Curtain Call: Finn Jones

"It’s more of a brooch really. Well, I suppose a brooch is a sort of pin, so…Loras Tyrell"

For six seasons of Game of Thrones, English actor Finn Jones portrayed Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers and the heir to Highgarden. Jones first appeared on screen in the British soap opera Hollyoaks Later. He followed that up with a string of roles on British television which included a stint on Doctor Who spin-off The Sarah Jane Adventures, thus fulfilling the requirement that all British actors appear on a Doctor Who property at some point in their careers. An aspiring DJ like fellow former Thrones star Kristian Nairn, Finn Jones’ original first name was Terence. Forward-thinking professional that he was, he changed it to avoid confusion with Monty Python star Terry Jones.

In Season 1, back when Loras was still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, he plotted to seat his lover Renly Baratheon on the Iron Throne. Jones’ portrayal of Loras emphasized his natural ability and attendant arrogance, but he hardened somewhat after Renly’s death in Season 2.

For the next few seasons, Loras remained mainly a background character. He entered into a political engagement with Cersei Lannister and started an affair with Olyvar, his squire and Littlefinger’s spy. Jones made the most of the screen time he was given. He shone when he casually rebuffed the Kingslayer’s threats during Joffrey’s wedding and walked away with the last word.

Unfortunately, Loras’ boldness put him at risk. When Cersei was looking for ways to undermine his family, she enlisted the help of religious extremists with a dim view of homosexuality, and had Loras arrested. Loras’ romantic life was an open secret, and when Olyvar confirmed what they had been doing, Loras lost control. He charged his lover in a scene that should be on the actor’s highlight reel. The same goes for the scene in “Book of the Stranger” when Loras, broken after long months in captivity, meets his sister a changed man. Loras suffered, but the darker turn in the storyline highlighted Jones’ gifts.

Prior to Season 6 airing, it was announced that Finn Jones had been cast in Marvel’s Iron Fist, on Netflix. This led to speculation that Loras would not long survive in the High Sparrow’s clutches. Our worst fears came true in the Season 6 finale, when Loras was incinerated alongside his sister, father, and many others, a victim of Cersei’s scheme.

Jones’ time on the show was relatively short and didn’t pass without criticism. Still, he deserves praise for taking the character on a real arc. We look forward to seeing his portrayal of Iron Fist, and wish him good fortune in the career to come.