Did you want a different Game of Thrones ending? So did Cersei actor Lena Headey for her character and Arya

Game of Thrones ended in May 2019. It's been more than four years, and we're already waiting for the second season of its first prequel series, House of the Dragon. Regardless, many fans of the hit series still haven't gotten over the divisive final season. Over time, we also learned that some of the actors felt the same, and Lena Headey in particular was quite vocal (but also diplomatic) about Cersei Lannister's demise at the very end of the show.

Now, during a recent interview for The Hollywood Reporter about Headey's directorial debut, the indie movie The Trap (based on her 2019 short film of the same name), she answered some Thrones-related questions. First of all, no, she hasn't watched House of the Dragon. Secondly, she shared how she had pictured Cersei's end even though she already knew before reading the scripts and shooting the final season that it wasn't her decision to make: "I’m think all of us did, to be honest, because you start trying to write the story yourself. And [Arya Stark actress Maisie Williams] and I would fantasize about a Cersei and Arya showdown; that she would come back as Jaime. That was our dream. But they made different choices."

An Arya-Cersei showdown would've certainly been a fan-pleasing moment, but showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff chose instead to pay off Jamie Lannister's words about wanting to die in the arms of the woman he loved (season 5, episode 4). Not everyone could go out in a blaze of glory, and Cersei and Jamie got a sad but ultimately romantic ending as the Red Keep collapsed on top of them. At the end of the day, Headey understands the show's final season couldn't have possibly pleased everyone: "I think in hindsight, everybody understands that. You’re in it, and you’ve been so invested, there’s a moment of, “Why?” But I absolutely get it." She later added that she missed "the people" and the strong relationships they built together more than the show itself.

Meanwhile, other Game of Thrones actors loved the entire experience so much that they're willing to return to the universe as soon as possible. Among them is Kit Harington, who's attached to star in and executive produce a Jon Snow sequel series that is in the early stages of development. At this rate, it could arrive before The Winds of Winter though.

Re-live it all with our Game of Thrones watch order.