Lady Olenna Tyrell - Game Of Thrones Season Three (2013)

Daughter of the Lord of House Redwyne, Lady Olenna Tyrell married her husband Luthor Tyrell and gave birth to Mace
her only (known) child.

She was the grandmother to Loras and Margery Tyrell, who she both loved despite the numerous barbs she gave them (the reason she was titled the "Queen of Thorns"). She often berating her son for being foolish, pompous and big headed, she generally loved him and cared for his safety, trying to persuade him not to take part in Robert Baratheon's rebellion against the Targaryen Empire. 

Olenna was the late widowed when Luthor passed away, after riding off a cliff whilst he was hawking.

She had a great deal of respect for Eddard Stark and was sorry to learn of his death, believing him to be an honest man, who died with principles. She also claimed to have no say in the decision to marry Margery off to Renley Baratheon and championing his claim for the Iron Throne in the War against the Five Kings, seeing his claim to be unfounded.

In preparation for Margery's wedding to King Joffrey Baratheon, Lady Olenna travelled from Highgarden to King's Landing to oversee the events. Having heard numerous rumours about the cruelty of her granddaughter's betrothed, she made it a priority to protect her family as they joined together with the Tyrells and ensure no harm came to any of them.


"Dark Wings, Dark Words"

Wishing to hear the truth behind the nature of Joffrey, Olenna Tyrell set up a meeting with Sansa Stark in the gardens, greeting the formerly betrothed and asking her to kiss her hand. She passed on her condolences for the death of her father. Hearing Sansa praise the good qualities of the recently deceased Renley Baratheon, she mused that although he was all those things and more, he believed too strongly in his claim to be king of Westeros. She went on to add that despite Loras' feelings for Renley (fully aware of their relationship), her grandson had no sense of judgement and was far better at tourneys and jousting than leadership and strategy. She went on to insult her son by calling him "fat headed", telling Margery that Sansa might find her to be witty and far better company than those normally found at court. She expressed her belief that what the Tyrell's had done was in fact treason and had tried telling Mace so, since Stannis was the elder of the two brothers and Renly had no claim to the "ugly iron chair." But she concluded that the events of the war was in the past, changing the topic and asking Sansa if she would like to join them for some lemon cakes (Sansa's favourites). Barking at the nearest servant for him to bring them the food (accusing him of wanting to "starve the to death"), the three of them move to a more sheltered spot.

Inquiring if  Sansa knew Mace, she replied by saying that it was "no real pleasure" meeting him, calling him a "ponderous oaf "who was just the same as his father. She coldly added that Mace's actions were "riding a Lion" to an unknown and potentially fatal outcome. Pushing to the crux of the matter, Olenna questioned Sansa on her treatment whilst engaged to the King (since she would know him best), promising that no harm or repercussions would happen to her for her expression of the truth - no matter what they might reveal. Seeing how nervous Sansa was, she pushed her further, wondering if he had cut out her tongue. Mocking Sansa's statement that Joffrey was like a Lion, she replied with the cutting observation of family legends that "all Lannisters were Lions" by the assumption that all Tyrell's "fart" the scent of a rose. Going on with her questioning, she wanted to know how brave, caring and genuine Joffrey really was. However they were interrupted by the arrival of the cakes, demanding to have cheese brought down to her, berating the servant that she would get the cheese when she asked for it and not when it was supposedly customary.

Offering her a cake, she went on with the previous request, listening with disgust as she learned about the events following the death of Lord Eddard Stark, as well as the revelation that he was a "monster". Calling it a "pity", she promised that the wedding would still go on ahead as planned, since Mace - "the Lord High Oath of Higharden" - decreed Margery a queen, forming contingency plans in the back of her mind.


