Lena Headey Bids Emotional Farewell to Cersei and Game of Thrones on Instagram

Cersei Lannister deserved a better death. Game of Thrones‘ most compelling villain finally bit the dust on Sunday, when she and twincestuous brother Jaime Lannister were crushed by a pile of rocks in the Red Keep, casualties of Daenerys Targaryen’s bid for vengeance. They were stoned to death, in a manner of speaking.

While the burning of King’s Landing was horrifying and all, this was an awfully boring way for Cersei to go. She’s mostly spent this season drinking wine and looking out the window, and you’d think that Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would at least have wanted her to go out with a bang. Why were there no confrontations with Dany or Tyrion or Arya? There wasn’t a single cutting remark! Just…rocks.

“I wanted her to have some big piece or fight with somebody,” actress Lena Headey told Entertainment Weekly. But she eventually decided that for Cersei, dying alongside Jaime was the best possible option. “The more we talked about it, the more it seemed like the perfect end for her,” said Headey. “They came into the world together and now they leave together.”

Headey bid Cersei goodbye via Instagram yesterday. “There she goes. It’s been fun, and bonkers,” she captioned a photo of herself. “I loved her. I am grateful for the opportunity. Massively thankful for your encouraging and supportive love along the way. And now her watch is ended (I know she’d never make it, Nights watch wouldn’t have her…but still…)”

Headey also posted a selfie with the actress Nathalie Emmanuel, in a bit of an apology; Cersei did order the execution of her character, Missandei, from a walltop, after all. “Beautiful @nathalieemmanuel You represented hope and true strength,” wrote Headey. “I didn’t like that day up there.”

To wrap up the series, Headey posted a selfie with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays Jaime, with both wearing wig caps on set. RIP to our favorite set of incestuous siblings.