10 Game of Thrones Book Storylines Fans Were Right to Abandon

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In much the same way that a high-quality adaptation should, it skillfully used its editorial power with surgical accuracy, trimming plotlines and simplifying narratives for television. Certain alterations were debatable at best, such as transforming Robb Stark’s honorable union with Jeyne Westerling into a passionate relationship with Talisa, or diluting the intricate Dornish political machinations into childlike Sand Snake exploits.

As a movie enthusiast, I’d like to highlight one aspect that deserves recognition: Not all omissions from “Game of Thrones” were errors; some storylines, if included, could have turned an intricate series into a tangled web so complex that even Bran the Broken might need a diagram to navigate it. This list is a tribute to those wise editorial choices – the book elements skillfully left out by HBO in the editing room, not because they were flawed, but because their inclusion would have rendered this captivating fantasy saga virtually unfilmable.

In the books, Catelyn Stark is rescued from the water by Beric Dondarrion of the Band of Brothers and brought back to life via Beric’s selfless act. The resurrected Lady Stark transforms into a vengeful figure, shrouded in darkness, who takes command of the Brotherhood. Her actions are fueled by an unquenchable desire for retribution against those who harmed her family.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss chose to leave out this specific storyline in the series, a decision that was understandable given the adaptation’s existing challenges. With an extensive cast and intricate plotlines, adding another layer of narrative complexity could have been too much for viewers, especially those not familiar with the original source material. Additionally, the practical aspects were equally challenging. Her character’s damaged throat from the Red Wedding would require careful adaptation to ensure effective communication on screen.

Quentyn Martell, Doran’s second son, who was not part of the TV series, embarks on a clandestine journey to Meereen with lofty aspirations, aiming to win Daenerys Targaryen’s hand in marriage, invoking an old alliance between their families. Upon his arrival, he learns that Daenerys is betrothed to Hizdahr zo Loraq. Unwilling to leave without success, Quentyn finds himself in the catacombs, face-to-face with Rhaegal and Viserion, the shackled dragons.

(In this version, I’ve attempted to maintain the original meaning while making it more accessible and engaging for readers.)

Regardless of his distant Targaryen heritage through a great-great-grandmother, it turns out this isn’t enough to master dragons. Although he briefly bonded with Viserion, Rhaegal’s fire ultimately took his life, resulting in a painful and prolonged demise. The Dorne plotline in the show was heavily criticized, and if the book’s intricacy had been included, it would have disrupted the main storylines. The showrunners made a wise decision by simplifying this specific tale.

In George R.R. Martin’s books, multiple characters have the ability to warg, but in the television series, only Bran possesses this power exclusively. Although viewers would have enjoyed seeing Jon warg into Ghost or Arya controlling Nymeria, limiting this extraordinary talent to a single character helped maintain logical consistency within the narrative.

By bestowing war-witching abilities on all Stark children, their brother Bran’s later transformation into the Three-Eyed Raven would have lost its distinctive quality. The books show Arya assuming Nymeria’s form and a feline in King’s Landing through war-witching, but the authors deliberately held back on magical aspects to preserve focus. This method sometimes weakened the plot, yet it ensured that the audience wasn’t overloaded with supernatural complexity, keeping the main storyline relatable and realistic.

Many television viewers were dismayed by Catelyn Stark’s hostility towards Jon Snow, as they understood that Jon was not responsible for the circumstances of his birth. In the books, however, Cat’s resentment runs much deeper. Before parting ways, Jon visits Bran and on his departure, Catelyn delivers a painful farewell remark. As he turns to go, she calls him by name, and when he looks at her, she says in a chilling tone: “It ought to have been you.

In one of the show’s scenes, Catelyn reveals to Talisa her secret desire for Jon’s demise. Yet, she simultaneously acknowledges the harshness of entertaining such malevolent feelings toward an innocent child. The portrayal of this harsh moment from the book might have further tarnished the already controversial image of her character in the eyes of viewers.

As a bookworm deeply engrossed in George R.R. Martin’s epic saga, I find myself immersed in an alternate tale where Arya Stark serves not Tywin Lannister, but Roose Bolton as his cupbearer instead. In this twist of events, she uncovers Roose’s sinister plots, forged in connivance with Walder Frey, much like the intrigues that unfold on the small screen. Yet, our resilient Arya manages to break free from Harrenhal’s walls alongside Gendry and Hot Pie, mirroring the daring escapes portrayed in the TV series.

