'Game of Thrones' Changed This Character From the Books for the Better

The Big Picture

• Margaery Tyrell from Game of Thrones undergoes a transformation from her book self, using manipulation to become a political powerhouse.
• Margaery's ability to control Joffrey and Tommen showcases her unique empathetic nature and political prowess.
• Despite her tragic demise, Margaery's depth and genuine qualities set her apart as a standout character in the series.

One unfortunate fact of bringing novels to life on the screen is that the nature of the medium prevents characters from being explored in greater detail. Game of Thrones, however, turned this disadvantage into a strength by focusing on characters who had no point of view structure in the books. Not every character translates well to the small screen, but sometimes the altered narrative allows for greater exploration of an underused character. Perhaps no better example of this trick exists than Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) and her transformation from a largely forgettable character into one of the best political players in Westeros. From Renly (Gethin Anthony) to Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), she can wrap kings around her fingers and even undermine the Lannister regime for her own ends. Moreover, she remains one of the few major politicians outside the Starks who is actually decent and likable to both the peasantry of Westeros and the audience of the show in general, which makes her demise all the more tragic. Very few characters have earned the love that Margaery has from her show incarnation alone and, for a series with such a large fan base, that feels like a true achievement.

Game Of Thrones

Nine noble families fight for control over the lands of Westeros while an ancient enemy returns after being dormant for millennia.

Natalie Dormer's Charm as Margaery Is Different From the Books

In the books, the character of Margaery Tyrell serves a specific but narrow purpose in the story. Since Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) is still a little boy in the books and still under the control of Cersei (Lena Heady) as queen regent, she has very little interaction with him. Instead, the paranoia of Cersei and her hatred of Margaery is driven by a childhood prophecy and her fear of being replaced by a younger queen. Neither is the relationship between Margaery and Renly explored in any detail in the books, especially since Renly's sexuality as a gay man is only implied in vague terms. Essentially, Margaery is the perfect image of a queen that other major characters and the great houses project their power or fears onto, but nothing more.

The Margaery we meet in the show is an entirely different and much more dangerous incarnation, which can be seen right from the beginning. Although not enough to seduce Renly, she exudes charisma in a way few other characters have the ability to portray, displaying how she managed to reach such a high position by the start of the main conflict of the story. Ironically, this might fool observant book readers into thinking this is the same character from the novels, but in the immediate aftermath of Renly's murder, her ambition becomes open for all to see during her secret discussion with Littlefinger (Aiden Gillan) about claiming the Iron Throne itself. Although still somewhat naive, as her conservation with her grandmother Olenna (Diana Rigg) after the murder of Joffrey indicates, she remains a great threat to Cersei due to her ability to manipulate both of her sons, which makes the hatred the queen mother feels for her justified beyond mere prophecy and paranoia.

Margaery Plays the Game of Thrones Better Than Almost Anyone

Manipulation is crucial in the political battles of Westeros, but the manner in which Margaery employs it is unique compared to most other players on the chessboard. Unlike Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) or Littlefinger, Margaery uses direct influence by telling people what they already want to hear. No greater example of this exists than her ability to control Joffrey, a feat thought to be impossible by most for such a vile character. Given that it ranks as one of the most shocking deaths in the history of the show, one could easily fail to notice that, just before his poisoning takes effect, Margaery proves her ability to distract Joffrey with food to prevent an incident that could end with him harming Tyrion for his alleged transgressions. But, the show makes it clear that even her manipulations on Joffrey will not work forever and her vulnerability at his hands could prove disastrous with her brother in the Kingsguard, necessitating the murder of the young king in the first place. Nevertheless, the fact that she was still able to control him for as long as she did makes it clear that her political skills remain a force to be reckoned with,

More than his brother, the ability to control Tommen proves pivotal to the success of Margaery as a politician. When she first meets with him alone in their new marriage bed, her seduction of the boy king feels both passionate and protective, making her seem almost like a mother, wife, and sister to him all at once. After he converts to the Faith of the Seven, her piety might serve as a front, but it often feels convincing, and only vanishes in the last few minutes of her life while attempting to evacuate the Great Sept before it is destroyed. Similarly, it remains quite fitting that Margaery was never truly outwitted by Cersei in the end, and it was the arrogance of the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) in ignoring her warning that led to their demise, along with most of her family. Although a satisfying death, as Dormer herself later noted, it also remains a tragic and upsetting one. There are many characters who deserved to be incinerated by wildfire, but Margaery Tyrell was not one of them.

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Margaery Almost Outsmarted Cersei in the End

One aspect that remains unique to Margaery is her sense of empathy towards others, which makes her stand out among much of the noble class in a way they can sometimes barely even comprehend, much less attempt to replicate. Much to the confusion of Joffrey, she is beloved by the poor and, consequently, by much of the audience, for her genuinely caring nature. Although the strength of her bond with him is not exactly clear, Margaery is possibly the only character who never once mocks her brother Ser Loras (Finn Jones) about being gay and expresses no judgment during her failed attempt to consummate her marriage with Renly. When Joffrey casually mentions that he might render Loras' conduct punishable by death, the concern on her face is evident, no matter how much she attempts to conceal it from him.

Notably, this loyalty also proves to be her undoing in a way similar to Ned Stark several seasons earlier. After she commits perjury in a failed bid to save Loras from a religious trial, she is exposed through the testimony of his squire, one of many infamous hidden plots conducted by Littlefinger. The plan is also the product of Cersei, whose scheme here is much more clever than her attempt to frame Margaery for her own affair in the books. It is only the political skills of the young queen and her manipulation of Tommen that prevent her from facing a similar proceeding. Unlike Olenna, who concedes she lost to Cersei due to a failure to comprehend what the queen regent was capable of doing, Margaery knew exactly what could happen to the Sept, but was left powerless to stop the actual massacre before it was too late thanks to the High Sparrow.

There have been many examples of characters in Game of Thrones who have been changed drastically from the books for the worse, and some are removed entirely, but Margaery is a rare exception. Rather than being a great queen through image, she claims that title through depth, possessing both the style and the substance required. Not only can Margaery play the political games of Westeros, and possesses the ambitious drive to do so, but she can do it extremely well. Although she is more than willing to put on a mask when needed, she also comes off as surprisingly genuine, something incredibly rare and refreshing in the rotten nature of King's Landing. That same generosity heavily contributed to her downfall, but she never truly lost the game on her own behalf, something few others can claim.

Game of Thrones is available to stream on Max in the U.S.

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