When a book is adapted into a movie or series, it’s obvious that there might be some changes in the story or characters. Basically, there might be some unexpected changes. We accept it, albeit with a heavy heart, that we won’t get to experience all the things that happened in a book on the big screen, and that’s okay. We might cringe while watching these adaptations and judge them brutally for never reaching the standards books’ set in our hearts and minds because what else can you expect from hardcore readers?
But, we can be good people and endure these sufferings. Unless the said show or movie decides to make changes like Peeta becoming a washed-down version of the hero he was in the book or Dobby never getting the praise he deserved for helping Harry Potter. Then, we won’t be responsible for our actions. We can go on and on about why books will always remain superior to these adaptations, but that might not be interesting enough for you. However, this list might be. Here we unveil the biggest Game Of Thrones book and series differences that you might have missed while drooling over the amazing characters and story.
The show Game of Thrones is based on the popular A Song Of Ice and Fire novel written by George R.R. Martin. Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the show premiered on 17th April 2011 and concluded on 19th May 2019. With over 70 episodes and eight seasons, the show is bound to have made quite a few changes to fit the story of the show. Let us find out these differences.
Also Read: Why Is Game of Thrones So Popular?
The Age Of Kids
As far as the basic thing like the age of characters goes, GOT completely “got” it wrong. Stark and the Royal children are shown way older than their actual ages in the books. Robb and Jon were 14 in the books, but in the show, they are 17 years old. In the books, Bran was actually 7, and Rickon was only 3 years old. The age of the Royal children: Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen, has also been increased by three years.
Talisa Maegyr’s Death
Robb’s wife, Talisa, who gets stabbed through her pregnant belly, is undoubtedly the most horrific scene the show could have decided to shoot. Talisa, Jeyne in the books, never attended the Red Wedding, and hence she survived. However, in the show, Talisa attends the wedding and ends up dead.
Where Is Lady Stonehart? A.K.A. Resurrected Catelyn Stark
One of the threads that the show completely ignored was related to Lady Stonehart, a resurrected and vengeful Catelyn Stark. Despite GOT being eight seasons long; she never once appeared in the show. But, she is very much a part of the books even if she appears with her throat slit and eyes clawed out.
Jaime And Bronn: Off To Dorne
In the fifth season, we see Jaime and Bronn sent down to Dorne. The show badly changed the story to avoid introducing new characters, which again ended up being one of the most disappointing aspects of the season.
Sansa And Jeyne’s Story
It seems that GOT is stubborn about making changes that will lead to controversy and disappoint fans. One such change was the way they combined Sansa’s story with Jeyne Poole’s. In the books, it was actually Jeyne who suffered at the hands of Ramsay Bolton, and transferring her rape and abuse onto Sansa might not have been one of the wisest decisions they made.
Aegon Targaryen Isn’t Dead, It Seems
It was revealed in the book A Dance With Dragons that Prince Aegon Targaryen wasn’t really dead. Whisked away by Varys to hide him from the world and bring him back in time to reclaim the throne, this was a crucial point since it could mean he might claim the Iron Throne. But, the show ignored this thread like it sidelined several other important points. These are a few changes out of many things the show makers decided to change while filming the series Game of Thrones. It might not mean much to those who haven’t read the series. But, to the readers who want to watch their favorite fantasy series come alive on screen, it might be a hard pill to swallow.
Also Read: How to Watch Game of Thrones? All 8 Seasons of the Show
