Games of Thrones - Tropes

Any blade made from Valyrian steel.

Several.
Tywin Lannister, who dominates and demeans each of his children.


Craster, who rapes his daughters and sacrifices his sons to the White Walkers.


Samwell Tarly joined the Night's Watch when his father threatened to arrange a Hunting Accident.


Balon Greyjoy who greeted his only surviving son with scorn and refused to even consider ransoming him when he was captured.

Cultures throughout the world see women of action in a variety of lights, from acceptance to scorn.
Arya Stark practices swordplay and looks up to fellow action girls from Westerosi history, such as Visenya Targaryen, sister of Aegon the Conqueror, and Nymeria, Warrior Queen of the Rhoynar (after whom she names her direwolf).


Brienne of Tarth is a large and strong woman whose one want in life is to be a knight. She has dealt her entire life with the scorn of others for her choice of a non-traditional role.


Yara Greyjoy. After her older brothers were killed in battle and her younger brother taken hostage, she was the only child of the Greyjoy line left and took on the role her eldest brother would have served at her father's side.


Wildling spearwives such as Ygritte and Osha.



Meera Reed is skilled with weapons and acts as her brother Jojen's protector.

Ian Whyte portrays Gregor Clegane in Season 2, a White Walker in Seasons 1 and 2, and a giant in Season 3.


Dean-Charles Chapman, who portrayed Martyn Lannister in Season 3, returned as Prince Tommen Baratheon in Season 4.

Jon mistakes Tormund Giantsbane for Mance Rayder. Tormund and Mance are quite amused.

Jorah Mormont in the book is hairy, balding, and "not handsome," which is a stark contrast to how he looks in the series (played by Iain Glen).

Tyrion Lannister is described as having not only dwarfism but also a deformed face. Peter Dinklage portrays him without facial deformity and is even called rather handsome by Margaery. The facial wound he receives on the Blackwater is also much less grievous than in the books, in which he loses most of his nose.


Ned Stark is described as "plain" in the book, but is played by Mr. Fanservice stalwart Sean Bean.


Robin Arryn is a normal-looking child in the show, while in the books he's sickly and small for his age, constantly has a runny nose and watery eyes, and suffers bouts of shaking fits.


In the books, Dagmer Cleftjaw has a horrible scar that splits his lower face in half. In the show, the scar is in the left side of his face and is not that noticeable.


Brienne is described as extremely ugly in the books, but she's fairly average, apart from her height, in the series. She is, however, much plainer than her actress
is in real life.


Ygritte is described in the book as as short for her age, skinny but well-muscled, with a round face, small hands, a pug nose, and crooked white teeth, but considered beautiful by Jon. In the series, she is played by the conventionally attractive Rose Leslie.


Arya Stark is usually described as "horse-faced". In the series, she is round-faced and cute.


In the books, Osha is said to hardly look like a woman. She's lean, tall and covered in scars, with a hard face. In the show, she's played by Natalia Tena, an attractive actress with a feminine and unblemished physique. Her costuming, including a shapeless robe and scraggly hair, goes a way towards toning it down. And in one Series 2 episode, she uses her body to seduce male characters twice.

In the books, Brienne has a very awkward and insecure personality, and only barely manages to beat Jaime in a swordfight, despite his emaciated condition and manacled hands. In the show, she's angrier, more self-confident, and defeats Jaime rather casually even though he's in better condition than in the book.


According to Word of God, Ned in the books is only an average swordsman for his social class, while his older brother was a bigger and better fighter. In the show,
Ned has a reputation as a very strong swordsman and even matches the Kingslayer during their duel. Littlefinger also calls Ned "an even more impressive specimen" than his older brother.


In the novels, Stannis Baratheon may not be a slouch, but he prefers to lead as a general instead of at the front like his brother Robert. Not so in the show, where he leads the storm of King's Landing personally.


Ramsay Snow is described in the books as "like a butcher with a sword" by his own father, as he wasn't taught by a master-at-arms, but instead by the original Reek. In the show he is shown to at least be good enough with a bow to kill Theon's pursuers.

Several characters are presented as more sympathetic than they are in the books.
Cersei Lannister gets several scenes in Season 1 that underline her miserable marriage to Robert, her sympathy for Bran Stark's injury that she caused, and her main virtue (love for her family, save Tyrion). Two of her biggest Kick the Dog moments from the second book are done by Joffrey instead. She also recognizes Joffrey's madness and regrets what he's become, while in the books, she defends all of his actions, and finds him perfect. Her relationship with Tyrion is also considerably less antagonistic. They still don't like each other much, but they at least share a modicum of respect and even understanding, while in the books their relationship is nothing short of absolute mutual hatred.


