Definitely not the one we expected.
Over the last seven seasons, there have been hundreds and hundreds of deaths in Game of Thrones.
But it turns out that the one with the biggest price tag has nothing to do with the Red Wedding, white walkers or even dragons.
And no, it’s not that scene with the wildfire – or when Drogo dumped that melted gold on Viserys’ head.
Surely molten gold – even the faux kind – costs a lot, right?
But no, it’s actually when Arya Stark crossed the first name off of her list – and when Ser Meryn Trant met a grisly, grisly end.
Ian Beattie, who played the controversial member of the Kingsguard for five seasons, told Her about the “very long, sticky day” of filming – and how he thought his “pretty good” death was actually a gift.
Ser Meryn Trant was sent off to Braavos as an escort for Mace Tyrell, who was meant to be negotiating a deal with the Iron Bank of Braavos about the Crown’s debt.
His arrival doesn’t go unnoticed by Arya, who had been training as a Faceless Man at the House of Black and White – and she follows him when he takes some time off from guard duties and heads to a brothel.
She watches as he dismisses a number of the women there as being “too old”, but is rushed away as a very young girl is brought out – who Ser Meryn declares to be “good”.
Beattie explained that it was “wonderful” to play the character for so long – but that it got “horrific” closer to the end of his stint on the show, as the show delved into more of Meryn’s personal side.
Speaking at the Throne of Legends in Dublin, he said:
“For the first four and a half seasons [to play him], it was wonderful. He was a thug, he was a coward, he was a bully.
“And then his personal side [in the last two episodes] was revealed and it was horrific.
“It wasn’t fun, but it was the biggest challenge of my career – so it was great.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4O9IWLoABU&t=199s
In case you need a refresher (it was a few years ago, after all), Meryn is killed when he returns to the brothel next night and, after a few moments, he gets attacked by Arya.
She jumps up and stabs him in both of his eyes, as well as his chest, before stifling his screams with a cloth.
Arya coldly tells him:
“You were the first person on my list, you know. For killing Syrio Forel, remember him?”
Finally, she reveals her identity to be Arya Stark – whom Ser Meryn (and the rest of Westeros) had long believed to be dead – before slitting his throat.
And while the scene took just a few moments to unfold on-screen, it turns out that it is actually Game of Thrones’ most expensive (single) death ever.
The Belfast actor told us:
“To this day, it is the most expensive single death ever filmed in Game of Thrones 1) because it took 12 hours; 2) because of the special effects; 3) because of the CGI; 4) because of the amount of blood and the technical issues involved in it.
“It was a very long, sticky day.”
He recalled how he got a phone call from show runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss at the start of season 5 to warn him about his character’s impending death.
Although they did make one big promise to him about how Meryn would meet his end.
The actor continued:
“I was phoned by David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] at the start of season 5 to say ‘This is it, mate, this is your lot. Valar morghulis.’
“They told me that everyone was going to get to see a really nasty side to Ser Meryn, [but] they didn’t tell me what it was – and when I saw it, I was like ‘Oh my goodness, no!’
“And then they also said I would get a pretty good death. Pretty good didn’t begin to cover that death. That was the Sonny Corleone of deaths.
“As far as I was concerned, it was them telling me: ‘listen, good five years – well done. Here’s a little gift for you.
“‘Two of the most challenging scenes you’ll ever have as an actor: working with the best director you’ve ever worked with; the best crew you’ve ever worked with; the best cast you’ve ever worked with – and here’s a death scene, the best you’ve ever had or ever will have.
“‘Oh, and don’t mess it up.’
“So that’s what I thought, and I honestly took it as a gift.”
While Meryn may have met his end in the TV version of Game of Thrones, he’s still alive in the books (so far).
Although, according to Beattie, the member of the Kingsguard may not be long for this world.
He added:
“He’s on Arya’s list. Certainly in the TV show, he’s the first one that she ticks off the list herself. Joffrey’s already dead.
“I believe that may well be reflected in The Winds of Winter. But I’m pretty certain, one way or another, Meryn Trant is not a character that George R.R. Martin would let live.”
- Game of Thrones returns for season 8 next year.
