Game of Thrones has proven itself as one of the most popular TV shows of all time. The series captured the audience’s attention with the perfect storyline, star cast, graphics, and storytelling. Except for the last session, the show as a whole received a lot of love and support from both the fan and critics.
While the exquisite plots and graphics do well in making the audiences want more and more from the show, it’s the characters and their storylines that majorly held the attention of the audiences. Each character featured in the show evokes strong emotions in the audience, whether it is feelings of passionate love or ferocious hatred. While there are many commonalities between the TV adaptations of the characters from A Song of Ice and Fire and their book counterparts, there are also many prominent differences.
Here we have listed the top ten differences between Game of thrones books and Series:
SHAE
The book depiction of Shae, Tyrion’s lover who calls him “My Lion,” differs slightly from the TV portrayal performed by Sibel Kekelli. According to the television series, Shae is genuinely in love with Tyrion, which is why she reacts so strongly to his rejection, which he only does to keep her safe.
While in the books, she has no affection for Tyrion and is only using him for his money and status. This is the major reason why Shae’s betrayal of Tyrion at his Trial was not at all shocking to series readers.
LITTLE FINGER
In the books, Little Finger is considered a very trustworthy character, however, in the Game of Thrones TV series, the portrayal of Petyr Baelish seems completely contradictory to the book version of its persona. In the show, the Little Finger is shown as a rather cunning and untrustworthy character. Little Finger is one of the characters that have undergone the most changes between the novel and the TV, according to George RR Martin.
Baelish is arguably the most horrifying character in ASOIAF because of how proficient he is at convincing everyone he meets that he is very “weak” and “kind” Despite Tyrion Lannister’s claim in Game of Thrones that “only an idiot would trust Little Finger,” Little Finger can win the faith of everyone else because to his ability to don this beneficent mask.
JON SNOW
Kit Harington was 25 when Game of Thrones began filming, but Jon Snow is just 16 or 17 in the literature. He is frequently referred to as “beautiful” in the show, yet it is never referenced in the books.
His character in the HBO series is very action-oriented and occasionally fails to consider the consequences of his choices, although in the books he is considerably more deliberate in his choices. He is a warg or a person who can see through an animal’s eyes, and he is also able to see predictions in his dreams.
SANSA STARK
Sansa begins the series as a 13-year-old, yet in the books, she is only 11 years old. The “small bird” is smarter and more knowledgeable about Westeros’ past in George RR Martin’s books than in the HBO series. In the book, she is portrayed as a very talented character who can play multiple instruments.
RAMSAY BOLTON
While Ramsay is portrayed to be a real jerk in the television show, he is far worse in the books! He kills all of the Bolton sons who pose a threat to him, and he is especially brutal to Theon. He even makes his wife Jane (who isn’t in the episode) have *hem hem* intercourse with his dogs. Ramsay looks very attractive in Game of Thrones, yet in the books, he is far less eye-catching. According to the novels, he has broad shoulders and large bones, and his fleshiness suggests that he may become obese in the future. Ramsay has pink and blotchy skin, a big nose, and long, dark, and dry hair.”
JAIME LANNISTER
Unlike in the TV series, when Jaime Lannister “died fighting to defend his Queen” and remained in love with Cersei until the very end, this is not so true in the novels. Although it’s thought he was first madly in love with his sister when he found out she was “deceitful,” jealousy and anger gradually took control over him. While Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played Jaime, was 31 when ASOIAF first began filming, he was 41 at the time.
DAENERYS TARGARYEN
Daenerys should be approximately 17 or 18 when the television series begins, but she’s only 13 in the first book! Known as the most beautiful woman in the world, some believe Queen Dany has violet eyes, is “too skinny,” in Varys’ opinion, and repeatedly burns herself, causing her to lose her hair. No “Mad Queen” episodes can be found in the novels because the Dragon Queen in ASOIAF is a total humanitarian.
In contrast to the TV program, her relationship with Drogo is much more consensual on their wedding night in the books. In the episode, she essentially ignores Daario’s courtship since she has a major old-school crush on him.
BRIENNE OF TARTH
Brienne of Tarth begins the narrative in the book when she is just 18 years old. She is portrayed on the show by Gwendoline Christie, who was 32 when she made her debut in Game of Thrones. She is featured in the novels as being exceedingly unattractive with numerous freckles, puffy lips, and a bitten cheek. Her large, childlike blue eyes are thought to be her only beautiful feature.
TYRION LANNISTER
Throughout HBO’s Game of Thrones, Tyrion Lannister has a reputation for having a good heart and a plethora of funny quips to tell, even in the most troubled times. Although he is arguably the most morally upright character on the program, he isn’t quite as endearing in the books. The “half-man” in the novels will kill people without feeling too bad about it. He kills a guy, cuts up his body, and serves it to people as a stew while claiming that his goal is to rape and kill his sister, Cersei.
Visually, Peter Dinklage, the actor who plays him on Game of Thrones, is pretty attractive. However, he appears grotesque and even demonic in the book. In the books, he is significantly shorter, loses his nose in The Battle of Blackwater, has one black eye and one green eye, and has blonde Targaryen hair and a black beard.
CATELYN STARK
The much-loved Stark Mother, played by the exceptional actress Michelle Fairley in the HBO series, has a far grimmer conclusion than she did in the program. Although it’s hard to imagine things could go any worse than what happened in The Red Wedding, George RR Martin is always prepared to deliver the goriest twist of fate. In the books, Catelyn’s story does not finish with The Red Wedding. Beric Dondarrion revives her body, bringing her back into existence as a living corpse.
She would do anything to get back at everyone who wronged her at The Red Wedding because all she wants is to seek vengeance for her son (and even people who had nothing to do with it). She is no longer the sweet woman who was formerly well-known to everyone.
Conclusion
The portrayal of characters in the HBO GOT series is at times quite distinctive from the original personalities in the fantasy novel series. Nevertheless, the characters succeed in catching the audience’s attention with utmost perfection. Despite the differences from their original role models the characters portrayed in the TV series are quite vibrant and full of life.
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