One ‘Game of Thrones’ Deleted Scene Highlights the Most Underrated Player

A recently discovered deleted scene from Game of Thrones highlights a surprisingly cunning character. Throughout the show’s eight seasons, adapted from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice & Fire novels, viewers encountered some of television’s most intricate and politically astute characters, which made the fantasy world of Westeros so compelling. While characters like Littlefinger, Varys, and Olenna Tyrell are well-known for their schemes, this scene reveals that many other players were also working behind the scenes.

Game of Thrones became famous for breaking the typical fantasy mold. It built a complex world filled with many different groups all competing for control, and it wasn’t a simple story of heroes versus villains. The show offered a surprisingly unpredictable universe, with each character and noble house adding to the intrigue. This complexity is likely why the next book in the series, The Winds of Winter, hasn’t been released yet, but the existing material remains incredibly well-crafted and deserves recognition.

Grand Maester Pycelle is One of ‘Game of Thrones’ Greatest Schemers

One deleted scene from Game of Thrones that really should have been included features Tywin Lannister and Grand Maester Pycelle. In it, Tywin tells Pycelle to stop pretending, and Pycelle responds by straightening up and speaking plainly, revealing he wasn’t the doddering, confused old man he appeared to be. The scene is interesting because the show never explicitly shows that Pycelle was intentionally acting foolish and harmless.

Throughout Game of Thrones, Pycelle constantly causes problems for characters like Ned Stark and Tyrion. Though Julian Glover brilliantly portrayed him as seemingly foolish, Pycelle is actually a surprisingly skillful player in the political games of King’s Landing. Surviving in the Red Keep is difficult, and staying in a powerful position there for forty years, as he did, is even more impressive.

Pycelle served as Grand Maester for an incredibly long time, starting with King Aegon V and continuing through the reigns of Jaehaerys II, the Mad King Aerys II, Robert Baratheon, Joffrey, and Tommen. He was ultimately killed by Cersei’s agents at the end of season 6. Perhaps his smartest decision, as shown here, was choosing the right person to support.

Pycelle was a traitor to King Aerys II, secretly helping Tywin Lannister conquer King’s Landing during Robert’s Rebellion. Throughout Game of Thrones, he remained loyal to Tywin, though few characters suspected this. While he served Robert Baratheon for over ten years, his true allegiance was always with Tywin and the Lannisters. Pycelle didn’t actively seek power himself, but his actions significantly benefited those he supported, ultimately shaping the fate of the Seven Kingdoms.

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2025-10-24 00:37