Let’s be real for a second. Most characters in Game of Thrones died because they were either too honorable or just plain stupid. Ned Stark? Too honorable. Robb Stark? Thinking with his heart. But Margaery Tyrell was different. When we talk about Game of Thrones Natalie Dormer, we’re talking about a performance that gave us one of the only people in Westeros who actually understood how the world worked.
She didn't want to be a queen. She wanted to be the queen.
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Natalie Dormer brought this weirdly perfect mix of warmth and calculation to the role. You never quite knew if she was being sincere when she was hugging orphans or if she was just counting the PR points in her head. Honestly, that’s what made her so fun to watch. She was playing a 4D chess match while everyone else was busy swinging swords or drinking themselves into a stupor.
The "Soft Power" of Margaery Tyrell
Most people remember the dragons and the Red Wedding, but the way Dormer played Margaery showed a different kind of power. It wasn't about fear. It was about being liked. While Cersei Lannister was busy alienating everyone in King's Landing by being a literal nightmare, Margaery was out there handing out bread.
She understood that a crown is a lot heavier when the people underneath it want to knock it off your head.
Dormer has actually talked about this in interviews, mentioning how Margaery would have made a "great psychotherapist." She had this insane ability to pinpoint exactly what made people tick. Whether it was the sociopathic Joffrey or the sweet, easily manipulated Tommen, she knew which mask to wear.
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That Awkward Tommen Situation
Remember those scenes with Tommen? They were... uncomfortable.
Behind the scenes, there was a lot of talk about the age gap between Dormer and actor Dean-Charles Chapman. In fact, Natalie Dormer was pretty vocal about keeping things professional. She actually worked with the directors to tone down the intimacy because Chapman was only about 16 at the time. She pushed for a "suggestive" vibe rather than anything explicit, which, looking back, was definitely the right call. It made Margaery look even more like a predator in the political sense—weaving a web around a boy who just wanted to play with his cat.
The Cersei Rivalry: A Battle of Wills
The heart of Margaery’s story was her "cold war" with Cersei. It was a masterclass in passive-aggressive smiling.
Cersei hated her because Margaery was everything Cersei used to be: young, beautiful, and strategically brilliant. But Margaery’s mistake was thinking Cersei would play by the rules. Margaery played the game; Cersei just decided to blow up the board.
When you look at Game of Thrones Natalie Dormer, her final moments are what really stick. She was the only one in the Great Sept of Baelor who realized something was wrong. You can see it in her eyes—that frantic realization that the High Sparrow’s ego was going to get them all killed. She tried to get everyone out. She screamed at them to leave. But nobody listened.
Why the Ending Still Stings
Natalie Dormer has admitted she felt "frustrated" by the way Margaery went out. Not because it wasn't a cool scene—I mean, the wildfire explosion is iconic—but because Margaery was too smart to die like that. She died because of other people's incompetence.
"She was vindicated in the end," Dormer told Collider. "It’s just a couple of sentences, but it’s all that needed to be said."
Basically, her final lines proved she was the smartest person in the room. It’s just a shame the room was about to be turned into green dust.
Natalie Dormer After the Tyrells
So, what happened after she left the show?
Dormer didn't just disappear into the shadows. She went on to do some pretty wild stuff:
- She played a demon in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels (getting to play four different characters in one show).
- She co-wrote and starred in the thriller In Darkness.
- She’s done plenty of stage work, which is where she started.
Actually, before she was Margaery, she was Anne Boleyn in The Tudors. If you haven't seen it, go watch it. It’s basically the "historical" version of Margaery Tyrell, right down to the tragic ending and the royal drama. She clearly has a niche for playing brilliant women who are smarter than the kings they marry.
What Margaery Taught Us About Power
If there’s one takeaway from Margaery Tyrell, it’s that "soft power" is real, but it has a ceiling. You can win the hearts of the people, you can manipulate the king, and you can secure the food supply of the capital, but you can't stop a crazy person with a basement full of explosives.
Margaery's legacy in the show is her role as the "Good Queen." She showed that you don't have to be a monster to be a player. You just have to be observant.
How to Re-watch Her Best Moments
If you're looking to revisit the best of Game of Thrones Natalie Dormer, skip the filler and head straight for these episodes:
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- Season 2, Episode 3 ("What is Dead May Never Die"): Her introduction where she tells Renly she doesn't care who he sleeps with as long as she's queen. Total power move.
- Season 3, Episode 2 ("Dark Wings, Dark Words"): The moment she meets Sansa and starts winning over the people.
- Season 4, Episode 2 ("The Lion and the Rose"): The Purple Wedding. Watch her face as Joffrey dies; she’s already calculating her next marriage before his body is cold.
- Season 6, Episode 10 ("The Winds of Winter"): The finale. The Sept. The green glow. It's heartbreaking but essential.
Check out some of her post-Thrones work like The Wasp (2024) if you want to see her keep that sharp, intense energy alive. She’s still one of the most compelling actors working today, even if she's no longer wearing the golden roses of Highgarden.