Game of Thrones episodes written by George R.R. Martin weren't resistant to criticism like that made by the cast member who preferred to die on-screen rather than continue.

TheGeorge R.R. Martin's novels and finishing the story in expedient ways that sacrificed the characters' dramatic arcs. Julian Glover noted the worsening state of how his character, Grand Maester Pycelle, was written. and Glover was glad Game of Thrones killed Pycelle off.

Julian Glover Asked For Grand Maester Pycelle To Be Killed Off On Game Of Thrones

Julian Glover Wanted Pycelle To Have A Good Ending

Speaking to IGN, Julian Glover noted that his character could have been written better as Game of Thrones continued, and that he was glad to go out with a bang. Glover noted that Pycelle was a weakling in King's Landing, constantly put down by Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) but without a retort, and that as the show went on, his character went nowhere. Read Glover's quote below:

"I didn't want to do [Season 6] because I realized I was being completely dismissed as a character and everyone... Cersei ticked me off all the time, and I never had any comeback. So that wasn't any fun to play, so I went to them and said... "Look, I don't want to do this anymore, it's not interesting to go on doing this and go on doing this, and what's going to happen to him?"

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I got the scene, and it was my death scene, which is a damn good scene. And this is exactly the sort of way I wanted to go out.

Julian Glover almost quit Game of Thrones season 6, but was persuaded to stay by being shown his excellent death scene. The showrunners knew Glover would appreciate being part of one of the famous Game of Thrones character deaths, and they were right.

The Game Of Thrones Star Has A Good Point About Pycelle's Character

Game Of Thrones Could Have Taken Pycelle Further

Julian Glover was correct when he noted that Game of Thrones could have done more with Grand Maester Pycelle. At first, Pycelle's depiction was a stroke of genius - an utterly deplorable caricature of corrupt bureaucracy, bringing cutting satirical humor to a show that was alarmingly reflective of modern politics.

However, as Game of Thrones progressed, Grand Maester Pycelle was gradually sidelined and forgotten. Given Game of Thrones wasted two of its best villains by ending up focusing on something else, it's amazing a character like Pycelle lasted as long as he did. His death came at the right time.

Pycelle's Gruesome Death Makes Up For His Underwhelming Character Arc

Pycelle Had An Excellent Death In Game Of Thrones

Given how Game of Thrones' villains met their ends, Pycelle's death scene was carried out at the perfect scale and was given due importance. Some heroes were killed unceremoniously, shocking audiences around the world, starting with Ned Stark (Sean Bean). Meanwhile, audiences punched the air when villains like Joffrey Lannister (Jack Gleeson) kicked the bucket horribly. There was both savage injustice and deeply satisfying justice on the show. Pycelle's death was a suitable and just ending that made up for his underwhelming character development.

Considering Game of Thrones' character ages, Grand Maester Pycelle was extraordinary. 102 when he was first shown on Game of Thrones, he must have been 107 at his death. The irony of Pycelle being killed by the little birds spoke volumes, symbolizing the unforgiving circle of life in King's Landing. Rather than the old dying peacefully and babies being born, the old were brutally murdered by children in poverty. This cutting social commentary was everything viewers had come to expect of Game of Thrones and put Pycelle back in the ranks of the show's great characters.

Source: IGN