"And Now His Watch has Ended"

Accompanying Cersei Lannister through the Sept of Baelor, Olenna noted that the building could hold more than seven hundred people with the wall, countering her argument that people she deemed as not being significant that it was more of an ego boost than kindness. Stopping to watch Joffrey excitedly explain the history of Aerion Targaryen (The Brightflame) and show Margery the remains of the Mad King. Asking if Cersei was married to Robert in the Sept and if his bones were stored there too, she politely smiled at Cerse's slight annoyance at wanting to be buried in Storm's End. Labelling the King's death as a tragedy, she agreed with Cersei's remark that hunting was a foreseeable accident, remarking that Mace hunted as a way to cover up his own insecurities for not taking part in any battles. She went on to add that despite what the stories told, all Mace did during the siege of Storm's End was eat at the banquet tables in the command tent. She went on to tell Cersei that as a mother, they would do anything to ensure their children did not go off to war, only to be ignored for the promises of glory, honour and power. She scoffed at the notion that the world belonged to men, naming it a "ridiculous arrangement".

Returning to the gardens, Olenna sat with two of Margery's cousins as they embroidered the family words and sigil. Asked if she liked it, she expressed her annoyance at the repetitive nature of the rose being on everything she owned - even her chamber pot, which she remarked did not do anything to take away the smell. Going on to call the words "growing strong" as the dullest of all the families, shocking the younger Tyrell as she compliments the words of House Stark and Greyjoy as being memorable and intimidating. She sarcastically remarked that a rose could "instil fear in the heart" as much as "Direwolves and Krakens". Spotting Varys moving towards her, she casually remarks to them that "their was a spider in the garden", dismissing them with words she had openly mocked.

Greeted by Varys, she bluntly asked if his attempts at flattery were the usual lines he used to seduce people, remarking that he should "seduce away" as it had been many years since any suitor had attempted to. She went on to mock his status as a eunuch, telling him that her question about sex would be one for the philosophers. Tired of his diversionary tactics, she demanded to know why he had "minced his way" down to speak with her, refusing his request for a seat. Complementing his reputation as a "clever man", she expressed an interest in why he had come to her on his own stead. Hearing Varys mention her conversation with Sansa Stark, she coldly replied that one talk did not count for being interested in her, going on to remark that the Stark was hardly interesting - more intrigued about her childhood. Seeing him feign walking away from her, she joked that he "surrendered rather too easily", following him as they continued through the gardens, expressing her belief that there was nowhere safe to talk if "even the shrubbery had ears."

Listening to Varys  comment about choosing both friends and enemies accordingly, she inquired to know which category Sansa fell into, interested by the remark that he was doing this as a way for making up for the loss of Ned Stark, ensuring that Petyr Baelish did not use her as a piece in his plan to control the North. She mused at the number of admirers he had, rhetorically asking how many had come to his aid at the Sept of Baelor. Urging him to get to the point, she understood his plan right away, however wished to know why he had come to her with the knowledge that he had gathered from Ros about Baelish leaving with Sansa for the Eyrie. Accepting his testimony that Littlefinger was the most dangerous threat to Westeros, Olenna smirked at the plan to undermine him, suggesting that he must have despised Baelish. Moved by the notion that Baelish would do anything to become "King of the Ashes," she again complimented his intelligence, agreeing to set up a marriage pact between Loras and Sansa.


"Kissed by Fire"

Answering the summons of Tyrion Lannister to discuss matters of payment for the wedding, she aggressively criticised away Podrick Payne's pouring technique, telling him that they "were not in a tavern." He tried to apologise but she cuts him off, ordering him to leave them and bring her back some figs, which was a habit of hers every day at mid afternoon as it helped "move the bowels".

Getting to the matter at hand, she seemed peeved by her travelling all the way to him to discuss "financial matters". She expressed her belief that it was good news that the wedding was "extravagant", calling it the perfect distraction for the people at a time of bloodshed and war - with the promise that if it did not happen, they would all end up torn to pieces by the people of King's Landing. Seeing him question the payments, she began to list off all the payments and funds that the Tyrells were helping to fund during the hostility - "twelve thousand infantrymen, eighteen thousand lance
rs, two thousand in support... a million bushels of wheat, half a million bushels each of barley, oats and rye. Twenty thousand head of cattle, Twenty Thousand sheep."

