Jaime she revealed she was responsible for killing King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson).

She said: “I’d hate to die like your son, clawing at my neck, foam and bile spilling from my mouth, eyes blood red, skin purple.

“Must have been horrible for you as a King’s Guard, as a father. It was horrible enough for me, a shocking scene.

“Not at all what I intended. You see, I’d never seen the poison work before. Tell Cersei, I want her to know it was me.”

Game of Thrones: She is still alive in the books (Image: HBO/SKY)

Game of Thrones: Jaime and Olenna faced off (Image: HBO/SKY)

While the death was an epic moment in the television series, her storyline in the books followed a different trajectory.

She is still considered the Queen of Thorns for her sharp tongue in the novels as well as being the mastermind behind Joffrey’s brutal death.

However, the biggest difference between the two is that she is still alive in the George RR Martin books.

When her role was adapted into the television series, it was greatly expanded along with her granddaughter Margaery (Natalie Dormer).

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This left many viewers wondering why the character was killed off in the series.

According to actor Dame Diana Rigg the decision to leave was out of her hands.

She told The Guardian earlier this year: “It wasn’t my decision to have Lady Olenna killed off in Game of Thrones.

“I’d love to have stayed on. Thank God I didn’t die on a toilet like Charles Dance’s character.”

Back in 2017, the actor spoke more to People about her dramatic death scene.

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She said: “It’s a beautiful scene, and Nikolaj is wonderful.

“When it’s well-written, it’s a joy to do. And you don’t get an awful a lot of always-brilliant writing on television, do you?”

She also revealed to the publication she was pleased that the final gruesome moments of her character’s death were not seen.

Since starring in the series, Rigg has gone on to appear in Victoria as the Duchess of Buccleuch and as Veronica in Detectorists.

Viewers will next be able to see her in the new mini-series Black Narcissus where she plays Mother Dorothea.

Game of Thrones is available to buy on Amazon Prime.

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