Game of Thrones: 10 biggest changes from book to show

George R. R. Martin's unfinished fantasy epic, A Song of Ice and Fire series, was transformed into Game of Thrones on screen. The show became the blueprint for masterful storytelling, complex character dynamics, and jaw-dropping twists for eight years. While the characters from the page came alive on screen, many details and plot points were changed to fit the showrunners' vision.

Some changes helped drive the plot while others came as a surprise. While fans might not agree with some changes like Sansa and Ramsay's marriage, others translated well on screen, like making Arya and Tywin cross paths and creating some of the most riveting moments in Game of Thrones.

Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. Spoilers ahead.

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Sansa and Ramsay's marriage, Arya and Tywin's storyline, and other Game of Thrones changes from book to show

1) Sansa and Ramsay's storyline didn't exist in the books

Sansa tries to reject the proposal (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

Sansa's lack of agency is one of Game of Thrones's most chilling plot points. She is forced into marriage with Tyrion Lannister, held hostage by House Lannister after her father's passing, and abused by Jeoffrey. In the books, she remains in Eyrie, learning the art of manipulation under Littlefinger's tutelage.

In a controversial move, the show pushes her from being captive with the Lannisters straight into the evil arms of Ramsay Bolton. In the books, Sansa's best friend Jeyne Poole marries Ramsay disguised as Arya Stark. The showrunners were criticized for pushing unnecessary sexual violence on Sansa for character development, when she grew and evolved in the books without it.

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2) Arya and Tywin's storyline

Arya and Tywin meet at Harrenhal (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

George R. R. Martin's book series does not make Arya and Tywin's paths cross at Harrenhal. This is a surprising addition to Game of Thrones, one that doesn't cause any plot twists, but adds emotional depth and facets to both characters.

Arya's childlike courage challenges Tywin's hardened exterior, while showing similarities in their violent streak. Until season 2, Tywin's screentime is limited, so this happenstance union helps show his vulnerabilities. It also speeds up his character development while deepening Arya's journey to self-realization.

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3) The Stark children were all skinchangers

The Stark siblings (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

Game of Thrones simplifies an integral storyline within House Stark by giving the skinchanger ability to just Bran. Skinchangers can morph with the body and spirit of animals, particularly dogs or wolves, and control their actions. Every Stark child has a dire wolf in the books and the show, but their purpose varies in both.

The direwolves are just pets in the show, and the Starks do not become skinchangers. This is arguably a missed opportunity, as these special powers could've strengthened their ancestral connection.

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4) The Night King is a new character in the show

The Night King is a new character (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

A significant deviation from the book to the show is the creation of a leader figure for the White Walkers, known as Others in the books. The Others are terrifying in the books because of how organized they are, despite not having a leader. But the Night King in Game of Thrones represents their powers and what they stand for.

Having a single figurehead simplifies their omnipresence, and some will argue that this makes them too easy to beat. Their powers are essentially tied to his survival, so his death put an end to them entirely. This is also a major deviation from the books, where they are virtually invincible.

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5) Euron Greyjoy's change

The character is different in the show (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

Euron's description in the books makes him an imminent threat. From his quintessential pirate looks, like shaggy long hair and an eye patch, to his unrivaled ruthlessness and ambition, he is a major threat in George R. R. Martin's version. He wields an ancient Valyrian dragon horn that he wants to use to control Daenerys's dragons and conquer Westeros.

Someone so powerful and psychologically abusive is simplified into a generic pirate known to cause mayhem in Game of Thrones. With the show focusing on other major characters, his imminent threat is effectively removed with the on-screen adaptation.

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6) The characters are older in the show

The Starks are aged up (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

A minor change that impacts the tonality of Game of Thrones is portraying the characters older than they are in the books. The book is heartbreakingly tragic because the characters are young, helpless, and naive. However, aging them up for production makes it a gritty story of war and power.

In the books, the Stark children in particular are way younger. Robb is only fifteen years old in the beginning, relying on his mother for strategic advice. The show portrays him as a more war-hardened and powerful character. Ned and Catelyn are in their thirties, too, making it a vastly different setup.

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7) Tyrion's relationship with Jaime

Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

The books spend a lot of time on Tyrion's first marriage to Tysha and the revelation about her true identity. In many ways, Tyrion's ruthless and tortured persona is due to it. Jaime reveals to Tyrion that his wife, Tysha, whom he thought was a sex worker hired by their father, Tywin, was in fact just a peasant girl.

This meant that her love for Tyrian was real and pure, but it was too late for Tyrian to do anything about it. A major altercation occurs after the reveal, with Tyrian and Jaime's bond permanently altered. It is also an inciting reason for Tyrian to kill his father. This Lannister dynamic is entirely missing in Game of Thrones.

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8) Daenerys's vision in the House of Undying

Daenerys enters the House of Undying (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

Daenerys's visit to the House of Undying goes very differently in the books and the show. In George R. R. Martin's A Clash of Kings, she voluntarily enters with Drogon on her shoulder after being invited by the warlocks in Qarth. On the show, she is lured in under the guise of rescuing dragons.

The visions she has in the House of Undying are starkly different in the book vs the show. In the former, her prophetic visions are used to foreshadow a bloodshed (the Red Wedding), a blue flower growing out of ice (Jon Snow), and even glimpses of her brother Rhaegar. In the latter, the storyline is simplified, with her dragons saving her from the Undying.

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9) Robb Stark was driven by honor, not love

Robb's character is different in the show (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

Robb Stark's actions lead to the infamous Red Wedding in both the show and the books, but he takes vastly different paths in both. His tryst with Talisa Maegyr is portrayed as a silly romantic affair in the show, but his marriage to Jeyne Westerling is born out of trying to protect her honor in the books.

That makes his life trajectory eerily similar to Ned's, who also married for honor, and shows how the Starks are repeating their mistakes. By marrying Westerling, he gives up the alliance with House Frey and puts his people at risk. This changes the lord's character considerably.

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10) No Princess Arianne Martell in the show

Oberyn has a big story arc (Image via YouTube/Game of Thrones)

One of the only storylines that surrounds the land of Dorne is of Pedro Pascal's Oberyn Martell. But behind the veil, an entire storyline was omitted on the show, causing a huge uproar amongst book fans. Princess Arianne Martell is a character who doesn't make the cut, but is pivotal in Dorne's political intrigue.

She uses her smarts and beauty to put Myrcella Baratheon on the Iron Throne and become the undisputed heir to the Dorne throne that Doran occupies. There is a whole storyline where Doran plans to make her Queen of the Seven Kingdoms by creating a marriage alliance with Viserys Targaryen. Moreover, the eldest three Sand Snakes also have a bigger, more powerful role in the books.

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