She stated that he did not to lecture her about the funds of war, since she knew where every coin moved throughout the whole of the Tyrell's operations in the Reach. She went on to declare the importance of the royal wedding and the tradition that it was paid for by the Royal family. Olenna expressed her disappointment at Tyrion not living up to the reputation she had been told about, noting that he had been reduced to a "browbeaten bookkeeper". Hearing Podr
ick return with her figs, she wondered if he had to go to Volantis to get them as he had taken so long, taking a bite into one. Interrupted mid chew, she gave in, promising to pay half the funds for the wedding so that the house would not be seen as being stingy.  Getting up to leave, she wondered if everything else was in agreement, satisfied by the fact that it was.


"The Climb"

Meeting with Tywin Lannister in the Tower of the Hand, Olenna declared that it was "impossible" that she would allow Loras to marry Cersei as he was the "most eligable bachelor in all of the seven Kingdoms." She remarked that Cersei was too old  (which she was "something of an expert about") and was close to the point where she could no longer have children of her own, mockingly remarking that she would not tell him the details as it was even more painful and traumatic in her eyes than what men saw on the battlefield.

Upon Tywin retorting about Loras' homosexuality, Olenna shrugged off the suggestion that it was a big scandal, openly admitting that he was gay. Smirking at Tywin's suggestion that homosexuality was "an affliction" that could be cured by marriage, Olenna turned the subject around to him, wondering if he had grown up and had romantic/sexual encounters with male cousins and squires. Prying further into his discomfort on the subject, she sarcastically congratulated him for his "restraint" however goes on to add that it was "completely natural" for a romantic relationship between men. Hearing him stain Highgarden and brand it with a place that has a "high tolerance for unnatural behaviour," she coldly returned the argument saying that although they don't "tie {themselves} in knots for a discreet bit of buggery", they did have frown very strongly on incestuous relationships. Choosing not to state whether she believed the rumours between Jamie and Cersei to be true, she noted that the suggestion that Joffrey was the product of incest acted as the catalyst for Stannis Baratheon and others to go to war and kill members of both House Lannister and Tyrell - due to their partnership. She told Tywin that she was concerned about the rumours being true, calling herself the authority of her own being after he tried to speak for her, not wanting to "throw another prize flower into the dirt" if Joffrey wasn't really meant to be king (not making Margery a Queen) or Cersei was too old to give Loras heirs to pass on the Tyrell name.

Realising that she would not move from her position, she listened to Tywin's threat to place Loras on the Kings Guard, removing any claims he had to Highgarden or the right to father children. Questioning if Tywin would really allow someone who "disgusts {him} to protect Joffrey, she noted he would do whatever it took to keep control of the situation. Relenting to the decision, she snapped his quill in half, declaring that it was "a rare enough thing, a man who {lived} up to his reputation.


"The Second Sons"

With her plans to marry Sansa to Loras ending in tatters, Olenna stood with Margery and Loras as Joffrey walked Sansa down the aile of the Sept of Baelor for her wedding to Tyrion Lannister. Despite her best efforts she was unable to hide her revulsion at the callous way the other members of House Lannister were treating Tyrion during the service to the expense of the people.

Attending the wedding feast, she tried to fathom out the numerous ways that they would now be related to the Lannisters upon marriage, telling Loras that he would be both "step father and brother in law" to Joffrey. She went on to add that he would also be Margery's "father in law", causing Loras to storm off in anger at the situation.

Sitting watching Tywin and Tyrion's heated debate between one another from across the room with mild amusement, her mirth however turned to contempt for Joffrey's behaviour towards his uncle over the course of the day and evening.


Appearances:

1. "Dark Wings, Dark Words" (First Appearance)
2. "And Now his Watch has Ended"
3. "Kissed By Fire"
4. "The Climb"
5. "The Second Sons" (Last Appearance of the Series)

Played By:

• Dame Diana Rigg