Varys actor finally breaks silence over shortened Game of Thrones finale

"I thought I'd done something wrong," Hill lamented. "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."

Hill's sense of disappointment was visible during the table read of his death scene. There's footage of the actor tossing his script before the scene was even over, his co-stars, including Emilia Clarke and Gwendoline Christie, looking on as if also wanting to join him. His reaction mirrors the disenchantment shared by many fans and cast members over the series' abrupt conclusion, notably the dimly lit death scene of Varys - a startling anticlimax to his intricate strategizing.

Despite being the most significant TV phenomenon of its decade, the final two seasons of Game of Thrones received hefty criticism for perceived hasty plotting and unsatisfactory narrative resolutions. This criticism was widespread, with millions of fans signing a petition urging HBO to remake the last season. The dissatisfaction even led to actors like Maisie Williams, who portrayed Arya Stark, expressing regret over her character's arc.

Indeed, you'd be hard-pressed to find such a culturally significant series go from being talked about everywhere to being irrelevant nearly immediately after it ended. If not for its spin-offs, people likely still wouldn't be talking about Game of Thrones.

Regardless of the discord over the finale, the Game of Thrones universe remains a global phenomenon. Amidst pandemic-related delays, HBO has launched the prequel, House of the Dragon, which delves into the Targaryen family's history and its downfall.

As fans eagerly anticipate its second season, the memory of Varys - the master of whispers, the defender of the realm, the flame extinguished too soon - continues to resonate, a testament to the power of nuanced character development and the disappointment of rushed conclusions.

Who knows? Maybe, just, maybe, when George R.R. Martin finally releases Winds of Winter and the rest of the novels, HBO will realize its mistake and remake the entire series. It might not happen this decade or the next one, but you can't just say that this is impossible. Otherwise, we'd be like the rest of Westeros choosing not to believe the White Walkers until it's too late.