Content Warning: This article contains references to graphic violence, sexual assault, physical abuse, and murder
As the world continues to wait for the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire, fans continue to wait and see what fate their favorite characters may be. Whilst its television adaptation Game Of Thrones may be over, there are a number of differences between the two adaptations so it is difficult to properly guess what is still yet to come.
Since the beginning of the show, there have been plenty of differences that have arisen when adapting the expansive story for the small screen. Storylines and characters had to be cut or altered in order to better serve the story. Whilst some aspects will be missed, there are some storylines that fans will be glad weren't adapted.
Varys' Little Bird's Backstory
Varys does employ a small network of child spies, nicknamed his Little Birds, in the series, but there is not much focus on the individuals. The children silently pop up throughout the series in order to inform Varys of any required information, only talking to him.
However, in the books, it is revealed that the Little Birds all have their tongues cut out, and are required to be able to read in order to on information. This small detail is thankfully left out of the series, with the spies being seen talking to Varys. Whilst violence against children isn't exactly shied away from in the series, this detail is unnecessary and is best left dropped.
The Inclusion Of Patchface
Patchface, the court fool of Stannis Baratheon that died in a shipwreck before miraculously reanimating several days later, is absent in the television series. Having lost his memories and sanity, Patchface sings eery songs that include prophecies about the future.
Whilst it would've been an interesting way to hint at future events in the show, it is best that this character is left out of the series. Aside from being creepy, with him having a patched pattern etched across his skin, the character would not really bring anything new to the story that other prophetic characters already appear.
Tyrion's Nose
In both the series and books, Tyrion famously partakes in the Battle of the Blackwater, where Stannis attacked Kings Landing to take the Iron Throne from Joffrey Baratheon. In the series, Tyrion suffers a deep cut across his face, scarring him for the rest of the show. However, in the books, Tyrion has his nose sliced off in this encounter.
Understandably, like many quotes, this was cut from the show for a number of reasons. After joking that they couldn't exactly cut off Dinklage's nose, Martin himself confirmed that the CGI would have been too costly (via a at the Brown University Library). Still, his famous scar became a reminder of that fateful battle early on in Season 2 instead.
Jeyne Poole Was The One Who Was Supposed To Marry Ramsay (And Not Sansa)
The marriage of Ramsay to Sansa Stark is very different in the books. Instead of Sansa marrying into the family, it is actually her friend, Jeyne Poole, who pretends to be Sansa's sister, Arya. This was performed to keep Sansa safe, hidden away with Littlefinger.
This plotline would've been too confusing for the audience to keep up with, so it is best left out of the series. Having Sansa be the one to marry Ramsay allowed for tensions between the Starks and Boltons to increase even further, with the intense rivalry paying off when the viewers got to the season 6 episode, "Battle of The Bastards."
Robb's Wife, Talisa, Isn't Included In The Books
In the show, Robb Stark marries the nurse Talisa as she tends to the wounded after a battle, and the pair quickly fall in love, getting married in secret. Unfortunately, the two didn't get their happy ending when this union betrayed a pact Robb made with Walder Frey (resulting in the pair being killed at the infamous Red Wedding).
However, in the books, this unfolds quite differently as Robb Stark doesn't marry for love. Instead, he has sex with a woman named Jeyne Westerling and marries her because he thinks it's the right thing to do. This is definitely not as romantic as the altered plotline for the television series, where Robb and Talisa's love becomes a bittersweet, tragic tale.
Aegon Targaryen Is Alive
Unlike in the series, Daenerys is not the last Targaryen alive in the books. Her nephew, Aegon, the son of Rhaegar, travels across Westeros as a man named Young Griff. Like his aunt, Aegon wishes to take the Iron Throne and rule the continent like his family before him.
However, it is not known for certain whether this character is actually a Targaryen descendant. Overall, the plotline is too confusing and would bloat the series massively. With so many characters all with a claim to the Iron Throne, cutting this one makes sense.
Quentyn Martell Is Absent From The Show
Quentyn Martell is absent from the show entirely. The Prince of Dorne ventures to Essos in the books to ask for Daenerys's hand in marriage but is quickly rejected. After attempting to tame one of her dragons, he is burnt alive and dies several days later.
Considering that his story is not the most interesting piece of the books, it makes sense to cut him from the show. His link to the already disliked Dorne plotline does not help his case, either. The most interesting part about him, his gruesome death at the hands of the dragons, is also not unique to him and had been seen plenty of times on the show, resulting in not much need for his inclusion.
Several Characters Are Made Older In The Series
Not specific to any one character, but it is worth noting that most characters are a lot younger in the books when compared to the television show. For example, Daenarys is stated to be around 13 in book 1, when she is aged up to be 18 at the beginning of the tv series.
This decision was definitely the right one to make. With the adult nature and situations most characters find themselves in, it would've made for uncomfortable viewing to see such young characters act out certain scenes. Whilst there is an element of realism by representing characters as younger in the books, fans are certainly glad the show aged up everyone.
Tyrion's Personality Is Much Different In The Books
In the books, Tyrion is a much crueler character than how he is portrayed in the series. Inheriting the nasty traits of the Lannisters, Tyrion is both a murderer and a sexual predator, and has been known to be violent towards women.
Peter Dinklage's portrayal of Tyrion is much tamer than this, with the character effectively becoming the face of the entire show. There may be characters who act much worse than book Tyrion on the show, but it was the right decision to depict this character as more sympathetic. Tyrion shows that he is better than his toxic family in the show, whereas in the books he is as much like Lannister as the rest of them.
Roose Bolton And His Leeches
A small character trait of Roose Bolton in the books is his affinity to regularly "leech" himself - where he places leeches onto his body to remove any "bad blood." When around the Boltons, a disguised Arya Stark discovers this gruesome practice.
To the benefit of any squeamish viewers, this was gladly cut from the series. Roose Bolton and his family, particularly his son Ramsay, are a sadistic bunch, but even this would be too much for some audience to handle. Although, when compared to their family's common method of flaying their victims, perhaps this is tamer.