Renly Baratheon is changed from a prideful Sleazy Politician with entitlement issues to a serious and thoughtful young man who rebels against Joffrey out of a genuine sense that he'd be better at the job. The TV character is more intelligent than his book counterpart (who dismissed books because he believed they should only be read by maesters), and Gethin Anthony has stated in this featurette that Renly is "very educated." His main Kick the Dog moment (mocking Brienne of Tarth behind her back) is changed to genuinely respecting her abilities and service.


In the books, it's left ambiguous for a long time whether Shae really loves Tyrion or is Only in It for the Money. The latter interpretation is very difficult to take away from the show's version of the character, given her jealousy at the prospect of anyone else taking him from her. Serving as a Cool Big Sister to Sansa is also original to the show.


Tywin in the books is a Jerkass Magnificent Bastard chessmaster who has little regard for his children except for what they can do to further his agenda, and is willing to do whatever it takes to secure the Lannister's power base. In the series, he's still stern and at times cold, but is more of a Pragmatic Villain who believes he's doing what must be done instead of the complete asshole he comes across as in the books. He also has a different role in Season 2 compared to "A Clash of Kings" that casts him into the role of Arya's master instead of Weese and Roose Bolton, making her a Morality Pet that brings out a softer and more obviously paternal side before he leaves her.


Theon's motivations (his feelings of rejection, his desire to belong to at least one of his families, and belated realisation that he wanted to be a Stark) as well as his horror at his own actions are shown much more clearly and earlier than in the books.


Tyrion Lannister is "the grayest of the gray" in the books, per George R. R. Martin. The show omits virtually all of the less than heroic aspects of his character in favour of making him a more traditional protagonist. He also benefits from the aforementioned adaptational heroism of his girlfriend Shae, whose much more sympathetic character changes what was originally a purely shallow relationship based on Tyrion's misguided perception of her into a genuine love affair.


In the novels Sandor Clegane goes to Sansa's room during the Battle of Blackwater with the apparent intention of raping her, throwing Sansa onto the bed with a knife at her throat. The show has their confrontation be much less frightening, making her refusal to escape with Sandor to the North less understandable.


In both book and show, the final reason Jon gives for switching sides and joining the Wildlings is implied to be at least partially honest. In the books, he says that he's rebelling against the treatment he received for being a bastard, while in the show he says he wants to join the side fighting against the White Walkers. The change paints him in a more heroic light.
(6:12)


Bran's tendency to brood on his crippled state is less pronounced in the show, and his warging of Hodor is portrayed more as Took a Level in Badass than Mind Rape.

The show is no stranger to nudity; however, scenes in Qarth do not depict the custom of women wearing gowns that expose one breast, as described in the books, mainly because this would have been way too distracting.


The scene where Eddard & Catelyn receive the letter from Lysa claiming that it was the Lannisters who murdered Jon Arryn has both of them clothed, whereas they were naked in the books as they had just got done making love.


Due to laws about child nudity, a scene where Sansa Stark is stripped naked is changed to just having her dress ripped (with the implication that it would have gone further had Tyrion not intervened). Tyrion also spares her from having to undress on their wedding night; in the book, he doesn't back off from consummating the marriage until everyone's naked.

In the books, it is left somewhat ambiguous whether Mirri Maz Duur sabotaged Drogo's wound since Drogo later went back to his traditional remedies. This is omitted from the TV series, but both versions are explicit that Mirri wanted him dead.


In the books, Xaro Xoan Daxos wants nothing more than to marry Dany so he can get control of one of her dragons, but in the show he allies with the warlocks to assassinate the rest of the Thirteen and seize control of the city, then imprison Daenerys and steal all of the dragons.


In the books, Doreah is a loyal servant. In a cut scene from the show, she strangles Irri to death and helps Xaro steal Dany's dragons.


Stannis nearly strangles Melisandre in "Valar Morghulis". In the novels, he was never physically violent towards a woman. Unlike his book counterpart, Stannis on the show is much more willing to sacrifice his nephew (Gendry on the TV series, Edric in the novels) to the Lord of Light.


Joffrey is a horrific power-crazed psychopath in the books, but his show counterpart's taste for sexual violence against prostitutes is an exaggeration (or perhaps an extrapolation, given his age-up) of his sadistic streak. He also treats Cersei far worse, and two of Cersei's biggest Kick the Dog moments in the books are done by him instead.


In the books, Littlefinger isn't involved in anything so vile as serving up his prostitutes to necrophiliacs and serial killers. On the whole, his villainy is much more overt in the show.


In the books, Rast is just a bully who must be convinced to leave Sam Tarly alone. In the show, he is upgraded to a prominent mutineer who actively wants Sam dead and personally murders the Lord Commander.


In the show, Khal Drogo effectively rapes Dany on their wedding night. However, in the book, he behaves much more gently, coaxing her with a lot of foreplay until she ultimately gives her consent.


Jaime gets extra villainous actions than he had in the book, including murdering a member of his house whilst imprisoned by Robb. In Season 4, his sex scene with Cersei is turned into a rape.

