Sansa never really suffered at the hands of Ramsay
The show portrays Sansa’s distressing marriage to Ramsay Bolton, the North’s ruler, marked by his ruthless abuse. However, the books diverge from this plot, with Sansa’s friend Jeyne, who assumes the identity of Arya, marrying Ramsay instead. This spares Sansa the harrowing ordeal that she experiences in the show.
Jorah Mormont never had Greyscale
Jorah Mormont, portrayed by Iain Glen, remains loyal to Daenerys in the TV series. In Season 5, he contracts greyscale while rescuing Tyrion. Greyscale turns the skin hard and flaky, but Jorah recovers, adding tension to his character arc. The book version, however, omits the greyscale plotline entirely.
Jojen Reed survives
Jojen Reed (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) guides and befriends Bran, aiding his prophetic growth. In the Season 4 finale, they face a forest wight attack, leading to Jojen’s demise. His death intensifies Bran’s challenges and highlights his need to embrace his destiny. In contrast, the books depict Jojen surviving and continuing to assist Bran.
Catelyn Stark was essentially a zombie
Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) meets her tragic end at the Red Wedding, mirroring both the books and the show. In the books, she’s recovered from a river and brought back to life by the Brotherhood Without Banners, undergoing a profound transformation. Resembling a lifeless figure, she loses all compassion and seeks vengeance by slaying those responsible for the wedding massacre.
The Stark kids are younger in the book
Jon and Robb are 14 in the books, but in the show, Jon is 16 and Robb is 17. Arya is 9 in the books but 11 in the show, and Sansa is 11 in the books but 13 in the show. Bran is 7 in the books and 10 in the show, while the youngest Stark, Rickon, has his age changed from 3 to 6.
Robb Stark’s wife is different in the books
In the show, Robb Stark’s wife is Talisa (Oona Chaplin), who falls victim to the Red Wedding while carrying their unborn child. However, in the books, Robb’s wife is named Jeyne. He encounters Jeyne, a Lannister supporter, during his recovery from battle injuries. After a night together, he marries her out of a sense of responsibility and compassion, aiming to aid her in difficult circumstances.
The Lannister brothers do not part ways on good terms
Unlike the TV portrayal, the books reveal a strikingly different fate for Tyrion and Jamie Lannister. After Tyrion’s escape, their last meeting ends terribly. Jamie confesses a shocking secret about Tyrion’s ex-wife, Tysha, who was criticised with a slur against her by their father. This lie caused deep emotional scars, leading to Tyrion’s rage and a threatened quest for revenge.
The Night King is nowhere to be found in the books
You may confuse the Night’s King and the Night King due to their similar names, but they are distinct characters. In the books, the Night’s King was the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch who married a white walker and terrorized people for thirteen years. In contrast, the Night King, was created to simply dramatized the threat of white walkers in the show.
Missandei and Grey Worm’s relationship didn’t happen
Missandei is Daenerys’ loyal friend and handmaid, while Grey Worm leads her army. This cherished relationship, considered one of the show’s best, is entirely absent in the books. Furthermore, Missandei begins as a 10-year-old in the books, but in the show is older, making their connection more plausible. This change enhances both characters’ prominence, and it is seen as a positive alteration.
Ayra wargs a bunch in the books
In the show, only Bran can warg into animals. However in the novel series, all of the Stark siblings can warg into their direwolves. In the books, Arya has several dreams where she wargs into Nymeria, notably during a haunting scene when Nymeria retrieves Catelyn Stark’s corpse from a river while Arya is unknowingly inside her mind.
