Even if you’ve never read George R.R. Martin’s a A Song of Ice and Fire series, you’re probably aware that the Game of Thrones showrunners have taken some serious liberties in adapting their source material.
Some of the changes make perfect sense and were entirely expected (A 13-year-old Daenerys would’ve made for some pretty uncomfortable scenes in season one.), whereas others took hardcore fans by surprise. (Is Sansa Stark really marrying Ramsay Bolton?!)
Here’s a rundown of some of the biggest changes between the books and the wildly popular show. Obviously, spoilers lie ahead:
Worst. Fiance. Ever.
In the books, Ramsay marries a friend of Sansa Stark’s, believing her to be Arya Stark. (Yeah, it’s complex). On the show, the writers chose to simplify things and raise the dramatic stakes by having the notorious sadist marry Sansa, instead. Might be good news for the audience, but it’s TERRIBLE news for poor Sansa.
THAT Scene Next to Joffrey’s Body
One of GoT’s most controversial scenes showed what appeared to be Jaime Lannister raping his sister (and lover) next to the body of their dead son, Joffrey. In the book, the sex is consensual…though still pretty darn disturbing.
More Deaths Mean Fewer Actors to Pay!
Barristan and Mance lost their lives this season, yet remain alive in the world of the books. The same can be said of Bran’s friend Jojen Reed in season four. Of course, in other worldly Westeros, you can never completely rule out the possibly of a return. In the books, the slain Catelynn Tully returns as the zombie-like Lady Stoneheart hell-bent on avenging her son’s death. That obviously hasn’t happened yet on the show, but we’re holding out hope.
Tyrion Lannister: Disfigured No More!
In the books, Tyrion is profoundly disfigured at the Battle of Blackwater. On GoT, he’s simply left with a cool scar. Peter Dinklage explained the decision in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, saying, They’d have to [digitally paint] over my face in every frame, and that’s costly and time consuming. I think a scar solves everything.”
Robb’s Wife Doesn’t Lose Her Life
In the books, Robb Stark marries a young nurse named Jeyne Westerling after he sleeps with her and feels guilty about it. On the show he marries Talisa Maegyr following a slightly longer romance. A pregnant Talisa gets stabbed to death at the Red Wedding. As far as we know, Jeyne is still alive in the books.
A Tale of Two Reeks
In both the books and the show, Theon sacks Winterfell under orders from his father. In the books, however, he’s assisted by a hygenically-challenged prisoner named Reek…who eventually betrays him and reveals that he’s actually Ramsay Snow. In Martin’s version, Theon disappears for the next three books. In GoT, we get every gruesome detail of his torture.
White or Wight?
Though we haven’t seen one yet in season 5, White Walkers are a terrifying and fairly consistent presence throughout the series. In the books, they’re known simply as “Wights,” they get mentioned every so often, and then GRRM is basically like, “Okay, now remember those guys. They’ll come up again in 1,000 pages or so.”
Tyrion’s Wife
In both versions of the story, we learn that Tyrion was once married to a woman named Tysha. She was later revealed to be a prostitute hired by Jaime, and Tywin’s loving father Tywin forces him to watch as she’s raped by several of his guards. In the books, Jaime confesses that Tysha was not actually a prostitute, and in response, Tyrion kills Tywin and sets off looking for her. On the show, she probably won’t be much of a factor going forward, if she’s even mentioned again at all.
The Age Thing…
As we’ve said, most of the characters on the show are several years older than they are in the books, a decision that was made largely to cut down on the ickiness factor. The most obivious example in season five can be seen in Tommen Baratheon. In the books, he’s a frightened 8-year-old. On the show, he’s a lusty teenager. Needless to say, this change makes a major difference when it comes time for Tommen to choose between his mother and his comely young wife.