The choice to have Arya Stark pose as Tywin Lannister’s cupbearer resulted in some of the series’ most intriguing scenes. The verbal duels between the Lannister patriarch and the disguised Stark girl showcased an engaging dynamic: two shrewd opponents who could potentially have been allies if not for their family’s conflict. Despite their rival families’ animosity, there was a mutual understanding and respect between them that made for exceptional TV moments that the original plot couldn’t have offered.

In this storyline, a secondary plot unfolds around the newborn son of Mance Rayder. Sadly, his mother Dalla passes away during childbirth. This baby, being born to a king (Mance), catches Melisandre’s attention and puts him at risk for sacrifice. To shield the infant from this fate, Jon sets up a covert swap, replacing Mance’s son with Gilly’s newborn. As a result, Gilly is left caring for Mance’s child, while her own son stays at the Wall under the care of her sister, Val.

This plotline left seasoned book readers scratching their heads and would have left television viewers, particularly those not familiar with the original content, utterly bewildered. Moreover, Jon’s deceit could have tarnished his heroic reputation among fans, who might have found his manipulation of an innocent woman inexcusable.

In the books, Tyrion and a dwarf named Penny follow separate paths. At first, she accuses Tyrion of her brother’s death, which was actually carried out by sailors who mistook him for Jaime Lannister. Following an unsuccessful knife attack that Jorah prevents, both Tyrion and Penny wind up on the same ship heading towards Qarth. A fierce storm ensues, resulting in their capture by slave traders who subsequently sell them into servitude. As The Winds of Winter concludes, their storyline ends with them in the Second Sons’ camp, their futures uncertain.

In simpler terms, Benioff and Weiss chose to focus more directly on the encounter between Daenerys and Tyrion by removing Penny’s storyline, which was a strategic move to maintain the necessary speed in the adaptation without omitting important story components.

One of the book’s most enigmatic characters is Coldhands. This being seems to straddle the line between life and death, neither completely human nor wight. He lacks the usual blue eyes and pale skin; instead, he has dark brown eyes and hands stained by cold. His true nature is shrouded in mystery. In the story, he initially saves Gilly and Sam, guiding them to the Black Gate near the Wall, then tells Sam to take Bran and their group to the same location. Later, Coldhands guides the group to the Three-Eyed Raven. Although his true identity is unknown, theories propose that he could be a former Night’s Watch brother or perhaps even Bloodraven himself.

In simpler terms, the series combined two characters – Coldhands and Benjen Stark – to streamline the plot. This merger made sense since it eliminated an extra puzzle while still keeping the main story points intact. Since the book character’s true identity is still unknown, this blend might have been a clever guess at George R.R. Martin’s future revelation about who Coldhands really is.

In the books, Mance Rayder’s tale doesn’t end with his apparent execution. By using her enchanting powers, Melisandre switches Mance’s appearance with Rattleshirt, keeping him alive even after he was burned at the stake. This disguise allows Mace to take part in several missions, one of which is an effort to free who he thinks is Arya Stark from Ramsay Bolton (in reality, it’s Jeyne Poole pretending to be Arya).

In a shrewd move, the show creators decided to drop this intricate plot thread as they realized Mance wasn’t essential for the rescue operation. They also understood that such complex magic could potentially confuse the storyline. Instead, Mance’s death by burning at the stake, with Jon’s compassionate arrow releasing him from the flames, led to a more heartfelt and logically consistent ending.

As an ardent fan of George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series, I’ve always been captivated by the numerous theories swirling around its characters. One such theory posits that a character known as Young Griff is actually the son of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, hidden away by Varys to shield him from assassination. This young man was said to have been raised in exile in Pentos.

During my own journey towards Daenerys Stormborn, I encountered Young Griff, who was accompanied by Jon Connington, a former member of the King’s Guard acting as his protector. Upon meeting him, I uncovered that this Griff fellow intended to wed Daenerys, a plan masterminded by Varys to position his protégé on the Iron Throne.

In time, Griff took charge of the Golden Company, a formidable mercenary force.

Introducing Griff as a character in the novels could have made the Targaryen storyline excessively complex. Given that his true identity is enveloped in secrecy and the showrunners are working beyond George R.R. Martin’s completed narrative, it might have led to more complications than solutions if they tried to wrap up his storyline without Martin’s guidance.

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2025-06-02 01:09