Renly's book counterpart is a big, burly man with an enthusiasm for jousts and battle, though not much skill. On the show, he's of smaller stature and dislikes violence.


Samwell: In the books, while he constantly claims that he is a coward, he actually manages to stand on his own in most of his scenes. On the show, however, he's portrayed much more as a clumsy oaf. Two glaring examples:
In the novels, during the ranging when the Others attack, Sam manages to write his messages and release the ravens (though he neglects to attach the messages to the ravens). His TV counterpart fails at even this task (in fact he avoids the battle altogether), which leads Mormont to berate him.


On the series, Sam killing the wight happens after Craster's Keep with the only Gilly to witness. In the books, he does it on the march to Craster's, and several black brothers witness the event, giving him the nickname "Slayer" in respect, not mockery.


In the book, Tyrion participates in the Battle of the Green Fork with an axe and gets a few kills. Due to Battle Discretion, in the show he doesn't participate in combat until the Battle of the Blackwater.

The show is an adaptation of a series of fantasy Doorstopper novels. Even with about 10 hours of screen time devoted to each book, there is a lot of condensing, particularly in the form of reducing the number and combining the roles of various characters. Individual scenes often convey the same plot-critical information as their book counterparts, but superfluous banter between characters or world-building exposition is toned down.

In the books, all the Stark kids except Jon and Arya are redheads like their mother. In the series, Sansa and Robb are the only redheads (Robb's is especially dark, but it is definitely red), Bran is Stark-colored and Rickon is a dark shade of blond.



The distinctive Baratheon black hair seems to be dark brown in the show, as is the case with Robert, Renly, Gendry, and Shireen.


Loras and Margaery from the novels have brown eyes, but their TV counterparts are blue-eyed.


Moreover, the forest green of the Tyrells' clothing has been replaced with teal on the show.

The teal colour gives the characters a softer, gentler look onscreen, emphasizing the "silk" part of the family's Silk Hiding Steel philosophy. Michele Clapton elaborates on this chromatic change in the March 28, 2014 issue of Entertainment Weekly.
"Usually I would use the sigil colours as a base palette," she says (which for a Tyrell would mean gold and green). But Clapton was careful not to give away the family's motives. "To be too overt would have shown their hand."
The one major exception is Loras' green-and-gold sparring outfit in "Kissed by Fire". As he is simply practicing his swordplay, there isn't a need for him to disguise the fact that he is a formidable Tyrell warrior.

By focusing on a more limited number of storylines and characters, the series also has the opportunity to expand on some aspects of the story.
In the episode "Oathkeeper," it is explicitly shown what the White Walkers did with Craster's sons, something that has never been described in the books.

Both Tywin and Catelyn's relationship with their respective unfavorite child is expanded upon. Both admit that they once wished death on the child, repented of that impulse, but still could not bring themselves to love him.


Xaro Xoan Daxos is given a much more detailed backstory and motivation.

Do you think the path from poverty to wealth is always pure and honorable? I have done many things, Khaleesi, that a righteous man would condemn. And here I am, with no regrets.

The poisoners of Joffrey are revealed and openly state their motivations for the deed, whereas in the books it is all left implied.

In the books, Renly and Loras's relationship is only subtly implied to even exist, and the bedroom dynamics of Renly's marriage with Margaery are never revealed. The show reveals how Renly and Loras behave as lovers as well as the realities of Renly's marriage bed.

We see the actions of Night's Watch mutineers at Craster's Keep, whereas the books only subtly imply what happens to them.

In the books, Khal Drogo removes Mirri Maz Dur's poultice, relies on the Dothraki healers instead, and his wound gets infected. This lends some credibility to Mirri, who criticized the Dothraki methods. In the TV series, they use Mirri's method, Drogo gets infected anyway, and Daenerys still trusts her to heal him. It's even heavily hinted that Mirri wanted him to die. It all makes Dany seem naive and oddly trusting of someone she knows little about. (see Adaptational Villainy)

In the second season, The Hound offers to help Sansa escape while he's fleeing the city. She refuses, as she does in the books. In the books her situation is less perilous and she already has a plot to escape of her own. In the show, however, she has no other alternative, so there's no motive for her to refuse so out of hand.(see Adaptational heroism)

In the intro to the novel A Game of Thrones, the last surviving Night's Watchman is Gared, who stays with the horses during the Others' attack and flees when he hears fighting. In the series, the sole survivor is Will, who we see come face-to-face with the White Walkers. How or why he survived is never explained.


A similar event occurs in the Season 2 Finale: The White Walkers are shown looking at and walking past Sam, despite having no explained reason to leave him alive. In the prologue to A Storm of Swords (the chapter which this scene is drawn from), Sam is with the rest of the Night's Watch and doesn't explicitly come face to face with the Others.